COENWALL. 85 



in England, and is much frequented by visitors, who delight in its equable climate 

 and luxuriant vegetation, and to whom bold cliffs of granite or serpentine, 

 quarries and mines, and magnificent cromlechs, stone circles, logans, &c. (see 

 page 30), present objects of attraction. Penzance is the centre of an important 

 mining, fishing, and agricultural district. Within a radius of 7 or 8 miles of 

 it are situated some of the most celebrated " setts " in the county of Cornwall, 

 including Botallack and its neighbour Wheal Owles, which hardly yields to it in 

 reputation. The harbour is formed by a breakwater, and defended by batteries. 

 The town has smelting-houses, and works where serpentine is fashioned into cups 

 and vases. It exports early vegetables and fish. Penzance was the birthplace of 

 Sir Humphry Davy, to whom a monument has been erected, and is justly proud 

 of the scientific collections accumulated by its geological, natural history, and 

 antiquarian societies. Porthcurno, near Penzance, and other creeks in its vicinity, 

 are the points of departure of three submarine cables, which connect England with 

 the Spanish ports of Santander and Vigo, and the Portuguese village of Carcavellos, 

 near Lisbon, whence the cable is carried on to Gibraltar and the Mediterranean. 

 In addition to these a submarine cable connects Penzance with a lightship 50 miles 

 to the south-west, which hails all passing ships and places them in communica- 

 tion with their owners in London. Madron and Luclgvan are ancient market 

 towns, within a couple of miles of Penzance, but are exceeded in interest by the 

 pretty village oî Marozion, opposite the pyramidal St. Mic/iael's Mount, with which 

 it is connected by an ancient causeway, flooded eight hours out of every twelve. 

 The Mount rises to a height of 95 feet, and is crowned by an ancient castle, partly 

 in ruins, commanding a magnificent prospect. 



Hehton, on the Looe, which enters the sea 9 miles to the north-east of Lizard 

 Point, depends upon mines and agriculture for such prosperity as it enjoys. 

 Pounding the promontory just named, and its quarries of serpentine, we reach the 

 estuary of the Fal, and with it the important town of Falmouth, beautifully seated 

 on the shore of a magnificent harbour, bounded in the south by the conical 

 promontory surmounted by Pendennis Castle, and protected by a breakwater. 

 The harbour of Falmouth is one of the finest in England, capable of sheltering an 

 entire fleet. The town itself is mean, but its environs abound in picturesque 

 scenery. Penri/n, on an inlet of Falmouth Harbour, is known for its granite 

 quarries. St. Maiirs, opposite Falmouth, boasts an ancient castle erected in the 

 time of Henry VIII. Proceeding up the beautiful haven at the entrance of which 

 lie Falmouth and St. Mawes, and which is known as Carrick Poads, we reach 

 Truro, the finest town in Cornwall, and recently created an episcopal see. Truro 

 has smelting-houses and paper-mills, and exports the ores obtained from tho 

 neighbouring mines. Like Penzance, it can boast of its museum and scientific 

 institutions. It was the birthplace of Richard and John Lander, the African 

 travellers. A cathedral of noble proportions is being raised. 



Rounding Dodman Head, we reach Mevagissey, one of the principal seats of the 

 pilchard fishery, and farther north the small town of Charlestoun, which is the port 

 of St. Austell, known for its china-cLiy diggings and potteries. Par, on the 



