ttom of it inside.

But what is this high bit with E against it?

Those are the high hills round Bath, which we shall run through soon.
They are newer than the soil here; and they are (for an exception) higher
too; for they are so much harder than the soil here, that the sea has not
eaten them away, as it has all the lowlands from Bristol right into the
Somersetshire flats.

* * * * *

There. We are off at last, and going to run home to Reading, through one
of the loveliest lines (as I think) of old England. And between the
intervals of eating fruit, we will geologize on the way home, with this
little bit of paper to show us where we are.

What pretty rocks!

Yes. They are a boss of the coal measures, I believe, shoved up with the
lias, the lias lying round them. But I warn you I may not be quite
right: because I never looked at a geological map of this part of the
line, and have learnt what I know, just as I want you to learn simply by
looking out of the carriage window.

Look. Here is lias rock in the side of the cutting; layers of hard blue
limestone, and then layers of blue mud between them, in which, if you
could stop to look, you would find fossils in plenty; and along that lias
we shall run to Bath, and then all the rocks will change.

* * * * *

Now, here we are at Bath; and here are the handsome fruit-women, waiting
for you to buy.

And oh, what strawberries and cherries!

Yes. All this valley is very rich, and very sheltered too, and very
warm; for the soft south-western air sweeps up it from the Bristol
Channel; so the slopes are covered with fruit-orchards, as you will see
as you get out of the station.

Why, we are above the tops of the houses.

Yes. We have been rising ever since we left Bristol; and you will soon
see why. Now we have laid in as much fruit as is safe for you, and away
we go.

Oh, what high hills over the town! And what beautiful stone houses! Even
the cottages are built of stone.

All that stone comes out of those high hills, into which we are going
now. It is called Bath-stone freestone, or oolite; and it lies on the
top of the lias, which we have just left. Here it is marked F.

What steep hills, and cliffs too, and with quarries in them! What can
have made them so steep? And what can have made this little narrow
valley?

Madam How's rain-spade from above, I suppose, and perhaps the sea gnawing
at their feet below. Those freestone hills once stretche