CHAPTER VIII.

THE ISLE OF JERSEY.

JERSEY is in form an irregular parallelogram, about ten miles long and five broad. Its greatest length, from southeast to northwest, is about twelve miles. Its circumference, taking all the sinuosities and windings, is nearly fifty miles. Its superfices contains about forty thousand acres. The surface of the island slopes from north to south-the whole of the northern coast, with the eastern and western shoulders, being composed of lofty, precipitous cliffs, while the southern shore, though fringed with crags and beds of rocks, lies low, and has a considerable portion of sandy beach. The whole circumference of the island is indented by bays, coves, and inlets.

Jersey is locally divided into twelve parishes, each with its old-fashioned parish church. The town of St. Helier, the only town in the island (for all the other collections of houses have no claim to a higher title than hamlets or villages), lies in the parish of the same name, on the southern shore. Not far from St. Helier's is St. Saviour's; southwest of St. Helier's, on the seashore, is St. Brelade's; St. Ouen's is on the western side of the island; St. Mary's, St. Peter's, and St. Lawrence's, may be termed inland churches. Not far from the north coast are St. John's and Trinity'; and on the east are St. Martin's, Grouville, and St. Clement's.

St. Helier, we have said, is on the southern shore; it lies on the eastern side of the beautiful bay of St. Aubin. In proceeding to St. Helier from England, we sail by the western side of Jersey, turn round by the craggy southwestern corner of the island, pass St. Brelade's bay, and, rounding Normoint point, a projecting rock forming the southwestern extremity of St. Aubin's bay, sail across the bay to its eastern side, passing the rock on which stands Elizabeth castle (see engraving).

The rock on which Elizabeth castle is built is not less than a mile in circumference; and one is surprised, on passing through the gateway, to find a wide grassy level, terminated by extensive barracks and their appurtenances. In war time, this fortress was an important place, and no doubt presented to the eye and ears of the traveller a very different scene from that which it now presents. Decay seems now to be creeping over it; and although a solitary sentinel is still to be seen pacing to and fro, and although pyramids of shot still occupy their accustomed places, grass and weeds have forced their way through the interstices, and the rows of dismounted cannon show that the stirring days of war have gone by. May the weeds long grow, and the rust continue to creep over the engines of death!

On the top of a rock, situated a little to the south of Elizabeth castle, and, like it, accessible at low water, may still be seen the rude remains of a hermitage, the canonized tenant of which is said to have given name to St. Helier.

Elizabeth castle, as a fortification, has been thrown into the shade by a huge fortress, termed Fort Regent, which was begun in 1806. It was erected at an expense of eight hundred thousand pounds; but the utility of the work bears no proportion whatever to the immense sum of money which it cost.

St. Quen's bay occupies nearly the whole of the western side of Jersey, forming a curve between four and five miles in length. There is nothing, however, remarkable on this side of the island. The bay of St. Ouen presents a large, flat, sandy tract, which is exposed to all the fury of the western gales. Part of the bay is said by Falle to have been a fertile valley, in which grew an actual forest of oaks, but was submerged about the end of the fifteenth, or beginning of the sixteenth century. He also mentions that the inhabitants had a traditional belief, that the irruption of the sea was a judgment from heaven.

St. Brelade's bay is one of the many bays, creeks, and coves, of various dimensions, which indent the circumference of Jersey, and though not the most remarkable, is a singular and interesting spot. The church stands on the western side of the bay, the churchyard being washed by the sea at high water. "The whole building," says

Mr. Plees, "is small, very plain, both internally and externally. It has neither spire nor tower, but over the nave it is roofed like a house. There is indeed a round turret, that rises from the ground, but which is built in a nook, and ascends only to a small belfry." One of the old chapels of the island, which are stated to be anterior in the date of their erection to the churches, is in St. Brelade's churchyard. It is the only one in tolerable preservation. "It was called," says Plees, "La Chapelle és pécheurs.' St. Brelade's bay," he adds, "is a semicircular basin, the regular contour of which is broken on its eastern side by a projecting mass of rocks, by which a second curve is made, forming a smaller bay. The valley is a steril spot, scantily strewed over with meagre blades of grass, yet a species of ground-rose creeps over the sandy surface. The flower resembles the common dog-rose, and is delightfully fragrant." "The shores of this bay," says Mr. Inglis, "are sloping, as are all the southern shores of the island, and are everywhere covered with a small ground-rose, of the finest color, and emitting all the fragrance of the rose d'amour.' Excepting in the southern parts of Bavaria, I have never observed this rose elsewhere than in Jersey."

