'JS.xtiixmn. 247 



there was scarcely another man in the kingdom capable of 

 sustaining such labour for a course of years. 



In some places where the slate is closely compacted, and 

 presents endways and perpendicular surface, the quarryman 

 sets about his work as if he were going after eagles' eggs. 

 His comrades let him down by a rope from the precipice ; 

 and he tries for a footing on some ledge, where he may drive 

 in wedges. The difficulty of this, where much of his strength 

 must be employed in keeping his footing, may be conceived : 

 and a great length of time must be occupied in loosening 

 masses large enough to bear the fall without being dashed 

 into useless pieces. But, generally speaking, the methods 

 are improved, and the quarries made accessible by tracks 

 admitting of the passage of strong carts. Still the detach- 

 ing of the slate, and the loading and conducting the carts, 

 is work laborious enough to require and train a very ath- 

 letic order of men. In various parts of the district, the 

 scene is marked by mountains of debris^ above or within 

 which yawn black recesses in the mountain side, where the 

 summer thunders echo, and the winter storms send down for- 

 midable slides into the valley below. 



From Honii^er Crag the road, at first extremely steep, but 

 latterly less so, descends to the ^uttcrmete vale. The first 

 house we come to is Gatesgarth, — the farmstead whence the 

 road to ^catf ©ap is taken, by which, as we have men- 

 tioned elsewhere, London gentlemen and Kendal ladies 

 have run into such extreme danger. The lake of Butter- 

 mere is only a-mile and a-quarter in length, and little more 

 than half-a-mile in breadth. The mountains which enclose 

 it, beginning on the left, are High Crag, High Stile, and 

 Red Pike; on the right, Buttermere Fell, backed up by 

 Robinson. The torrent that will be observed flowing down 

 the steep into the lake is called — as others in the district 



