He had not proceeded many yards from the spot on which he had been standing at work, when a mass of rock fell from the roof of the level, weighing many tons, which would have crushed him to death. Martin had been stooping, holding the borer, and a projecting corner of rock just above him turned off the falling mass. He was securely enclosed, and they had to dig him out, but he escaped without injury. Jacky declared to his dying day that he owed his life to Dorcas.
Although Dorcas’s shaft remains a part of Polbreen Mine, I am informed by the present agent that her presence has departed.
“Hengsten Down, well ywrought, Is worth London town dearly bought.”
It may be worthy of consideration whether we have not evidence in this distich of the extent to which mining operations were carried on over this moorland and the adjoining country by the ancient Cornish miners.
It is said that this moorland was originally Hengiston; and tradition affirms that the name preserves the memory of a severe contest, when the Welsh joined Egbright, a king of the West Saxons, and defeated the host of Danes, who had come over to “West Wales,” meaning thereby Cornwall. On this waste Hengist had his fenced camp, and here the Cornish and the Welsh attacked and entirely overthrew him. It is evident, if tradition is to be believed, that the struggle was to gain possession of a valuable tin ground.
“I was saying to Jack, as we talk’d t’ other day About lubbers and snivelling elves, That if people in life did not steer the right way, They had nothing to thank but themselves. Now, when a man’s caught by those mermaids the girls, With their flattering palaver and smiles; He runs, while he’s list’ning to their fal de rals, Bump ashore on the Scilly Isles.”
“On a sudden shrilly sounding, Hideous yells and shrieks were heard; Then each heart with fear confounding, A sad troop of ghosts appear’d, All in dreary hammocks shrouded, Which for winding-sheets they wore.”