First Report of Dr. Watson

           FromthispointonwardIwillfollowthecourseofeventsbytranscribingmyownletterstoMr.SherlockHolmeswhichliebeforemeonthetable. Onepageismissing,butotherwisetheyareexactlyaswrittenandshowmyfeelingsandsuspicionsofthemoment moreaccuratelythanmymemory,clearasitisuponthesetragicevents,canpossiblydo. 

           BaskervilleHall,October13th. 

           MYDEARHOLMES, —MypreviouslettersandtelegramshavekeptyouprettywelluptodateastoallthathasoccurredinthismostGod-forsakencorneroftheworld. Thelongeronestaysherethemoredoesthespiritofthemoorsinkintoone’ssoul,itsvastness,andalsoitsgrimcharm. WhenyouareonceoutuponitsbosomyouhaveleftalltracesofmodernEnglandbehindyou,butontheotherhandyouareconsciouseverywhereofthehomesandtheworkoftheprehistoricpeople. Onallsidesofyouasyouwalkarethehousesoftheseforgottenfolk,withtheirgravesandthehugemonolithswhicharesupposedtohavemarkedtheirtemples. Asyoulookattheirgraystonehutsagainstthescarredhill-sidesyouleaveyourownagebehindyou, andifyouweretoseeaskin-clad,hairymancrawloutfromthelowdoorfittingaflint-tippedarrowontothestringofhisbow, youwouldfeelthathispresencetherewasmorenaturalthanyourown. Thestrangethingisthattheyshouldhavelivedsothicklyonwhatmustalwayshavebeenmostunfruitfulsoil. Iamnoantiquarian,butIcouldimaginethattheyweresomeunwarlikeandharriedracewhowereforcedtoacceptthatwhichnoneotherwouldoccupy. 

           Allthis,however,isforeigntothemissiononwhichyousentmeandwillprobablybeveryuninterestingtoyourseverelypracticalmind. Icanstillrememberyourcompleteindifferenceastowhetherthesunmovedroundtheearthortheearthroundthesun. Letme,therefore,returntothefactsconcerningSirHenryBaskerville.