348 THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF BROWN WILLY. 



of time — time being of small consequence to these granite tors, 

 — grind the bed of the hollow into a circular and smooth 

 depression, ever increasing in circumference and depth so long 

 as it remains watertight : and if there should be a weak place or 

 flaw in the margin, the overflow water naturally escapes that 

 way, and in escaping drags particles of rock with it, which 

 gradually grind down and widen the flaw till a channel is formed. 



Eock-basins may be seen in all stages of formation and 

 disintegration. Yet an examination of a large number of them 

 leads to a modifying of this theory of exclusively natural for- 

 mation. Take the case of Rough Tor. Here we find the highest 

 rocks on the western peak literally honey-combed with basins ; 

 on the eastern peak there is not a trace of one. The two peaks 

 are equally exposed to all atmospheric vicissitudes ; it is beyond 

 the range of reasonable probability to suppose that natural 

 agencies which have proved so remarkably effective at one end 

 of the hiU, should be wholly inoperative at the other end, which 

 is only a few feet less in elevation. How is this to be explained ? 

 The explanation seems to be (paradoxical as it may appear) that 

 the Western peak contains these basins because it is the higher of 

 the two. The only place in this district where I have observed 

 basins situated otherwise than on the highest peak of a hill, are 

 Trewortha Tor, and Hendra. But the basins at King Arthur's 

 bed (Trewortha) may be regarded merely as a portion of a series 

 of basins all close together, some of which are on the highest 

 peak ; while the summit of Hendra hiU has no outcrop of granite, 

 and the only boulder which could be utilised as a megalithic 

 altar, supposing such a thing were wanted, is the Elephant rock 

 in question. As with Eough Tor, so it is with Catshole Tor, 

 Fox Tor, and Hawk's Tor. On each of these there are in pro- 

 fusion enormous blocks of granite, weathered to such a degree 

 that the forces of nature have fretted and chafed their originally 

 more or less oblong proportions, until they have assumed a box- 

 heater shape, with the point turned towards the prevailing wind ; 

 moreover the majority of these blocks are quite inaccessible to 

 cattle, so that it cannot be suggested that by wearing down the sur- 

 face of the stones evenly, the cattle have prevented the formation 

 of basins. And yet in each case you will invariably find basins on 



