Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-04-27

earn Brea we drove to Portreath, a
small port ON the north coast about
four miles from Redruth. 1t has a
a very pretty though dangerous beach,
and the sands are much discolored by
the red washings of the mines. The
little harbor which is only entered at
high tide. and then with much trouble,
is generally filled with small coaling
vessels from the Welsh collierieS. lllo-
gan church with its detached tower is
in the nei"hborhoOd. On the same day
we drove through Tehidy. one of the
largest and finest estates in Cornwall.
We admired particularly the lodges at
the different entrances. 1t can hardly
fail to impress one in Cornwall. at
least in the mining portion; the differ
ence between the handsome estates,
such rs Tehidy, Clowance and Pen
darves, and the country surrounding
them. The contrast between the fine
plantations, handsome lawns and lux
uriant strawberries and the small bleak
fields bordered with stony hedges Is
most striking.
The next day we walked to Carthew
in the parish of Wendron, the largest,
l think, of the Cornish parishes, and
one of the bleakeSt. There was hardly
tree to be seen III any direction. but
as we reached the edge of the Nine
Maiden Downs and took the road to
Helston, the Downs stretched away in
front of US mass of golden bloom.
with here and there purpliSh tinge.
Behind us were earn Brea and Cam
borne Beacon, on the left was arm
Monellis with its granite affairs. on the
right were Hangman's Barrow and
Crowan Beacon, before US the golden
downs and the waving hills stretching
towards lielstOn and the Lizard. 1t
was an indescribably pretty scene, yet
with Il faint tinge of sadness III 1t, and
like unto nothing outside of Cornwall.
AS we drew near the Nine NaidenS-
nine standing stones, of uncertain his
tory, perhaps placed there by Druids.
perhaps indicating the graves of nine
sisters or nine nuns, perhaps being
nine maidens turned into stone-we
noticed the little matched, white front
ed houses facing the downs, with their
stacks of fuel in the shape of furZe
and peat, and their numerous Kissing.
Tapping geese. Geese and doukeys
abound in Gwendron."
That afternoon we drove over the
golden downs to Pendarves and then
past Clowance, a pretty place near
Crowan church, and hemmed in by
high stone wall of many miles in
length. We passed along the site of
the proposed railway to Helston, and
several more or less interest
ing parishes, and sleepy "church-
towns" nesting around fine old granite
churches. | think it was in the parish
of Breag that Charles ii found one of
his numerous hiding places and was
aided by member of the GUdOlphin
family who in after years became Earl
of Godolphin.
Before reaching Porthleyen which
was the goal of our afternoons drive,
we passed through some very fine
farming country. Portlileven itself is
very picturesque, and much reSorted
to fishing village on the south coast.
1t is many miles from a railway, yet
last summer it WAS filled with pleasure
and health seekers from different
parts of England. The "ancient fish.
like smell clinging to everything am
nounced itself at once. The fishing
boats with dark brown sails were all
in readiness Waiting for the tide to
carry out the little fleet which the
next morning would return laden
with pilchards and other fish. Before
tea at the cosy little inn we managed
to climb up the steep road which leads
around the brow of one of the cliffs
the entrance of the harbor.
Up there we found a most interesting
place, a little house and grounds 0rna-
mented With all things peculiar TO the
seaside, and in one corner most i'll
teresting little museum filed with GU
brought by sailors from all
or 4 IL,
like sea air 10 give one an appetite, and
what is SO satisfying as Il Cornish tea!
On returning to the inn Il think it
found the table laid fer us in q cosy
parlor overlooking the quay. Thin
slices OF bread and butter already cut
and spread, apple tart with an album
dance of rich clOtted cream, saffron
cake, sweet cake and tea comprised the
bill of fare.
On our way home we stopped at
IIelStun, the prettieSt OF the inland
towns in west Cornwall. How steep
and clean and picturesque it looked i'll
the early evening! 1t had been Il
cattle-fair day and there were many
people about. The streams of water
running down the side OF the steep
llelston streets give one most agrt e.
able impression of the place.
Luckily we had fine weather next
day for our trip to the Lizard and
kynance Cove. Early III the morning
about hali-paSt seven-a smart wag-
onette from Rcdruth called at Cor
lands for us, and our party of eight
persons being in readiness we started
forthwith along the IIeston road, stop
ping few moments 1T NeGdrou
church, SO that we, the Americans,
might make Il short visit to what was
to us the most interesting of Cornish
churches. sThe fine old building knee
deep in grassy graves was well worth
seeing, and we waded through the
dewy grass Ia Sundry graves where
Margerys and Richards OF CrOmweli'S
time and later lay sleeping. A the
quaint church-yard gate With It's room
above we again took the wagOnette
and were soon driving through the
upper part of llelSton and were then
fairly started on the road TO the Liz
ard, the most southern point on he
south coast of England For several
miles beyond iielStom we passed
pretty farming country, and
10y one or two pretty estates hidden in
holluws. At picturesque little inn Al
curry IEOSS Lanes our uriNer ana
horses INDUCED III the refreshments
"for man and beast" usually dispensed
ut such places, and soon after we were
bowling along the perfect road across
the Goonhilly Downs, bleak fields end
heather covered stretches on each side
of Us and now and thea in the distance
the tower of some forlorn little parish
church uncovered in Stunted wind
swept trees. GlimpSes of the blue sea-
told us that we were approaching the
end of our twenty mile drive, the last
six or seven miles of which were over
the downs before mentioned. The quaI.-
tity and varieties of the heather in
bloom gave pretty shaded tinge to
the otherwise dismal landscape, OF
which one feature-a granite church
tower with one of its turrets loSt-was
striking. For u good de-
Scription of this part of Cornwall the
novel, For her dear Sake by Mary
Cecil Hay, should be read.
The Lizard finally reached. we drove
down the little street bordered sby the
shops of the serpentine stone workers.
and engaged II parlor at 4 neat little
inn of which | have forgotten the
name. As the tide was out we at once