42 DOVE DALE REVISITED 



had caught seven brace of fine grayling, whilst 

 we experts of the I. W. could catch none. On 

 telling this to the Master he fully explained the 

 mystery to our entire satisfaction, for we had 

 begun to doubt our own infallibility. 



" Pooh ! " said he, " anybody can catch those 

 tame fish ! They are so strictly preserved up in 

 those wilds that, unlike our wild and preter- 

 naturally cautious fish down in the lower waters 

 of the Dove and the Manifold, these highlanders 

 will go madly at anything that is put before 

 them." Thus did the Master seek to soothe 

 our minds and restore our equanimity. 



As we approached Dove Holes, the northern 

 entrance to Dove Dale, the shades of evening 

 began to close over us, leaving us just sufficient 

 light to bring out the magnificent rock on the 

 right, and show with distinctness the grim out- 

 line of a lion's head, which gives it its name, 

 "The Lion Rock"; "The Dove Holes" are 

 two immense caverns in the rocks on the left. 

 We explored one of them and found it to be a 

 convenient cave for shelter in a storm. 



" Ham Rock " is seen further on, with the 

 singular stone block called "The Watchbox," 

 seated on the highest pinnacle of the rock and 



