ANCIENT TIN- WORKS. 415 



Benjay Tor, a lofty lull, which presents a precipi- 

 tous face of broken stone to the bed of the turbulent 

 Dart, was a striking object, the river forming two deep 

 and dark pools beneath, which are called Hell Pool 

 and Bell Pool. But, I think, as interesting as any- 

 thing that I had seen, not excepting even the architec- 

 tural remains and the old wood, were the traces of 

 the ancient Tin-works. From Compstone onward to 

 Holne, an elevated, heathy region, there occurred, at 

 brief intervals, large tracts of ground which had been 

 excavated to a shallow extent, and which have a very 

 peculiar and easily recognisable appearance. They 

 are of course covered with common vegetation, but 

 the removal of the surface-earth, producing a de- 

 pression of the level, has an effect so unique that the 

 beholder, after he has had one or two of these " golfs/' 

 as they are termed, pointed out to him, readily detects 

 one as he approaches it, and at once discriminates 

 between these and any other irregularities in the 

 country. These "golfs" are the spots where, in 

 remote ages, the people searched for tin : the metal 

 was found very near the surface, and was separated 

 from the soil by the action of running water. A 

 running stream (and this region abounds with such) 

 was chosen, and so enclosed and directed as that its 

 force should fall upon the metalliferous soil, when 

 the lighter earth was washed away, and the heavier 

 ore remained. This process was called streaming ; and 

 it is believed that the ancient tinners were acquainted 

 with no other mode of obtaining the metal. 



