DUNMAIL RAISE. 97 



Southey, about to ascend Helvellyn, were mounting 

 their ponies at the Swan, the host saw their ap- 

 proach, and cried out to Scott, " Eh, sir ! you've 

 come early for your drink to-day." It was a 

 complete escape of the cat out of the bag*; but 

 Wordsworth was not one to be troubled by such 

 a discovery. No doubt he took the unlucky speech 

 more serenely than his guest. 



The ascent of Helvellyn is not so often made from 

 the Swan as from Wythburn, nearly four miles fur- 

 ther on, because it is much longer; but some per- 

 sons well acquainted with the locality prefer it, — 

 the views being fine, and the ascent more gradual. 

 The high road is left about half a mile north of 

 the inn, just after crossing a bridge. 



From the Swan, the road to Keswick ascends 

 Dun mail Raise, — a steep pitch of road, though its 

 highest point is only 720 feet above the sea. 



There is a mountain road out to the left, between Helm Crag 

 and Steel Fell. The eye may follow it up for a considerable dis- 

 tance. It leads to Greenup Edge, and thence into Bon-owdale, 

 but is seldom traversed by any but natives as it does not offer any 

 peculiar attractions. 



On the right there is a stream which divides the 

 counties of Cumberland and Westmorland ; and on 

 either hand rise the mountains of Steel 

 Fell and Seat Sandal. The cairn, a rude 

 mass of stones near the summit of the ascent, which 

 the stranger should be on the look out for, marks the 

 spot of a critical conflict in the olden time, — that is, 

 in A.D. 945, — when the Anglo-Saxon King Ed- 

 mund defeated and slew Dunmail, the British King 

 of Cumbria ; and then put out the eyes of the two 

 sons of his slain foe, and gave their inheritance to 

 Malcolm, King of Scotland. 



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