Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-08-14
DOONE VALLEY
Where John Rid Walked to
Meet His Lorna.
Most Hilarious Occasion for the
would-be Equestriennes.
The Party Save Fair Devon and Her Brown
Sheep for the last.

| reaching London left our party (Who
We're to spend the next few days in
seeing what we had already enjoyed)
| flew to Cooks, dropped our bills, folded
our pinions and took the train for
Minehead. The prospect of six hours
continuous ride in the railway car
rage, made us look anxiously for an
accommodating guard. and rejoice when
| we found him, and never did small
Investment yield such gratifying re-
| turns. Il can manage it, | think
madam, but you can help us by pulling
| down the shades as we go into the sta
! TONS Our conscience would have
! troubled us if there had been crowd
| but as there We're ample accommoda-
tons we did enjoy having the com
! partment to ourselves. There was also
"A novel excitement in peering through
| a crack in the curtain, as we entered
each new place. and watching each
| man. woman and child come directly
toward US, and try the locked door,
while we waited in breathless suspense
until the guard came up and politely
urged them farther on. Bath and Bris-
| toi seemed most attractive but w. was
absorbed in contemplating a new va
=
brown hue. which here made their APP
| pearance for the first time. Drawing
| h. attention to them she said, that's
worth remembering. Devon sheep are
brown" and out came the notebook
and an item was written which after
ward afforded Il. much amusement;
when the driver of our coach. in giving
us full information about the country
.,aI iii.
marked: How very brown sheep get
lying by the roadside. there's SO much
iron in the soil" That's worth re-
nembering" L. began to quote mis-
chievously, when an appealing mater
nal glance restrained her.
Reaching Minehead. not only did we
climb the ladder. but stepped over in
tervening seats, until we reached the
topmost pinnacle of the bright yellow
coach. Loud and long rang the horn
of the guard, crack. went the whip of
the driver, and beaming at each other. |
the passengers, and the scenery, we
We're off for the hills, dales. and great
moors of Devon. Those steep ascents
where we rose ever higher and higher |
seemed like immense chess boards. each
square divided from its neighbor by |
hawthorne or holly hedges The many !
'combes" delighted us, deep clefts or
gorges densely wooded and all crowded |
by the glorious moors. over which |
swept the freshest, most exhilarating
air. Over there" said the driver. in |
dicating with his whip a spot upon
the moors. last year hunter lost |
his horse from under him: while fol- |
lowing the hounds he felt the ground |
suddenly give way, the struggling ami |
mai threw him clean over his head and I
when the man regained his footing, the |
poor beast had been completely swal- |
loWed IN the bog, not a trace of him |
|, was found. Does that often happen?"
we asked looking fearfully about; oh |
not so very, was the answer but some |
horses will not go near the bog they're |
knowing ones and scent the danger.
can take you to a bog. after rain, |
where you can see and feel the ground |
shake under you" he added inquiringly
after a moments pause but we eager
~ declined with thanks, assuring him
tervently that we We're perfectly sat
isfied to accept his word, without prov
ing it for ourselves.
when we had reached the highes.
moor and paused TO give the painting
horses short rest the descent began I
tnat brought us in the end to Lyne- |
mouth The sun was shining bright on /
one side OF Lynemouth bay while on
the other towering cliffs with sweepirr
trees ana creeping vines continued all !
the long way down; suddenly the
charming villas and Vine clad houses
came in sight. and we heard the swirl
ing sound of East Lynne water Lyme
mouth neStleS at the foot of Iypc-
mouth hill, the steepest climb of all
winch fairly made US hold our breath
ana there we reached our stoppin.~
place Linton. There would we gladly
spend a summer and each day find
some fresh charm. In no spot have We
met more kindly welcome, or seen more
lovely country; hills and valleys, with
the sea, making combination as de-
lishtful as it is unusual. The shaded
walk to Waters Meet"sis known to
every visitor to Devon: here W. stand
ing on stone served to mark the exac,
meeting place of Lyn and Badgeworthy
waters, so that E. kodac might faith
fully picture all points of interest.
Our first eXcursion--to the Doone
Valley-was begun early the next I
morning, being forever memorable to
us,not only for the sight of John Ridd's
famous fishing ground-the water slid,
which, truth compels us frankly to {
admit, required many heavy rains IL
change it to the foaming torrent OF .
johns time-but also for our first an
pearance as equestrennes. At nina :
o'clock, our wagonette with horse ami
driver stood ready, and with every
thing We could wish for. sun included {
We began our one days adventures. I'm {
deed, a'am, / will show you every
thing our young man said most ear ,
nestly, and he faithfully kept his word {
The path where John Ridd walked so '
many years ago to meet his Lorna. the !
very stones which formed the ola !.
foundation of the Doone hut. the church I
where John was welded, all made the $
Devon story more real than we had
thought was possible Three months /
even, have not yet accustomed us To /
the luxuriance of English vegetation r
and each succeeding week brings ia !
new and more beautiful wild flowers.
we made the pony walk or stnn ~ i