YORKSHIRE. 935

and successive swells, presenting a beautiful aspecttowards the flat country. But their height, which inthe most elevated parts is supposed not to exceed600 feet, is considerable when compared with that ofthe eastern ; and more especially of the westernmoors in the north, and the hills of Craven in theWest Riding. Many parts, however, of the Woldsafford magnificent prospects. From their northernedge the vale of Derwent is seen extended below',like a map, and beyond it the black moors towardsWhitby rise in sublime grandeur. The westernhills command an extensive view of the southern partof the vale of York, reaching far beyond that city,into the West Riding ; and the eastern elevationsafford a beautiful prospect, in some places, of theGerman Ocean, and in others of Holderness, risingwith a very gentle swell from the intervening tract offenny land, called the Carrs. But the southern edgeof the Wolds is the most distinguished for the beautyand diversity of its prospects. From several of theelevated points between the Humber and the highroad from Kirk Ella by Riplingham to Cave, YorkMinster, Howden church, &c. on the west, andFlamborough Head, Bridlington Priory, BeverleyMinster, the churches of Hull and Hedon, towardsthe east, may be distinctly seen. The eastern part ofthis elevated district skirting the Humber commandsa most magnificent view of that vast estuary, extend-ing to the south-east till it is lost in the horizon. Itpresents to the eye an interesting spectacle of nume-rous vessels floating to and from the port of Hull;while that opulent and commercial town, in its lowsituation, close to the banks, and surrounded by themasts of the shipping in the docks, seems to rise,like Venice, from amidst the sea; and the fartherdistances are filled up with a view' of the shores ofHolderness and Lincolnshire. The western , hillstowards Cave afford a very extensive prospect overan immense level, terminating in the high lands ofthe West Riding, faintly appearing in the horizon ;and more towards the south, the large rivers Trentand Ouse meeting at right angles, and forming ajunction where the lofty promontory of Aukboroughoverlooks the adjacent country. The whole takentogether compose a scene which for beauty andgrandeur can scarcely be exceeded.

The extent of the district called the Wolds isvariously estimated; that part calledi the NorthVV olds, which may be considered as termnating in aline drawn from Driffield to Pocklington, has beencomputed at about 307,000 acres ; but, in taking itswhole extent to its southern extremity, 400,000 acreswill not seem too high a calculation. The surface isgenerally divided into easy extensive swells andplains, with many intervening deep dales and valleys.The soil is commonly a free and rather light loam,with a mixture of chalky gravel.

I he district composing the North Riding is boundedon the north by the river Tees, which separates itfrom the county of Durham; on the east and north-east by [the German Ocean; on the south-east by|he East Riding; on the south by the ainstey ofYork, and the West Riding; and on the west bv.'thecounty of Westmorland. The length of the ridingfrom east to west is eighty-three miles, and itsbreadth from north to south thirty-eight miles.

The climate of this district is exceedingly various.In the Vale of York the air is mild and temperate,except near the Moors, where the influence of the

winds from those mountainous regions is sometimesseverely felt. The climate of the Howardian Hillsis cold. Rydale and the Marshes, on the borders ofthe Derwent, enjoy a mild air; but the dampnessof their flats, and a want of a better drainage, ren-der them less healthful than most other parts of theriding.

The West Riding, as its name imports, lies on thewestern borders of the county; and is bounded onon the east by the ainstey of York and_the river Ouse ;on the north by the North Riding; on the west byLancashire; and on the south by Cheshire, Der-byshire, and Nottinghamshire. It is about ninety-five miles in its greatest length from east to west,and forty-eight miles in its greatest breadth fromnorth to south.

The climate of this portion of the county is ex-tremely various. In the eastern parts, towards thebanks of the Ouse, it resembles that of the EastRiding on the opposite side of the river; and dampsand fogs are somewhat prevalent. In the middle dis-trict the air is sharper, clearer, and considered asmuch morel healthful. In the western parts the cli-mate is cold, tempestuous, and rainy. At Sheffieldthe average depth of rain is thirty-three inches annu-ally, being about a medium between the quantitiesthat fall in Lancashire and on the eastern coasts ofthe kingdom. Blackstone Edge, and the CravenHills, are the most foggy, rainy, and stormy districtsin England; although, from the frequent high windswhich purify the atmosphere and keep it in a state ofagitation, the climate is reckoned salubrious to soundconstitutions; and the inhabitants have a robust andhealthful appearance.

In the eastern parts clay and loam predominate,but are intermixed with some sandy and moorishtracts. The middle is chiefly a loam upon a limestonebottom ; and this kind of soil, with a similar basis,although intermixed in many places with tracts ofmoor of different qualities, prevails to the westernextremities of the riding. Mr. Browne, in his Agri-cultural Survey, says that the prevailing soil (keepingoff the moors) is loam. The face of the country isvery irregular; but, in general terms, it may bedivided into three large districts gradually varyingfrom a level and marshy to a rocky and mountainousregion. The flatand marshy partof the riding lies on theeastern side along the banks of the Ouse, and extendsto the westward, in some places to a greater, and inothers to a less distance; but generally to withinthree or four miles of an imaginary line drawn fromDoncaster to Sherburn. The middle part, as far tothe westward as Sheffield, Bradford, and Otley, risesgradually into hills, and is beautifully variegated.Further to the west the surface becomes rugged andmountainous. Beyond Sheffield scarcely any thingis seen but black moors, which running north-westunite with the lofty hills of Blackstone Edge on theborders of Lancashire. The western part of Cravenpresents a confused heap of rocks and mountains,among which, Pennygant, Whamside, and Ingle-borough, are particularly conspicuous; the two lastbeing considered as the highest hills in either Englandor Wales, not excepting even Skiddaw, Helvellyn,or Snowden. Amidst the hilly and mountainous tractsof this riding, however, are many romantic valleys,presenting the most beautiful scenery. The mostextensive of these are Netherdale, or Niddersdale,watered by the Nid; Wharfdale, and the vale of