126 REGIONS OF THE DEAD. CHAP. x. 



walking double-quick time, I reached the extreme point 

 of Holborn Head at a little after eight. By this time 

 the sun had set, and I felt it cruel cold. But I had 

 scarcely set my foot upon the bare slates ere I picked up 

 a. very stout piece of fish bone, about seven inches in 

 length. I also found a warty bone, a piece of fossil 

 wood, a scale of Holoptychius ; and I left two pieces 

 sticking in the flags until to-morrow, when, if I can, I 

 will hammer them out. These will be sent to you, not 

 so much for their value, as because of their being found 

 at the extreme point of the promontory. . . . And yet I 

 was told by Mr. Manson that nothing was to be got 

 there." 



On the 12th of May following, he proceeds 



" ' To the regions of the dead 

 Long and painful is the way ! ' 



" I have thought that this ought to be reversed, more 

 especially in the case of poor geological bone-hunters ; 

 for it is not when a man sets out on his journey ' to the 

 regions of the dead,' full of hope and strong in spirit, 

 that he is inclined to feel the way long. No; even 

 though he has 3 pounds of iron chisels in his trousers 

 pocket, a 4-pound hammer in one hand, and a 14-pound 

 smiddy forehammer in the other; and his old beaver 

 hat filled with paper and twine. Away he speeds 



" ' The folk still thinking as before 

 That Gilpin rode a race,' 



Nor does he halt, nor lag, nor look behind, till fairly 

 hammering at the blue slate. 



