416 
RECOLLECTIONS OF A JOURNEY 
ably unequal and rugged. Immediately in the neighbour-^ 
hood of the Peak, a number of rugged and acuminated 
rocky projections rise to a great height. The whole country 
is covered with interminable forests. Here and there a 
frowning rock appears, covered only with grey-coloured 
lichen. While on the top of the mountain we could dis- 
cover neither human habitations nor cultivated fields. 
At the time we reached the top of the Peak, the sun was 
rapidly dissipating the foggy white clouds which had been 
precipitated upon the surface of the earth during the pre- 
ceding night. The hills, and more elevated prominences of 
the surface, were nearly free from the white fog, but the 
spaces which intervened between the mountains were still 
densely covered with it. Our attention was soon directed 
to the various motions of the clouds under dissipation: 
being far below us, we had a very distinct view of their 
transitions. In some places, the white cloud seemed to lie 
still on the bosom of the earth ; in others, the foggy vapour 
was in rapid motion, not only horizontally, but, in many 
places, vertically. While we were admiring these pheno- 
mena, a westerly wind rose^ which seemed to compress, ra- 
ther than dissipate, the fog. By means of this wind a large 
mass of white vapour was driven along the surface until it 
reached a transverse mountainous ridge, which overlooked 
a hollow space. Although the wind continued to blow, no 
vapour appeared to pass over the ridge : — the cloud was 
instantly dissipated by the high temperature of this hot 
basin. But what appeared most remarkable in this pheno- 
menon, was the distinct line which marked the influence of 
the increased temperature of the hollow space upon the 
dense white fog. By about 10 o''clock a. m. the atmosphere 
was nearly free from clouds ; during the course of the day, 
however, it became comparatively obscure, and the pro- 
spect more indistinct. The atmosphere above us was all 
