CUMBERLAND. 



499 



Cwnber- 



land. 



pect from its summit is vefy extensive. Crossfell is the 

 highest part of the mountains on the east side of Cum- 

 berland. Its height is 3390 feet. The prospect from 

 it is calculated to include a diameter of more than 1 00 

 miles, and to comprehend great part of six counties. On 

 it occurs the singular phenomenon called a helm-wind. 

 Its appearance is that of an enormous white cloud rest- 

 ing on the summit of Crossfell, which it covers like a 

 helmet, whence it takes its name. When it first begins 

 to gather, a black stripe of cloud is seen continually fly- 

 ing off, which is called the Helm-bar, because, While it 

 continues, the wind is thought to be confined, for as 

 soon as the black cloud is dispersed, it rages with great 

 violence. While the helm is perfectly motionless, the 

 bar is in continual agitation. It is observed, that the 

 6torms of wind, which rise on one side of the mountain, 

 seldom affect the other ; and what are called in this 

 county shedding tvinds, generally blow on the contrary 

 side of Crossfell from opposite quarters to the helm- 

 rvinds. While the latter blow, the atmosphere is ex- 

 tremely chilly, but its warmth is restored by the rain, 

 which generally terminates this phenomenon. 



Of the lakes in Cumberland, which are very numer- 

 ous, the most celebrated for their scenery are Derwent- 

 water, or Keswick lake, and Ullswater. The form of 

 Derwent-water is very irregular, somewhat approach- 

 ing to the oval. It extends from north to south about 

 three miles and a half; its breadth is about one and a 

 half; its greatest depth is 20 feet, in a channel running 

 from end to end, probably formed by the river Der- 

 went. The two extremities of this lake afford prospects 

 of a very opposite character. From the southern extre- 

 mity, an immense chasm opens in the midst, the en- 

 trance of which is divided by a rude conic hill; beyond, 

 broken mountainous cliffs soar one above another, over- 

 shadowing the dark and winding deeps of Borrowdale. 

 From the northern extremity, Skiddaw shows its vast 

 base, and, " bounding all that part of the vale, rises gen- 

 tly to a height that sinks the neighbouring hills, and 

 opens a pleasing front, smooth, verdant, and smiling." 

 On the southern side of the lake is the cataract of Low- 

 dore, which consists of a series of cascades, tumbling 

 over an extent of precipitous rocks, which are partly 

 concealed by the trees that grow on the numerous fis- 

 sures. The height of the fall is nearly 200 feet. Near- 

 ly opposite to this fall, small islands are said to have 

 been occasionally seen floating about, appearing for a 

 few days, and then becoming invisible for weeks or 

 months, and sometimes for years. The waters of this 

 lake are frequently agitated with what is called a bot- 

 tom wind; they swell in high waves even when there 

 is a perfect calm ; the motion is from west to east, and 

 continues sometimes only for an hour, sometimes for a 

 whole day. Ullswater, which is partly situated in this 

 county and partly in Westmoreland, is not nearly so 

 beautiful as Derwent-water, but it possesses a much 

 larger proportion of dignity and grandeur. Its shape 

 is somewhat like the letter Z, only the angles are less 

 acute. Its length is 9 miles ; its breadth little more 

 than one. A vast rock projects in its second reach, 

 which reduces its breadth to less than a quarter of a 

 mile. The character of the first reach, as viewed from 

 the foot of Dunmallet, is nearly that of simple grandeur. 

 The characteristics of the left shore of the second reach, 

 are grandeur and immensity. The finest perspective 

 in the lake, is that which is seen as the road descends 

 into Gowbarrow Park, which can scarcely be equalled 

 for alpine sublimity. But the most various and exten- 

 sive view that the shores of Ullswater exhibit, is gained 



Cumber. 



kind. 



from an eminence near Glencoyn woods. This view 

 comprehends both the reaches, and though not the most 

 picturesque, is certainly the most grand. The sublimi- 

 ty of the view of the last reach, is much lessened by the 

 rocky islets with which it is spotted, which do not ac- 

 cord with the tremendous mountains which hang over 

 the entrance of Patterdale, nor with the massy and 

 broken cliffs on the eastern shore. The rocks of this 

 lakeare celebrated for echoes exceedingly grand and im- 

 pressive. Char, gwinniard, and trout of a peculiar spe- 

 cies, of the weight of 30 pounds and upwards, are 

 caught in Ullswater. 



Cumberland is very rich in mineralogical substances, Mineralo- 

 which are, however, so numerous, that they can be on- £' cal P ro - 

 ly briefly mentioned in this article. Limestone is found ductiom. 

 at Overend, with ammonitse, entrochi, and asteriae in 

 it ; and at Gilsland with a great variety of marine ex- 

 uviae. Marble of different colours, and finely veined, 

 free from cracks, and admitting of a high polish, is met 

 with at Kirkoswald and other places. The lead mines 

 of Aldston Moor are rich in a great variety of substan- 

 ces of the calcareous genus. In the mines situated be- 

 tween this place and Keswick, spar, crystallized in hex- 

 agonal prisms, terminated at one end by a pyramid, is 

 not uncommon. Sulphate of lime, compact, foliated, and 

 crystallized in the latter state with the crystals dispo- 

 sed like a cock's-comb, is met with at Newbiggen. In 

 this place it is imbedded in red argillaceous marl, be- 

 tween strata of sandstone, the upper solid and fine 

 grained, the under loose and coarse. In some places, 

 below the strata of gypsum, there is a thin bed of de- 

 cayed wood. Most of the sand-stones contain mica, and 

 silvery mica is met with in the quarries on the Peterel. 

 Soap rock has been found semi-indurated, at Hill-top 

 and St John's, and solid at Borrowdale and other places. 

 The lead mine at Northend, and some of the moun- 

 tains, afford asbestos. Quartz crystals of the yellow 

 kind, little inferior to the Brazilian topaz, occur in Ald- 

 ston Moor; and small garnets have been met with in 

 the neighbourhood of Keswick. Trap, whinstone, load- 

 stone, and argillaceous schistus, are very common. The 

 last forms the summit of Skiddaw. Kaolin is found at 

 Barrock near Nebsteps ; and tripoli has been discover- 

 ed on the banks of Ullswater in gravel beds ; and in 

 coarse clays, jet, bearing a fine polish, is sometimes met 

 with in the rocks on the Irthing. It is wrought into 

 toys, bracelets &c. 



Coal is very abundant near Whitehaven and Work- Coal mines, 

 ington. Near the former place, the beds of coal are 9 

 or ] feet thick, and dip to the west 1 yard in 8. In 

 various parts, are great bars of stone which cut off the 

 coal. If they bend one way, the coal rises up ; if ano- 

 ther, it sinks down. The mines are sunk to the depth 

 of 130 fathoms, and are supposed to be the deepest that 

 have been hitherto wrought ; the extremity of the prin- 

 cipal mine extends two miles from its entrance, and is 

 beneath the sea a considerable way. The coal mines 

 near Workington are not near so deep as those near 

 Whitehaven, generally from 40 to 90 fathoms. The 

 coal lies in seams, divided from each other by interme- 

 diate strata ; the upper seam is generally 3 feet thick ; 

 the second 4 feet; and the third from 10 to 12 feet: 

 they do not work below this seam. 



The principal lead mines in Cumberland are at Aid- Lead 

 ston Moor, on the borders of Northumberland. The mine5 " 

 lead ores lie in cracks or fissures, that are never wholly 

 perpendicular, and they always incline downwards from 

 that side where the strata are highest. A considerable 

 proportion of silver is not unfrequently found in th» 



