Northumberland, and the border

Front matter

THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY

Chapter II

Penrith— Beacon Pike— Old Times— The Last Tree— The Queen's Hames — The Giant's Grave — "Who was the Giant ? — Isey Perils — The Giant's Thumb — The Cockatrice Killer — Eamont Brig — A Welcome — Canny aul Cummerlan — The Round Table — King Arthur — The Maybrough — Lowther Brig — Reminiscence of the Forty -five — Brougham Hall — Antiquities — The Skull and Prickspur — An Agreeable Survey — View from the Tower — Crossfell — The Windsor of the North — Lady Clifford's Chapel — Miraculous Font — The Countess's Pillar — Hart's-horn Tree — Brougham Castle — The Oratory — The Feast of Broitgham

Chapter III

The Convalescent — Shap Water — Persevering Guesses — What Shirts are for — The Lodgekeeper'sWife — Two Ways to Edenhall — The Way to the Giant's Caves — Young Cumbrians — Nine Kirks — The Caves— The Maiden's Step — Hugh's Parlour — Sir Lancelot du Lake— The Luck of Edenhall— The Duke's Ditty— The Fairies' Well— Sans Changer— The Ballad of the Luck . .18

CHAPTER lY.

To see Long Meg — The Helm Wind — An English Bora — Blustrous Phenomena — Little Sakkel and Dick Whittington — Long Meg and her Maidens — Choice between Unhallowed Dancers and Druids rs'^rikOtrOri

CONTENTS.

— The Lacy Caves — River Eden and Uther Pendragon — To Ulleswater — The Ladies' Walk — St. Cuthbert's Church — Longwathby — Hartside — A Statesman of the Old School — A Coo i' t' Mire— A Cattle Dentist — Brain Explorers — Old Homespun — How he rode to Market — How he manured his Fields — Clog-wheelers and Pack-horses — Magnificent Prospect — A Bleak Hilltop— Poor above, Rich below — Reminiscence of a Snow-storm — Mountain Landscape — Alston — A Mining Town — Nent-force Level — Underground Boating — Fiends' Fell — Tyne and Tees — Tadmoss — The First Carriage — Unlucky Nobleman ; Lucky Hospital — Curious Epitaph 29

Chapter V

Nent Valley — Geological Phenomena — Nent Head — Lead Works — A Busy Scene — Furnaces and Pigs — Seven Miles Underground — Clogs and Children — ^Bouse and Bouse-teams — Washing, Buddling, and Hotching — Slime Pits — Clever Separation — Wise or not — Morals among Miners — 'Not so bad as it seems — An Ill-word about Coal-mines — Ugly Facts — Kilhope Law — A Long Chimney — Coalcleugh — R and H, a Case of Exasperation — Up for Hope— Carshield — Mr. Beaumont's Territory — The Pay-office — Hartley cleugh — Snow Poles — Longer Chimneys — AUentown — Reckoning without the Hosts — A Traveller in a fix — A Cheerful Reception — Catton — Langley Castle — Haydon Bridge — Another Cheerful Reception — What Roger North says — Hanging in the Good Old Times 43

Chapter VI

The Cheerful Reception explained — The Vale of Tyne — A Happy Cottager— The Burr — The Northumbrian Shibboleth — Concerning Hotspur — Confluence of North and South Tyne — Pleasing Views —Hexham— Market-folk— The Moot-Hall— The Abbey Church —Prospect from the Tower— The Battlefield— The Seal and the Crypt— Dilstone Castle— A Teetotal Festival— What the Fruit-woman said — The Devil Water — The Bonny Lord — The Last Derwent water — Corbridge — A Peel — What the Lord Keeper saw — Early Whisky — A Scrap from Akenside — Bywell, a Pretty Village — Mickley — Ovingham — Burial-place of^thc Bewicks— Cherryburn— A Talk in the Church-yard— The Ferry — Prudhoe Castle — Barons and Wolves — Scots and Appletrees — An Invitation — A Coke-burner's Cottage — His Domestic Economy—Wy lam— The First Railways— A Pitman's Village—

CONTENTS.

