The Eskdale Herd-boy: A Scottish Tale for the Instruction and Amusement of Young PeopleBlackford, Mrs. (Martha)
General
The Eskdale Herd-boy: A Scottish Tale for the Instruction and Amusement of Young People
Blackford, Mrs. (Martha)
Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Scotland -- Juvenile fiction; Shepherds -- Scotland -- Juvenile fiction
In the evening, Mrs. Martin and Captain Elliot proceeded to Langholm, to
wait for the stage; and early the next morning, Mr. Martin, accompanied by
Helen on her pony, and a little boy to carry the parcel, left the Manse;
and, directing their route across the hills which separate Eskdale from
Ewesdale, reached the small village of Ewes in time for breakfast. There
was no inn here, but merely a small public house. Our travellers, however,
did not require to go thither for the clergyman having heard that they
intended coming that way, was upon the look out for them all the morning.
After breakfast, Helen again mounted, and continued talking on many
different subjects all the way to Moss Paul. The road runs along the
course of the Ewes, between a double range of mountains, quite green, and
covered with sheep; but there is very little variety in the scenery; and,
altogether, from scarcely a cottage being to be seen, it has a very
desolate appearance. Moss Paul, where they were obliged to stop, is one of
the poorest small inns that are to be met with in Scotland. The contrast
was so great from the richly wooded cheerful dale which Helen had always
lived in, that she told her father the very looking at those hills made
her melancholy; and she was sure, if Melrose was not more lively than Moss
Paul, her grandmamma had much better come and live in Eskdale altogether.
For her own part, she almost wished herself back again already. After an
hour's rest they again moved on; and, in a little time, the country began
to wear a more favourable appearance. They now descended into the dale,
watered by the river Tiviot; and passed by several gentlemen's country
houses, which, being seen from the road, added much to the beauty of the
view. Mr. Martin pointed out to Helen _Carlinrigg_, the place where,
John's song said, Johnnie Armstrong was executed. Soon afterwards, Helen
beginning to feel fatigued, her father said he thought they had better
stop at the next small inn they should come to, and rest till the
afternoon. They were to sleep at the town of Hawick, and he thought they
had plenty of time. Helen at last, with some difficulty, made out her
day's journey; and was very happy to find herself in a comfortable bed, at
Hawick. In the morning, Mr. Martin thought it best that she should rest
that day, and not proceed to Melrose till the next, as she was more
fatigued than he had expected. Mr. and Mrs. Murray, the clergyman and his
wife, did all they could to make the day pass pleasantly. Mrs. Murray
walked out with our travellers towards Wilton, to admire the banks of the
Tiviot, which are very beautiful. The country is fertile and rich, and the
view more extensive than any that Helen had ever seen. She thought it
pretty; but still it did not seem to her to equal her native Eskdale. Next
morning she and her father left Mr. Murray's early, and reached Melrose to
dinner. Nothing could equal Helen's surprise when she came in sight of the
Abbey.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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