Heights of the principal Hills of Swaledale, Yorkshire. 5 



than as observed by Colonel Mudge * ; the trifling difference 

 arising from the imperfection of the small theodolite added to 

 some uncertainty as to the precise site of the original signals, 

 rather than from the want of identity in the object bisected by 

 the two observers. This is sufficiently obvious from the cir- 

 cumstance of the Nine Standards being placed in a line of at 

 least fifty yards in extent, nearly fronting Water Crag, and on 

 the very extremity of its horizon in that direction. To remove 

 any unreasonable doubt of identity founded on the idea that 

 the ambiguous term " the highest pile on the Nine Standards" 

 does not absolutely or exclusively apply to the loftiest of the 

 standards, it may suffice to observe that the other erections in 

 their vicinity are all situated to the west of, and considerably 

 below the level of a long transverse bank (terminating to the 

 north at the Standards), which completely interrupts the view 

 of them from Water Crag. The loss of the original signal on 

 the Nine Standards having been first noticed from Water 

 Crag, I have a perfect recollection of the anxiety with which 

 the telescope was repeatedly directed to every part of the edge 

 of this bank, in the vain hope of distinguishing some vestige of 

 the signals : nothing whatever could be seen rising above the 

 level of the heath. Having clearly proved that the loftiest of 

 the Nine Standards was the object alluded to by Colonel Mudge, 

 it is equally demonstrable, on the authority of measurements 

 derived from two independent bases (of which the results are 

 given in the calculation of the distances), that his statement of 

 its distance from Water Crag exceeds the truth by about 697 

 feet. The correctness of the observation from Water Crag 

 being established, the error in excess in the distance must have 

 been committed in the corresponding observation from Cross 

 Fell, at which station it would appear that some objects to the 

 west of the Nine Standards had been mistaken for them. This 

 is the more probable, as the boundary ridge in that quarter of 

 the fell and the adjoining coal-field are literally studded with 

 piles of stone of every description. It would, in fact, require 



* The following are the only particulars relating to the measurement of 

 the disputed distance contained in the Account of the Survey. 



Cross Fell to Water Crag 125742 feet. 



C Water Crag 



2 Cross Fell 



( Shunnor Fell 



f Cross Fell 

 J Water Crag 

 "S Highest Pile on the > nPfi 2fi „ 



I Nine Standards $ U ~ b ^ b ^ 



a most 



93° 12' 26" 



35705 feet, 



15 35 36 



132621 



(71 11 58) 





13 7 52 



101367 



40 26 6 



35506 



