An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

AUTOBIOGRAPHY IOI and I shot very well, two bulls and three inners at 20 yards with W.Y.W/s pistol, which he then and there gave me, saying melodramatically, "It is your weapon, not mine." On the roth I rode over right through to Cobham, about 37 miles, in 4 hrs. IO mins., doing the last five miles in 25 mins. rs secs. ! and next day came home slowly by Kew and Richmond. On the r5th I went to Norwich, over Dr. Allen's house with Lacey. I sold the old "Alma" for £35. To Mulbarton "World's End'' in the morning, and came back in the evening. On the 20th the Rector of Marsham (Cowell) came to dinner, and slept at Hampstead, a good fellow though a teetotaller, but he stunk us all out with his vile tobacco. On the 22nd I had a business journey to Canterbury,. taking my trike with me, and found the "Royal Fountain" an excellent inn, with extremely good cooking. The next day I trained to Rochester Bridge, rode the very hilly country along the Medway to West Malling, and took the upper road by Ightham, Seal, Sevenoaks, Westerham, to Edenbridge, about 32 miles. During the next day I strolled over " Battlesden," and saw the horns with which the pond there is filled. Stamp, of Trinity, Cambridge, a friend of J.B,R.'s, came to Hampstead ; :i.:• "a very nice fellow and clever"– a remark since quite justified by his subsequent career at the Public Record Office. Early in May I took another journey to see my old sisters, and came back by Leverstock Green, Abbots Langley, Watford and Harrow, doing 29½ miles before lunch. On the 21st I rode over by Roehampton to Cobham where I had a scare that I had eaten broken glass in the night with some chocolate. Next day I came back by Walton, Sudbury, Hampton (the chestnuts out in the Avenue), Brentford, and Willes– den; 27 miles before lunch, At Whitsun I took M.M.R. to Griffiths, at Smallburgh, and came back by Stalham, Catfield, Ludham, Horning, and Coltishall, a fast ride, doing my last 7 miles in 38, beating two or three bikes, in all about 30 miles. * I wrote this down in my diary at the time.