15 



into huge serpents causing him to beat a hasty retreat. His 

 subsequent account of his escape may be better imagined than 

 described. 



The ledge of which Bear Den forms a part, is one of the most 

 extensive exposed to view in the Highlands. Its northern ex- 

 tremity has been christened "Boojum Rock." The story is that 

 on approaching this elevation, it suddenly disappears from view, 

 and then as suddenly re-appears, without any apparent reason 

 for so strange an action; but this is, of course, purely imaginary, 

 and dependent on the particular point of view from which one 

 approaches it. From the top of Boojum Rock, one gets the most 

 characteristic Fells views of any in the Highlands. In the south- 

 west is seen Highland Rock, a noble elevation of 300 feet alti- 

 tude, which overlooks the country in all directions. 



It is situated in the fork of the two western branches of Bear 

 Den path, and may readily be reached by way of Highland ave- 

 nue which runs directly by its base. But alas for Highland Rock. 

 Since this paper was first written the sledge of the builder has 

 rent its grand visage into hideous scars that admojish us of the 

 fate destined to over-come these noble highlands, unless their 

 preservation is hastened by the Park Commissioners. 



One of the most interesting features of the Fells, is the fre- 

 quent occurrence of huge boulders perched on high hills, or rest- 

 ing in the vales, where they were apparently deposited by the 

 great ice sea which swept over New England ages ago, and 

 where they now remain mute witnesses of the glacial period 

 when the tremendous forces of Nature were wrestling for su- 

 premacy over land and sea. 



One of these enormous boulders, many tons in weight, rest s on 

 top of an elevation west of Boojum Rock, and is known as 

 "Druidical," or the Druid's Rock. Just why so called I have 

 never been able to learn, but it is one of the most picturesque of 

 all the boulders in the Fells, and the character of its surroundings 

 might well provoke the suggestion of its name. 



Lying there late one afternoon, resting, after a long tramp, a 

 dreamful doze came over me, and all at once the fagots piled 

 near the rock seemed to flame up into a blazing pyre, around 

 which weird forms glided in mystical circles, muttering all the 

 while incoherent invocations. As I gazed upon this strange 

 scene, it seemed to change, and the cowled figures became trans- 



