CHAPTER VIII. 
THE HOME OF THE SEA FERN. 
Amongst the boldest and grandest of the coast scenery of 
Devon, is the wild, uninhabited, and we may really say almost 
unknown region which extends from Portlemouth to Prawle 
Point, the southernmost extremity of the county. To reach 
Portlemouth we took a cross-country course from Torcross, 
mounting the steep hill behind it and then proceeding along 
the high table-land to South Poole. It was late in the after- 
noon when we left the Torcross Hotel, and we had gone 
but a little distance when the last faint glimmer of day sank 
behind the hills. For miles we pursued our way in the 
darkness, lighted only by the faint glitter of the stars. But 
the depth of the shadows which fell upon our path was 
relieved here and there by the lights of the glowworms which 
crept forth in their mimic brilliance along the bushes on 
both sides of the road. Wearily we approached our journey’s 
end for that day at South Poole, in whose little inn we passed 
the night. 
The sun shone out brilliantly as early the next morning 
we took our way along the picturesque bank of the Kings- 
bridge Water, on the opposite side of which we soon sighted 
Salcombe. Skirting the higher edge of Portlemouth we made 
over the point of coast which commences the line from 
Kingsbridge Creek to Prawle Point. Calling to get a draught 
of milk at a farmhouse on our line of route, we passed 
through a kind of water-lane, the stony sides of which were 
