52 THE FERN PARADISE. 



and away in the high background the green 

 hills. Immediately next the road, and on the first 

 slope of the descent into the valley, there was a 

 small orchard, in which the Brakes grew so 

 thickly and luxuriantly as to touch the tips of 

 the fruit trees, and give a most singular and 

 romantic aspect to the scene. 



Now the view again changes in true Devonshire 

 fashion as we pass onward ; our road rapidly 

 descends ; Dartington Wood rising high on the 

 right, and a low thicket spreading away to the 

 left, under the moist shadow of which some of the 

 commoner kinds of ferns grow plentifully. Lower 

 still goes our road, whilst trees on each side rise 

 higher and higher, overlapping at the tops. In 

 a few minutes we emerge from their shadows on 

 to Staverton Bridge, and the lovely scene changes 

 once -more. Here the stream of the beautiful 

 Dart darkly and quietly flows under the curious 

 old arches of the bridge. In midstream, on the 

 left, there is an islet clothed with dwarfed shrubs. 

 Over an upland on the left bank of the river, 

 trees sweep grandly down to the water's surface. 



