the latter county every summer, attending the
big fairs like Overton or Alresford, for the purpose of buying 100
draft ("full-mouthed") ewes from one of the best flocks. It was very
interesting in the early morning, reaching Overton by rail from
Basingstoke, where I had passed the night at the Red Lion with L300 in
bank-notes under my pillow, to see the gipsies in the village asleep
on the ground under their vans, the girls sometimes awake, combing
their hair, and beautifying themselves in readiness for the pleasure
fair where they were to appear in charge of the shooting-galleries and
competitions. A short walk, with only time for a passing glance at the
speckled trout near the bridge over the Itchen, which I never omitted,
took me to the sheep-pens on the hill-top where the fair is held. One
could see the flocks, with their shepherds always _in front_ and the
dogs behind, winding along the narrow lanes, which, from all
directions, lead to the hill, in a cloud of chalky dust, flock after
flock with only a few dividing yards between them. It is advisable to
reach the fairground thus early, to see the sheep before they are
penned; they can be much better inspected in the open than when packed
close together, and a more reliable opinion of their condition can be
formed. From the aesthetic point of view the grand old shepherds
interested me most, dignified, patriarchal men, with a reserve of
strength of character evident in their rugged features, and the
patience and hardihood that takes little heed of exposure to every
variety of weather.

The sheep were sold by auction, and when I had bought a pen of 100,
generally from Lord Ashburton's flock, paid the auctioneer's clerk as
soon as possible and received a ticket permitting the release of the
sheep, as the roads in all directions are soon crowded, I induced the
shepherd to help in driving them to the railway-station. He was always
a dear old fellow, and full of interesting information. On reaching
the station we packed the sheep into three open trucks, so close that
they could not jump out, and despatched them to Worcestershire,
whither they would arrive about noon the following day. We never had a
mishap with them on the journey, but they were terribly thirsty on
reaching Aldington, and made straight for water immediately.

Old Tricker came to Worcestershire originally with a farmer who
migrated from Suffolk, which proves him to have been a valuable man.
But he was wor