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The valleys are similar, but have characteristic differences. The Barle has all the piquant charm of the mountain torrent, whilst the beauties of the Exe are of a sedater though not less pleasing character. Dulverton will find less favour with the antiquarian than with the artist. Such antiquities as it does possess are more picturesque than important.
A most delightful walk is to take the Winsford road through Higher Combe, cross the Barle at Tarr Steps, and return by the opposite bank through Hawkridge. It is a round of about 12 m., but well repays the fatigue involved.
The Barle comes with his natural rush and fierceness under the unhewn stone planking, then deepens, and there overhanging a black pool for the shadow was so deep as to be black grew a large bunch of marsh-marigolds in fullest flower, the broad golden cups almost resting on the black water.
The brown Barle enjoys his life, and splashes in the sunshine like boys bathing like them he is sunburnt and brown. He throws the wanton spray over the ferns that bow and bend as the cool breeze his current brings sways them in the shade. He laughs and talks, and sings louder than the wind in his woods.
The Exe, though a much smaller stream than the Barle, now ran in a foaming torrent, unbridged, and too wide for leaping. But Jeremy's horse took the water well; and both he and his rider were lightened, as well as comforted by it. And as they passed towards Lucott hill, and struck upon the founts of Lynn, the horses of the three pursuers began to tire under them.
The agents never spoke of it except as a slave- trade; the facetiae touching "achat" and "rachat" were highly suited to African taste, and I have often heard them declare before the people that "captives" are the only articles which can profitably be exported from the coasts in fact, as old Caspar Barle said, "precipuae merces ipsi Ethiopes sunt."
The other rivers, the Frome and Chew, which join the Avon; the Axe, which rises in Wookey Hole and enters the sea near Brean Down; the Brue and Cary, which empty themselves into the estuary of the Parrett; and the Parrett's own tributaries, the Yeo, Ivel, and Tone, are unimportant. Exmoor is drained by the Exe and Barle, which, when united, flow southward into Devon.
This is the dovecot, on the other side of the road, now converted into a village reading-room. Withiel Florey, a village 7 miles N.E. from Dulverton. The church is a small Perp. building with a low W. tower, to which a partial casing of slate scarcely adds additional beauty. Withycombe, a village 2-1/2 m. S.E. of Dunster. Withypool, a village on the Barle, 8 m. N.W. from Dulverton.
From Exford to Dulverton it runs, singing aloud, foam-flecked, between high hills clothed to their summits in oak woods: after its union with the Barle it enters Devonshire as a majestic stream, and flows calmly through a rich green country; its wild romantic charm has been left behind.
As these two descended towards the bridge they observed that both the Kensford water and the River Barle were pouring down in mighty floods from the melting of the snow. So great indeed was the torrent, after they united, that only the parapets of the bridge could be seen above the water, the road across either bank being covered and very deep on the hither side.
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