THE LOVE OF MOUNTAINS 233 



his party on the view. . . . He says Mr. Clement 

 lives about a mile and a half eastward of Threlkeld, 

 at the foot of the mountain, from whose house the 

 party proceeded about one o'clock, p.m. That they 

 made their passage in an oblique direction up that 

 part which is called Scales-fell : and he proceeds in 

 his description thus : ' When we had ascended about 

 a mile, one of the party, on looking round, was so 

 astonished with the different appearance of objects in 

 the valley, so far beneath us, that he declined pro- 

 ceeding. We had not gone much further, till the 

 other companion (of the relator) was suddenly taken 

 ill, and wished to loose blood, and return. I was 

 almost ready (adds he) to give up my project, which 

 I should have done with -great reluctance, as the day 

 was remarkably favourable, and exhibited every scene 

 to the greatest advantage. Mr. Clement assured us, if 

 we proceeded a little way, we should find a resting place, 

 where the second defaulter of our party might recover 

 the effects of his journey. After labouring another 

 half hour, we gained the margin of an immense cavity 

 in the side of the mountain, the bottom of which 

 formed a wide bason, and was filled with water, that 

 from our station looked black, though smooth as glass, 

 covering the space of several acres. It is said to be 

 so deep, that the sun never shines upon it, and that 

 the reflection of the stars may be seen therein at 

 noonday ; but that was a curiosity we did not enjoy. 

 From our station there was a gentle declivity to a 

 smooth and verdant lawn, several yards in breadth, 

 which was the situation our guide had promised us ; 

 and the descent thereto led us about half way to the 



