The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-06-13
GONE ASHORE"
BY ROBERT BUCHANAN.

DY ROBERT BUCHANAN.
found it irksome at first to paint in tho ope
air, with gazing crowd at my back maxim
audible comments on my work as it prC
gresaedi but soon got used to it, end. hay
ing discovered certain good subjects her
and there among my visitors, take the pul
Lefty now as matter of cuurge. Even ybei
busy inside / am never astonished to So
strange no5es fGttened against tho window
strange faces pecp:ng in at tho door Tt
human temperament accustoms itself 10 any
thing.
u begin this record in tho Island Of Angle
sea, where we have arrived after cur fort
nights wandorings in the more mountainoul
districts of tho mainland. Anglesea, | am in
formed, is chiefly famous for its pigs ant
its wild ducks. So far rs have yet exploret
it l find it fiat and dosolate enough; but
have been educated in Irish landscapes, and
don't object to flatness when combined witt
desolati,n. l like these dreary meadows
these bleak stretches of melancholy moor
land, these wild lakes and lagoons.
"At tIo present moment I am encam,ed In
a spot where, in all probability, shall re-
main for days came upon it quite by &C
y
way to the market town of Pencroes; or
rather, when 1 imagined that was going
thither, while 1 had, in reality, after hesitate
ing at three crossroads, taken the road which
led in exactly the opposite direction. The
way was desolate and dreary beyond meas
ure-stretches of mo-ass and moorland on
every side, occasionally rising into heathel.y
knobs or hillocks, or strewed with huge
pieces of stones like the moors Of Cornwall.
Presently the open moorland ended,
and we entered region of sandy
hlllocks, sparsely ornamented here and
there with long, harsh grass. If one
could imagine tho waves Of the ocean. nj
some moment of wild agitation, suddenly
frozen to stiffness, and returning intact these
tempestuous forms, it would give some idea
OF the hillocks l am describing, Theyroseon
every side of the road, completely shutting
out the view, and their pale, Hvid yellow.
ness, scarcely relieved with q glimpse of
greenness, was wearisome and lonely in the
extreme. AS we advanced among them. the
road we were pursuing grew worse and
worse, till it became so choked and covered
with drifted sand as to be scarcely recoruiz.
able, and need hardly say that it was hard
work for one horse to pull the caravan along
I'VE had proceeded in this manner for
some miles, and l was beginning to realize
the fact that we were out of our reckoning,
when, suddenly emerging from between two
sandhills, l saw wido stretch of green inca.
dow land, and beyond it glorifed piece of
water. The sun was shining brightly. the
water sparliled like mirror, calm as glass
and without breath. As we appeared n
large heron rose from the spot on the water
side where he had been standing
Still as a stone, without a sound.
Above his dim blue shade
and sailed leisurely away. Around the lake.
which was about mile in circumference, the
road ran winding, till it reached tho farther
side, where more sandhills began; but be-
tween these sandhills l caught a sparkling
glimpse of more water, and, guided to INV
conclusion by the red sail Of a fishing smack
just glilnmering on the horizon line, l knew
that farther water was-the sea.
''The spot had all the attraction of com.
plete desolGtion, combined with the charm
which always, to my mind, pertains to lakes
and lagoons. Eager as boy or q loosened
retriever, ran across the meadow and found
the grass long and green and sown with in.
Vulnerable crowsfoOt flowers; underneath
the green was sand again, but here it glinl.
mered like gold dust. As reached the scdges
on the lake side a teal rose, in full summer
plumage, wheeled swiftly round the lake.
then, returning, splashed down boldly and
swan within a stones throw of the shore.
when, peering through the rushes, CAUGHT
glimpse Of his mate padding anxiously along
with eight little flufTs of down behind her
Then, just outside the sedges, l saw the COLDER
shield Of water broken by the circles of rising
trout It was too much. hastened bacl, tc
the caravan and informed Tim that had
no intention Of going any farther-that day,
at least.
so hero we have been since Yesterday. and
up to this, have not set eyes upon a single
soul. Such peace and quictness is a foretaste
OF Paradise. As this is the most satisfactory
day have yet spent in my pilgrimage, al
though 1t bears, at the same time, u family
Likeness to the other days of the past fort
hlght, purpose setting down, verbatim,
serlatlm, and chronologically, tho manner in
which occupied myself fror, dawn to sun.
set.
ga M.-Walse, and see that Tim las ri.
ready disappeared, and folded up he ham
mock. Observe the moraing sun looking in
with fresh, CHEEKY cOuEtcnance at the win
dow. Turn over again with yuwp, and 20
TO sleep for another five minutes.
"I:l5 a. M.-WaEe again, and discover, BY
looking at my watch, that, instead of five
minutes, l have slept an hour and a quarter.
Spring up at once, and sin on shirt and
trousers; then pass out, barefooted, into the
open air. No sign Of Tim, but fire is
lighted close to the caravan, which shadows
tfrom the rays Of the morning sun. Stroll
Town to the lake, and throwing Off what
garments l wear, prepare for a bath. Can.
aot get out for a swim on account of the
l.. I.