CORNWALL weather. To quote the words of a local guide- book : "In September, 1H70, during a heavy gale, the sea broke continually over the lantern from 8 A.M. till 2 p.m., causing the building to vibrate in such a manner that a great number of cylinders used for the lamp were broken, and putty from the lantern strewed the floor. The building was afterwards strengthened by iron girders, and is now encased from the base to the cornice with additional masonry. The light is a white one, and shows two flashes every half minute. The revolving lantern weighs 10 tons and is worked by a Davy motor steam engine." Samson, lying to the W. of St. Mary's, is now uninhabited, but all who have read the late Walter Besant's Armorel of Lyonesse will know that it once had its occupants. A per- fect kistvaen was discovered in 1862, and there are many barrows. It is impossible to give details or even to name all the islets and rocks of this group, nor can their fascination be conveyed by the pen. Something, however, must be said of the Bishop Lighthouse, stand- ing on the Bishop Rock at the S.W. verge of the cluster, about 7 miles from St. Mary's. The lighthouse is 160 ft. in height; and besides its fine revolving lantern, there is in foggy weather a constant warning explosion of tonite, sounding like the report of artillery. A former erection here was washed away before completion. But in spite of beacons and warnings, the rocks have still their terrors for mariners. The list of 278
