Untitled - Beeldbibliotheek

2 CARAVAN DAYStions were more complete.I used to travel witha tent and pony-cart. I used to go down riverswith a fleet of small punts and make an entrancinglittleencampment at night upon the bank, everyman sleeping in a bale of straw in his own boat,with a tent to cover the whole. And the factthat I have never yet actually driven acrossScotland in the sleigh that I built with that endin view must be put down solely to the climate,which has refused me opportunity.I am not sure that I ought not to go evenfurther back to find the origin of my present zealfor caravanning, in the love of a very small boyfor secret habitations of all sorts. For I was notcontent with caves and man-holes, with the darkcorner above the rafters in the hay-loft or thelittle clearingthat I made in the heart of thethicket. Perhaps I took the first decisive steptoward the attainment of the caravan SIEGLINDAon the well-remembered day when Iset to workto build a house in a tree. It was neatly fittedin,high among the swaying branches, where nogrown-up could hope to follow : there I spentgolden hours, shut in by sunlit greenery : andit was a heavy blow to me when at last the oldholm-oak was felled to make wayfor a newtennis lawn. Even in SIEGLINDA I doubt if I