Feb. 1848. BEAUTIFUL OLD WELL. 41 



pretty undulating limestone hills, amongst which several 

 streams flow from the amphitheatre to the Soane. 



During onr two days' stay here, I had the advantage of 

 the society of Mr. C. E. Davis, who was our guide during 

 some rambles in the neighbourhood, and to whose expe- 

 rience, founded on the best habits of observation, I am 

 indebted for much information. At noon we started to 

 ascend to the palace, on the top of the spur. On the way 

 we passed a beautiful well, sixty feet deep, and with a fine 

 flight of steps to the bottom. Now neglected and over- 

 grown with flowering weeds and creepers, it afforded me 

 many of the plants I had only previously obtained in a 

 withered state ; it was curious to observe there some of 

 the species of the hill-tops, whose seeds doubtless are 

 scattered abundantly over the surrounding plains, and 

 only vegetate where they find a coolness and moisture 

 resembling that of the altitude they elsewhere affect. A 

 fine fig-tree growing out of the stone-work spread its leafy 

 green branches over the well mouth, which was about 

 twelve feet square ; its roots assumed a singular form, 

 enveloping two sides of the walls with a beautiful net-work, 

 which at high-water mark (rainy season), abruptly divides 

 into thousands of little brushes, dipping into the water 

 which they fringe. It was a pretty cool place to descend 

 to, from a temperature of 80° above, to 74° at the bottom, 

 where the water was 60°; and most refreshing to look, 

 either up the shaft to the green fig shadowing the deep 

 profound, or along the sloping steps through a vista of 

 flowering herbs and climbing plants, to the blue heaven of 

 a burning sky. 



The ascent to Rotas is over the dry hills of limestone, 

 covered with a scrubby brushwood, to a crest where are 

 the first rude and ruined defences. The limestone is 



