[ i84 ] 



Surely a moft fterlle, and unhappy one, to- 

 tally incapable of all improvement ?— But fo 

 far is this from the cafe, that nine tenths of 

 the country is an exceeding fine rich deep 

 red loam — the fpontaneous growth tolerable 

 grafs — of a good verdure and fcattered with 

 whins. I alighted from my chaife many times 

 to examine the foil ; and found from the 

 edges wherever the furface w^as broken, 

 from lo to 1 8 inches, and in fome places 

 two feet depth, of a fine crumbly fandy 

 loam, of a good colour, which I am confident 



among the mountains loft my way, in pafTing a 

 ftraggling wood; a circumflance which would 

 not have proved agreeable, had I not accidentally 

 blundered on a fpot, which thoroughly repaid us 

 for all the anxiety of taking a wrong road. We had 

 not traverfed many miles over the moors, before 

 a moft enchanting landfcape, as if dropt from 

 heaven in the midft of this v/ild defart, at once 

 blefied our eyes. In afcending a very fteep rocky 

 hill, we were obliged to alight and lead our horfes ; 

 nor was it without fome difficulty that we broke 

 through allirubby fteep of thorns, briars, and other 

 underwood •, but when it was efi^cded we found 

 ourfelves at the brink of a precipice with a fudden 

 and unexpected view before our eyes of a fpot 

 more enticingly pleafing tlian fancy can paint. 



Incircled by a round of black mountains, we 

 beheld a valley which from its peculiar beauty, 

 one would have taken for the favourite of nature. 

 Half way up the hills in front, many rugged and 

 bold projecting rocks difcover their bare points 



amon": 