PAOB k

About Pilgrimage — Geordie Stephenson's Birth-place — A Fussy- Engine — Stone-crushers — Newburn — Riverside Population — The Keel-row — Scraps of Song — Metropolis of Coal ... 58

CHAPTER YII.

Newcastle — A Surprising Town — Awful Smoke — View from the Castle — Relics of the Olden Time — Handsome Streets — The Museum — Learned Antiquaries — Rarities — Chapel and Guard Room — Saint Nicholas — Grey Street — The Exchange — Business and Philosophy — Stephenson's Works — The Pasha' s Locomotive — The Rocket — George Stephenson's Monuments — Distressed Shipowners— To Elswick — Sir William Armstrong's Works — , Hydraulic Engines — Printing by Water-power — Mechanical Triumphs— The Armstrong Gun — The Oldest House — Unhappy Bank — Happy Men — The Ragged School — Useful Trades— Recreations—Music : Yankee Doodle — A Partin.sr Song . . 83

CHAPTER YIII.

How Newcastle entertained a Lord — How it treats Steamboat Passengers— The Gateshead Gap — Embellishing the Quay — Sights on the Tyne — Town versus River — Ancient Boatmen — St. Anthony's— Locke and Blackett's Lead-works — Separating the Silver — Pattinson's Process — Rich Pigs and Poor Pigs — The Test — Refining the Silver — The Slag Furnace — Litharge and Red Lead — Slabs and Sheets — Pipes by Pressure— Annual Produce of Lead 98

CHAPTER IX.

On the River again — Walker, a Pandemonium — Shoving into the Smoke— The Pitman's Chant— Trade and Traders— Wallsend— Cohorts and Coal— Busy Staithes— Sights of Ships— Willington Quay — George and Robert Stephenson— Northumberland Dock — Hudson and Weser — Jarrow Slake — A Venerable Relic — Throng of Ships— North Shields— A Queer Street— The Sea, the Sea, the Open Sea !— Busy IMovement on the River— Thames and Tyne— The Durham Coal-field— Mighty Trade in Coal- Captain's Fare— South Shields— A Comfortable Sight— Jarrow Docks— Clang, Crash, and Uproar— From Scraps to Bars— A Spell of Purgatory— From Noise to Quiet — Venerable Bede : his Church, Convent, and Chair — Scramble up the Tower — ji CONTENTS.

Antiquaries to the Rescue ! — A Strange Landscape — Growing Hills— Good-tempered Clergyman — The Ferry — Tees Water not Tyne Water — A Queer Walk — Hospitality at Tynemouth — The Cliffs — The Self-hoaxed Contractor — Lighthouse and Priory — Ugly Governor's House Ill

CHAPTER X.

To Earsden — The Duke's Mining-agent — Plan of a Coal-pit — Blackness and Verdure — The School— Old Robert— The Pit-mouth — Down into the Darkness — Faintness, Blindness, Bewilderment — Noises — Begin to see — Shaft and Tunnel — A Walk Underground— Coal Trains — Dismal Doorkeepers — Aspects of the ' Mine — The Breathing Apparatus— The Broken — The Hewer — The Bonny Pit Laddie— The Trouble — Two Milesl Underground — Fuel for Fifteen-hundred Years — Warning to Cock-fighters — A Remonstrance — There's no harm in Quoits — The Question of Questions — The Group round the Coal- wagon — A Sigh for Answer — Strata and Seams — The deepest Pit — A Hopeful Boy ; a Thoughtful Man— The Stable— The Furnace— Up to the Sunshine 134

CHAPTER XI.

