xg8 pennant’s SECOND TOUR IN SCOTLAND.
Reach a place where there is a very deep defcent: the colliers call this hardknot,from a mountain of that name ; and another wrynofe. At about eighty fathoms depthbegan to fee the workings of the rods of the fire-engine, and the prefent operations ofthe colliers, who work now in fecurity, for the fire-damps, formerly fo dangerous, arealmoft overcome ; at prefent they are prevented by boarded partitions, placed a footdiftance from the fides, which caufes a free circulation of air throughout: but as {tillthere are fome places not capable of fuch conveniences, the colliers, who dare not ven-ture with a candle in fpots where fire-damps are fuppofed to lurk, have invented a cu-rious machine to ferve the purpofe of lights: it is what they call a fteel-mill, confiftingof a fmall wheel and a handle; this they turn with vaft rapidity againft a flint, and thegreat quantity of fparks emitted not only ferves for a candle, but has been found of fucha nature as not to fet fire to the horrid vapour.
Formerly the damp or fiery vapour was conveyed through pipes to the open air, andformed a terrible illumination during night, like the eruptions of a volcano ; and by itsheat water could be boiled : the men who worked in it inhaled inflammable air, and ifthey breathed againft a candle, puffed out a fiery ftream ; fo that I make no doubt, wasthe experiment made, the fame phasnomenon would appear as John Grub* attributedto my illuflrious countryman Pendragon, chief of Britons.
Reached the extremity of this black journey to a place near two miles from the en-trance, beneath the Tea , where probably fhips were then failing over us. Returned upthe laborious afoent, and was happy once, more to emerge into day-light.
The property of thefe works, as well as the whole town, is in Sir James Lowther , whodraws from them and the rents of the buildings fixteen thoufand pounds a year; whereashis grandfather only made fifteen hundred. The prefent baronet has instituted here a-charity of the moll beautiful nature, ufeful, humane, and unoftentatious. • He alwayskeeps filled a great granary of oats, which he buys from all parts, but never difpofes ofwhile the markets are low ; but the moment they rife above five {hillings the Cumber-land bufhel, or three Winchefter meafures, he inftantly opens his ftores to the poor col-liers and artificers, and fells it to them'at fivefhillings, notwithftanding it might have collhim feven ; thus happily difappointing the rapacity of the vulturine monopolizer.
' Reave Whitehaven, and return about two mites on the fame road I came. See underthe cliffs a neat little village called Parton, and a pier, intended for the {hipping of coal;a new’ creation by Sir James Lowther .
Leave Morelby on the left; a place near the {hore, mentioned by Camden as of greatantiquity, a fort of the Romans, and where feveral infcriptions have been found : healfo (peaks of certain caverns, called Pifts holes, but the latenefs of the evening pre-vented me from defcending to vifit them. Ride through the village of Herrington,,pafs over a very naked barren country, .and have from fome parts of this evening’sjourney a full view of the ifie of Man, appearing high and mountainous. Reach
Workington, the place where the imprudent Mary Stuart landed, after her flightfrom Dundrannan, in Galloway, creduloufly fruiting to the protection of the infidiousElizabeth. The town extends from the caftle to thefea: it confifis of two chillers,•one the more ancient near the cattle, the other nearer the church arid pier; and both-contain about four or five thoufand inhabitants : they fubfift by the coal trade, which ishere confiderable. The Derwent w a fires the fkirts of the town, and difcharges itfelfinto the fea about a mile weft : on each bank near the mouth are piers where the fhipslie, and the coals are conveyed into them from frames occafionally dropping into
* Dr. Percy’s Ancient Songs, 2d ed. iii, 313.
them