Another object of great interest in the Isle of Jersey is Mount-Orgueil castle (see engraving). Mount-Orgueil castle (Orgueil is lofty or proud) has some interesting recollections connected with it. Here, for a time, lived Charles II., during the days of his wandering, before he came to that throne, the possession of which he so grossly abused; and here, for three years, was imprisoned one of the victims of the ignorance and evil passion of the age, William Prynne. Prynne was the victim of bigotry, yet he himself had much of the bigot in his spirit and prejudices. In a petition to the house of commons, in 1641, he complains that he was sent from Caernarvon castle to Jersey "in a bruised shipwrackt vessel, full of leakes, and after foureteene weekes voyage in the winter season, through dangerous stormes and seas, which spoyled most of his stuffe and bedding, and threatening often shipwrack to him, he arrived

at the said isle, and was conveyed close prisoner into Mont Orgatile castle." Yet this heroic and dauntless sage of the law, who for the freedom of his speech and writing was fined, put in the pillory, had his ears cropped, and was sent from prison to prison, makes it one of his complaints in his petition, that some of his fellow-prisoners and passengers to Jersey were Roman catholics, with whom he was compelled to associate! While Prynne was in Mount-Orgueil castle, he celebrated it in verse, and entitled his poem, "A poetical description of Mount-Orgueil castle, in the Isle of Jersey, interlaced with some brief meditations from its rocky steep and lofty situation."

Mount-Orgueil castle is the most ancient of the fortifications of Jersey; it has seen service in its day. How long it existed previous to the reign of King John is not known-at that time it was enlarged and strengthened. The rocky headland on which it stands, whose lofty appearance has given origin to the name, juts out into the sea, separating Grouville bay and St. Catherine's bay, which occupy the greater part of the eastern side of Jersey. "Whether seen from land or from sea, Mount Orgueil is well entitled to the appellation of an imposing ruin. In many parts the walls are yet entire; but in other places, massive as they are, they have yielded to the pressure of time; and the mantle of ivy, which in most parts hangs from their very summits, is in fine unison with the gray tint of age that here and there is seen where the walls are bare, and with the loopholes and rents that time has made.' The ascent to the summit is somewhat toilsome; but one is amply repaid for the labor of it by the magnificence of the prospect. It embraces several of the bays which lie on either side-the richly-wooded range of heights, that girds the central parts of the island; the village [of Gorey] far below, with its harbor and shipping; the whole expanse of sea; and the distant coast of France." The cathedral of Coutance, in Normandy, can be distinguished on clear days.

One remarkable custom still exists in Jersey, in nearly all its pristine vigor, for the wants of the inhabitants uphold it. This is the collection of the seaweed, which serves both as manure and fuel. Dr. M'Culloch, in his geological tour over Jersey, found no trace of lime. Falle mentions the want, and describes the substitution of seaweed. Plees thus amplifies the account of Falle: "Though neither chalk, limestone, nor marl, has been hitherto discovered in the island, yet the Divine Goodness has not left Jersey without a substitute for manure: this is seaweed, of different species of algae, all called in the island by the general name of vraic.' This marine vegetable grows luxuriantly on the rocks round the coast. It is gathered only at certain times, appointed by public authority. There are two seasons for cutting it. A part is dried and serves for fuel, after which the ashes are used for manure; and part is spread, as fresh gathered, on the ground, and ploughed in; it is likewise scattered, in the same state, over meadow land, and is said to promote the growth of grass. It may, perhaps, have this effect; but, as the solar heat in summer-time, and the frequent stormy winds, soon parch it, some of its salutary influence seems likely to be lost; and it appears probable that a slight sprinkling of sea water would, though perhaps in a less degree, have a similar effect. Vraicking is a dangerous employment. Fatal accidents happen almost every season. The boats go to a considerable distance from the shore, and return deeply laden. A sudden squall rises, the currents are rapid, and the unwieldy bark is either overset, or whelmed beneath the surge."

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Inglis gives a more cheerful description of "vraicking." The French word varech, equivalent to our general expression seaweed, is in the Jersey dialect "vraic ;" there are two seasons for gathering it, summer and winter, the days of commencement being appointed by the court, each time about ten days. When the vraicking season begins, those whose families are not numerous enough to collect the needful supply assist each other; and the vraicking parties, consisting of eight, ten, or twelve persons, sally forth betimes, from all parts of the island, to their necessary, laborious, but apparently cheerful work. Although a time of labor, it is also a season of merriment: vraicking cakes,' made of flour, milk, and sugar, are plentifully partaken of; and on the cart, which accompanies the party to the sea-beach, is generally slung a little cask of something to drink, and a suitable supply of eatables. Every individual is provided with a small scythe, to cut the weed from the rocks, and with strong leg and foot gear. The carts proceed as far as the tide will allow them, and boats, containing four or six persons, carry the vraickers to the more distant rocks, which are unapproachable in any other way.