370 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



fresh and as smootli as when they were first cut. Unfortunately, this perhaps 

 most splendid Druidical remain in the kingdom, was sold by the farmer, Mr. 

 Amory, on whose estate the rock lay, to a granite-mason of Exeter, wlio, an 

 old and experienced hand, considered this the hardest and best piece of rock he 

 had ever worked. No sign of apparent stratification, no tabular formation, no 

 flaw, no crack in any part, but one sohd, compact mass, without sign of decay 

 anywhere. The plan of all these basins is the circle. Thus has this beautiful 

 remnant of the past been lost to us, and methinlvs Mr. Jones' remarks in this 

 instance wiR quite fail in theii- application. The carving of the bullock and the 

 circles are so decidedly Druidic, and the character of the rock so different from 

 what is laid down in Mr. Jones' remarks, that the contrary conclusion must of 

 necessity be come to, viz., that this rock-basin at least was not caused by 

 atmospheric action. There are many others which, though not so elaborate, 

 must yet be put down in the same category. Some of the basins are indeed 

 carved on rounded tors, the sides of which are sloping or smooth, and in which the 

 projecting beds are neither frequent nor bold ; such as do project being for the 

 most part rounded at the edges, simply because the carvers looked not so much 

 at the degree of hardness of the rock as to its position for the required purpose : 

 therefore, as might be expected, the atmospheric and aqueous agency of cen- 

 turies have elongated the circles by the wearing of their sides in the mamier 

 described by Mr. Jones. Moreover, these rock-basins are not found in any part 

 of the world where those executors of mystic forms could not reach to work, or 

 where, perhaps, Druidic rites were not known. Surely, if the atmosphere is 

 the cause, these rock-basins might be found in aU granite regions, and in all 

 latitudes. 



Whilst speaking of rock-basins I may perhaps mention the locality^ where 

 they may be found in another and very different material. About a mile from 

 the town of Cliudleigh, and within nine or ten miles of the district I have been 

 speaking of, is Ugbrooke Park, the seat of Lord Clifford, one of the most 

 beautiful for scenery, both near and distant, in the kingdom. Aqueous agency 

 in the old time did much for this beautiful park, in the conformation of the 

 ground, from many parts of which bold masses of coralline rock, known as 

 Devonshire marble, protrude from the surface. Near what was once a Danish 

 encampment — which has a high mound round it about a mile in extent, and 

 is as near a ckcle as possible — is a deep rocky gorge about haK a mile in 

 length, the walls in many places being quite perpendicular for a depth of 

 perliaps two hundred or three hundred feet, in other places the slope from 

 the top to the bottom is gradual and thickly wooded. Along this are 

 footpaths to the bottom, and to various parts of the rocks. In the hollow 

 lie some of the debris of this chasm — some blocks of stone, being cubes 

 probably of twenty feet each way. Amongst these blocks flows a brook 

 of beautiful water, sometimes bounding over them in cascades. We need 

 not search far for the principal cause of the formation of this gorge. It 

 is due to that frisking, sparkling brook (very often a torrent) at the foot. 

 In these rocks are several large caverns where stalagmite and stalactite may be 

 procured in abundance. Beautiful specimens also of magnesian markings on 

 tlie limestone may at times be had of the quarrymen, but these are very scarce. 

 I have some in my collection. There are several mines, chiefly of lead, in the 

 neighbourhood, between the town of Chudleigh and the village of Christow, 

 where beautiful specimens of minerals may be obtained. Very near also is the 

 Bovey coal-field, a visit to which will repay the amateur geologist. Eossils 

 may he obtained by the diligent searcher m many places around. 



But to return to the rock-basins. In the wildest part of the chasm many of 

 them may be found cut in the large blocks of stone. They are uniform in size, 

 quite circular, about six feet in diameter, and four or five feet deep, with flat 



