instead of mere book statements, and each girl was taught to make her own map of the district.

[52]

"I believe we've examined everything except an iceberg and a volcano," declared Betty Scott one day, "and I verily believe Miss Birks is on the look-out for both—hoped an iceberg might be washed ashore during those few cold days we had in January, and you know she told us Beacon Hill was the remains of an extinct volcano. I expect she wished it might burst out suddenly again, like Vesuvius, just to show us how it did it!"

"Wouldn't we squeal and run if we heard rumblings and saw jets of steam coming up?" commented Evie Bennett. "I don't think many of us would stay to do scientific work, and take specimens of the lava."

"Where are we going this afternoon?" asked Elyned Hughes.

"Mapping, Miss Birks said. We're to make for the old windmill, and then draw a radius of six miles, from Kergoff to Avonporth. Hurry up, you others! It's after two, and Miss Harding's waiting on the terrace. What a set of slow-coaches you are!"

It was the turn of Vb to have a practical geography demonstration, and they started, therefore, under the guidance of the second mistress, to survey[53] the physical features of a certain portion of the neighbourhood, and record them in a map. Each girl was furnished by Miss Birks with a paper of questions, intended to be a guide to her observations:

Vb

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CONTENTS

1.—Using the windmill as a centre, what direction do the roads take?

2.—What villages or farms must be noted?

3.—What rivers or streams, and their courses?

4.—What lakes or ponds?

5.—The general outline of the coast?

6.—Are there hills or mountains?

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