Walking Northwards— Beaton Delaval — Hartley — Seaton Sluice — A Curious Port — An Honest Place — The Sea-beach— Sand-hoppers — A Feast for Curlews — Gull- shooters — Beautiful Eating — Sandhills—BIyth— Great Coal Trade— Camboise— The Wansbeck— The Links— Newbiggin— Night by the Sea— The Village by Daylight— The Church on the Point — Epitaphs — Aspects of the Shore — Snab Point— Druridge Bay — Skeleton of a Whale — Inside a Whale's Mouth — Cresswell Sands— A Walk on the Links — Flowers — Coquet Island — Cottage Philosophy — Hampshire versus Northumberland — Amble — More Coal Trade — Warkworth — A Friendly Surprise — The Castle — Glimpses of the Past— The Charming Coquet— The Hermitage . . . .146

CHAPTER XII.

Alnwick— The Old Gate— Quiet Day and Market Day— The Castle— The Barbican — The Baily— Permission to View— The Duke's Tower— The Duchess's Tower— The Keep- The Well— The Grand Staircase — Native Material— Decorations from Chevy

I

CONTENTS. yi£

Chase — Gorgeous Ceilings — Hall of the first Percy — A Question of Art — Native Artists — The Prudhoe Tower — The Record Tower — The Museum — Hotspur's Chair — A Great Household — Reminiscence of Canina — The Evil Eye — Glimpses of History — Tysen — .De Vesci — The Percys — ; Valour, Honour, and the Headsman — From Percy to Smithson — Royal Visitors — Sir Ralph the Birdkeeper

CHAPTER XIII.

Fetterlock and Crescent — Capturing a Lion — A Walk in the Park — The Brislee Tower — The Prospect — Inspirations — Moralising — Hulne Abbey — John de Vesci — A Pilgrimage to Palestine — A Discovery on Carmel — Days of Old — The Northumbrian Carmel — The Friars' Library — A Word of Wisdom — Dormentory and Ivory — Parlez-vous Franpais ? — An Inscription — Alnwick Abbey — Malcolm's Spring — A Miraculous Relic — A Lucky Burgess — Tombs of the Percys — Malcolm's Cross 182

CHAPTER XIY.

Yielding to an Inclination — Alnwick Moor — A Foolish Custom — Agricultural Transformations — What o' clock will it be ? — Claes and Bullets— A Crack with Keeper— Ton's Old Chivot— Wild Hills — Foxes and Fishing— Smugglers — An Invitation — Coquet- Dale — ^Weldon Brig — Brinkburn Priory — A Sparkling River — The Angler's Song — Rothbury — The Castle Quarry— A thickwalled Rectory — The Church and Bernard Gilpin — Prince Charlie's Head-quarters — A Pleasant Sojourn — The Lasses o' Coquet — Wetting a Bargain — Beasts and Brandy — How to judge of Northumberland — Old Simonside — Larbottle — A Northumbrian Village — Cottages — Boxbeds, Hinds, and Bondagers — Domestic Habits — Shabby Hovels — Improved Cottages — Callaly Castle — Eslington — Hospitable Reception — Scomfished Fishes — A Jolly Dinner — A Spur in the Head — Equestrian Trip to the Hills — Cheviot Sheep — Ingram — The Breamish — A Wicked Water- Ilderton— Twilight Walk 192

CHAPTER XT.

Wooler, a Rustic Metropolis — Historical Neighbourhood — Scott in the Cheviots — Reason for drinking Goat's Whey — The Top of Cheviot — Northumbrian Agriculture — Improvements — Economy of Wheels — Glorious Turnips — Backend — How to grow Turnips yiU CONTENTS.

