far he may have wandered in seach of the picturesque; and when he has completed his investigation he will, it is hoped, forgive one who owning

It need scarcely be said that in a work of this nature recourse has not unfrequently been had to the writings of those whose acquaintance with the subject has extended over a period of some duration, and who are, therefore, entitled to speak with authority. In the forefront of these should be placed the Perambulation' of the Rev. S. Rowe, the standard book upon Dartmoor, and a contribution to its literature which has perhaps done more to create a real and abiding interest in the great Devonshire upland than any other work. The article on Dartmoor in Murray's Handbook to Devon and Cornwall,' written by the graceful pen of the lamented Richard John King, has also proved of considerable service, while the numerous papers published in the Reports of the Transactions of the Devonshire Association and Plymouth Institution have been found invaluable. For the unsolicited loan of these latter I take this opportunity of thanking Mr. John Shelly, of Plymouth. I would also express my obligations to the unknown person who forwarded me a copy of the Leisure Hour for July, 1869, which contains, under

the title 'A Walk through South Devon,' a brief but very entertaining account of the Moor, and is furnished with illustrations of no small merit. Others who deserve recognition are Mr. William Crossing, of South Brent, who kindly perused that part of the manuscript relating to the quarter' adjacent to his home, and whose suggestions and alterations have been of great practical utility, and Mr. W. A. E. Ussher, F.G.S., without whose assistance my remarks upon geology (with which science I plead a theoretical rather than a practical acquaintance) would have been wanting in recent and valuable information.

JOHN LL. W. PAGE.

PENARTH, SOUTH WALES.

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

THE rapid sale of the First Edition of this work, which was but published in April last, necessitates a Second Edition. I do not know that I need add anything to the former preface, except an expression of my obligations to the Public-and the Press-for the favour accorded me. I would also offer my very sincere thanks to those known and unknown friends who pointed out certain omissions, which I have now endeavoured to rectify.

WILLITON, Somerset.

JOHN LL. W. PAGE.

August, 1889.

AN EXPLORATION OF DARTMOOR

AND ITS ANTIQUITIES

PART I.—MAIN FEATURES OF THE MOOR.

CHAPTER I.

A GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

Risdon's Account-Area-Meaning of the Term 'Forest '-General Descrip-
tion - Tors - Rivers Bogs-Anecdotes relating to Bogs-Climate-
Storms on the Moor-Snow-Mist — The 'Ammil' - Geology — Rock
Basins The Druids-Minerals.

'Towers up a tract of granite; the huge hills
Bear on their broad flanks right into the mists
Vast sweeps of purple heath and yellow furze.
It is the home of rivers, and the haunt
Of great cloud armies, borne on ocean blasts
Out of the wide Atlantic wilderness-
Far stretching squadrons with colossal stride
Marching from peak to peak, or lying down
Upon the granite beds that crown the heights.'*
LORD COLERIDGE.

EVERY beginning is difficult. Never did this aphorism seem more true than when, after much consideration, I entered upon the attempt to describe the great western moorland. How to commence-what to say—what to leave unsaid: where is the painter in words of familiar

* From 'Rhoda: a Devonshire Eclogue.' I here take the opportunity of acknowledging my indebtedness to the Lord Chief Justice for special permission to quote from this fine poem, which is, unfortunately, unpublished.