New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-25
WALKING IN ENGLAND.
SUGGESTIONS TO TOURISTS.

| sidercd very expensive undertaking. But my ex
pcrience of the actual cost OF vlnS abroad Is much
variance with this suppositiOn passed three delight
full months in England. Scotland and Wales this sum
NOR gaining the health that / sought enjoying sere
OF experiences that can never be forgotten. living Il
perfect comfort and all for outlay OF money not eN
cecdng $50 And although | am not rs an III
divldua 0vcrmuch given TO a very serious frngahty
yet this sum with me covered all expenses from th
ocean voyage itself to the innumcrable pennies
worth OF useless extravaganza that three months
stay In foreign countries inevitably involves Oh cours
TO the wealthy tourist 50 small sum will seem mere
bagatcllc but | give it merely to show what u'
economical limit can be within which one NAV com
fo,tably enjoy trip OF this Kind. inclination led me
to spend most OF my time in the small towns and
picturesque country places OF Old England rather
than in the large cities. and this made notable
difference. Most of the time. too l travelled with
| my knapsacl on my back, going wherever the humoI
| directed me. and always finding my reward in the
enjoyment Of the novel beauties Of English ways!deS
little known to travellers generally and the feeling
| Of health and viCor which pedestrianism Invariably
brings TO its devOtccs. OF this mode of life
had much to do with the curtamcnt OF ordinary
tourist expenses: but far from being hampered by my
involuntary economy, only say that 1t liberated mo
from many Of the annOyanccs incident TO European
travel brought experiences that rarely fall TO the
orthodox tourist. and left vastly improved in health
| a result by no common with those who seek
| Europe with that object in view.
| American tourists too often neglect Great Britain
in their excursions and in so doing they miss great
deal Of enjoyment that they will not find elsewhere.
| The whole countrg teens with antiquarian and pct-
uresquc interest very little known to outsiders: the
rates are moderate and found the people that is the
nnlccpcrs and well TODD peaSantry almost uniformly
agreeable intelligent and honest Travelling foot
resting al MONDAY in the little waysldc inns. passing
the night in the struggling villages with their matched
roofs and quaint gables, one becomes practically
familiar with the native peculiarities Of English life
| and English scenery C0ntrasted with our own
country landscapes those OF England arc lacking in
many features which add variety and charm to days
stroll in the rural districts here There is nothing 50
conspicuOusly absent in the scenery Of Great Britain
excepting Of course, in the Midland counties. where
they are sufficiently abundant as the trees. The hills,
moorlands and meadows all quite bare Of foliage :;
| and | have sometimes walked for whole day in
sparsely settled sections with nothing but waste Of
barren. level heath either side Of me. Yet what II
thus lacks in form the country gains in color and
breadth OF view. For. unless Obstructed by hills one
looks of TO the horizon at every glance and the purple
heather the yellow wild flowers, the gray red rocks
and the bright green OF the grasses and MOSES give
brilliant patches Of uEbroken color. Unfortunately,
however, In following the regular highways is fire.
qucntly inclo>cd by two high solid stone walls, which
landed proprctos build around their estates aud which
oftcntlmcs seem to be intcrmnable in length. But
lots and through the estates Of those who with
their fences. seem 10 con,pre together to make the
good old highways tame and unntercsting.
The English peasant to take pride in beautl-
flying the little house in which he lives and the small
surrounding garden. Walking the highways one
meets with every half dozen miles cluster OF these
neat little dwellings. AID the bright cOlors of the
fully tended garden flowers in front Of them the vines
trailing up the porch and the sturdy housewife within
welcoming You to the h0mey frc-seat. form very
charming picture and readily accepts the Droffered
hospitality. | have spent many pleasant hour with
these people I'm this way. listening to what little they
will tell OF their simple country life flor they very
reserved ard answering their cOurteOusly ques
ton, about America a country in which they appear
10 lee deeply Interested. What numbers told OF sons
and brothers that had come TO this Edorado OF their
imagnationsi And usually they would be astonished
that their visitor had neither heard Of them I'm
New York bnt cOnsOlcd Themselves bv taking 10 for
granted that he would do later. as these
sons were slrc to make fortunes in the end. These
peasants live year in and year ont fulfilling narrow
round OF duties. knowing little Of the outside world,
and content do rs their forcfathcrS have done he
fore them. This proyncialism IS undoubtedly the
cause 81 the numerous dialects one finds in various
sections Indeed these dialects often dinlcult
TO understand and differ much from each other that
II is hard TO believe these people are Of tho
same race and form in themselves the English Nation.
The people one meets however, arr not always Of
the pleasant character have described and the foot
traveller may occasionally experience some disagree
able encounters Ms from town 10 another.
~Tramp,' are found those lonely old roads some
times a whole party Of thcm men. women and
children. and they always expected and cOoy de
m1rdcd money. these were anything but satisfactory
Meeting to mo. started out early morning
from the lttic inn where ! had spent the night.
pcctng 10 reach Mclro,c Abbey before evening dis
lance u some twenty-five miles. The road
parativcly devoid Of interest. and / walked on for
hours without seeing tree or a house even hill
10 break the endless stretch Of barren lonely moor
land Toward noon however came upon a dozen
wild looking men and women Of the tramp" variety
seated together by the way>ide. They hailed ne a,
/ came IN sight. and stopped and talked with them
sharing what little lunch | had. as they appeared to
be wofuIly hungry. Then. preparing 10 90 with
my walk. the leader OF this gang Of gvpsics, a tall
powerful fellow. who still looked II he were fam
shcd spraug 10 his feet, whispered something 10 his
companions and announced that lie would walk the
rest Of the way with me / pretended great pleasure
At this although | confess 10 having felt considerable
discomfort. the man, from his fierce gaunt ap.
pctraucc, was the last one would have chosen for A
companion on that lonely Scotch road with all my
money my person and only stick for protection
However, assumed as much GOODNESS and uncon-
Germ I could muster. sympathized with the poor
mans tale Of starvation and hardship laughed AT the
assurance that he was sometimes brought 10 such
straits he had to do very desperate bad things To
live at al"-and above all walled as fast a, / coud
hoping 10 tire him out before he reached the "dc>
pcratc7 stage. In this | was finally successful and
had the ABSTRACTION well the pain Of seeing the
poor fellow drop by the waySde complaining that
he wa, too tired and hungry 10 60 any further
That man had come all the way from Aberdeen
foot looking. without success. for any kind Of
work that might turn mp. For the last two DAYS he
had travelled with little food yet he hoped In the end
TO reach London. where strange to say. he chccrully
looked forward to obtaining relief from his poverty
atcrwad met many more Of the same kind i'm NV
tramps through England and all told similar Stogic and
bore the same mark of hopeless suffering on their faces
such incidents Of course depressing. and wouId