There is also a traditional song which is sung in chorus, involving the history of Robin-Hood, whose connection with the present festival it is not easy to understand.

Upon this occasion it is a right, assumed from time immemorial, for the persons engaged in the dance to enter and run through any house they please, without molestation.

The higher classes of the inhabitants having, with much good humour, assisted in the rites of the day, and performed their exforensic orgies, resort to the ball room, where they are usually met by the neighbouring families, and by those strangers who may happen to be in this part of Cornwall. The merry dance is commenced at an early hour, and generally protracted to the dawn of the ensuing day.

Long may this harmless and innocent festival continue to animate the blythe and young, on each annual return of its celebration;—Its classic spell may be dissolved, but the Temple of Hilarity, consecrated by the smiles of Cornish youth and beauty, needs not a Roman goddess for its sanction.

About two miles from Helston is Penrose, the seat of John Rogers, Esq. situated in the midst of a finely wooded scene, and on the border of a large sheet of water called the Loe Pool; this forms one of the most considerable lakes in the county, and is produced by a very singular operation of nature,—the continual rolling of the waves of the British Channel towards the shore forces in a vast quantity of sand and pebbles, which, by constant accumulation, at length forms a very high bank extending across the valley, from hill to hill, and by closing up the mouth of the channel occasions the river to spread its waters over an area of nearly seven miles in circumference. This bar of gravel cannot be passed over by the waves of the highest tides, even during the excitement of a storm, unless it be attended with a very rare combination of circumstances. The water of the lake gradually finds its way through the gravel of the bar by slow filtration; but in wet seasons, as it cannot pass off with a rapidity equal to its influx, the lake will often rise ten feet higher than its ordinary level. This produces the singular effect of stopping two mills, one on the Loe, the other on a lateral stream, their wheels being at this time partly under water. When this occurs the millers present the Lord of the Manor with two leathern purses, each containing three halfpence, and solicit his permission to open a passage through the bar. This being of course granted, the Mayor of Helston engages workmen to carry the work into effect. In a few days, however, the bar is again filled up as before.

The Loe Pool abounds with a peculiar trout, and other fresh-water fish. On its banks the Botanist may gather Corrigiola Littoralis.

In proceeding to the Lizard Point, which is about fourteen miles distant from Helston, we shall examine the line of coast south of the Loe bar. The interior of this peninsular region has an aspect of dreary and barren uniformity, and when viewed from the high granite ridge near Constantine, it appears like a table land elevated some hundred feet above the level of the sea, presenting hardly any indication of rupture or contortion throughout the whole extent of its outline. The view of the same region from the western shore of the Mount's Bay is still more striking and characteristic; the upper surface seems so exactly horizontal, that one might almost be led to conjecture, that every projecting ledge had been planed down until the promontory resembled a great artificial terrace.[128]

Near Gunwalloe Cove the geologist should notice the singularly contorted appearance of the slaty rock, which continues as far as a small cove north of Mullion, called Bolerium, where it runs under a Greenstone composed of Hornblende and Compact Felspar. The Greenstone prevails through the whole of this district, and appears to pass by a slow gradation into Serpentine, under which it lies, as may be distinctly seen near the south side of Mullion Cove.[129] A small quantity of Diallage is occasionally present in this rock, but the predominant ingredient is common Hornblende; and where this latter substance greatly predominates over the Felspar, it in some places assumes an earthy appearance and decomposes into a kind of Clay, which is used in the neighbourhood with excellent effect as a top dressing for grass lands.

Serpentine is the next formation which we discover in our progress, and is that which confers such singular interest upon this part of the county, since it occurs in no other part of England. This beautiful rock derives its name from the variegated colours and spots, supposed to resemble the speckles of a serpent's skin; it is principally of a dark green or brown, suffused with shades of red. It occupies not less than one-third of the area of the peninsula; the whole extent of Goonhilly downs rests on it. Its boundary is easily traced, says Mr. Sedgwick, by the brown scanty vegetation with which its surface is imperfectly covered; and the Professor might have added, by the growth of that beautiful heath, the Erica Vagans, for so congenial and essential would a Magnesian soil appear to its production, that notwithstanding its immense profusion on the downs, not a single specimen is to be found beyond the line which defines the boundary of the Serpentine formation, nor is it to be seen in any other part of England. Genista Anglica is also to be found on these downs.

About three miles south of Mullion, close to the shore, is the celebrated Steatite, or Soap Rock, which appears to run in veins[130] in the Serpentine, although Dr. Thomson is inclined to consider it as Serpentine itself in a state of decomposition. When it is first quarried it is soft, but by exposure to air it gradually hardens, although it never loses that peculiar soapy feel which characterises it. Dillwyn & Co. of Swansea have, at present, the works in their possession, by paying to the proprietor, Lord Falmouth, a certain annual sum. Its value in the manufacture of China depends upon its infusibility, and the property it possesses of retaining its colour in the heat of the furnace; the first quality is to be explained by the total absence of lime in its composition, the latter by the very small proportion of metallic matter contained in it. There is, moreover, another purpose which it serves, depending upon the peculiar property of Magnesian earth in preventing that degree of contraction[131] which always occurs in the fire when Alumina and Silica are alone made use of. Near this spot veins of Native Copper may be frequently seen at low water during spring tides, and a mass of this metal was once raised which weighed 104 pounds. Copper is the only metallic substance that has been found in any quantity in the Serpentine formation; and this has never occurred except native, as in the above instance, or in the state of Green Carbonate, so that the mining adventurer need not anticipate much advantage from it.

