120 RAMBLE OVER DERBYSHIRE HILLS AND DALES. 
on Wardlow Mires, and other interesting matters connected with 
the locality. Having spent the greater part of her life in the 
village, she has handed down many of the traditions of the 
plague, which Mr. Wood has embodied in his interesting History 
of Eyam. Amongst the stories we heard, she told us how, many 
years back, through burning the Christmas holly (which was a very 
unlucky thing to do!), a chimney took fire in the next house, 
where the plague had first appeared, and that it made the wall of 
her bedroom so hot that she could not bear her hand on it ; that 
a sort of wooden flue, or passage for steam from the copper 
opened into the chimney ; this getting on fire, was hastily chopped 
down, when a pair of old leathern stays fell therefrom. These. 
stays were very heavy, and she supposes full of money sewed in 
them, and that they were hidden there in the time of the plague, 
instead of being burnt, as was most of the clothing. She never saw 
them again, and her neighbour said they were burnt for fear of 
infection ; but he soon after left the house and appeared in much 
better circumstances. Thus, instead of illluck, the burning of 
the holly proved a very fortunate event for him. 
We heard the midnight hour toll from the neighbouring church 
before we retired to rest. 
TUESDAY. 
‘* AMONG the verdant mountains of the Peak, 
There lies a quiet hamlet, where the slope 
Of pleasant uplands wards the north-winds bleak ; 
Below, wild dells romantic pathways ope ; 
Around, above it, spreads a shadowy cope 
Of forest trees ; flower, foliage, and clear rill 
Wave from the cliffs, or down ravines elope ; 
It seems a place charmed from the power of ill 
By sainted words of old :—so lovely, lone, and still.” 
WE rose soon after six o’clock, and while breakfast was preparing 
I strolled out in my slippers to the churchyard—one of the 
