Page:White - The natural history of Selborne, and the naturalist's calendar, 1879.djvu/45

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NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE.
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tion, the whole circuit round looking like the cinders of a volcano; and, the soil being quite exhausted, no traces of vegetation are to be found for years.[e2] These conflagrations, as they take place usually with a north-east or east wind, much annoy this village with their smoke, and often alarm the country; and, once in particular, I remember that a gentleman, who lives beyond Andover, coming to my house, when he got on the downs between that town and Winchester, at twenty-five miles distance, was surprised much with smoke and a hot smell of fire; and concluded that Alresford was in flames; but, when he came to that town, he then had apprehensions for the next village, and so on to the end of his journey.

On two of the most conspicuous eminences of this forest stand two arbours or bowers, made of the boughs of oak; the one called Waldon Lodge, the other Brimstone Lodge: these the keepers renew annually on the feast of St. Barnabas, taking the old materials for a perquisite. The farm called Blackmoor, in this parish, is obliged to find the posts and brush-wood for the former; while the farms at Greatham, in rotation, furnish for the latter; and are all enjoined to cut and deliver the materials at the spot. This custom I mention, because I look upon it to be of very remote antiquity.


notes to letter vii.

e1  Deer will attack serpents by jumping on them with all four feet at once, and I have seen sheep serve obnoxious objects in the same way.

e2  On the Welsh hills these conflagrations continually take place, and are very splendid at night. It is often expedient to burn a patch of gorse or heather for the sake of the sheep; but when the fire gets beyond control, as it sometimes does, the mischief done is enormous. The conical hill in the Vale of Llangollen, known as Crow Castle, clothed on three sides with fir plantations, once caught fire, and from base to summit was a mass of flames, that lit up the country for miles by night, and shaded the valley with its smoke by day.