— Clever Operations — Yeavering Bell — A Steep Climb — Windy Summit — Druids or Saxons ? — Paulinus the Missionary — Good Fights in Olden Time — Thomson's Winter — Sir Gruy and the Dragon — Faws and Muggers — A Northumbrian Bard — Lilbume — Breamish and Till — Chillingham — Hospitable Steward — Ancient Mansion — The Toad-stone — Learning in Latin — An Interpretation—The Wild Cattle— Stalking— A Sight of the Herd — A Hint to Move — Beauty of Kine — Danger — Pugnacious Calves— Tossing a Keeper — Shooting a Bull — Wild Hill-Top — The Three Dogs— Black Waste— Ugly Farm-place— Belford . 210

CHAPTER XVI.

Belford — A Watch for Dominie — Embleton — Salmon-trout — Travelling-Travellers— Isabella and Epitaph — Boat-stables — Dunptanborough — A Large Ruin — Grim Cliffs — Diamonds — Sir Guy the Seeker — The Catastrophe — Rumble Chum — Rioting, Raging, Roaring — A Twofold Bath — Lilbume Tower — Basaltic Columns — A Storm — Herring Boats — A Tipsy Tailor — Newton — Abominations — Rock-mushrooms — Beadnel — Geologists and Antiquaries — Dismal Fog— North Sunderland — Limekilns — Lifeboat — Maritime Jewelry — Monkshouse — Landlord and Fisherman— More Caution — Bamborough — The Ten-minute Gun — — King Ida's Castle — Taken and Retaken — A Charitable Bishop — Ready with Food, Schooling, and Rescue — Hearing and not Seeing— Robin on French Poachers — Lifeboats — Fewer Wrecks and more Fish — Lasting Fog — Bamborough again — Hospitable Hostess — Lucker — Berwick 227

CHAPTER XVII.

Hawings for Breakfast— A Walk round the Walls— The Two Bridges — A Scotchman's Reason Why — Berwick Bounds — Historic Associations— Kings, Queens, and Butchers — Countess of Buchan and Grizel Cochrane— Johnny Cope — Proxy Church Bella — A Dry Preacher— The Pier— The Snook — Bamborough again — A Pleasant Village — Grace Darling's Tomb — The Broken Column — A Catastrophe — Church and Crypt — The Wandering Shepherdess— The Laidley Worm of Spindleston Heugh . . . 2H

CHAPTER XVIII.

A Friend at Breakfast— Something Disgraceful— The School-girls — A Glorious Morning— Myriads of Musdea — Sentiments in Shells

CONTENTS.

— A Poet's Thought — A Lounge — Budle Crags — Spindleston Heugh — Commentators on the Worm — Egypt and England — Monkshouse again — I knowed you was a Antiquary — "Who stole the Trousers ? — The Herring Paper — The Artist's Specimens — The Fisherman's Rubbish — Twilight by the Sea — ^lianus and ^liana 253

CHAPTER XIX.

Reward of Patience — A Quakerly Rectification — Victualling for a Voyage — -Slianus makes Excuse — A Dead Calm — A Breeze — The Fame— Basaltic Churn— The First Bishop— St. Cuthbert— His Opinion of Women — The Chapel and Castle— The Lighthouse— A Grassy Usurper — Wideopens and Noxes — The Place of Demons— Swedman and Megstone — The Fairway — Wreck of the Pegasus — Families of Swimmers — Staple Island — The Pinnacles — A Landing — Rabbits, Eggs, and Birds — Gawky Youngsters ; Anxious Oldsters — Tammie Norie — The Brownsman — The Birdkeeper and Gardener — North Wawms — Cormorants — Young Elephants — A Medusa — Big and Little Harcar — Piper Gut — Midden Gut — Longstone Lighthouse — Grace Darling's Father and Sister — The Crumstone : Haunt of Seals — An Editor's Promise — The Forfarshire — Holy Island — The Monastery — History and Romance — Population and Public-houses — The Herring Fleet— The Castle— The Old Law— A Grumble— A Rough Walk — Berwick again 259

CHAPTER XX.

