wife, it was either impoffible to go on; or, a man muft journey at the hazard of his : life a thousand times a day, in croffing waters and precipices.

Our

people had not faculties adapted to large measures of knowledge, nor have minifters to teach them, or churches to pray in; yet they were not alienated from the taste and feelings of humanity, nor ftrangers to the momentous principles of true christianity. They had the Bible, and could read it. They inftructed their children in virtue and religion, and lived themfelves as the intelligent fubjects of an Almighty Governor; in a firm belief that God will distinguish the virtue and the offence of mankind hereafter, by-fuitable tokens of his favour, or difpleasure. All this I faw in feveral villages of Stanemore-mountains. I lived for fome time among the poor people: And I' mention their cafe here, that you may have the less reafon to imagine there is any thing incredible in my account of the extraordinary state of Burcot-Hamlet.

As to the Stanemore-part of Richmondshire, Camden, and the authors of the other Britannia, and the Tourmen, &c. never fo much as faw this country at a diftance, I am very fure. The very little they fay of it, is false and ridiculous. Camden places Bows before Gretabridge. He fays, in this defolate and folitary, this mountainous and vaft tract, called Stanemore, there is but one inn in the middle of it for the entertainment of travellers; whereas, in truth, there is no inn at all in what is properly called Stanemore: This inn Camden speaks of, is the Bell I mentioned before, where I breakfafted with Mifs Melmoth; and lies on the left fide of a fine turnpike road from Bows

to

Our first labour was to afcend a very narrow steep way in the fide of a mountain, which went up due north for a full mile, and brought us to another large,

standing,

to Brugh, in Westmoreland, the highway to Carlisle : but tho' this road is a part of Stanemore, running in a direct line from Gretabridge through Bows to Bragh, 18 miles of delightful ground, both on account of the excellence of the way, and the fine views of mountains and vales on either hand, for 12 miles, from a beautiful ruin of a Roman castle at the end of the town*, yet this is but the fouthern beginning of Stanemore:

By the way, I fufpect from Mr. Horfley's account of the Roman caftle or station, that he never was on the spot, but had his relation from the furveyor he fent out to find the length of this Roman wall, and take other dimenfions and notes for his Britannia; I mean Mr. Cay, who published the late map of Northumberland, which Mr. Horley employed him to make. He does not defcribe the fort and fituation, and the adjacent country, as if he had been there himself: nor can I think he ever rid from this caftle to Brugh or Burgh under Stanemore, or from Brugh, the Roman Vertere, to Brovocum, now Brougham caftle, a great and curious Roman ruin. The finest things relating to them, he has omitted, and many antiquities that are to be found in off-fets by the way. I queftion, likewise, if he ever faw with his own eyes, the eastern and western terminations of the Roman wall. If he was at Newcastle, and really did ride over Lonsdale marsh to Tunnocelum, (a marsh where I

had

ftanding, black and unfathomable water, on the top of this high hill. There was no appearance of any feeders to fupply this frightful lake, and therefore, and on ac

count

Stanemore: That vaft tract of mountains, glins, and vallies, foreft, rock, and water, the most wonderful land in the world, for 40 miles to the end of the country, if it was poffible to go ftraight on, lies on the right hand of this road, as you ride to Brugh under Stanemore; or, on your left, as you come from Weftmoreland to Catarratton or Catarrick.

Here, by the way, let me tell you, Reader, lives Ralph Hawkwell, who keeps an excellent houfe, where you may get choice things, after a ride of 22 miles, if you come from Boroughbridge to the North; or of 15 miles, if from Gretabridge, for the South; provided you have the rem; and if you have not, tho' you were an apostle of a man, Ralph would have very little regard for you. Indeed, every where in the north, where the beft of things are to be had, I have always found travelling there as expenfive as near London. Many I know give a different account: but the reafon is, either they never were there; or, they travel in a pilgrim-like manner. You must take care, then, to have money enough, if ever you undertake the northern expedition I have frequently gone upon :

and

had like to have loft my life), it is furprifing that a man of his understanding, and tafte for antiquities, fhould give no better account of thefe places. For my part, I could not fee what he faw: nor did he fee what I faw at the end of the town of Boulness.

count of the blackness of its surface, must communicate with the abyfs. From this water we rid due east for half an hour, and then defcended to a fandy valley, where. flames

and as it is not fafe carrying much cash with you, for there are rogues in that part of the world, as well as in this; they rob even on Stanemore road; and in riding over the great moor that lies between Brugh and Appleby, there is a little ale-house to be seen at a good diftance, on the right hand, at the entrance of a wood, at the bottom of a range of vaft fells, where highway-men fometimes refort: I was pursued by two of them, not long ago, and to the excellence of my horfe, owed the faving of my purfe, and perhaps my life: they were well mounted, but I kept a hundred yards a-head of them for feveral miles, while, as faft as they could stretch away, they chafed me till near the town of Brugh. I was all alone, my fellow having received a mischief, and being obliged to stay a day behind; and the rogues did fwear and hoot most horribly, and fired three shots at me; but my horfe was as good as ever spanked it along, and I cut him up, and pricked him over the turf, like the wind -I fay, then, as it is not fafe travelling with all the money neceffary for fuch a long journey, the best way is, when cash runs low, to lie by to reft for a week, and put your notes in order, in fome town, and by one of the dealers, or manufacturers of the place, draw on your friend, or goldsmith in London, for what you want, and by the return of the poft, you will be paid the money where you are. In this manner I did, when I was at Richmond laft, in the north-riding of Yorkshire Being in want of money, I asked a gentleman with whom I chanced to

away:

The

flames were rifing from the ground. fire came up without noife, fmoak, or fmell, and appeared to me very wonderful: but fuch things as are common in many parts

dine, how I could fupply myself with 201. by draft on one in the capital; and he directed me to his neighbour, who let me have what I had occafion for at moderate exchange, as foon as he heard from his friend in London. I might have had any money I named in this way; and fo in other places of trade.

I hope, reader, you will excufe this little digreffion, because it is meant well; and for the same reafon, I imagine you will pardon me for advifing you, in the next place, (fhould the fates ever bring you to Catarraconium, in order to proceed to the northern extremity of our country), to go 4 miles out of your way to fee Richmond town, before you fet out for Gretabridge, to Jofeph Marshall's, the beft houfe of the two inns there. The delightful, romantic fituation of Richmond, and the fine curiofities about the town, will afford you an agreeable entertainment for a couple of days; and if you like going at night to a club of very worthy, fenfible men of this town, who are very civil to ftrangers, you may pass the evening in a very pleasing way; or if you have a tafte for dancing, and prefer the converfation of a fine girl to a pipe and more ferious difcourfe, there is a small polite affembly of as pretty women as ever gladdened the heart of man. My method, while there, was to fmoak one night with the club; and the next I devoted to the ladies. We made up ten couple, and had the hemp-dreffers one night, which is, you know, if you are a dancing reader, the most difficult and laVOL. II. borious

C