about noon
Living thing we saw none , except occasionally a few straggling sheep of a strange diversity of colours , as black , bluish , and orange . The sable hue predominated , however , in their faces and legs . The very birds seemed to shun these wastes , and no wonder , since they had an easy method of escaping from them ; -- at least I only heard the monotonous and plaintive cries of the lapwing and curlew , which my companions denominated the peasweep and whaup . At dinner , however , which we took about noon , at a most miserable alehouse , we had the good fortune to find that these tiresome screamers of the morass were not the only inhabitants of the moors . The goodwife told us , that `` the gudeman had been at the hill ; '' and well for us that he had been so , for we enjoyed the produce of his _ chasse _ in the shape of some broiled moor-game , -- a dish which gallantly eked out the ewe-milk cheese , dried salmon , and oaten bread , being all besides that the house afforded . Some very indifferent two-penny ale , and a glass of excellent brandy , crowned our repast ; and as our horses had , in the meantime , discussed their corn , we resumed our journey with renovated vigour . I had need of all the spirits a good dinner could give , to resist the dejection which crept insensibly on my mind , when I combined the strange uncertainty of my errand with the disconsolate aspect of the country through which it was leading me .