The coming of the Helm Wind is indicated by the appearance of the Helm, a white cloud, resting on the summits of the hills, (most usually Cross Fell, and the neighbouring elevations ;) this cloud wears a bold, broad front, not dissimilar to a vast float of ice standing on edge. Immediately on its appearance, there issues from it a prodigious noise exceeding in grandeur and awfulness the roaring of the ocean. Occasionally is seen what is called the Helm Bar, from an idea that it controls the fury of the storm; this consists of a white cloud arranged opposite to the Helm, and holding a station various in its distances, sometimes not more than half-a-mile from the mountain, at others three or four miles. It continues in a tremulous motion till it disperses; and then the hurricane issues forth, roaring along the sides of the hills, and frequently extending two or three miles from their sides. The sky is generally visible between the Helm and the Bar; and frequently small specks of clouds, and loose vapours, are separated from them, and fly across in contrary directions, both east and west, with amazing velocity. The violence of the wind is usually greatest when the Helm is highest above the mountains. The cold air rushes down the hills with astonishing force, so as to make it both difficult and dangerous for the adventurer to attempt an ascent. It mostly comes in gusts, but sometimes blows with unabated fury for twenty-four hours, and continues at intervals for from three to six weeks.

Whilst digressing to introduce notices of remarkable phenomena observable in these mountainous regions, we may be permitted to allude to a singular appearance witnessed in the vicinity of Souter Fell; and we are the more led to do so, from having read a wellauthenticated statement of a similar phenomenon very recently witnessed on the Mendip Hills.

On a summer's evening, in the year 1743, the servant of Mr. Wren of Wilton Hall was sitting at the door with his master, when they both saw the figure of a man with a dog pursuing some horses along Souter Fell side, a place so steep that a horse could scarcely keep his footing on it. These visionary forms appeared to run at an amazing pace, till they got out of sight at the lower end of the Fell. Mr. Wren and his servant next morning ascended the steep of the mountain, expecting to find the man dead; but they found no vestige whatever of man, dog, or horse.

The following year, 1744, on the twenty-third of June, the same servant, then in the employ of Mr. Lancaster of Blakehills, saw a troop of horsemen riding along Souter Fell, in close ranks, and at a brisk pace. Having been much ridiculed the previous year for his report, he determined to observe rigidly and with caution; after assuring himself that he was not deceived as to the actual appearances, he went and informed his master of what he had seen, and both returned to the place together. Before their arrival, however, the son of Mr. Lancaster had discovered the mountain phantoms; and the three witnessed the phenomenon. Afterwards all the members of the family were summoned to see and bear testimony to the existence of the fact. In all, it appeared, there were twenty-six persons who had ocular proof of the occurrence.

3 I

The phenomena above described assimilate to that, well known as the Spectre of the Broken, in the Hartz Mountains; and may be rationally explained on the principles of refraction and reflection, the shadowy forms being no other than the images of realities, favourably posited with relation to the refracting medium and the observer's eye.

GOLD RILL BECK AND LAKE ULLSWATER,
CUMBERLAND.

Gold Rill Beck is in the valley of Patterdale; and unites several streams which pass through it to lake Ullswater. From the bridge, or in its immediate neighbourhood, the tourist discovers a splendid prospect, including the rich meadows that lie on each side of the Beck, the lake before named, and a mountainous range closing the view on the north.

BUTTERMERE LAKE AND VILLAGE,-CUMBERLAND.

This view of Buttermere lake and village is taken from the road, leading from Crummock Water to Gatesgarth, and which passes through the village and along the banks of the lake. The valley of Buttermere is exceedingly beautiful and picturesque, the air pure and salubrious; and near the bottom of the vale is a very lofty cascade, "bisecting the mountain whence it descends like a white riband," and which, from its constant foaming, has obtained among the country people the name of "Sour Milk Force."

The vale of Buttermere is rather confined in that part which the lake occupies, the mountains shelving down to the water's edge; but, below, it opens, and extends to a considerable distance. The inhabitants of the valley, previous to the neighbourhood becoming a place of fashionable resort, were extremely rustic in character, and their pursuits were confined, on the part of the women, to spinning yarn, and, on that of the men, to working the slate quarries,

Gatesgarth dale, at the head of Buttermere valley, is a tremendous scene: the area is concave, the sides almost perpendicular, and composed of a kind of broken craggy rock, the ruins of which every where strew the valley, and give it a still greater air of