which conducted us over a hill to the entrance of a glen skirted with wood. Through this wood we descended by a path not very distinct, to a little brook, which we crossed, and proceeded along a road by the side of another small brook: at this place the glen begins to contract, and its steep sides are covered with wood to the very top: on walking about a hundred yards, we came to a scene highly picturesque. On our right, a fine rugged rock, crowned with oaks, and whose face was covered with a lichen of a beautiful whiteness, mixed with heath and shrubs, rises perpendicular from the bottom of the glen, and threatens destruction to those who venture near its base. The remainder of the contracted view towards the left, is bounded by a concave precipice, almost covered with wood, there being only a few places where the bare rock overlooks the shrubs and trees. In one place a small but beautiful cascade descends from the top of a rock on the left, to join the brook below.

It is the white rock on the right, that rears its venerable front so high, which is called Belle Craig, and which, I suppose, means bald rock, beld craig being the provincial appellation for a bald rock. Some have supposed that the picturesque beauty of this rock acquired it the name of Belle Craig.

WHEN we had passed this beautiful and sequestered scene, the glen contracted very fast, its high perpendicular walls approaching nearer and nearer, till they were only a few feet asunder; here we had another view of the cascade which has been men

tioned, and which appears to consist of several different parts, its stream being here and there hid from the eye by shrubs. On going a little further, the valley became so narrow, that there was scarcely room for a foot-path between the perpendicular rock and the brook. It soon afterwards widens a little, and on the left hand is to be seen a little projecting rock, from which water is continually dripping. This little weeping rock, which is a humble miniature resemblance of that at Knaresborough in Yorkshire, is by no means destitute of beauty, and the drops form a vivid and beautiful rainbow, if properly viewed when the sun shines. We next descended a few rude steps hewn out of the rock, and soon came to the boundary, where the brook fills up the whole width of the glen. This is generally the ne plus ultra of the visitants, it being difficult to proceed further; but those who do not fear being wet, go up the brook, which has worn a deep channel in the rock, down which it tumbles, forming a very fine cascade.

It was once the intention of some gentlemen fond of picturesque scenery, to have conducted the brook over the top of the rock, nearly opposite to the stone steps just mentioned, which would have had a very fine effect. This romantic little spot bears a great resemblance to Hackfall, near Rippon in Yorkshir

In the vicinity of Moffat is a very fine cascade, frequently visited by the company, called the Grey Mare's Tail.

CRAIGY-BURN-WOOD.

261

To see this cascade we went nearly half a mile from Moffat, on the Carlisle road, and then turning to the left, ascended a hill called Craigy hill, which is part of Dr. Currie's estate, and from which we had a fine view of the venerable woods of Dumcrief. Following the road to Selkirk, we crossed a small impetuous brook, with a very rocky channel, called Craigy-burn, and soon entered a fine glen beautifully wooded. This wood, which consists chiefly of hazel and birch, is called Craigy-burnwood. In the midst of a flat and fertile but narrow vale, the Moffat winds its serpentine course. The other side of the river was formerly wooded, which, no doubt, added much to the beauty of the scenery; but the wood having been cut down, and no attention afterwards paid to it by the owner, this ornament of the country is lost.

WHEN we had passed Craigy-burn-wood, we had a full view of the romantic glen, bounded by lofty hills, frowning like the surly sentinels of the legion posted behind them. A ride more romantic than this, on a fine day, can scarcely be imagined. After riding by the side of the Moffat about seven miles, we crossed it, and ascending the hill on the other side, had a full view of the cascade we were in search of. Here the water pre

foaming, and thun

cipitating itself from rock to rock, dashing, dering from a great height, between two steep hills, falls into a dark pool, from whence it runs with less impetuosity to augment the waters of the Moffat, which it joins a little above the place where we crossed the stream. The water, by its precipitous fall, is broken by the air, so as to appear as white as snow.