About a mile farther south is Kynance Cove, justly celebrated as one of the most interesting and extraordinary spots on the coast; the descent into it is extremely steep, and overhung with frowning crags; the cove itself is formed by a numerous assemblage of Serpentine rocks of a dark colour, and which exhibit a beautiful polish from the constant attrition of the waves at high water; in one part, these groups are so singularly disposed as to open a fine natural arch into a grotto, which penetrates deeply into the cliff; the largest of these pyramidal masses is termed the Asparagus Island, from its being the habitat of Asparagus Officinalis. One of the rocks in this cove exhibits a very curious phenomenon whimsically called the Devil's Bellows; there is a very deep chasm, through which the sea rushes like a water spout, preceded by a sub-marine rumbling, as loud as thunder; a flowing tide, accompanied with a swell of the waves, seems to be essential for the production of this effect. De Luc offers the following explanation of the phenomenon: "In the rock there is a succession of caverns, into which the agitated sea rushes by some sub-marine passage, and being dashed and broken against their sides, a large quantity of air[132] is thus disengaged from them, which becoming highly compressed, and not being able to escape beneath, in consequence of the perpetual entrance of the waves, is forced to pass with great violence and noise from cavern to cavern, until it forces itself, together with a column of water, through the opening above." Amongst these beautiful rocks may be seen Diallage of a brown colour; Jade; compact Felspar, or Saussurite; and Asbestus. Dykes of Felspar Porphyry are also to be observed in this spot. It is hardly necessary to inform the geological tourist that, in order to view this interesting scene to his satisfaction, he must contrive to arrive at a period near that of low water.

On the summit of the hill above this cove the Botanist will observe Geranium Sanguineum spreading itself in broad tufts. Campanula Rotundifolia also occurs here.

Continuing our route towards Cape Lizard, we shall perceive that the Serpentine terminates about half a mile before we reach it, and is succeeded by Micaceous Slate, under which, at the Lizard head lie alternate beds of Compact Felspar, containing specks of Hornblende and green Talc. There are two light-houses at this point which front the south, and stand nearly abreast of each other, but unhappily they are too often found to be insufficient securities against the darkness of the midnight storm, and the treachery of the sunken rocks with which this stern coast is beset. Foreign pilots, unacquainted with its perils, seldom keep the necessary distance from the shore, and from the steepness of the rocks no kind of assistance can be afforded to the mariner from the land.

On a low hedge under the light-houses is to be found Herniaria Glabra. It was here in the pursuit of this very plant that a well known Botanist, during the late war, was seized as a spy by the suspicious natives, and carried to Helston for examination. The increased intercourse, however, with scientific travellers, will render the recurrence of such an event impossible.

The name of the promontory was most probably derived from the striking contour which it exhibits when viewed from sea, resembling the elongated and compressed form of the Lizard; at the same time it must be observed, that the colour of its rocks resemble also that of the animal to which we allude, while the British words Lis-ard signify a lofty projection; these are extraordinary coincidences, and are well calculated to fan the flame of etymological controversy.

If after visiting this promontory, the traveller feels inclined to trace the different rock formations, and to complete his geological survey of the Lizard Chersonesus, we recommend him to return by a circuitous route along its eastern coast. Greenstone reappears about half a mile east of the Lizard Point, and continues for some distance, with the occasional interruption of Serpentine, which dips towards the sea. This latter rock will be found best adapted for oeconomical purposes at the Balk Hill, Landewednock, but it is certainly far inferior to that worked for chimney pieces, columns, &c. from the quarries in the Isle of Anglesea. Near Cadgwith the rocks on the coast form a very interesting and extraordinary amphitheatre, which is termed by the inhabitants the Frying Pan, although the appellation of Cauldron, which it strongly resembles, would be much more appropriate. Its sides are nearly two hundred feet in height, and, at high water, the sea enters it and boils up through an arch near its bottom. In this spot the position of the Serpentine upon Greenstone is very apparent. Beyond Cadgwith the Serpentine assumes a dark green colour, and contains small masses of the emerald green Diallage, or Schiller-spar; whence it continues to constitute the coast round the Black Head to Coverack Cove. About a mile from the coast at Gwenter, the rock denominated by Abbe HaÜy "Diallage Rock" (Gabbro) presents itself to our notice; it is composed of Saussurite, or Compact Felspar, and Diallage MetalloÏde. In a quarry near this spot it may be seen to join Serpentine. In the Diallage Rock, at a small village near the coast called Gwendra, as well as in the rock of Saint Keverne, Mr. Majendie discovered some small metallic specks, which he found on chemical examination to consist of Iron, with a portion of Titanium. Some of the same substance was immediately transmitted to Mr. William Gregor, who stated that the results of his experiments proved it to be an assemblage of several ingredients, viz. Silica, Alumina, and the Oxides of Iron and Titanium, with a little Potass. Some of which ingredients were no doubt derived from the gangue with which the metallic substance is intimately mixed. This is a discovery no less curious than important, and would seem to point out the origin of the Menachanite, in which Titanium was first discovered by Mr. Gregor.

