FEE?fT COMBES. 
51 
horse and springs as little as possible, we left most 
of our goods and chattels with Mrs. Bowe, at the 
Duchy Inn ; and following the Plymouth road some 
miles, turned to the left, and descended into the 
lovely vale of Meavy by cross roads. The Meavy 
valley is extremely beautiful ; it winds between the 
hills to within a mile or so of the prisons ; and in 
favourable weather, its sparkling brook is no des- 
picable trout-stream. On walls at the upper part 
we found I^olypodium Fhegopteris^ in abundance. 
Leaving the village of Meavy to the right, we 
mounted a steep wearisome hill, with a picturesque 
cottage and an ancient cross standing by the way- 
side, about half-way up ; then over moorlands 
where the heather blossomed, and thousands of 
many-coloured butterflies sported about, till we 
came to Caddaford Bridge, a singular yet roman- 
tic spot, not far from the famed Pixies’ Hall, on 
Sheeptor. Then over more moorland, with beau- 
tiful views over Plymouth and its neighbourhood, 
to the little village of Shaugh Prior. 
This is a most remarkable place, built in the 
midst of rocks. We had intended to bait our horse 
at the village inn; the landlord however told us 
that some church antiquarian parsons occupied 
his only room whilst their steeds fllled the stable ; 
* Plate YII. Fig. 2. 
