177 



western front of the tower are two canopied niches, and in the 

 mied-in window between them is carved a jug with the usual 

 emblematic lily. So much time was devoted to the church that 

 it was necessary to hasten on somewhat rapidly ; a pretty walk 

 along the flanks of the down, under the guidance of Mr. FoUett, a 

 steady ascent to the left, a hasty scramble through fern and gorse, 

 and there, on a short bit of turf, was spread out on the whitest of 

 tablecloths a cold lunch which the hostess of Woodborough Inn 

 had provided— flowers too were not wanting and other graceful 

 and needful accessories. 



A short halt sufficed to satisfy the hungry, upwards and onwards 

 was still the order, and finaUy Crook's Peak was surmounted at 

 3 p.m. A finer view can hardly be seen than from these hills. 

 Away to the south-east and south stretched the rich plains around 

 Wells and Glastonbury, with the Tor in the distance— out of 

 them rose Brent KnoUj away beyond gHttered the Severn sea; 

 Brean Down closed the view to the west ; away to the north and 

 north-west frowned the blackest of black clouds, looking venomous 

 and angry, and deluging the country, shutting out distant views 

 in that direction; down below, bathed in sunshine, Christon and 

 Loxton nestled. The scene was too fine to leave ; however the 

 troublesome Secretary was obliged by the force of circumstances to 

 hurry the members on, and to break in upon their weU-earned 

 repose on the peak by some remarks on the physical geology of 

 the hills and the neighbouring coal basin. The Vice-president 

 also shortly aUuded to the Eoman occupation of the country— how 

 Brean Down, the ancient "ad Axium" was formerly a Eoman 

 port, whence a line of camps supported a Roman road over the 

 Mendips ; how Brent KnoU, though a fortified camp, was not 

 occupied by the Romans ; many other interesting points were 

 omitted, for time was on the wing and a somewhat indefinite 

 distance had to be traversed before the train was caught at 

 Uphill. A steep scramble alongside the strike of the limestone 

 beds sorely tried some of the walkers; the gorse bushes tried 



