31 
miles from Falmouth, containing about three thousand inhabi¬ 
tants, and but poorly built. It has a harbour, and lies at one ex¬ 
tremity of Falmouth Bay. Coal ships from Wales, and vessels 
with grain from Ireland, principally visit this port. Cornwall is 
too hilly to allow the necessary grain to be raised, and the mines 
occupy so much space, and withdraw so many poor people from 
farming, that by far the largest portion of grain must be brought 
from other quarters. The road, which, though hilly, was in a 
good state, led through many pastures which were enclosed with 
hedges. 
The few trees which are seen, have not attained a great 
height. In the new plantations I observed some larches. The 
houses are built of stone, many of granite, here very common 
and cheap, and roofed with slate. Many new houses are erected 
on speculation, because the population rapidly increases. We 
also passed through Redruth, a hilly and angular town, of about 
three thousand inhabitants, who are principally miners. The 
town is surrounded by mines, whose general aspect is by no 
means pleasing. On an eminence not far from Redruth, we saw 
some ruins which are said to be the remains of a Druid temple. 
In the mines I observed a superstitious practice, which I find 
to prevail also in ships and farm houses; a horse-shoe is nailed 
over the door to keep off witches. When at Dalcoath, we found 
ourselves only a mile and a half distant from Bristol Channel, and 
saw St. Agnes 9 Beacon, a high mountain in the neighbourhood. 
'We at last arrived at Tehidy Park, belonging to Lord Dunstan- 
ville; this is principally a new settlement, which appears to great 
advantage in a region like this, which is not rich. We stopped 
at the dwelling house to view it. It is a tolerably large, square 
building with four porches, and contains several paintings by Van 
Dyk, Lely, Kneller, Hudson, and Sir Joshua Reynolds; how¬ 
ever, I doubt whether the former be genuine. I was particularly 
pleased with a very good portrait of the celebrated Fox. We 
saw also several statues, copies of the best antiques and cameos of 
verd and jaune antique . 
I had frequently seen sketches of St. MichaePs Mount in Corn¬ 
wall, and had long wished to see the mount itself. I accordingly 
took advantage of my present leisure to visit it. The mount lies 
in Mountbay, opposite Marazion, twenty-three miles distant from 
Falmouth. I left this place June 14th, at noon, the weather being 
very warm. The road leads through Penryn, and then inclines to 
the left towards the ridges, constantly up and down hill, through 
heaths, where few traces of culture were observed; the houses stand 
detached, and have a miserable appearance. On the heights, how¬ 
ever, we had occasionally a prospect towards the western ridges of 
Cornwall. Trees are few in number; we observed mines here and 