Up Tweedside — An Enviable Walk — Salmon-fishers — A Lucky Spate — A Crack with a Radical — The way Sneaks Vote — The Plucky Blacksmith — The Kettle — Mr. Newte's Description — Outcry from Crows' Nests — Horncliff Hill — Norham Castle — Reminiscences— The Traitor's Reward — What Leland says — Marmion — A Good Rector — The Legate's Adventure — Ladykirk — View of the Vale — Knowing it Fine — Dirty Mothers ; Shy Children — Twizell Bridge— The Till— Tillmouth Chapel— The Blue Bell — Rainy-day for a Battlefield — Flodden — A Baptism in Blinkbonny — Scenes of Battle — What might have happened had the Scots beaten — A Start for Cornhill . . . . .284

CHAPTER XXI.

Branxton — Pallinsburn — Cornhill — Coldstream — Putting-off the Appetite — Running away from the Rain — Wark— Birgham—

h

CONTEI^TS.

V

PAGE

Kelso— The Teriot— The Eildons— Melrose— The Abbey— A Captious Guardian — Sublime Architecture : Ridiculous Epitaph — Fast-day Kale — Damick — Abbotsford — The Visitors' Room — Sir Walter's Study — His Speak-a-bit — Portraits — Past and Present — Choosing a Site — Teeming Associations — Mortality — Armoury and Hall — Up the Eildons — The Glorious Border-land — Witchcraft — King Arthur — Thomas the Rhymer — A Twilight Descent — An American Quaker — Talking and Travelling — The Tweed by Moonlight 306

CHAPTER XXII.

Afraid of a Hill — A Third-class Venture — Newtown — Another Quaker — Philosophy in a Ferry-boat — Sydney Smith's Remonstrance — Dryburgh Abbey — The Tombs — Inigo Jones, the Bridge-builder — American Notions of England — Neglecters of Scott — Roxburgh — Jedburgh — The Abbey — Landscape and History — Memorial Fountain — Talk about Tippling — A Hard Bargain with Providence— The Good Resurrectionist — Compensations — Songs, Men, and Manners 322

CHAPTER XXIII.

A Bright Holiday — Kindly Greetings — The Lists on the Dunion — Cakes and Ale— Rustic Talk— Grand Prospect — Jedburgh Games — Dingle-ding-ding — Compeetitors — Boy Wrestlers — Rustic Criticism— Boy Racers — An Awfu' Wund — Men Racers— Putting Light Ball — Putting Heavy Ball — Hop-step-and-leap — Hercules and Red Sark — Hitch and Kick — A Nimble Tailor — Single-stick — Dreary Pastime — Highland Piper — Highland Reels — Hurdle Race — Dinner-time — Orderly Throng — Reel o'TuUoch— Men Wrestlers — A Grand Match— Cumberland for ever— Ghillie Callum— Running and Leaping— Grand Steeple Chase — Departure . . . 838

CHAPTER XXIV.

A Quiet Walk— Vale of Jed— Good News for Anglers— The Carter Fell— Walking under a Rainbow— The Summit— Grand Prospect — Redesdale- Whitelee— Unsavoury Mutton— Shepherds' Diet —The Carrier and the Carter— Road to Chevy Chase and Bremenium— A Trackless Walk— Girdle Fell— Hideous Mountains—A Moss-hagg —Loneliness— Effect of Dreams— Treacherous

CONTENTS.

XI

Heather — A Swamp — A Rest by the Brook — The Keeldar Bum — Cottages and Farms — A PastoralVale — The Cout of Keeldar — Keeldar Castle — Friendly Reception — Helping the Haymakers — A Bruff round the Sun — Cranberry Grathering — The Storm — —The Freshet— Vale of North Tyne— The Road into Liddelsdale -EflFects of the Rain— A Happy Dinner— A Brisk Walk— Falstone — Bellingham 346

CHAPTER XXY.

