'Well, how goes the peat-graving?' said I, and a ruddy-faced Norseman from a Threlkeld farm said, 'Aw, gaily weel, sir; but I'm thinking we mud hev nae mair kings upo' the throane, for this job will finish t' peat moss, and peats are hard to finnd within reach o' Skiddaw top. You see,' said he, 'it's lost its wire, and peat widout wire in it is nae use for makking a "low" wid.' I saw that what he called 'wire' were the rootlets of the ancient undergrowth of years gone by, the matted texture of primeval springtides, and, stooping down, he broke a peat across and showed me the wire. 'You kna,' he continued, 'we shall just leave peats ligging here, and thoo mun send up scheul-lads to spreead them in a forthnet's time. Then they mud coom oop a week laater and shift 'em and turn them, and then a week laater they mud coom and foot 'em. {235} That is if thoo want 'em in fettle by Coronation-daay, for they are ter'ble watter-sick noo.' 'Foot them?' I said. 'What do you mean?' And the shepherd took a couple and leaned them one against another, and showed me how thus a draught of air passed between the peats and ensured their drying. 'Well, good-daay, good-daay. But we mud hev nae mair kings to be crooned,' said he; 'for peat moss ull nobbut howd oot for this un, I'm thinking.' I bade farewell, and down to the valley I went, noting how doubly near and blue the hills and vales all seemed to grow, as one passed down beneath the veils of haze which had lent both greyness and distance to the view. Again I saw the swallow skim; again I watched the gorgeous butterflies, and, with a wand of palm-flower that had just lost its gold, and the rosy plumelets of the larch in my hand, I made the best of my way homeward, through air that throbbed and thrilled with the voice of thrush and blackbird, and felt the deep contrast between these silent flockless slopes of Skiddaw, and the ringing singing valley at his feet. {236} INDEX NDX A Adelaide, Queen, 46. Ambleside, 18, 22, 44, 53. _Angler, Complete_, 120. April song, 81. Arnold, Dr., 19, 50. Aveling's town, King, 59. B Ballads, Lyrical, by Wordsworth, 125. Barf, 169. Bassenthwaite, 97, 102, 105, 107, 169. Beltane fire, 147. _Birthright, The Christian_, 162. Black Hill, 197. Blencathra, 113, 165, 192, 212, 214, 215. Boon Beck, 30. Bootle, 172. Borderside, 131, 132, 140, 143, 144. Borrodale, 52, 180, 183, 197, 213, 214. Borrow Bridge, 143. Bowness Church, 138. Brandelhow, 197, 208, 210, 214, 215, 216. Brankers, 49. Brigham-cum-Mosser-cum-Lorton, 173. _Brougham Castle, Feast of_, by Wordsworth, 191. Broughton-in-Furness, 220. Browne, William George, 98. Browning, Robert, note, 5. Brownrigg of Brownrigg, 202. Brundholme, 157. Butcher lad's reminiscences of Wordsworth, 8. Burns, 141. C Caermote, 104, 106. _Calling, The Gentleman's_, 162. Carlisle, City arms of, 96. Carlyle, 96, 141, 164. Carnigill, 143. Cartmell Fell, 121, 125, 147. Castle Hill, 213, 214.