This is the twenty-sixth item from Robert Dymond’s book: “Things New and Old Concerning the Parish of Widecombe-in-the-Moor and its Neighbourhood” (1876)
Snow on the Moor
THE winters of 1814 and 1820 were remarkable for severity and for the depth of snow which fell on Dartmoor. Amongst the fatal accidents was one that occurred to two apprentices, who were sent by their master, a Mr. Wills, of Lemonford, in Ashburton, to bring home some cattle, and who lost their way in the snow. One was discovered the same day, and carried to a house, but died almost immediately; the other was not found till the next day, and was of course quite dead. Their master, who went to look for them, was also brought in insensible, and was only recovered by five or six hours’ constant friction. A coroner’s inquest was appointed on the bodies of the two poor boys at a house in Widecombe, on New Year’s Day, 1820, but the coroner, Mr. Gribble, of Ashburton, was nearly lost in going there. His horse almost disappeared in the snow, and had to be left at a farmhouse, while he pursued his way with great difficulty on foot. Even in the winter that has just closed (if, indeed, it can be said to have closed) travelling on the moor has been at times very difficult, and the obliteration of all accustomed land-marks by even a thin layer of snow soon renders travelling dangerous even to those who fancy they know the country well.
OVERLOOKING. —The professors of the veterinary art may learn on Dartmoor many modes of treating cattle that are not taught in their colleges. A correspondent sends us the following note, made by her in September, 1868 :—“ A farmer of Widecombe had had such ill luck with his cattle that he is sure he has been ‘overlooked.’ One calf, which had died, he sent for Mr. —-’s dogs, a few days ago, but begged that the calf’s heart might be returned, as he intended to stick it full of the thorns of the hawthorn and hang it in his kitchen to avert further calamities. ”