York to Ripon.
  Aug. 22. Morning cloudy with heavy rain.
P.M. clearing with some sunshine. Colder.
  To Cathedral by cab at 10.45 C. & E.
having preceeded me to attend service at
which they heard most beautiful singing.
  We all like this Cathedral. I put it
ahead of all that we have seen. C. & E.
rate it next to Winchester. Its crowning
glory its old stained glass. The
choir is 99 ft, high, the whole structure
175 yards in length.
  Walked back to hotel for lunch at
1 P.M. Took train for Ripon at 3.05
changing at Thirsk. Country level
and uninteresting, an endless succession
of pastures alternating with grain fields.
Saw large flock of Rooks & Jackdaws & a
few small flocks of Starlings. At Ripon
Swallows & Martins flying over river & Martins
about cathedral among the latter a
single Swift. I think the swifts are
departing. I saw none at York but they
were numerous at Lincoln on 19th & 20th[.]
Ripon.
Aug. 23. Cold, with a cold gray sky - a
dismal, November-like day.
  Spent the morning writing. Attended service
at Cathedral 3-4 P.M. Fine, simple sermon.
At 5.30 P.M. started alone for a walk.
Passed to left of Cathedral down a hill
by a curving lane with high brick or stone
walls on left side enclosing cultivated
grounds belonging to a large house.
Swallows skimming through the lane & a
swarm of Martins flying about high in air
under lee of Cathedral. A Blackbird flitted
from tree to tree ahead of me. No sounds
of insects or birds save the occasional
grating cries of the Martins or twitter or
the Swallows.
  Reaching the river Skell I cross it
by a foot bridge and took a foot-path
that follows the right bank. Water
very shallow, fairly clear, but smelling
of drains several of which emptied
directly into it. Yet I saw many
fish rising. A man whom I