A short walk through the village and by the Cray River brings us to the church of St. Mary Cray, where I secure a new species, in which Death is doubly symbolized by the not infrequent scythe and possibly also by the pierced heart. The latter might refer to the bereaved survivor, but, being a-flame, seems to lend itself more feasibly to the idea of the immortal soul. The trumpet and the opening coffin indicate peradventure the resurrection. FIG. 66.--AT ST. MARY CRAY. "To Thomas Abbott, died May 21, 1773, aged 75 years." [Illustration: FIG. 66. ST. MARY CRAY.] [Illustration: FIG. 67. ST. PAUL'S CRAY.] Only a short distance farther, for the churches are small, we reach St. Paul's Cray, the burial-ground of which shews that the foregoing allegory was immediately duplicated, apparently by another hand, with just a little variation to redeem the piracy. The coffin is quite opened and empty, instead of being slightly open and tenanted, which is almost the only difference between the May and the September work. FIG. 67.--AT ST. PAUL'S CRAY. "To John Busbey, died 1st Sept'r 1773, aged 70 years." Foot's Cray is a good long step beyond and does not yield much profit, but I select the most novel specimen, which is a combination of ordinary emblems, with little attempt at symmetry, or even arrangement, other than the awkward juxtaposition of the cherubins' inner wings. FIG. 68.--AT FOOT'S CRAY. "To Elizabeth Wood, died February 8, 1735-6, aged 58 years." The churchyard at North Cray added nothing at all to my collection. This was the only blank drawn that day, but a beautifully kept ground surrounding a delightful church well repaid the visit. A call at Old Bexley Church completed the day's work, and gave me one of the few sketches belonging to the nineteenth century which I have made. FIG. 69.--AT OLD BEXLEY. "To Susannah, wife of Henry Humphrey, died 26th December 1805, aged 57 years." The anchor stands for Hope, the draped urn signifies mourning for the dead, and the figure reading the Holy Book suggests consolation. From Bexley Church to the railway station was but a brief space. The day's tramp was ended. [Illustration: FIG. 68. FOOT'S CRAY.] [Illustration: FIG. 69. BEXLEY.] CHAPTER VI. MORE TYPICAL TRAMPS. How far county divisions might affect the early fashions in gravestones was one of my first questions, and, having seen much of Kent, time was soon found for a scamper through the country bordering Epping Forest and along the backbone of Essex. At Barking, just within the old Abbey gate, I came upon an enigmatical illustration. FIG. 70.--AT BARKING. Inscription illegible. Date appears to be 1759.