March  17,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
241 
moderate  turf  is  found  that  provides  excellent  fodder  for  numbers 
of  slieep  that  are  annually  turned  out  there,  as  well  as  for  the 
sturdy  Dartmoor  ponies  which  may  be  seen  scampering  about  in 
many  parts.  _ 
The  “  forest  ”  will  be  sought  in  vain  unless  the  traveller  journeys 
to  Wistman’s  Wood  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Two  Bridges,  where  a 
few  peculiar  stunted  Oaks  appear  to  be  the  only  vestige  of  the  ancient 
forest  that  at  one  time  covered  a  great  portion  of  the  “  moor.”  Now 
it  is  singularly  bare  of  any  vegetation  approaching  the  size  of  a  tree, 
though  the  botanist  who  is  interested  in  Ferns,  Mosses,  and  other 
minute  forms  can  find  plenty  to  study.  In  all  directions  the  most 
fine  day  is  chosen  for  the  journey,  and  the  traveller  is  favoured  with 
fair  weather  until  he  reach  his  destination,  the  experience  will  be  a 
most  enjoyable  one,  for  when  the  warm,  moist  valleys  are  left  behind, 
and  an  elevation  of  1000  feet  or  so  is  reached,  the  air  becomes  most 
invigorating,  notwithstanding  the  frequent  rains.  Extensive  and 
delightfully  varied  prospects  are  obtained  on  the  way  ;  the  huge, 
frowning  tors  only  serve  as  a  foil  to  the  brightness  of  the  landscape, 
and  the  wildness  of  the  moor  is  pleasingly  picturesque.  But  such  is 
not  often  the  fortune  of  the  visitor,  especially  in  late  autumn;  and 
there  is  another  side  to  the  picture.  In  one  of  my  journeys  it  was 
brilliantly  sunny  in  Tavistock  at  starting,  and  this  continued  far  up 
into  Tor-land,  when  suddenly  a  strong  cold  wind  brought  up  a  dense  mist. 
prominent  objects  are  the  towering  bare  peaks  that  assume  grotesque 
or  forbidding  forms,  and  which  are  designated  “  tors,”  variously  trans¬ 
lated  as  meaning  a  “  heap  of  stones  ”  or  a  “  tower.”  Rising  high 
above  the  level  of  the  moor  they  have  a  most  weird  effect  when  the 
observer  is  near  them,  and  they  are  visible  at  great  distances  in  the 
surrounding  country  when  the  atmosphere  is  clear.  Some  of  the  most 
notable  peaks  are  Crockern  Tor,  Feather  Tor,  Cock’s  Tor,  Sheep’s  Tor, 
Great  Mis  Tor,  Vixen  Tor,  and  Brentor,  culminating  in  Yes  Tor,  which 
reaches  an  elevation  of  2050  feet ;  but  the  list  might  be  extended  to 
far  greater  length,  including  dozens  of  other  tors  of  varied  proportion 
and  heights.  _ 
If  the  visitor  is  approaching  Dartmoor  by  road  Tavistock  is  a 
good  point  to  start  from,  as  the  ascent  is  comparatively  easy,  and  the 
distance  only  about  eight  miles  to  Brincetown,  or,  as  the  local  resi¬ 
dents  tell  one,  it  is  “  eight  miles  there  and  four  miles  back.”  If  a 
and  the  whole  aspect  was  altered.  We  were  literally  amongst  the 
clouds,  and  to  see  the  masses  of  mist  drifting  across  the  moor,  some¬ 
times  partly  and  at  others  wholly  shrouding  the  tors,  imparted  a 
wildness  and  a  dreariness  that  was  most  impressive  ;  it  only  wanted 
a  driving  snowstorm  to  complete  the  picture.  The  wanderer  on  foot 
who  has  departed  from  the  roads  or  known  tracks  has  a  sorry  prospect 
if  he  be  caught  in  such  a  fog  alone  and  far  from  a  resting  place,  for  he 
may  spend  many  a  weary  hour  in  seeking  a  refuge; 
There  is  another  means  of  reaching  Princetown,  and  that  is  by 
train  from  Yelverton,  a  junction  on  the  Great  Western  line  from 
Tavistock  to  Plymouth.  The  Dartmoor  railway  is  a  remarkable  and 
interesting  piece  of  engineering,  the  line  rising  at  a  very  steep 
gradient,  something  like  one  in  sixty-five  ;  and  as  the  passenger 
commands  some  most  extensive  and  beautiful  views  on  the  way,  it  is 
