170 
THE FERN WORLD 
of the cliffs which there overhang the sea, the sound of which 
from the height at which we stand comes to us with a gently- 
sighing cadence. The soft and peaceful aspect of the scene 
is deepened and rendered more impressive by the presence of 
houses, picturesquely placed here and there on the hill-side. 
There is, indeed, a fascinating beauty in the whole scene, as 
we pause and fondly and lingeringly gaze upon it. Blue sea 
and sky, green undulating fields and waving trees, the distant 
sail upon the water, the murmur of the restless sea, and the 
soft touch of the gentle breeze. Yet, softly cadenced as is 
the sound of the waves to our ear as we stand far above 
them, their foaming crests as they fall against yonder cliffs 
tell of a mighty force of impact. 
A few steps more, and a bend in our meadow-path brings 
us in sight of the long jutting line of the coast which ends 
at Start Point, surmounted by its lighthouse. After 
following this path for some little distance along the crest 
of the meadow, it leads us into a lane which winds along up 
and down for some distance. Now we are shut into the 
lane, and can see nothing but the sky overhead ; now a gap 
in the hedge-bank gives us a glimpse of the blue sea lying 
calmly stretched out below us, its bosom here and there 
spotted by a white sail. Now we pass on our left a small fir 
copse, and sight the blue waves between the interstices of 
the branches. Then from our high ground we descend a 
lane with high ferny banks, and pause a moment as the 
lane suddenly opens out to the left. We lean against this 
wall as we look over its top to catch a peep of a lovely 
combe, which lies nestling below it. 
Our path follows round the bend of this combe, and then 
winds up and on through a ferny lane for a little way, until 
it abuts on the high road to Stoke Fleming. We turn to 
the left into the road, pass through the village of Stoke 
Fleming, and, arrived ou the other side, we descend again 