Bellinjum, and its Neighbourhood — Pleasant Road — Wark — Nunwick — Simon burn — Epitaphs — A large Parish — Mental Culture and Horticulture — The Castle — Foot of North Tyne — A Summary— The Roman Wall — Be ye goin' to dig it up ? — An Examination— History and Masonry — Musing on the Wall — The Prophecy — Reminiscences — A lasty Wall — Procolitia — Wild Country — Wallshiels — Sewingshields — Cliflfs — Legends — Busy Cap — Rogues and Vagabonds — Agricola and Hadrian — Description— The Castles and Camps — The British Tadmor — Roman Relics — Past and Present . . . . . . .367

CHAPTER XXYI.

Grindon Lough — Looking back at the Wall — Haydon Bridge — Langley Castle — Cartsbog — A rustic Hostelry — Musical Smelters — Staward-le-Peel — Charming Prospect — Glorious Sunshine — Zigzags — The Allen — Whitfield — Blueback — Up to the Moors — Hoot awa' lads ! — A Martyr — Haltwhistle — The Wall again — Antediluvian Borings — Water-course for ^sica — Carvorran — The Farmer's Antiques — Greenhead— Thirlwall— The Tipalt — Mumps' Hall— The Irthing-Gilsland— A Glen— The Spa— The Sulphureous Cliff— Reminiscences of Guy Mannering — Scott and his Bride — The Waste — Brampton — Where do you come from ? — A Professor 384

CHAPTER XXYII.

Brampton — Dying a Fair Death — A Delightful Play-ground- A Reason for Sobriety— Naworth— Belted Will's Gallows— The Castle— The Warden's Chambers— A Raid— Pleasant Walks— Lanercost — A Picturesque Ruin — ^Valley of the Gelt — The Inscribed Rock— The Helbeck— Talkin Tarn— Warwick Bridge —The Eden— Wetherall— View from a Viaduct— Corby Castle- Carlisle— A Barrister's Rhyme— The Cathedral— The Castle — Stanwix 402

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXVIIT.

PA OB

Trip to the Coast— Exhilarating Sea View — Workington — The Churchyard — Derwent and Cocker — Sea and Mountains — Whitehaven — Beginning of Prosperity — Firedamp and Gas — The Sea-Rover— Cliflfs— St. Bees Head— Breezy Walk — St. Bees : School and College — The Irish Saint — The Giant — Troubles in Old Times— Nethertown— The Ehen — Sellafield— A Wai-ning — Seascale — Awaking of the Hills — Drigg — Curiosities of Geology — Ravenglass — The Luck of Muncaster — Black Comb and his Prospect— Egremont — A Rustic Town — The Castle — Red Men and Roads — Voyage to Liverpool — The End of aHoUday 414

AFTER-CHAPTER.

An After-journey — Halt whistle again — Cawfields Castle — The Wall — Rustic Philosophy — A Good Son — Coins and Bodies — Peel Crag — A Scrap from Camdei^— Can a Working-man get on ? — Housesteads and the Romans — Haydon Bridge-i-What Rome built the Wall for— Groups of Miners— The Smelt Mill— A Good Library — A Pack of Harriers — On to the Hills — Bleak Landscape — Allenheads — Treacherous Ground — That Sweep — A Good School — Happy Results— Thrifty Miners — Down the Lead-mine — Melodious Schoolmaster — Hydraulic Engines — Wonderful Mining Operations — Economy of Water — Newcastle — The Two Candidates — Acklington — Felton — Winter having his own Way — WeldonBrig — Brinkburn— The Boys and the Pig 444

THE BORDER,

Chapter I. From Middlesex To Cumberland

Who is for a holiday between the Tyne and the Tweed ?

