ock. The stillness seemed to be not of
this world:--we paused, and kept silence to listen; and no sound could
be heard: the Scawfell Cataracts were voiceless to us; and there was not
an insect to hum in the air. The vales which we had seen from Ash-course
lay yet in view; and, side by side with Eskdale, we now saw the sister
Vale of Donnerdale terminated by the Duddon Sands. But the majesty of
the mountains below, and close to us, is not to be conceived. We now
beheld the whole mass of Great Gavel from its base,--the Den of Wastdale
at our feet--a gulf immeasurable: Grasmire and the other mountains of
Crummock--Ennerdale and its mountains; and the Sea beyond! We sat down
to our repast, and gladly would we have tempered our beverage (for there
was no spring or well near us) with such a supply of delicious water as
we might have procured, had we been on the rival summit of Great Gavel;
for on its highest point is a small triangular receptacle in the native
rock, which, the shepherds say, is never dry. There we might have slaked
our thirst plenteously with a pure and celestial liquid, for the cup or
basin, it appears, has no other feeder than the dews of heaven, the
showers, the vapours, the hoar frost, and the spotless snow.

While we were gazing around, 'Look,' I exclaimed, 'at yon ship upon the
glittering sea!' 'Is it a ship?' replied our shepherd-guide. 'It can be
nothing else,' interposed my companion; 'I cannot be mistaken, I am so
accustomed to the appearance of ships at sea.' The Guide dropped the
argument; but, before a minute was gone, he quietly said, 'Now look at
your ship; it is changed into a horse.' So indeed it was,--a horse with
a gallant neck and head. We laughed heartily; and, I hope, when again
inclined to be positive, I may remember the ship and the horse upon the
glittering sea; and the calm confidence, yet submissiveness, of our
wise Man of the Mountains, who certainly had more knowledge of clouds
than we, whatever might be our knowledge of ships.

I know not how long we might have remained on the summit of the Pike,
without a thought of moving, had not our Guide warned us that we must
not linger; for a storm was coming. We looked in vain to espy the signs
of it. Mountains, vales, and sea were touched with the clear light of
the sun. 'It is there,' said he, pointing to the sea beyond Whitehaven,
and there we perceived a light vapour unnoticeable but by a shepherd
accustomed to watch all mountain bodi