52 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
and away in the high background the green 
hills. Immediately next the road, and on the first 
slope of the descent into the valley, there was a 
small orchard, in which the Brakes grew so 
thickly and luxuriantly as to touch the tips of 
the fruit trees, and give a most singular and 
romantic aspect to the scene. 
Now the view again changes in true Devonshire 
fashion as we pass onward ; our road rapidly 
descends ; Dartington Wood rising high on the 
right, and a low thicket spreading away to the 
left, under the moist shadow of which some of the 
commoner kinds of ferns grow plentifully. Lower 
still goes our road, whilst trees on each side rise 
higher and higher, overlapping at the tops. In 
a few minutes we emerge from their shadows on 
to Staverton Bridge, and the lovely scene changes 
once more. Here the stream of the beautiful 
Dart darkly and quietly flows under the curious 
old arches of the bridge. In midstream, on the 
left, there is an islet clothed with dwarfed shrubs. 
Over an upland on the left bank of the river, 
trees sweep grandly down to the water’s surface. 
