Vol. 51.] MR. J. E. MAKE ON THE TARNS OF LAKELAND. 



37 



II. Tarns near Haweswater. 



At the upper part of the Haweswater Valley are two of the most 

 picturesque tarns in the district, namely, Bleawater at the foot of 

 the High Street precipice, and Smallwater, below the Nan Bield 

 Pass. The first is 1584 feet above sea-level, the second exactly 

 100 feet lower. I visited Bleawater before I instituted a regular 

 •examination of the tarns, but have notes that the first rock in situ 

 in the stream is about 50 feet vertically below the exit from the 

 tarn, and that an enormous semicircular moraine hems in the 

 lower end of the lakelet, having an apparent thickness in places of 

 considerably over 100 feet, so 



Fig. 2. — Plan of Smallwater. 



[For Explanation, see p. 47.] 



that there is no reason for sup- 

 posing that this tarn is a rock- 

 basin, but every reason for con- 

 sidering that it is not. From 

 what I remember of the tarn, 

 I suspect, however, that the 

 rock may not be very far below 

 the surface at the exit, though 

 not exposed, and that the 

 original valley, now moraine- 

 blocked, lay to the north of the 

 present exit. 



Smallwater, the first tarn which I examined with care, is fortu- 

 nately also one which gives the most satisfactory proofs of the 

 existence of a former valley, now moraine-blocked, 1 running parallel 

 with and at no great distance from the present stream which issues 

 from the tarn. It has not been sounded, but its comparative 

 shallowness may be inferred from the fact that the bottom is readily 

 visible in certain lights for more than halfway across. The present 

 exit is at the north-eastern end of the lake, and the water runs over 

 solid rock immediately on quitting the lake ; it has worn a mere 



Fig. 3. — Section across Smallwater Beck. 



SB 



[For Explanation, see p. 47-J 



groove for some distance, and then runs over a face of rock in 

 a small waterfall. On the western side of the exit is a boss of rock, 

 plastered with drift on the side exposed to the full force of the ice 

 from the fell. A ridge of rock runs parallel with the stream on its 

 right bank, and on the opposite side of this ridge is a valley blocked 



1 I use the term ' moraine-blocked,' but in this case the drift may be material 

 which has slid down snow-slopes resting against the cliffs to the east. 



