It was a district such as we had traversed entirely wild

It was a district such as we had traversed entirely wild

It was a district such as we had traversed entirely wild

It was a district such as we had traversed entirely wild, without inclosures, or roads, or fences that came into the hands of the father of the present proprietor. He built a fence of forty miles around it, made roads, reclaimed a farm for his own use at Simon’s Bath, introduced Highland cattle on the hills, and set up a considerable stud for improving the indigenous race of ponies, and for rearing full-sized horses. These improvements, on which some three hundred thousand pounds were sunk, were not profitable; and it is very doubtful whether any considerable improvements could have been prosecuted successfully, if railways had not brought better markets within reach of the district.