The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-12-27
KNIGHT or the GRIP.
A Thrilling Coach Ride in
the Mountains
To the Distinguished Little City
of Keswiclt.
A Few Facts Concerning the Druids,
the Priests of the Aboriginees
Of England.
AMONG THE ENGLISH LAKES,
Summer. 1888

AS stated III my last letter, the rail
road terminated at Commission, and from
that place we travelled by the good old
fashioned way of coaching. The bias
of the coachman's bugle sounded, ant
We were told our coach for Bowness wa.
ready. In front of the hotel stood Q
four.wheeled vehicle with four horses
attached. The coach was provided with
seats enough for about twelve persons
These seats were on top, and il required
the use of step.ladder to reach them
However, once up the view was fine
In case of disagreeable weather closed
compartment below was ready for shell.
ter. Upon this fine day we all preferred
the top, and another blast of the bugle
started us galloping off down the narrow,
winding road. The drivers are experts,
and the way they drive galloping down
hills, dashing along the mountain sides
and turning sharp curves without tear.
ing the coach to pieces is evidence of
their perfection in this art. For the
first mile or two this apparently reckless
driving over dangerous places made me
decidedly uncomfortable. but after a
while began to place confidence in the
driver and enjoy the ride. Turning a
curve to the right we headed up Yew.
dale, SO called from the great number of
yew trees in the valley. Over stone
bridges and along roads cut into the side
OF the mountain we gallop along, while
ever and anon the bugle awakened the
mountains which gave wailing rever.
beration to the sound. Suddenly turn.
ing around the base OF mountain we
plunged into an open meadow with
babbling brook and small lake. Here is
an inn and few stone houses. We
stopped here to change horses and to get
lemonade, but only for moment.
The fresh horses increased the speed of
the coach and in another hours time
we arrive at Ambleside at the head of
Lake Windermere. This lake is the
largest in England, being about twelve
miles long. From this place the road
follows the low banks of WiIdermere
for about FIVE miles. All along this road
we drove past numerous elegant man.
sions, the summer houses of England's
aristocracy.
At length we reached Bowness, a
pretty little place at the south end Of the
lake, where we alighted, just as a grand
sunset is taking place behind the noun
tains. We view the superb sight for |
awhile then 60 in and prepare for our
o'clock dinner. After this meal we walk |
down to the wharf, where are hundreds |
of little pleasure sail.boats and skifis |
lying anchored. Here, again, we are
favored with another magnificent scene. |
It is the Queen of Night, meekly follow
ing in the path OF the Day King, and
her mellow light lends soft, weird as
pect to the lake with the mountains in
the background, making a picture which
the artists brush fails to accurately re.
produce.
Now and then the merry laugh OF
some boating party comes ripping DER
the lake, while from under the shadow
Of some huge guardian cliff, the voice of
song is waited forth by the fragrant
breeze. All it is the time for the poets |
dream and the inspiration OF the senti-
mental, and here, lost in the intoxicat-
ing delights OF summer moonlight |
night on the lake, let us Danish all |
thoughts of worry and care and yield
ourselves willing victim to tho be-
witching influences by which we are
surrounded. We are aroused from our
reverie by the hour OF ten sounding
forth from the village clock and we re-
luctantly seek our hotels. At nine the |
next morning we take the steam gondola |
and traverse the whole length OF the |
lake. The pilot kindly indicates the
various parts OF interest, among them
the cottage where the authoress, Mrs.
Hemans, lived and died; also the sum.
mer cottage of Tennyson and an old
yine.clad castle which stands at the
mouth of small mountain stream.
Having navigated the lake, we again
take the coach and start Tor Keswick.
This drive brings US first to the house
where Wordsworth lived for several years
inst after his marriage, where DeQuincy
resided after him, and where the latter
wrote his English Opium Eater" and
where southey, Lamb and Lloyd must
have been visitors at one time or an
other, but which is at present let for
lodgings, notwithstanding, at the regu.
lar lake prices. Every cabin along the
road was decorated with the common
aiun to this locality, viz: lodging to
let" A little farther on in little coun.
try churchyard, within hearing of the
murmuring stream whose song was so
dear to him, is the grave OF Wordsworth. (
Near bv. in the same yard, is the grassy