140 NATVJRE AND WOODCIiAFT. 



him " At Home " : "I found him sitting at the 

 head of a large square table, such as is commonly 

 used in this country by the lower class of people, 

 dressed in a coarse blue frock, trimmed with 

 black horn buttons, a checked shirt, a leathern 

 strap about his neck for a stock, a coarse apron, 

 and a pair of great wooden-soled shoes, plated 

 with iron to preserve them — what we call clogs 

 in these parts — with a child upon his knee, eating 

 his breakfast." 



Here is an interesting bit of conservatism 

 which deserves some passing record ere it ceases 

 to be. The Shepherds' Meeting itself is one of 

 the oldest institutions of the hill districts, and 

 is annually held at the little wayside inn on 

 the summit of Kirkstone Pass. The period of 

 its importance dates back to a time prior to the 

 enclosure of the Commons, when it formed part 

 of the economy of sheep farming in the North. 

 It has been already stated that each dale farmer 

 has right of " heaf " for so many sheep upon 

 the Common ; these being without any barrier 

 to restrict their range. Yet it is remarkable 

 how each flock knows and keeps its own ground; 

 but the reason for this has been given. In spite 

 of these shrewd precautions, however, a few 



