154 Dr. Berger on the physical Structure 



A little to the south-west of Redruth is a To/-,* called Carn-hrea 

 or Karn-hreh^ with an old castle on the top. This hill forms a ridge 

 extending from E.N.E. to W.S.W. and the highest point of it is 

 six hundred and ninety-seven feet above the level of the sea. The 

 northern side is covered with heaps of granite blocks, which are 

 probably the debris of a part of the ridge. The rock appears to be 

 of a very tender texture, and the water retained at the surface by 

 the mould which covers it, contributes, no doubt, very powerfully to 

 its decomposition, f 



Cam Martb, another small hill, the summit of which is elevated 

 eight hundred and forty-nine feet above the level of the sea, is distant 

 two miles S.S.E. from Redruth. It is the highest point in the 

 neighbourhood, and from it may be seen the two channels and the 

 port of Falmouth, which is about seven miles distant in a straight 

 line. The upper part of Cam Marth (about one-third) is granite ; 

 large blocks are strewed over this part of the mountain, and they 

 appear to have been rolled from the summit. In general, all these 



* The small round hills in this part of Cornwall seem to be better known by the name 

 of Karn or Cartij than that of Tor. 



f We are so apt to form our opinions on those of others, and to sec things only as 

 they have been seen before, that to speak of Carn-brea without immediately recognizing 

 it to have formerly been a place consecrated to the worship of the Druids, is almost an 

 insult offered ta the greater number of those who have visited the place. Nevertheless, 

 I must freely confess, that the Druidical barrows which are said to be here so distinctly 

 marked, did not appear to me as such, and in my opinion are by no means to be com- 

 pared to those in other parts of Cornwall, as well as in the north of Scotland. And I 

 can never believe that those rocks which are distinguished by the pompous names of 

 Judkizing, Sirloin^ and Sacrificing stones, were ever excavated by the hand of men : 

 indeed I never saw any thing which could more reasonably be attributed to the opera- 

 tion of time. If the Druids had ever made the Alps their habitation, there is no doubt 

 that homage would have been paid to the Table au ChaiUre, the Pierre ronde, &c. 



