Untitled - Beeldbibliotheek

SPECIMEN DAYS 131to thrive among the chimneys. Wherever theheavy hand of the mine or factory spares a fewacres, farms may still be found. At last we approachedthe smoke-begrimed township of Dairy,set about by seared and degraded country.WeThere we pulled up and senthad not yet found a resting-place.Herbert to enquireat a farm, which from the road-ward sidehad little promise. We were determined to gono farther if we could help it, but we did notwant to spend the Sunday among the chimneys.We sat and waited, while the Primus got to workupon the tea. After a while we saw the form ofHerbert disappearing over a distant hill, in searchof the farmer. We had, I think, just abouttouched our low-water mark. It was very hotand dusty ; we were thoroughly tired, and infront of us was the black country which we musttraverse if this last hope failed. The horsesstood in drooping posture, the sun beat downupon us,the Primus gently buzzed in the stillnessand in my sinister reflections the countyof Haddington, which was our final goal, seemedvery far away. The plain truth is that we were"road-sick," one and all. We had made ourrecord week, from Dunkeld to Dairy we were:South of the Clyde, as I had vowed to be. We