[Findegil]

I have few remarks about this chapter. Everything I don’t comment on I agree to.

HR-SL-02: The addition itself is okay but after it I think we should change the following:

When he had learned what he could from {him}Gollum Sauron released him ...

A tipo found here (marked broad)

… But all that you need to know on the mission that he has given you is where 'the Shire' lies. That says Mithrandir, is northwest from here some six hundred miles, …

HR-SL-12: I think you removed too much. Later when they approach Sarn Ford our text says ‘Night was waning on the twenty-second day of September when drawing together again they came to Sarn Ford …’. So they must have been split. I would edit as follows below.
HR-SL-14: I think we can be sure that readers of our work know LotR and Hobbit. So we should be glad of these ‘bridges’, and not remove them.
And another three typos brqad printed in the middle and last give paragraph.

… sent out into Eriador all the spies, spy-birds, and agents that he could muster.>
HR-SL-12b{Two days after Gandalf had departed from Orthanc, …
…
…
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… Sauron's vengeance could wait.}
Now he divided his company into four pairs, and they rode separately, but he himself went ahead with the swiftest pair, Thus they passed west out of Rohan, and explored the desolation of Enedwaith HR-SL-13b{, and came at last to Tharbad}.<HR text C When the Black Riders were far across Enedwaith and drawing near at last to Tharbad, …
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…
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Saruman had long taken an interest in the Shire – because Gandalf did, and he was suspicious of him; … When Gandalf had refused to treat with him Saruman had redoubled his efforts. …
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… He put therefore the Shadow of Fear on the Dunlending, and sent him on to Bree as an agent. HR-SL-14 He was the squint-eyed southerner at the Inn.> Thence they rode through Minhiriath, and even though they were not yet assembled a rumor of dread spread about them, and the creatures of the wild hid themselves, and lonely men fled away. HR-SL-14.5{But some fugitives on the road they captured; and to the delight of the Captain two proved to be spies and servants of Saruman. One of them had been used much in the traffic between Isengard and the Shire, and though he had not himself been beyond the Southfarthing he had charts prepared by Saruman which clearly depicted and described the Shire. These the Nazgûl took, and then sent him on to Bree to continue spying; but warned him that he was now in the service of Mordor, and that if ever he tried to return to Isengard they would slay him with torture.}
Night was waning on the twenty-second day of September …

HR-SL-15: In the text A that we used, the Stoors have been died out long before the Hunt for the Ring. So must remove the attack here in text B. I do nit agree that we should end the Hunt here, but we might discuss this issue after you posted the draft of the next chapter.

HR-SL-16: This at least we have in the words of JRR Tolkien:

HR-SL-15<HR text B{In version B it is noted that the}The Black Captain did not know whether the Ring was still in the Shire; that he had to find out. The Shire was too large for a violent onslaught HR-SL-15.2{ such as he had made on the Stoors}; he must use as much stealth and as little terror as he could, and yet also guard the eastern borders. Therefore he sent HR-SL-15.4{some}<The Lord of the Rings Companion; Three is Company five> of the Riders into the Shire, with orders to disperse while traversing it; and of these Khamûl was to find Hobbiton, where ‘Baggins’ lived, according to Saruman's papers. HR-SL-15.4<The Lord of the Rings Companion; Three is Company {[}One{]} keeps to the east, passing northwards, towards the Marish, and the Bridge. {[}One{]} takes road leading northwest to Michel Delving, and {[}another{]} goes with him, but there [?]fares on and traverses the North Farthing. {[}The other tow{]} go through the central Shire, until they reach the East Road, probably near the Three-Farthing Stone. ({[}These{]} were probably Khamûl and his companion, from Dol Guldur; and {[}Khamûl{]} {[}is{]} the most ready of all (save {[}the Witch-King{]}) to perceive the presence of the Ring, but also the one whose power was most confused and diminished by sunlight). Drawn by the Ring {[}Khamûl{]} goes to Hobbiton which he reaches at evening on {Fri. Sept.}Friday September 23rd. {[}His companion{]} keeps an eye on the East Road and Stock Road, lurking probably between the two, just south of Whitefurrows. {[}Khamûl{]} just misses Frodo, and misled by the {Gaffers [sic]}Gaffer starts out east again.
{[}On 24 September he{]} picks up the stock Road, and overtakes Frodo at approaches to Woody End – probably by accident; he becomes uneasily aware of the Ring but is hesitant and uncertain because of the bright sun. He turns into the woods and waits for night.
>HR-SL-16b<The Lord of the Rings Companion; Fog on the Barrow-Downs {In Marquette MSS 4/2/36 (The Hunt for the Ring) it is said that after}After the Black Riders had overcome the Rangers guarding Sarn Ford, four of the Riders{
} pursue the Rangers along Greenway, and having slain them or driven them off Eastwards, make a camp at Andrath (where the road passes between the Barrowdowns and the South Downs){ [cf. note for p.177]}. {[}The Witch-king{]} now visits the Barrowdowns and stops there for some days (probably until late on 27th). This proves a main error, though in fact it was nearly successful, since the Barrowwights {are}were roused, and all things of evil spirit, hostile to Elves and Men, {are}were on the watch with malice in the Old Forest and on the Barrowdowns. {[}The other three Black Riders{]} are left to guard the eastern borders, to watch Greenway, and guard against Elves or Dúnedain coming from eastwards.>

Respectfully
Findegil