Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-02-07


mountains, and between the two lakes
was the charming little Keswick, iu
one of the richest and most beautiful
spots of earth. This town has popu.
lation of 5000 people. some beautiful
hotels, and large number of fine prI-
vate residences with beautiful grounds.
Here is the former home of the poet
Southey. Here we rested for the
night, having had coach ride OF q
miles.
The next morning, after having ia
ken stroll about to take in some of the
glorious mountain scenery, we hired a
'wagonette,' "a two-wheel vehicle,
with seat in front for driver, and be.
hind for passengers), and started along
Derwentwster; and as l recall the see.
merry all along this lake, l am almost
tempted to place it ahead OF Thrill
mere. The first stopping place WAS at
LOdore Falls, to see "hOw the water
Comes down." The falls are only about
so yards from the road, and il cost us
but few minutes to satisfy ourselves
with sight, other wise l should have
felt myself cruelty imposed upon by
Mr.. S0uthey, who has set whole schools
into an uprOar over the "Etidying and
whisking. sporting and frisking, turn
ing and twisting" Of the water at Lo-
dore.- The facts are that it is scarcely
entitled to be called falls and sim
ply consists of stream of water, rath-
er small when we saw it, dashing down
over very rocky bed. l woull't ad-
wise any body to go out OF their way to
see it. Several miles beyond this is an
object of some Interest, which Words
| worth has immOrtaliZrd in song, viz:
the Bpwtler Stone" an immense rock
supposed to have fallen from the noun
tain to where it lies
'.Upon semicirque of turf-clad ground,
A mass of rock, resembling, ss it lay
Right at the foot of that moist precipice,
A stranded ship, with keel npturned, that rests
Careless of winds and waves"
The stone is go narrow at the line rest
ing on the earth, that my friend and l
shook hands through hole about six
inches In diameter under its center. l
thought that II il had happened to
tOpple over about that time, there
wouldn't have been much use of dig
ging hole in the ground for me; 1871
tons OF rock on man would put him
entirely out of the way, and l would
have had a monument 36 feet high
and SO feet long erected at once. Quite
satisfied that was not destined to be
so distinguished. In this immediate
locality Is the Borruwdale PIumbagO
mine. the only one in England, and
which has been worked for two centu-
ries, but not, OF Course, constantly.
Many of the best lead pencils are made
mt Keswick from the material from this
mine. Roofing slate In large qusnti-
tiea is allO taken from these mountains.
About two miles beyond commenced
our ascent Of hill, so steep and rug.
ged that we were compelled to walk.
cannot stop to describe this, but it
was Il most interesting walk. Rocks,
pines, mountain ash. filled with bright
red berries, immense ivy-cOvered
trees, ferns in greatest profusion, and
crystal water dashing for miles over
stony bed along the road side, COM
bined To make up picture whose wild
beauty have rarely seen equalled.
This road leads over Honister Pass,
and down to Buttermere, another lake
u mile long and ! mile wide. A mile
beyOndthis is Crummock Water, which
Ia three miles long by one wide. We
took boat and row ed across the latter,
TO get view of ScalefOrce, somewhat
celebrated waterfall near the lake. The
water comes down between the rocks
In the mountain side, crevice about
so to so feet deep having been washed
in the rocks and earth. The sides of
this crevice are covered with thick
growth Oi trees and ferns, and on be-
yond these the stream of water not
more than ten feet in width leaps
down 156 feet, and then gives second
bound OF 40 feet, producing q very
beautiful effect. A charming stere0.
seopic view it would make. Returning
to Ruttermere we took dinner, and
then rode back two miles to near the
foot of HOnister Crag, where we bade
adieu to our driver, and started to
scale the mountains ON foot. 1t looked
like formidable undertaking, when
we gaZed up to the top of these rocky
heights, l totally inexperienced in
mountain travel land my companion on
the shady side of sixty. No animal but
man. the sure footed pony and sheep
had ever been over those hill tops.
We started, however, on our upward
way, going slowly, and stopping fire.
quently to get the benefit of the see
merry behind us. Alter one hours hard
toll We were in Scarf Gap (Pass), and
commenced our descent. And just
here we were uncertain about our way.
fhe track WAS poorly defned-in pla'
ces no path at all. We caught sight of
lake in the distance, and my friend
insisted that it was Vast Water, which
we were in search of. l thought not.
We studied our map, and still were in
doubt. We were miles from human
habitati0n, and nc one to give Us light.
In the midst of our quandary we caught
sight of a shepherd away down the
mountain side, and hastened along
until we reached him, and were made
happy by finding that we were on the
right road. At the very spot where
we were in doubt, as we afterwards
learned, Mr.. Bsrnetts was lost
the previous summer. He started
over the Same road we travelled, bat
in an opposite direction, having came
with his wife from Keswick to Buth-
ermere the day before. She was not
well and returned to X. Mr. B. went
over the mountains to Vast Water,
and was never seen alive afterwards.
He started alone on his return from
Vast Water, and a month after his re-
mains were found on the mountain
side, only forty feet off the path. The
day was hot, and it is supposed he be-
came exhausted, and perhaps over
come. We were more fortunate, and
got down the mountain in safety,
crossed the Lizs river, and here again
became more puzzled than before. The
path was entirely absent. Again we
consulted our maps, which gave us
little light. But we made up our
mind to strike for the left, and through
between two mountain peaks. Here
again we were favored, for away in
the distance up on the mountain side,
| Iespied two shepherds, to the right of
our projected way. and leaving my
companion, 1 ran on ahead until near
enough for my voice to reach them,
and then shouted in stentorian tones.