80 OOBNUBIANA. 



About 360 yards south from the account-house, beneath a 

 barrow of rubble, a cave was discovered about two years ago. 

 There was a seat of clay-stone round the interior, about 

 18 inches high, which was dug up by the miners when search- 

 ing for tin. Nothing was discovered, 

 v.— Folk Lore. 



In addition to the works recommended for study on the sub- 

 ject of Cornish Folk-Lore, Miss Courtney's Cornish Feasts and 

 Folk-lore should be added, which, though not perhaps highly 

 scientific, yet contains a vast amount of information on the sub- 

 ject. And this subject needs most careful handling, as so many 

 of the legends and charms deal with sacred subjects, and very 

 often in a manner that requires complete oblivion. In present- 

 ing the accompanying matter, it is hoped that no ofPence will be 

 given in this respect. 



With regard to one of the objects, — the giant's coit,— 

 already described, at page 69, it is said to have been hurled by a 

 giant at St. Hilary Church steeple, at St. Michael's Mount, and 

 at the Land's End, but as the giant's strength failed him in each 

 case, the quoit remains a melancholy instance of his failure. 



At Hangman's Barrow in St.Crowan, (which is really Men-an, 

 the stone), a legend has been coined to suit the title. A man 

 murdered a man and his wife, and tried to take the life of their 

 little son, but the little boy took refuge in a "cunderd" (culvert), 

 and so escaped with his life. Many years afterwards, when the 

 boy had grown to man's estate, and was driving a cart, he overtook 

 a tired way-farer, and gave him a lift. It happened that their 

 journey took them past the very place where the murder had 

 been perpetrated, and the traveller, becoming garrulous, pointed 

 to the spot, and said "Years ago, it was there I killed a buck and 

 doe, but their young got into that cunderd, where I could 

 not get at him, and so he escaped." The feelings of the son may 

 be well imagined when he heard his parents' murder so brutally 

 and callously alluded to, but he said nothing until he could pro- 

 cure assistance, when he delivered the ruflS.an into the hands of 

 justice. Soon after he was sentenced to death by the lingering 

 mode of exposure in an iron cage. And from this very circum- 

 stance, though not even according to the above facts, the earn of 

 stones took the name of " Hangman's Barrow," 



