SUMMER IN SOMERSET. 285 
that one side of the current of insects flies up that way, 
and the other side returns. They go toand froin regular 
order, exactly like the fashionable folk in Rotten Row, 
but the two ranks pass so quickly that looked at both to- 
gether the vision cannot separate them, they are fastcr 
than the impression on the retina. 
* At Selworthy a footpath leads up through a wood 
on Selworthy Hill, and as it ascends, always at the 
side of the slope, gradually opens out what is per-. 
haps the finest view of Dunkery Beacon, the Dunkcry 
range, and. that edge of Exmoor on to the shore of the 
sea. Across the deep vale the Exmoor mountains rise 
and reach on either hand, immense breadths of dark 
heather, deep coombes filled with black shadow, and 
rounded masses that look dry and heated. To the right 
is the gleaming sea, and the distant sound of the surge 
comes up to the wood. The headland and its three 
curves boldly project into the sunlit waters; from its 
foot many a gallant stag hard pressed by the hounds has 
swum out into the track of passing vessels. Selworthy 
Woods were still in the afternoon heat ; except for the 
occasional rustle of a rabbit or of a pheasant, there was 
no evidence of life ; the sound of the sea was faint and soon 
lost among the ferns. Slowly, very slowly, great Dun- 
kery grew less hard of aspect, shadows drew along at the 
base, while again the declining sun from time to time 
sent his beams into valleys till now dark. The thatched 
house at Holnicote by the foot of Selworthy much inte- 
tested me; it is one of the last of thatched houses inha- 
bited by a gentleman and landed proprietor. Sir Thomas 
Acland, who resides here, is a very large owner. Thatch 
prevails on his estates ; thatched cottages, thatched farm- 
houses, and his thatched mansion. In the coolness of 
the evening the birds began to sing and squirrels played - 
