SCALES TARN. 143 



body of the man who must have been killed. Of 

 man, horse, or dog, they found not a trace : and 

 they came down, and held their tongues. When 

 they did speak, they fared not much better for 

 having twenty-six sworn comrades in their dis- 

 grace. As for the explanation, — the Editor of the 

 "Lonsdale Magazine" declared (Vol. ii. p. 313,) 

 that it was discovered that on that Midsummer eve 

 of 1745, the rebels were "exercising on the western 

 coast of Scotland, whose movements had been re- 

 flected by some transparent vapour, similar to the 

 Fata Morgana." This is not much in the way 

 of explanation : but it is, as far as we know, all 

 that can be had at present. These facts, however, 

 brought out a good many more; as the spectral 

 march of the same kind seen in Leicestershire, in 

 1707: and the tradition of the tramp of armies 

 over Helvellyn, on the eve of the battle of Marston 

 Moor. And now the tourist may proceed, — look- 

 ing for ghosts, if he pleases, on Souter Fell. 



Here, too, lies another wonder, — that tarn 



(Scales Tarn) which is said to reflect the stars at 



noonday, — a marvel which we by no 



SCALES TARN. J i. 1 J. 1 TIL "i 



means undertake to avouch. Ine tarn 

 is situated at the foot of a vast precipice, and so 

 buried among crags, that the sun never reaches it, 

 except through a crevice in early morning. This 

 dark water is one of the attractions which bring 

 strangers to this mountain ; though the easy 

 ascent of Skiddaw better suits the greater number. 

 Another attraction here is the deeper solitude of 

 the recesses of old Blencathra, — as Saddleback 

 should still be called. Another is the view of 

 Derwent Water from the summit. Southey says, 



