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THE
WIZARD OF WEST PENWITH,

A Tale of the Land's-End;
BY William Bentinck Forfar

Author of "PENTOWAN," "PENGERSICK CASTLE,"
"KYNANCE COVE," &c., &c.

PENZANCE:
W. CORNISH, THE LIBRARY,
1871.

THE AWFUL RIDE.

See Page 49.

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PREFACE.

In writing my Cornish Tales I have always endeavoured to pourtray theCornish character in all its native wit and humour, for which thegenuine west-country miners are so proverbial. And I have generallytaken for the foundation of my Stories incidents which have reallyhappened in the localities wherein the actions of my little dramas havebeen laid.

The scene of my present story is laid in the neighbourhood of theLand's-End, and most of the characters were well-known there in daysgone by;—the names only being fictitious.

The fall of the horse over the cliff is still in the remembrance of someold people in the neighbourhood; and the circumstance is related by theGuides who shew the beauties of the Land's-End scenery to strangers. Themarks of the horse's hoofs in the grass at the edge of the cliff arepreserved to this day.

The Wizard (or Conjuror as he was called) was a notorious character atSt. Just, some fifty years ago;—and the horrid murder related in thesepages; and the mistaken identity of the guilty parties are alsoveritable facts.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown were well-known characters, and are drawn from reallife.

This brief sketch of some of the scenes and characters to be found inthis little volume may perhaps add an interest to it, and induce a largenumber of the lovers of Cornish lore to honour it with a perusal.

Plymouth,
 March, 1871.

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CONTENTS.