258 VISIT TO LONGSLEADALE. [September, 



showers, inducing us frequently to creep under some neighbouring 

 rock for partial shelter. 



We were however intent upon making the best of our visit, 

 and gradually wended our way to the very top of the valley, some 

 four or five miles in extent, pretty thoroughly exploring every 

 inviting spot in our course on the right bank of the central 

 stream. This stream, which, on my former visit was one insigni- 

 ficant and nearly dried-up rivulet, was now swollen by the late 

 frequent heavy rains into a considerable torrent, exhibiting in its 

 rocky coarse frequent foaming cataracts of striking grandeur. 

 On casting our eyes towards the almost precipitous sides of the 

 lofty mountain above, numerous rills, looking quite white 

 from their rough and rapid course, were seen descending into the 

 valley we were traversing, which was thus rendered for miles a 

 perfect swamp. Buckbarrow well, which 1 had seen in my former 

 visit, was not now distinguishable, but totally merged in the gene- 

 ral rush of waters. Of Oxyria reniformis, which I had formerly 

 collected there, I could not find a single specimen. On the other 

 hand, I met with a much greater abundance of Alchemilla alpina 

 and of Saxifraga stellaris than on that occasion ; the former 

 being found not only in the neighbourhood of the stream, but 

 also copiously decorating the precipitous sides of the adjacent 

 mountain cliffs. The latter was met with by almost every rill 

 and damp spot in our ascent of the upper part of the valley, ac- 

 companied in some places with S. hypnoides and also S. aizoides, 

 but the last had not got into ffower, nor had Epilohium alsmifo- 

 liuni, which was growing in the same places ; associated with 

 these grew Pinguicula vulgaris beautifully in flower. I found 

 Teesdalia nudicaulis not far off" in moderate quantity, but in one 

 place only Cryptogramma (AllosorusJ crispa abounded everywhere; 

 and we met with a few plants of Lycopodium Selago. Juncus 

 sylvaticus grew copiously in a cleft of the rocks. A Salix with 

 small obovate leaves, but without fruit, perhaps oleifolia or a 

 form oi cinerea, was met with on the margin of the stream. A 

 few Lichens were seen ; I collected chiefly forms of Rliizocarpon 

 yeographicum and Cladonia rangiferina (see Mudd's excellent 

 ' Manual of British Lichens ') . The only Grass at all abundant 

 was Aira flexuosa. I have already alluded to Stipa pennata, but 

 I may add that it would well occupy two or three days fully to 

 investigate the valley, its steep, often precipitous flanks, and the 



