escribes a cruise to
the Scilly Islands, (taken five years after the period of my visit to
Cornwall), and completes the round of my travelling experiences in the
far West of England. These newly-added pages are written, I am afraid,
in a tone of somewhat boisterous gaiety--which I have not, however, had
the heart to subdue, because it is after all the genuine offspring of
the "harum-scarum" high spirits of the time. The "Cruise of the Tomtit"
was, from first to last, a practical burlesque; and the good-natured
reader will, I hope, not think the worse of me, if I beg him to stand on
no ceremony and to laugh his way through it as heartily as he can.

HARLEY STREET, LONDON,

_March, 1861_.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

I. A LETTER OF INTRODUCTION 1

II. A CORNISH FISHING TOWN 5

III. HOLY WELLS AND DRUID RELICS 23

IV. CORNISH PEOPLE 55

V. LOO-POOL 86

VI. THE LIZARD 97

VII. THE PILCHARD FISHERY 120

VIII. THE LAND'S END 139

IX. BOTALLACK MINE 155

X. THE MODERN DRAMA IN CORNWALL 180

XI. THE ANCIENT DRAMA IN CORNWALL 197

XII. THE NUNS OF MAWGAN 216

XIII. LEGENDS OF THE NORTHERN COAST 231

POSTSCRIPT.

THE CRUISE OF THE TOMTIT TO THE SCILLY ISLANDS 253

RAMBLES BEYOND RAILWAYS.

I.

A LETTER OF INTRODUCTION.

DEAR READER,

When any friend of yours or mine, in whose fortunes we take an interest,
is about to start on his travels, we smooth his way for him as well as
we can, by giving him a letter of introduction to such connexions of
ours as he may find on his line of route. We bespeak their favourable
consideration for him by setting forth his good qualities in the best
light possible; and then leave him to make his own way by his own
merit--satisfied that we have done enough in procuring him a welcome
under our friend's roof, and giving him at the outset a claim to our
friend's estimation.

Will you allow me, reader (if our previous acquaintance authorizes me
to take such a liberty), to follow the custom to which I have just
adverted;