108 RIVERS. 



edges. Often too they lie in huge confusion on the slopes, or 

 make islands in the water, and serve with fallen trees for cheap 

 and primitive bridges. Not a house in this wild sylvan scene, 

 nor a sound save that of the swift Esk breaking into a thou- 

 sand falls, and running by its own sweet will in many little 

 streams. In autumn the rich hues of the decaying foliage are 

 charmingly lighted up by the fresh green leaves and bright red 

 berries of the holly. This pleasant bit of Eskdale can be well 

 seen in a short walk from Egton Bridge, where the modest 

 ' public ' (' oak-tree ') may satisfy a lover of nature. Those who 

 like feasting in the open air may recline by the romantic 

 Beggar's Bridge*, or climb to the summit of ' Arncliffe Wood/ 

 or ' Mount Snow don/ 



The Esk here flows by some reliques of British, Roman, and 

 Mediaeval remains of interest. We are indebted to the late Dr. 

 Young of Whitby for a notice of the singular traces of British 

 dwellings at Egton Grange. Eskdale continues full of a pleasing 

 rural and woodland scenery by Grosmont Bridge and Sleights, 

 above which are bold moorlands. 



At Grosmont was an abbey (now a farmhouse), whose name is 

 derived from the parent abbey of Gramont in France (12th cen- 

 tury). There is a ruined chapel at Sleights. On the north side 

 of the valley, the residences of Grove and Woodlands show by 

 their names the nature of their situation. 



Below Ruswarp the valley is a large natural amphitheatre ; 

 from which the river wanders a little among the woods of Lar- 

 pool, and then turns to enter the sea, under the bold cliff which 

 is crowned by the famous abbey of Streoneshalh, the most in- 

 teresting monastic ruin in this part of Yorkshire. 



A little to the north is Mulgrave Castle, and near it the site 

 of the older structure of the real or mythical Saxon leader Wada, 

 from whom the older Roman road leading from Malton to Duns- 

 ley (Dunum Sinus), is called ' Wade's Causeway.' 



In its own beautiful course and in those of its tributaries, the 

 * The subject of some graceful verses by Mrs. George Dawson. 



