Chapter 8. First Report of Dr. 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.Icanstillrememberyourcompleteindifferenceastowhetherthesunmovedroundtheearthortheearthroundthesun.Letme,therefore,returntothefactsconcerningSirHenryBaskerville. Ifyouhavenothadanyreportwithinthelastfewdaysitisbecauseuptotodaytherewasnothingofimportancetorelate.Thenaverysurprisingcircumstanceoccurred,whichIshalltellyouinduecourse.But,firstofall,Imustkeepyouintouchwithsomeoftheotherfactorsinthesituation. Oneofthese,concerningwhichIhavesaidlittle,istheescapedconvictuponthemoor.Thereisstrongreasonnowtobelievethathehasgotrightaway,whichisaconsiderablerelieftothelonelyhouseholdersofthisdistrict.Afortnighthaspassedsincehisflight,duringwhichhehasnotbeenseenandnothinghasbeenheardofhim.Itissurelyinconceivablethathecouldhaveheldoutuponthemoorduringallthattime.Ofcourse,sofarashisconcealmentgoesthereisnodifficultyatall.Anyoneofthesestonehutswouldgivehimahiding-place.Butthereisnothingtoeatunlessheweretocatchandslaughteroneofthemoorsheep.Wethink,therefore,thathehasgone,andtheoutlyingfarmer