130 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



A WEEK IN CORNWALL. 

 By Walter G. Woollcombe, B.A., F.L.S., &c. 



IN a gorge, washed out of a steep precipice on the 

 left-hand side of a picturesque fishing-cove* on 

 the North Coast of Cornwall, grows the most beauti- 

 ful of our indigenous fems, the true Maiden-hair 

 (Adiantiim Capilliis- 'i'cucris). Its roots are adpressed 

 to the lamince of the shaly rock, which is kept 

 moistened by the droppings of a spring from above, 

 and its delicate fronds, overhanging the natural 

 ledges, aftbrd a rich contrast to the dark colour of the 

 stone. 



A very narrow and steep path leads up to a shallow 

 foot-hold on a projecting ledge, whence we may 

 procure some very young specimens, but, if venture- 

 some enough to climb still further over the slippery 

 and treacherous rock, we may be rewarded by ob- 

 taining with the help of a stick some of the more 

 luxuriant plants. 



At present this fern is fairly abundant in this 

 locality, but, now that the natives have discovered 

 that "their vairn," as they call it, is valued by 

 people in the neighbourhood and by passing tourists, 

 I fear that their greed of money and the wanton 

 destruction of the youngest plants would lead to its 

 total extermination if, as is fortunately the case, the 

 largest specimens were not for the present entirely 

 out of reach. 



There are only two other places on this coast where 

 the Maiden-hair is known to grow, both of which 

 are so precipitous that it is impossible to get any 

 specimens of the fern without the help of a man and 

 a rope. 



Leaving this cove and walking in a north-westerly 

 direction up the steep hill through the village, which, 

 by the bye, is well known by connoisseurs for the old 

 china its inhabitants possess, we soon reach the top 

 of the cliffs and gaze on as magnificent . a view of 

 coast scenery as can be seen anywhere. Before us 

 Tintagel Castle, "the rude remains of high antiquity," 

 stands boldly out, and to the north-west of Ilartland 

 Point, in the far distance, Lundy Isle rises as a giant 

 from the sea. 



A few minutes' walk along the cliffs, which are 

 covered with the red, purple, and yellow flowers of 

 Anthyllis vnlnerala (Lady's fingers), brings us to 

 another small fishing cove which boasts of an 

 "hotel," affording excellent accommodation for 

 tourists. 



A short distance up the lane leading from this cove 

 can be obtained very large plants of Bkchnum 

 Spkaiit, Scolopendrium viilgare, Polypodium vulgare, 



* For obvious reasons I have not specialised fully the habitat 

 ,of the maiden-hair ; but if any butanist is desirous of obtaining 

 a Britisli specimen of this fern, and of seeing it in its native 

 haunts, I will gladly give him full information. Any help I can 

 give to Mr. G. T. Harris, whose note in SciENCE-Gossii' for 

 iieptember is well called for, will be forthcoming. 



Aspidium Fi/ix-mas, Asplenium Filix-fxminay 

 Aspidimn spiinilosnni, and Aspidium acuhatvm, all of 

 which are very common in this and the adjoining 

 county. 



Leaving the sea, and taking a short cut across the 

 fields, we come to a valley, through which a stream 

 flows, and on its banks grow in profusion Epilobium 

 hirsutum, Lythntm Salicaria, Inula dysentericaj 

 OsjHutida regalis (whose local name is the Crown 

 Ash-fern), Apiinn Jtodifloritm, Apimn graveolens 

 (Wild Celery), Cochlcaria officinalis, Samolus Vahr- 

 andi, and a host of other common plants. Near the 

 mouth of this stream the caves are covered with the 

 Asplcniiun marimim, a common fern all along this 

 coast, but generally difficult to reach. 



Walking along the cliffs, where grow Scilla antum- 

 iialis and Cuscuta Epithymuin, with its many flowers 

 parasitic on the gorse, we come to a small zigzag path 

 leading to a cave in the cliff whose roof is formed of 

 large boulders of pyrites in which there are numerous 

 lodes or veins of antimonite, silver-lead and other 

 minerals, offering a fair promise of reward to any 

 energetic capitalist. In a cornfield near here grow in 

 great abundance Chrysanthemn7n\segetii7n, A?ttirrhi- 

 itum Orontium, Cenfamra ryarius, Lycopsis arvensis. 

 Lychnis Giihago and Borago officinalis. Half an hour's 

 walk brings us to Tintagel Castle. " On the summit 

 of a towering precipice," writes Gilbert, "which starts 

 out in bold sublimity amidst the waters of the 

 Northern Ocean, stand the jvenerable ruins of Tin- 

 tagel Castle. The only passage now to the island is 

 by way of a narrow path, which is carried over most 

 hideous cliffs on the western side." At the end of 

 the path we can enter through an oak door placed 

 there by the present rector of the village, who is ^.v- 

 officio the "Lord of Tintagel Castle," one of the 

 most ancient sinecures in Britain. 



The arch of the door is in a tolerable state of pre- 

 servation, as also are the embattled walls. On the 

 right of the gate are the remains of two small rooms, 

 which were probably occupied by the porter or 

 guard. Walls within the area are to be traced in 

 every direction, even to the edge of the cliff. On the 

 highest part of the north of the island are the remains 

 of a chapel, dedicated originally to St. Uliane, and 

 in which there is an ancient slab supported on rocks 

 which probably served as an altar. 



King Arthur was born at Tintagel Castle, a.d. 500, 

 he was the son of Uter, a British chieftain, and Igerna 

 the wife of Gothloris, a duke of the county. On the 

 rocks near here grow Stat ice aitriculifolia, Silene injlata, 

 var. viaritiiiia, Matricaria inodora, var. piaritima, 

 Crithmum maritimitm, and Spergularia rubra. 

 Between Tintagel and Boscastle there is a small 

 stream whose banks are covered for about fifty yards 

 with Mimuliis liitais. This lovely plant with its 

 golden flowers is not indigenous, but, having so well 

 established itself in many parts, it has become com- 

 pletely naturalised. Soon we reach Boscastle, where 



