We made an excursion along the coast to visit the ruins of the church of Perranzabuloe, supposed to be the most ancient in Britain.  It had for centuries been covered up by the sand.  We had left Nat under the charge of the landlady, and engaged a boat to carry us round to visit these interesting ruins.  After a long pull we landed up a little creek, near which stand two rocks, known as "The Old Man and his Wife."  Near at hand was a small fishing-village, in the neighbourhood of which we visited an ancient amphitheatre, still wonderfully perfect.  We here obtained a guide to conduct us to the church.  It must be understood that the whole shore is covered with fine sand, which is moved in a wonderful manner by northerly winds.  It has gradually swept over the country, destroying vegetation and covering up buildings as effectually as has been done by ashes from burning mountains.  The progress of the sand is sometimes gradual and almost imperceptible; at other times, in the course of a gale, whole villages have been overwhelmed, allowing the inhabitants scarcely time to escape.  Such was the case with this ancient church and the surrounding habitations.  So completely had the sand swept over it, that it had quite disappeared; and it was only, after the lapse of centuries, discovered about forty years ago, though a tradition existed in the neighbourhood that a church had once stood there.  It was discovered by a Mr Mitchell, who, undeterred by difficulties, succeeded in removing a mass of sand and exposing the building which had so long been covered up.  The masonry is rude, but the walls are solid and complete.  The interior was perfectly free from the modern accompaniments of Roman Catholic places of worship.  There was no rood-loft, no confessional, no pictures of the Virgin and saints, nothing to indicate the unscriptural adoration of the wafer, or masses for the dead.  The most diligent search was made for beads and pyxes, censers and crucifixes; not a fragment of either could be discovered. At the eastern end we saw a plain, unornamental chancel; in the nave are stone seats attached to the walls.