Chapter8.

FirstReportofDr.Watson

FromthispointonwardIwillfollowthecourseofeventsbytranscribingmyownletterstoMr.SherlockHolmeswhichliebeforemeonthetable.Onepageismissing,butotherwisetheyareexactlyaswrittenandshowmyfeelingsandsuspicionsofthemomentmoreaccuratelythanmymemory,clearasitisuponthesetragicevents,canpossiblydo.

BaskervilleHall,October13th.

MYDEARHOLMES,

MypreviouslettersandtelegramshavekeptyouprettywelluptodateastoallthathasoccurredinthismostGod-forsakencorneroftheworld.Thelongeronestaysherethemoredoesthespiritofthemoorsinkintoone’ssoul,itsvastness,andalsoitsgrimcharm.WhenyouareonceoutuponitsbosomyouhaveleftalltracesofmodernEnglandbehindyou,but,ontheotherhand,youareconsciouseverywhereofthehomesandtheworkoftheprehistoricpeople.Onallsidesofyouasyouwalkarethehousesoftheseforgottenfolk,withtheirgravesandthehugemonolithswhicharesupposedtohavemarkedtheirtemples.Asyoulookattheirgreystonehutsagainstthescarredhillsidesyouleaveyourownagebehindyou,andifyouweretoseeaskin-clad,hairymancrawloutfromthelowdoorfittingaflint-tippedarrowontothestringofhisbow,youwouldfeelthathispresencetherewasmorenaturalthanyourown.Thestrangethingisthattheyshouldhavelivedsothicklyonwhatmustalwayshavebeenmostunfruitfulsoil.Iamnoantiquarian,butIcouldimaginethattheyweresomeunwarlikeandharriedracewhowereforcedtoacceptthatwhichnoneotherwouldoccupy.

Allthis,however,isforeigntothemissiononwhichyousentmeandwillprobablybeveryuninterestingtoyourseverelypracticalmind.Icanstillrememberyour