150 MAY 



propensities, suddenly loses all self-respect, and flings 

 itself in impossible gradients full on the face of 

 Hardknot Pass. This was of old the pack-horse 

 way between Kendal (Concangium of the Itinerary), 

 the principal wool-market of the north-west, and 

 Ravenglass, its principal seaport. 



Guarding the highest point of the pass lies Hard- 

 knot Camp, on the bare flank of the fell, about four 

 hundred feet above Butter-Eldkeld, and seven hun- 

 dred above the sea. It is a Roman camp of orthodox 

 design, consisting of a square enclosure measuring 

 rather more than one hundred paces on the face, sur- 

 rounded by a massive rampart of roughly hewn stone, 

 and protected, save where the ground is precipitous, 

 by a deep foss. The four gateways occupy their 

 usual positions in the centre of each face ; and these, 

 as well as the massive towers at each angle of the 

 camp, have been finished with coigns of red freestone. 

 This freestone, which must have been sea-borne to 

 Ravenglass, for the rock of the district is metamor- 

 phic Silurian with intrusive granite, unfortunately 

 has been the cause of much damage to the buildings, 

 which have been pillaged for generations for material 

 to sharpen scythes. 



Within the enclosure remain the ruined walls of 



