OF CORNWALL. 5 * 
water from the town of Helfton to the brink of the Sea ; and when 
the town mills at St. John’s Bridge have their wheels flopped by this 
fwelling of the Lake, the Mayor of Helfton applies himfelf to the 
Lord of Penros, and on prefenting him with a few halfpence in a 
leather purfe, has a right to cut through the bar, that the redundant 
waters of the Lake may pafs away, and the mills be no longer im- 
peded. u If this bar might be always kept open, it would be a 
goodly haven up to Helfton The cliffs round this Lake are 
moderately high, and betwixt them there is a very diftind echo : but 
the fame circumftances which pleafe and amufe in a calm, frighten in a 
tempeft ; and when the South and South Weft winds from Mount’s 
Bay get in betwixt the fteep ftdes of the Lake, their roaring is heard 
at a great diftance, and thought to prefage ftormy weather. This 
Lake is remarkable for an excellent and peculiar trout, which will 
be taken notice of in its place. 
Thefe are all the Lakes we have in Cornwall ; but it is much to 
be feared, that we fhall have more in time, at the two Northern ports ; 
I mean, Heyl and Padftow : there are landy bars already crofting 
their mouths, upon which at neap tides the water is very fhallow ; 
and if a few violent repeated ftorms fhould at any time raife thofe 
fands above full Sea-mark, (no improbable fuppofttion where fand is 
in fuch plenty) throwing in fhingle and ftones withal, Heyl and 
Padftow (to the irreparable detriment of Cornwall) will become 
what the Lo is now. 
The Sea-coaft Ipreads itfelf along the South and North parts of sect.v. 
Cornwall to fuch a degree, that if we eftimate the curvatures of the £he^Sea of 
South and North coaft, and make alfo a juft allowance for the much 
fewer curvatures of the boundary towards Devonftffre, we fhall 
find, that four parts in five of the out-line of Cornwall are expofed 
to the Sea. 
This marine fituation has its advantages ; it fills our bays and 
harbours, makes a number of fifhing Creeks, brings its native pro- 
duds, fand, ore-weed, and fifth, (as well as foreign merchandize) 
home to our doors in a multitude of places, exports our tin and 
fifti with great conveniency, its vapours generate and feed our 
brooks, and foften the air ; its cliffs fo near on either hand facilitate 
the drains of mines ; they alfo open the treafures of metals, ufeful 
earths, and minerals, to the inquifitive eye : in fhort, the Sea, being 
on every fide of us, procures plenty, and promotes trade and employ- 
ment in many fhapes utterly unknown to the more inland counties. 
Some circumftances however of this our natural fituation have their 
difadvantages : 
w Says Leland, vol.III. page 12. 