The great mass of Serpentine ends at Coverack Cove, a spot which well deserves the attention of the Geologist, as offering a series of rocks of a very mixed character; these consist of green and reddish-brown Serpentine, with the Jade of Saussure, (the feldspath tenace of HaÜy) and Diallage[133] of the green and metalloÏde varieties; some of the Felspar found here is of a violet colour, and is striated like that of Labrador. In beds which lie below high-water mark in this Cove the mineralogist may obtain masses of Diallage MetalloÏde, six or eight inches in length.[134] A beautiful rock succeeds and continues for three miles along the coast to the Manacles; and in the interior of the country it predominates through the greater part of the parish of Saint Keverne. It has compact Felspar for its base, in which are imbedded crystals both of Diallage and Hornblende. In the proportion, as well as the magnitude of these constituents, says Mr. Professor Sedgwick, there is such an unusual variety, that we were almost led to conjecture, that during the deposition of the mass many conflicting principles had been in action, not one of which was long able to keep the mastery over the others; there are for instance many large blocks which in one part resemble a fine Greenstone, and in another, a coarse porphyritic Diallage Rock; within the distance of a few feet these varieties may be observed to alternate repeatedly, sometimes in the form of stripes, but more frequently in amorphous concretions separated from each other by lines which are perfectly defined. Schistose Greenstone occurs again at Porthowstock, and a small bed of Serpentine, on the south-west side of Porthallo in the cliff, which rests on a reddish Talc which lies, as before, on Clay-slate. No other variety is observable from hence to the Helford River, except in the appearance of a Pudding Stone, or Conglomerate, near the Dennis Creek, composed of rounded fragments of Slate in which veins of Quartz are distinctly visible. The traveller will not fail to visit the stream of Tregonwell Mill,[135] near the village of Menacchan, celebrated as the habitat of the Titaniferous Iron (Menacchanite, or Gregorite) discovered by the late celebrated Mr. William Gregor.[136] He will also receive much gratification by extending his route to Mawnan Cliffs, where he will observe a most extraordinary intermixture of fine and coarse grained (Grawacke?) slate, which are traversed by many contemporaneous veins, some composed of Quartz, and others of Ferriferous Carbonate of Lime; some small cavities are coated with fine spicular Arragonite, and a much rarer substance, which on a chemical examination by Mr. Gregor proved to be a Sub-carburet of Iron, has been found in thin plates among the laminÆ of the Slate. The Reverend John Rogers has also obtained from this spot small octohedral crystals of the Yellow Sulphuret of Copper.

From a general review of the phenomena developed in the present excursion, Mr. Professor Sedgwick is led to conclude, that the great Plateau of the Lizard is not composed of stratified rocks, for although some obscure indications of an order of super-position appear near Coverack and Porthalla, yet he considers them as being too uncertain to be opposed to the clear evidence offered to the south-eastern parts of the coast, where the alternating masses of Greenstone and Serpentine so often appear, like great wedges driven side by side into the escarpment, without any arrangement whatsoever. Mr. Majendie, however, who, be it known, actually bivouacked in this district for a week, was satisfied that the Greenstone and Serpentine did exhibit characters of Stratification.—But we desist—feeling what no doubt our readers have likewise experienced the dry and uninviting nature of Geological details.—Having therefore completed the task we assigned ourselves, and conducted the traveller to the more prominent and interesting objects of Western Cornwall, we take our leave. The Agriculturist, the Antiquary, the Botanist, the Geologist, and Mineralogist, must, each in his turn, have received ample gratification and instruction from his visit to this interesting and important district of the British Empire, while the Capitalist must have seen from the agriculture, the mineral treasures, the fisheries, and the commerce of the country, how many, and what great opportunities are presented for the advantageous exercise of capital; the Valetudinarian too has, as we sincerely hope, derived his share of benefit from the excursions, and felt the salutary influence of those mild and genial breezes which clothe our fields with perpetual verdure, and impart to our cottagers the enviable blessing of Health and Long Life.

[123] Before his departure upon this excursion, we recommend him to examine the very instructive suite of specimens which were collected, and deposited in the Cabinet at Penzance by Mr. Ashhurst Majendie, a gentleman whose geological labours in this country are well known, and whose zeal and ability so greatly promoted the early advancement of our Geological Society. This valuable series has been greatly augmented by a Collection since presented to the Society by The Reverend John Rogers. The Geological tourist ought at the same time to make himself acquainted with the observations of Mr. Majendie "On the Lizard District," in the first volume of the Transactions of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall; and those of Mr. Professor Sedgwick, on the same subject, in the Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society.