MARAZION [Cornwall].
October 25 /[18]92.
Dearest Grace*1 I was very glad to get your letter and to know what you were doing. I hope that you will be able to bring home some nice finished sketches. People here seem to be very fond of pictures, and in every house we go we find views of the magnificent coast scenery around. The other day we all went by carriage to the Land's End (in an open two horse carriage) with Dicky*2 and Esther on the box. We first visited the Logan rock, a mass of granite on a small base surmounting some rocky cliffs overhanging the sea. A man took Dicky up to it, and set it in motion to Dicky's great delight. Dicky seems to have no fear in climbing at all, even on the edge of the cliffs. Yesterday we visited a tin mine in the neighbourhood and saw all the operations of getting the ore from the mine, crushing it by stampers moved by steam, and washing the crushings to get rid of the stone in which the ore is imbedded, after which it is roasted to get rid of the arsenic, sulphur, copper and other impurities with which it is chemically mixed, when it is sent to the smelting furnaces to be run into blocks of pure tin........ This is a wild bleak county, but very interesting for the number of curious old churches and holy places, the number of stone erections for pagan worship, the extraordinary superstition of the people, the marvellous fisheries which supply the continent as far as Italy with salt fish, and above all the people who are very courteous and religious, chiefly Wesleyans. They are a very

industrious race, the same man will be a fisher, miner, carpenter and cultivator. Immediately opposite the house is St Michael's Mount, the counterpart of that in Normandy, but larger with the castle on the top only. It belongs to Lord St Levan and the house is much added to and very comfortable, but full of ins and outs. We lunched there one day and last Sunday went to the chapel there. As in France the place is accessible by a causeway at low tide only, at other times by boat. It is not 1/4 mile from the land, and Lady Smythe's cottage directly fronts it. On Monday we go to Torquay and leave on Thursday. With Mamma's and Dicky's love, ever dearest Grace, Your affectionate father, | J.D. Hooker. Kindest regards to Miss Bird. You have not told us anything about your host and hostess. Joey*3 writes that he can swim as far as across Mr Asser's lake and back, and do various swimming feats.