THE TORRS. 327 



lay their spawn at short intervals all through the 

 season. 



THE TORRS. 



The back-windows of the house where I reside look 

 out upon a sort of amphitheatre, the boundaries of 

 which are lofty hills, with slopes green to the summit. 

 Those to the right terminate in several pointed peaks, 

 the principal of which are known as the seven Torrs. 

 Though their inland side presents a gradual grassy 

 slope, seaward they form precipices of tremendous 

 abruptness, descending perpendicularly more than 

 four hundred feet to the water's edge. 



The ascent of these peaks, and the walk round 

 their summits by a narrow path which has been cut 

 for the purpose, is a most agreeable promenade ; but 

 as the Torrs are private property, a small toll is ex- 

 acted for the admission of visitors. We approach it 

 by the pleasant path which winds beside the Wilder, 

 now called Church-path, but formerly bearing the re- 

 pulsive appellation of Bloody-field, from a fatal duel 

 which legendary tradition reports to have been once 

 fought there. 



A light ornamental iron gate admits us within the 

 precincts. We cross the little stream, and pursue our 

 way along its side, beneath the willows and alders that 

 hang over it, and almost hide it. It is near the end 

 of August, and the banks are fringed with a rank, 

 coarse herbage, adorned with many autumnal flowers. 

 The great willow-herb and the purple loose-strife are 

 conspicuous from their fine crimson blossom; the 

 hemp agrimony, the teasel, and the knapweed, are 