I am for one : and my heart rejoices at sight of the hills as the train speeds into the valley of the Lune, where the broad heathery slopes, and the crystal stream rippling blithely over pebbly shallows, are lit by the red and gold of a gorgeous sunset. What a delightful ending to a summer day's journey, the first day of July, from London to the mountains ; from pastures mown and cleared, and wheatfields yellow with promise of a bountiful harvest, to northern meadows that wait for the scythe, and fields of grain yet green in the ear! The common rapidly- shifting landscape animates the sen^ of freedom inspired by a holiday; and leagues of hedgerows, and acres of woods, and quiet villages, and ancient manors, and far-off church-towers appear to an eye escaped from metropolitan streets, as fresh and new as the stars in heaven.

^7~

H NORTHUMBERLAND.

Even the smoky region in the county of the Red Eose robs us not of our gladness, though Nature there appears cruelly vexed ; for with us 'tis holiday. Crossing the Ribble reminds us of our last year's walk in Craven; glimpses of Yorkshire hills appear in the east ; then Lancaster rises before us, a cone of houses clean and picturesque, crowned by the castle ; then the broad blue flashing waters of Morecambe Bay open on the west ; anon Kendal is seen, a gray and twinkling patch on the green slope of a distant vale ; and soon we are under the dark shadow^s of the hills.

Then Shap, a bleak-looking place even in summer ; and the sight of the great wild sweep of the fells reminds me of my struggle through snowdrifts there in early days. New to the hill-country, I thought it sport at starting to see the vast white landscape, to plough through the levels, and take a leap at the ridges ; but was sobered when the grim wintry da3'light failed and evening overtook me, with nine miles yet to walk.

A pause at Clifton gives us time to look out upon the place where the dragoons and Highlanders had a sharp skirmish in the Forty-five. It was nightfall when the Duke of Cumberland came up, and he would have fallen into ambuscades, had not a certain Jonathan Savage stolen out, and warned him thereof. The Duke, says our historian, took up his quarters in the house of Thomas Savage the Quaker, " vv'ho rejoiced much in spirit."

Seeing, as I lean from the carriage- window, that the place has somewhat of the wild, ragged appearance of an American settlement, with stacks of wood here and there, I ask, " Station-master, does anybody ever get out here ? "

PENRITH. 3

" Oh, yes," he answers, with a smile, " a deal. Excursions get out here to go and see Ulleswater. We had one last week."

Then trees overshadow us as we speed along, and from a high viaduct we glance for an instant upon the sylvan course of the Lowther ; and presently, the ruinous old castle looks imposing, as, our long journey ended, we alight at Penrith : more imposing in the cool dim twihght than in sunshine.

Sweet is the pleasure of going home, as we all know ; but what can equal the pleasure of going forth ? To rise ere the dawn has lost its rosy blush on a fine summer morning, and feel that you are free to go whithersoever you will; to wander as inclination I)rompts for the whole of a summer month, and with feet as willing to stir as your heart to enjoy — what pleasure can equal that ? Before you stretches a long vista of anticipations ; a plan floats loosely in 3^our mind, to be shaped day by day, or hour by hour, and there is a sense of power and quiet satisfaction in the reflection that the shaping depends chiefly on jouv own waj^faring capabilities. Where among robust pleasures can this be matched ?

It is as if a sceptre were placed in your hand bjvirtue of which you become a monarch, going forth on a progress ; not with glittering train or cumbrous ceremonial, but with health, imagination, and fancy as attendants. Yet more than royal pomp may be yours ; for your matins and vespers shall glow with the splendours of the eastern and western sky, and in the blaze of noon there shall be around you the garniture of woods, and your pathway shall be strewn with flowers. You shall be careless of measured hours: why should a king count time who can do what he

B 2 will, whose days are to be reckoned, not by minutes, but by happy emotions ? For my part, I can clap my hands and sing when the social yoke is loosened, and I am fairly off, with no heavier burden than my knapsack.

I turn my steps northwards once more, actuated by the same desire as in the former year, to revisit longremembered scenes while exploring new ones. It may be that in renewing acquaintance with historical landmarks, we shall meet again with names and personages already familiar to us ; and we will make it a pleasure to recognise them in passing.

