270 ^csbJicfe district 



Of boughs, as if for festal purpose, decked 



With unrejoicing berries — ghostly shapes 



May meet at noon-tide ; Fear and trembling Hope, 



Silence and Foresight ; Death the skeleton 



And Time the shadow ; — there to celebrate, 



As in a natural temple scattered o'er 



With altars undisturbed of mossy stone, 



United worship ; or in mute repose 



To lie, and listen to the mountain flood 



Murmuring from Glaramara's inmost caves. 



The size attained by the yew in this district is astonishing. 

 One, which for many years lay prostrate at the other end 

 of Borrowdale, measured nine yards in circumference, 

 and contained 1,460 feet of wood. The famous Lorton 

 Yew (see p. 253) has about the same girth; and one of 

 these four measures seven yards round. 



Having surveyed these objects, and arrived at Seathwaite, 

 the carriage must be vacated and sent round by Honister 

 Pass to Buttermere, to wait our arrival there eight hours 

 afterwards. The ponies, which have been here some 

 time, and had a feed and rest, are now mounted. There is 

 still three-quarters of a mile of comparatively level ground, 

 with the hills rising steeply on both sides, until jStocWeu 

 JSriticje is reached, where the ascent, after crossing the 

 bridge and facing the west, commences in earnest. The 

 zig-zags up Greenhow Knott are, however, clearly marked. 

 After about a mile of it, comparatively easy ground is gained, 

 still running near to the beck leading to Stgljeati STarn, 

 The tarn is passed on the western side, and the summit of 

 Sty Head (1578 feet) reached in a few hundred yards be- 

 yond. The descent of three miles to the little village of 

 Wastdale Head is gradual, but stony, on the slope of Jkin^-^ 

 mell ; the pedestrian may, however, easily pick better ground 

 than the pony-track. 



