14 ‘ournal written during a hafly Ramble to the Lakes. [Auguft 1, 
patlour appeared to be a range of cup- 
boards; but on opening the doors we found 
two comfortable-looking beds, fimilar to 
thofe of acabin; and the traveller who 
could not difpenfe with a more luxurious 
dormitory, {carcely deferves to vifit lake- 
{cenery. 
After a repaft of eggs, tea, and milk, 
rendered delicious by hunger, we fet out 
to fee a watertall about a mile diftant, 
and were highly gratified, though ils gran- 
deur was not equal to what it often is, 
from a {carcity of rain. It fometimes falls 
perpendicularly twenty yards into a fort 
of refervoir of its own torming in the rock, 
and then tumbles with wild impetuofity 
over irregular mafles, till it harries on to 
its attendant lake. On one of our party 
obferving, ‘‘ it muft be very grand in a 
wet featon,’’ one of the miners with whom 
we converfed, replied, «¢« Oh! madam, its a 
cruel mad beck !’’ Some of our party were 
defirous of entering the copper mines we 
were now within reach of; but as I can 
grovel when I cannot {car, and as afcen- 
ding was new to me, I determined, if pof- 
fible, to fee from whence the water came, 
which I could trace through a Jong afcent, 
without being able to difcover its fource; 
accordingly I parted from my companions 
at the entrance of the mine, {ome were to 
defcend, fome to wait the return of the ad- 
venturers, and I fet forward alone. The 
acclivity was fteep, and I {oon loft all traces 
ofa path. Loofe foil, which furrounded 
an old entrance to the mine, confiderably 
higher than the former, rendered, it ex- 
tremely difficult, and I fometimes flipped 
back feveral paces, with my feet buried in 
the foil: but novelty and expectation aided 
the enthufiafm of the moment, and I de- 
termined to proceed. I had not even a 
fheep track to guide me; and fometimes, 
having reached with my hands a projecting 
crag for fupport, I was obliged to paute 
in trembling fufpenfe, in order to contem- 
plate where I might next venture. The 
view downwards was grand and tremen- 
dous, but from fuch a fituation not long 
to be contemplated; and I cautioufly ai- 
pired to the next friendly crag, till I reach- 
ed amore gentle alcent, where with firm 
foot I could ftand : but on proceeding to 
its f{ummit, how was I aftonithed to find 
a mafs of watcr mealuring its waves at my 
feet: while a tremendous mifty darkne(s 
concealed the {cene before and around me! 
On Icoking more. intenfely, I perceived a 
Jake, furrounded with grand mountains, 
whofe fummits were hid in impenetiable 
clouds, and the hovering gloom acquired 
a fuller grandeur from being retlegied by 
the darkened water. A folemn awe pof- 
feft my mind, I feemed on the verge of cre~ 
ation, I had read that ** clouds and dark- 
nefs are round about him,”’ and I knew 
not but the veiled pavilion of Deity was 
before me. Every faculty feemed fufpend- 
ed, and my whole foul abforbed in the 
fublimity of the fcene. So few are the 
people, not to fay who can fhare, but who 
do not deride, fuch emotions, that the irft 
moment of recolleétion produced thanke 
fulnefs that I was alone. But how were 
my fenfations changed to delight, to tran- 
{port, when, on turning from this darknefs, . 
which feemed to invoke ftorms threaten- 
ing deftruétion, I beheld the diftant valley 
illuminated with glowing fun-fhine, and 
could trace thecurrent, whofe fource I had 
now reached, through all its wanderings, to 
the diftant lake, which expanded itfelt be- 
fore my eye. Alternate light and fhade 
heightened the effect of intervening objects, 
and completed the fcene. When I was 
at leifure to feel the neceffity of rejoining 
my companions, I found the defcent too 
perpendicular to be ventured, and after 
winding round another fide of the moun- 
tain, and with cautious eye examining 
where I might fafely venture, after fome 
time, I perceived their Giminutive forms, 
which but for the motion of waving hand- 
kerchiefs would not eafily have been 
difcerned, and gladly haftened to rejoin 
them. Bhi 
In the evening we walked to the ruinon 
the border of the lake: fome rooms we 
found ftifl tenanted, though the greateft 
part is open to the ftorm, a mere fhelter 
of fallen roofs and folitary birds. On fay- 
ing toa girl near the door, ‘You live very 
pleafantly here ; don’t you like your habi- 
tation ?? She anfwered, ‘* Nee, we da na 
leke it much; they fay, there’s a boggle!*” 
this we afterwards found was the phrafe 
for a ghoft, and thus in every fcene man- 
kind {uffer themfelves to be haunted out of 
enjoyment. After loitering in the little 
fequeftered meadows which furround this 
habitation, and adorning our ftraw hats 
with wreaths of the moit luxurious wild- 
flowers, al] of which we could not fuffer 
to ‘*wafte their {weetnefs on the defert 
air,” we flowly and reluétantly returned 
to ourinn. We purpofed going to Am- 
blefiie to fleep, and, while the fun was yet 
gilding the mountains, fet forward. Soon 
atter quitting the head of the lake, the 
road leads up a tremendous mountain, {to 
fteep, that a mind, not occupied by the 
grandeur of the {cenery, would he filled 
with the idea of the carriage. rolling back 
every inflant; it feemed with the utmoft 
| difficulty 
