The cottage had several dusky outbuildings attached to it, and a paling before it.

Leaning over the paling in his shirt-sleeves was a dark-faced, short, thickset man, who saluted me in English.

I returned his salutation, stopped, and was soon in conversation with him.

I praised the beauty of the river and its banks: he said that both were beautiful and delightful in summer, but not at all in winter, for then the trees and bushes on the banks were stripped of their leaves, and the river was a frightful torrent.

He asked me if I had been to see the place called the Robber's Leap, as strangers generally went to see it.