The Henson Journals

[93]

Saturday, August 6th, 1921.

I received a letter from William, cheerful & well–expressed. Later came a bundle of documents from Wilson, & a few other letters of no great importance. That was my post.

We motored to the moorland above Porlock, where the stretch of Exmoor begins, in order to witness the meet of the stag–hounds. It was a gay and animating scene. The dogs and horses seemed no less eager than the riders: and the magnificent country resplendent under a bright sunshine from a cloud–flocked sky was itself a sufficient inspiration. Arthur Rawle, looking very keen & sportsmanlike, was among the huntsmen. I observed to him that it was difficult to believe that the country was so bankrupt as we had thought seemed but too evident overnight! We returned to Minehead for lunch, stopping on the way to visit Porlock church – an interesting building with some tombs. I know not precisely from what source the notion came, but I seem to have heard that my family, before settling in the neighbourhood of Morebath in North Devon, came from Porlock. With this notion in my mind I look with curiosity on the monuments in the church, & on the tombstones in the churchyard, but on neither did I see the name of Henson. The registers might, perhaps, yield a different testimony. This desire to trace out the story of one's ancestors is as ineradicable as it is practically futile.

After tea Ella and I walked up the hill behind the house, and were rewarded by very noble views of the bay, and the hills. A number of khaki–clad soldiers were playing football with much energy, though the heat was great. At least their sport argued a pleasing degree of physical vigour!

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