“If by my life or death I can protect you, I will.”

-J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring (Strider)

30 SEPTEMBER 3018

On September 30th, the hobbits left Bree at mid-morning with Strider and traveled on the East Road. Later they left the road to head toward Chetwood and camped there for the night.

Here below are the notes* Sam took along the way as well as a few jotted sketches. In later years, Sam’s daughter Elanor used Sam’s rough sketches to create paintings to accompany the three Books.

THE JOURNAL OF SAMWISE GAMGEE

Sept. 30 – Day 8 (1st from Bree): 12 miles

(Mile 135)

Photo by Alexas Fotos, Pixabay

“We left the Prancing Pony at about mid-morning after hardly sleeping a wink. Those Riders attacked the beds where we were to sleep. Strider had us hiding in another room. I feel like we’re in some kind of nightmare. It would be nice to wake up home. But the sun is high and the sky is a bright blue above us. Pippin is keeping us laughing by calling out shapes in clouds.”

From: “The Journal of Samwise Gamgee, 23 Sept – 20 Oct, 3018.

(Mile 140)

Photo by DesertRose7, Pixabay

“We left the East road and we’re heading towards Chetwood. We haven’t seen a single living thing since we left Bree. I never saw so much nothing.”

From: “The Journal of Samwise Gamgee, 23 Sept – 20 Oct, 3018.

(Mile 145)

Photo by Konevi, Pixabay

“We’re camped now in a place called Chetwood.* Long Shanks (that Strider) says we’re east of a place called Archet as if that supposed to tell us something. Nothing is familiar nor will it be until we see the Shire again.”

From: “The Journal of Samwise Gamgee, 23 Sept – 20 Oct, 3018.

*Author’s note: Sam couldn’t know this but he wasn’t so far from everything. Chetwood is a small forest in Bree-land. The town of Archet is at its edge. It is also near the Great East Road not far from the town of Combe.  And he was in very good hands.

Gems 5.175

BACK TO EARTH AUTHOR NOTES

*This journal is a fanfiction creation by Niki Flow, based the beautiful works of J.R.R. Tolkien; on the meticulous milestone-marker notes in The Atlas of Middle Earth by Karen Fonstad and on the Eowyn Challenge website:

Bag End to Rivendell with Frodo and Company:  458 Miles