from .^mWesitJe. 129 



tumble from those precipices, the rover should rest. He 

 will see nothing so fine as the contrast of this northern view 

 with the long green slope on the other side, down to the 

 source of Rydal Beck, and then down to Rydal Woods and 

 Mount ; but, the further he goes, the more amazed he will be 

 at the extent of the walk, which looked such a trifle from 

 below. He is now 2,745 feet above the sea-level; and he 

 has surely earned his meal. If the wind troubles him, he 

 can doubtless find a sheltered place under a rock. If he 

 can sit on the bare ridge, he is the more fortunate. 



Waking out of a reverie, an hour after dinner, he sees that 

 the sun is some way down the western sky. He hastens on, 

 not heeding the boggy spaces, and springing along the pathless 

 heather and moss, seeing more and more lakes and tarns 

 every quarter of an hour. In the course of an hour he sees 

 ten. Winandermere, and little Blelham Tarn beyond, he 

 saw first. Ullswater was below him to the north when he 

 dined ; and, presently after, a tempting path guided his eye 

 to Grisedale Tarn, lying in a pass from Patterdale to Gras- 

 mere. Here are four. Next come Grasmere, Easedale tarn 

 above it, in its mountain hollow ; then Rydal, of course, at 

 his feet; and Elterwater beyond the western ridges, and 

 finally, to the south-west, Esthwaite Water and Coniston. 

 There are ten. Eight of these may be seen at once from at 

 least one point — ^ ab .©car, whence he must take his last 

 complete survey ; for from hence he must plunge down the 

 steep slope, and bid farewell to all that Hes behind the ridge. 

 The day has gone like an hour. The sunshine is leaving 

 the surface of the nearer lakes, and the purple bloom of the 

 evening is on the farther mountains ; and the gushes of the 

 yellow light between the western passes show that sunset is 

 near. He must hasten down, — mindful of the opening be- 

 tween the fences, which he remarked from above, and which, 



K 



