San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-02-10

and has generally come OF v.rlorlona;
though, on one occasion. he would have
been oyerpowered by numbers if had
not gone to his assistance. Generally
speaking, nothing will remove from the
rural population an idea that the cara
van forms an exhibition Of some sort.
When | airly alight. and stroll through
village. sketch-boOk in hand. | have
invariably at my heels a long attendant
train of all ages, obviously under the
Impression that am looking fora suit
able pitch, and am going to perform
TO avoid these and similar inconven-
fences, we generally halt for the night
in some secluded spOt-sOme roadside
nook or outlying common. But there
is fatal attraction in the caravan: it
seems to draw spectators. as it We're,
out OF the very bowels of the earth. No
matter how desOlate the place we have
chosen, we have scarcely made ourselves
comfortable when an audience gathers.
and stragglers drop in. amazed and
open-mOuthed. found it irksome at
first to paint in the open air, with
gazing crowd at my back making audi
able comments on my work as it pro-
crossed; but soon got used to it. and.
having discovered certain good sub
jects' here and there among INVESTORS,
| take the publicity now as a matter of
course. Even when busy inside, am
never aStOniShed to see strange noses
fiatteped against the windOws--strange
faces peeping in at the door. The hui
man temperament aCCuStOmS itself to
anything. When all is said and done. it
is fiattering to be an object of suchpub-
lie interest; and | do believe that, when
| return to civilization. and find no one
caring in the least what do. | shall
miss the worldly tribute which is now
my daily due.
Il begin this record in the Island of
Anglesea, where We have arrived after
our fortnight 5 wamlrringS in the more
mountainous districts Of the mainland.
AmglcSea. am informed. is chiefly
famous for its pigs and its wild ducks.
So far as have yet explored it. find
it flat and deSolate enough: but | have
been educated in Irish landscapes. aud
don't object to fairness when combined
with deSOlation. | like these dreary
meadows, these bleak stretches of mel
anChOly mOOrland, these wild lakes and
lagOOns.
AT the present moment am en-
camped in spot where, in all prObabili-
fN / ~ in 70 I
on it quite by accident, about midday
yesterday, when on my way to the
market town of PencrOeS; or, rather.
when imagined that was going thith-
er, while | had, in reality. after hcsta-
ting at three crossroads. taken the
road which led in exactly the opposite
direction. The way was desolate and
dreary beyond measure-stretches of
mOrasS and mOOrland on every side. Oc-
casiOnally rising into hcathery knobs
and hillOCks, or Strewed with huge
pieces of stone like the mOOrs of Corn
wall. Presently the open moorand
ended, and we entered a reEiOuOf sandy
hillOckS, sparsely OrnameHted here and
there with long, harsh grass. If one
could imagine the waves Of the ocean,
at some moment of wild agitation. sud
denly frozen to stiffness. and retaining
intact these tempcstuouS forms, it
would give some idea of the hillOckS |
am describing. They rose on every side
of the road, completely ShuttngOu the
view. and their pale. livld ypllowness.
scarcely relieved with Il glimpse of
grceme5S. was wCarisDme and lonely in
the extreme. As We advanced among
them. the road We were pursuing grew
worse and worse. till il became 50 chok-
ed and covered with driy,rd sand as to
be scarcely recognizable, and | need
hardly say that it Was hard work for
one horse to pull the caravan along;
more than once. I'D. the wheels fair
ly stuck. and Tim and aftopull with
might and main to get them free"
We had proceeded in tbs manner
for some miles, and | was beginning to
realize the fact that "" were ont of our
reckoning. when, suddenly emerging
from between two sand-hills, saw
wide stretch of green meadow land, and
beyond tia gloriIicd pieceof water. The
sun was shining brightly. the water
sparkled like Il mirror. calm as glass,
and without a breath. As we appeared,
a large heron rose from the spot on the
waterside where he had been standing
Still as a stone. without sound
Above bis dim blue shade
anG sailed leisurely away. Around the
lake, which was about amile in circum-
ference, the road ran winding. till it
reached the further side. where more
sand-hillS began; but between these
sand-hills caught sparkling glimpse
of more water, and guided to my con-
clusiOn by the red sail of fishing
smack just glmmering on the horizon
line) knew that further water was
the sea-"
The spot had all the attraction Of
complete desOlatiOn, combined with the
charm which always, to my mind, per-
tains to lakes and lagoons. Eager as
boy or lOosened retriever, ran across
the meadow, and found the grass long
and green, and SOwn with innumerable
crowsfOot flowers: underneath the green
was sand again, and here it glimmered
like gOld-dust. AS reached the sedges
on the lake side, a teal rose, in full sum
mer 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 lit
tie tufts of down behind her. Then,
just outside the sedges, saw the gold
en- sheet of water broken by the circles
of rising trout. 1t was too much. l