Lyndhurst (in New Forest.)
Ther. [Thermometer] Fri. [Friday] Aug. 20, 1909 [August 20, 1909] Wea. [Weather]
Stormy.
 A gloomy rather cool, day with strong
S.W. [Southwest] wind & many heavy showers.
  Spent an hour in smoking room, just
after breakfast talking with Kipling.
He had wonderful big blue eyes, a
ravishing smile, a keen intelligence & very
agreeable manners. We chatted & joked &
laughed like old friends. He knows a good
deal about British birds & takes much
interest in them. Of the Brown Trout
he said "he knows as much as an
Oxford graduate thinks he knows." His
picture of what would happen to me
were I to fire a gun in the New Forest
was a delightful piece of imaginative
description, most delicately humorous.
Altogether I had a rare treat. We had
several shorter talks later in the day.
  At 11 A.M. I took a long walk in
the forest with C. [Caroline Brewster] E.R.S. [Elizabeth Simmons]. Miss Allyn &
Miss Howard. Such noble oaks & beeches
I have never seen before. In many places
the ground choked with undergrowth of
young holly, well nigh impenetrable.
  At 2.30 P.M. we drove out six miles to
a meet of the stag hounds. It was most
interesting, the dogs very beautiful. No
deer started while we were there.

Lyndhurst.
Ther. [Thermometer] Sat. [Saturday] Aug. 21, 1909 [August 21, 1909] Wea. [Weather]
Fine.
 Clear & cool with light N.W. [Northwest] wind.
  Had another rather long talk
with Kipling just after breakfast, 
when he introduced me to his wife.
They left about 10, he for a
yachting trip, she to return home.
  At 11.30 C. [Caroline] Miss Howard & I
started for a rather long drive in
the forest. We stopped first at the
quaint little old church at Minstead
next at the Rufous Stone [Rufus Stone], last 
at the King & the Queen Oaks. The
air was crisp & clear the distant
views very distinct. Saw 4 or 5 
Crossbills in a Scotch pine at
work on green cones. They called
pip, pip exactly like our birds.
Saw 3 Jays but only a few other
birds & no Pigeons. Spent afternoon
in & near hotel. At evening saw a
very large bat as big as our [?]
[?] Miss Howard & E.R.S. [Elizabeth R Simmons] left in P.M.