The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-02-25
9s From Chambers Journal.
An Adventure on Dartm00r.

1t is not very eften that doctor gets a
ticket-of-leaye; either he is high up on the
ladder, and his sick patients must not be
neglected, or he is low down on the lad
der, and is afraid if he leaves his post for
q day be shall be oasted by those above
and below. him, and find his two or three
paying patients picked up and carried
off before his return. Any way, it is not
easy to get off; he has plenty to do, he
waits till he has less; if he has nothing to
do, till be has more; and sure it is that
there is no profession the members ofwhich
are SO cited by the leg" as those of the
medical. The only thing that gives a
doctor furlough is sickness-his own, /
mean. A good fit of illness sometimes
saves his life, by cutting him off from the
possibility of work-from the endless
wear and tear of body and mind which
strikes so deep at ther roots of life and
heath.
"A severe attack of fever, which had for
d long time sfhreatened to withdraw me.
from the heavy struggle had for some
years maintained with.the toll of life, was,
by Gods mercy, abated; the weary hours
of convalescence were past, and the pleas
ant sentence, that an entire change of air
and scene must be resorted to before
AGAIN faced single patient, had been
pronounced And so, obedient to the
mandate, left my home; and after week
spent in quiet lodging on the borders
of the moor, found myself, though certain
ly not well enough to return to my town
duties, yet decidedly at that stage Of re-
scovery which would sanction, and indeed
called for, q more active and inspiriting
mode of life than had as yet ventured to
pursue.
It was lovely day in August that,
with spirits elated by the combined effects
of returning health and the pure hill-air,
which always blows over Dartmoor, l set
off on my expedition, crossed Wigford
Down, visited Shaugh Bridge, and before
noon found myself seated exulted on the
top of the Dewerstone Rock, amidst its
rough granite crags, ever green with ivy,
and the spreading fringe moss between
which cropped out turfs ofheath, trees Of
mountain-ash, now bright with berries
and other wild flowers, which gave life and
variety to the coloring of that beautiful
scene.
After resting here, and partaking of the
food which my wallet supplied, l again
girded up my strength, went aside to visit
Saddleborough; and then crossing Cada-
ford Bridge, followed the course ofthe beau
tiful little river Plym to TrowIesworthy
Tor. It was getting towards evening be-
fore I had completed my survey of the
many interesting relics ofour British fore.
fathers which are found on this wild hill.
side; and as l stood among the mighty
masses of unhewn granite, disposed in
small circles, and partially hidden in the
earth, which marked the spots which had
been the homes of families, and pondered
on their modes of life, and thought of the
young children who had been there born
and brought up; of the youths and maid
ems whose hearts had there beat in unison
of the parents who had laid their children
down to sleep the sleep of death among
those wild breezy slopes; and of the aget
men and women who had there begun ant
ended their course-my attention became
SO deeply absorbed that did not motto,
the shades of,evening had begun to fall
until a soft drizzling raig descending OIL
me, accompanied by a chilling wind, LEI
me to ronse myself, and look about for
place where might obtain shelter for tn
night.
It's no pleasant thing to be surprised
by night in a wild solitude, and when one
the idea had arisen in my mind that sucl
was likely to be my case, I lost no time il
seizing my stick and wallet, and setting
off at full trot down the slippery turf, il
that which I took to be the direction o
the farmhouse where had rested on m
way to the Tor, hoping that might ge
leave to shelter there, in barn, even,
could not find better accommodation
But L was not fated to reach even thi
doubtful place of refuge. The distric
was wholly unknown to me, and hat
walked SO many times round and acros