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Page 135:-
after eagle's eggs. His comrades let him down by a rope from
the precipice; and he tries for a footing on some ledge,
where he may drive in wedges. The difficulty of this, where
much of his strength must be employed in keeping his
footing, may be conceived: and a great length of time must
be occupied in loosening masses large enough to bear the
fall without being dashed into useless pieces. But,
generally speaking, the methods are improved, and the
quarries made accessible by tracks admitting of the passage
of strong carts. Still, the detaching of the slate, and the
loading and conducting the carts, are laborious work enough
to require and train a very athletic order of men. In
various parts of the district, the scene is marked by
mountains of débris, above or within which
yawn black recesses in the mountain side, where the summer
thunders echo, and the winter storms send down formidable
slides into the vales below.
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At the turn under Honister Crag, the vales behind disappear,
and Borrowdale begins to open upon the eye;- at first in the
form of a triangular bit of green level far below among the
hills. By degrees, the overlapping mountains part asunder,
and disclose more farmsteads and broader levels, till the
fences are reached. Thence, it is a steep and rough descent
upon Seatoller, by the side of the plunging and roaring
stream, and its canopy of trees. Passing through the
farm-yard at Seatoller, the travellers find themselves in
Borrowdale, with only two miles more to Rosthwaite, (p.77.)
and eight to Keswick, and an excellent road all the way.
Thus have our travellers, in the space of four days,
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