204 BLACKLEAD MINE. 



at all remain in the region. It appears that one 

 has certainly been seen within ten years ; and three 

 gentlemen — two of whom are travelled men, and 

 not likely to be mistaken in such a matter — de- 

 clare that, in 1850, they saw one sweep down from 

 Scandale Fell into Kirkstone Pass, and rest on a 

 crag in the vale, some way above Brothers' Water. 

 There is, however, a preponderance of disbeHef of 

 there being now any nest and settlement of eagles 

 among the mountains of Westmorland and Cum- 

 berland. 



The descent upon Stockley Bridge is easy; and 

 the bridge itself was, a few years since, a favourite 

 subject for sketches. A more picturesque one we 

 never saw; but it has been spoiled in the repair- 

 ing. As he proceeds, the traveller will find no 

 " nuts and acorns " in this " Bore- 

 dale," nor any remarkable number of 

 swine ; but he may see the place,- — if 

 he looks up the hill side to the left, — whence was 

 drawn the modern product that has, in modern 

 times, distinguished the dale, — the blacklead of 

 which the Keswick pencils are made. It is under- 

 stood that the productiveness of the mine has much 

 lessened; and the works are, we believe, often 

 suspended; but, while the best ore brings thirty 

 shillings per pound, there will be more or less per- 

 severance in seeking it. The heaps of rubbish, high 

 up the mountain, show the spot. In the clay-slate 

 of the mountain, is a bed of greenstone rock ; and 

 " nests " or " sops " or " bellies " of blacklead are 

 found in the greenstone. The plumbago is the 

 finest ever discovered : but there is great uncer- 

 tainty about finding it. At one time, a mass of it 



STOCKtET 



BBisaa. 