One word more, gracious reader: If I begin my story in Cumberland, do not be impatient, and insist upon the title-page as a rigorous text ; but consider the appeal with which this chapter begins, and remember that my beginning is within sight of the hill on which rises the South Tyne — a branch of the great Northumbrian river. To the Sea-Ivings every wind was favourable, for, wherever borne they conquered ; so to an Englishman, any starting-place within his own country will be fortunate, for travel whithersoever he will, he finds something lovely and of good report ; some nobleness of the Past that stall make our Present nobler ; some triumph of industry to inform the mind and rouse its admiration ; and, with all this, faults and blots which he may help to wipe away, and still be a conqueror. He finds, moreover, —

" Dreams that the soul of youth engage

Ere Fancy has been quelled ; Old legends of the monkish page, Traditions of the saint and sage, Tales that have the rime of age,

And chronicles of Eld."

THE BEACON PIKE.

Chapter II

Penrith — Beacon Pike — Old Times — The Last Tree — The Queen's Hames — The Giant's Grave — Who was the Giant? — Isey Perlis — The Giant's Thumb — The Cockatrice Killer — Eamont Brig — A Welcome — Canny aul Cummerlan — The Round Table — King Arthur — The Maybrough — Lowther Brig — Reminiscence of the Forty-five — Brougham Hall — Antiquities — The Skull and Prickspur — An Agreeable Survey — View from the Tower — Crossfell — The Windsor of the North — Lady Clifford's Chapel — Miraculous Font — The Countess's Pillar — Hart's-horn Tree — Brougham Castle — The Oratory — The F-east of Brougham.

My recollections of Penrith were less favourable than it deserves, as I saw on the morrow when looking down from the Beacon Pike on a landscape agreeably diversified by hill and dale, woods and waters, and signs of fruitful culture. The view combines richness with grandeur; for scattered around lie the wellplanted domains of ancient families, and in the distance rise the mountains of the Lake country — the pride of Cumberland — and a gleamy level in a break on their margin, shows where Ulleswater spreads its broad surface to the sun. The prospect is a glad surprise, and well repays the time spent in the ascent.

In the days when the Scottish kings claimed Cumberland as their principality, the region between Penrith and " merry Carlisle," a distance of sixteen miles, was overgrown by the forest of Inglewood : " a goodly great forest," says the chronicle of Lanercost, ** full of woods, red deer and fallow, wild swine, and

() NORTHUMBERLAND.

all manner of wild beasts." Edward I. might well find time, with brief tarrying during one of his advances upon the north, to kill two hundred bucks ! Many a gallant chase with horn and hound, has there been run. And there through hundreds of years marched hostile armies ; and fierce outlaws, and wild mosstroopers hurried for slaughter and pillage, harassing the inhabitants, and vexing the soul of the Lord Warden of the Marches, whose proclamation for all under his authority, both horse and foot, to " prepare their arrediness and come forward with ten days victuals," was in perpetual request. If, one time the Scots succeeded in canying off four thousand cattle ; the next, they were so sorely beset by the English, " that they never durst go out for victuailles, nor give their bodies to sleep." Yet they inspired so much terror, that watchers, armed and mounted, were stationed day and night at all the fords, and the known approaches to the count3\ They even stole the lead from the church to cut up for bullets ; for nothing came amiss to them. See what the town records say in the year 1600: — ''This Tyme was great spoiling and robing in this countrie, especially in Cumberland, burning in Gilsland, and other places;" and the following year : *' such watching in Penreth on the night as was not a hundreth yeres before, fiftie watchers nightlie." No wonder the civilisation of the northern counties is so recent compared with that of the soutli ! And yet ten thousand of tliese same borderers, armed with flails, scythes, and other implements, took to flight, as chaff before the wind, on the approach of the Pretender's little army of Highlanders ; perhaps because Nicolson bishop of CarUsle was one of their commanders.