CATARACTS, AND INUNDATIONS. 265 



the wood. After dinner walked up the Penrith road two miles, or 

 more, and turning into a corn-Held to the right, called Castle-rig, 

 saw a Diuid-circle ot large stones, 10S feet in diameter, the biggest 

 not eight feet high, but most of them still erect ; they are fifty in 

 number. The valley of St. John's appeared in sight, and the sum- 

 uiils of Catchidecam (called by Camdcn, Casticand) and Helvellyn, 

 said to be as high as Skiddaw, and to rise from a much higher 

 base, 



Oct. 6. Went in a chaise eight miles along the east side of Bas. 

 singthw.iit-water to Ousebridge (pronounced Ews-bndge) ; the 

 road in some part made and very good, the rest slippery and dan 

 gerous cart-road, or narrow and rugged lanes, but no precipices ; 

 it runs direcily aiong the foot of Skiddaw; opposite to Widhope. 

 brows, cloathed to the top with wood, a very beautiful view opens 

 down" to the lake, which is narrower and longer than that of Kes- 

 wick, less broken into bays, and without islands. At the foot of it, 

 a few paces from the brink, gently sloping upwards, stands Ar- 

 mathwaite in a thick grove of Scotch firs, commanding a noble view 

 directly up the lake : at a small distance behind the house is a large 

 extent of wood, and still behind this a ridge of cultivated hills, on 

 which, according to the Keswick proverb, the sun always shines . 

 The inhabitants here, on the contrary, call the vale of Denvent-wa. 

 ter, the Devil's Chamber-pot, and pronounce the name of Skid- 

 daze -fall, which terminates here, with a sort of terror and aversion. 

 Armathwaite house is a modern fabric, not large, and built of dark- 

 red stone, belonging to Mr. Speddmg, whose grandfother was 

 steward to old Sir James Lowther, and bought this estate of the Hi- 

 rm-rs. The sky was overcast and the wind cool ; so, after dining at 

 a public-house, which stands here near; the bridge, (that crosses the 

 Derwent just where it issues from the lakr) and sauntering a little* 

 by the water-side I came home again. The turnpike is finished 

 from Cockermouth hither, five miles, and is carrying on to Penrith : 

 several little showers to-day. A man came in, who said there WAS 

 snow on Cross.fell this morning. 



Oct. 7. I waiked in the morning to Crow park, and in the even. 



inn up Penrith road The clouds came rolling up the mountains all 



.found verv dark, yet the moon shone at intervals. It was too damp 



to go towards the lake. To-morrow I mean to bid farewell to 



Keswick. 



