Of Dartmoor and its Borderland. 87 The cross, of which only the head now remains, is lying TiGSLT the edge of the pool, and probably not far from its original site. It is particularly unfortunate that it should have 'tween overturned and shattered, for no spot could be more fitting for it than the bank of the silent pool. Regaining the road, near the little stream which flows from below the pool, we continue on our way, and shortly ooxne in sight of a ravine sloping down to the southern branch of the Mew.'*' When about a half a mile from this ravine, we leave the road a little on our left, and at the distance of a few score yards from it, shall come upon the second of the crosses -^nrhich compose the line extending from this common to Holne Moor. It is unfortunately broken, and the lower part of the shaft is gone. We cannot but lament that this is so, SLud deplore the spirit of wanton spoliation that has raised its liand, here in the wilds, to strike this old relic low. The portion that remains lies on the ground by the side of the socket stone in which it was once fixed, and measures one foot ten and a half inches across the arms, which are eleven inches deep ; the shaft, or what is left of it, being two feet four inches in height. It is eight and a half inches wide below the arms, and the same immediately above them, but gradually widens upwards, being nine and a half inches at the top. The stone in which the socket is cut is very nearly square, measuring two feet eight inches by two feet ten inches, and is one foot nine inches in thickness. The SQcket measures thirteen inches by eleven and a half, and is six inches deep, the stone, which has been carefully shaped, has been moved from its place, the earth around it having been cleared away, and is now in a sloping position. We find the socket-stones of several crosses on the moor in this condition, and a moorman once told me it was generally considered that they had been moved from their beds by people who thought they might perhaps find under them *^ a crock of gold." t That treasure seekers have in many instances overthrown these crosses, and displaced the stones in which they were fixed is not at all unlikely.
- This branch is known as Newleycombe Lake, and rises on the
southern slope of the high ground e^istward of Cramber Tor. t On Dartmoor these stones are called troughs^ to which, indeed, they bear a great resemblance.
