"It is truly a busy and a curious scene: at this season, at half-tide, or low water, multitudes of carts, and horses, and boats, and vraickers, cover the beach, the rocks, and the water; and so anxious are the people to make the most of their limited time, that I have often seen horses swimming and carts floating-so unwilling are the vraickers to be driven from their spoil by the inexorable tide.

"But this seaweed is not, as I have said, employed solely as manure, but is also used as fuel; and for this purpose it is collected at other times than at the regular vraicking seasons, not from the rocks indeed, but from the sea-beach; for, of course, some of the weed is constantly detaching itself from the rocks, and is borne to the shore by the tide. The collection of this seaweed is a constant employment with those who live near the seashore; and the produce of their labor is either used for fuel, or is sold to those who want it. At almost all times, men, women, and children-but chiefly the two latter-are to be seen at this employment, gathering, or spreading the weed out to dry: they use a rake, or three-pronged pitchfork, and a wheelbarrow, in which it is carried above high-water mark to be dried. This is the universal fuel of the country, and it makes a hot, if not a cheerful fire. Coal is scarcely at all used, and only a very small quantity of wood along with the vraic, and this event not universally. On feast days only, and family gatherings, a coal fire is lighted in the best parlor."

CHAPTER IX.

THE ISLE OF GUERNSEY.

THE rural scenery of Guernsey, though destitute, in some measure, of both wood and water (meandering streams), two essential requisites to constitute the finished landscape, might almost vie with that of the Isle of Wight, which, for beauty, has long been celebrated as the garden of England. Some of the bays are grand and romantic; particularly those of Petit-Bo and Moulin-Huit, and the village of the King's Mills, embosomed in hills (excepting on the west, which opens to the sea), are perhaps the most picturesque and enchanting, though the scenery about St. Martin's is much to be admired. In spring, the whole face of the country is clad in the richest vesture; primroses, violets, and blue-bells cover the verdant banks; and the apple blossoms of the numerous orchards, which have the fanciful appearance of small, blooming coppices, and in part supply the want of wood-scenery, are beautiful beyond description; even the little rills, though not seen meandering through the meadows, nevertheless add to the beauty of the landscape by turning the overshot wheels of several mills in deep valleys, which have a pretty effect; in short, such a profusion of flowers of all sorts unfold their varied hues, and fruit and vegetation in general are so plentiful and luxuriant, that Flora and Pomona seem to vie with each other in lavish distribution on this their favored isle.

The island of Guernsey is almost entirely of granitic formation. Its shape approaches the triangular, broad at the south end, and tapering to the north. Its breadth, at the south end, is about seven miles; at the north end from one to two; and in the centre of the island about three. Its extreme length, from the northeast to the southwest, is about nine miles; the average length about six. The superficies of the island contains 15,559 acres; of which, however, a considerable portion is waste, or meadow, recently reclaimed from the sea. The population of the island in 1831 was 24,349; of which 13,893 were in the town of St. Peter's Port.

Nearly in the centre of the east side of the island is a long curve, or irregular bay, in which lies the town of St. Peter's Port. As St. Helier's, in Jersey, as its rock in the harbor, with Elizabeth castle, so St. Peter's Port has its rock, with Castle Cornet. Both, formerly, were the residences of the respective governors of the islands. Castle Cornet, like Mount Orgueil, is a very ancient fortification. As its story of seige and defence may not be so interesting as the account of an accident which befell it, we may pass by the one, and give the other, as circumstantially detailed by Berry:

"The dreadful catastrophe by fire happened on the 29th December, 1672, by the lightning communicating with the magazine, which blew up, with a terrible explosion, carrying with it most of the houses and lodgings of the castle, and in particular some new and handsome buildings, then lately erected at considerable expense, by the governor, Lord Viscount Hatton, who (together with his family and some other persons) was lodged at the time in a part of the castle thrown down by the shock, and buried in the ruins. It appears that the dowager Lady Hatton, who was in the upper part of the castle, called the new buildings, was killed by the falling in of the ceiling of her apartment. Lady Hatton, the wife of the governor, and daughter of the earl of Thanet, being greatly terrified at the thunder and lightning, had fled to her children in the nursery, and was likewise destroyed, with her waiting-woman and nurse, the latter of whom was found dead, with his lordship's second daughter in her arms, unhurt; though it is related that the child held in her hands a small silver cup, her usual plaything, which was much battered and bruised. The youngest child, who lay in a cradle almost filled with rubbish, was likewise saved without the least injury. But beside those mentioned, several other persons lost their lives. A marvellous story is related of his lordship's preservation, who, it is stated, was fast asleep at the time; and by the explosion was carried away in his bed, unhurt, to the battlement of a wall washed by the sea, between rugged precipices; and, what is still more extraordinary, it is averred to be a fact, that his lordship did not awake till a shower of hailstones that fell on his face roused him from his sound repose. He was then conveyed by two black servants to the guardroom of the castle, in a state of anxiety for the safety of his family, more easily conceived than described; but their melancholy fate could not be ascertained till daylight. A lieutenant of a company of foot, whose apartment was under that of his lordship, was forced by the shock into an entry beneath, and escaped unhurt. Lord Hatton's two sisters, an ensign belonging to his lordship's company, and his wife, with several other persons occupying apartments in the upper buildings of the castle, were also providentially saved. A large beam, it is said, fell between Lord Hatton's two sisters, who were before together, and completely separated them; from which perilous situation they were rescued, with little hurt, through a hole obliged to be cut in a party wall for the purpose. None of the others were seriously injured, though their rooms fell in, and they were nearly buried in their beds with the rubbish."

Castle Cornet is a very striking object in approaching St. Peter's Port. It is not so picturesque an object as Elizabeth castle, because it is not, like the latter, flanked by other rocks than that upon which it is built; and the folly of whitewashing part of it has greatly injured its naturally venerable appearance. It is difficult to distinguish between Elizabeth castle and the rock upon which it is built, but the renovators of Castle Cornet have taken care to make the line distinct enough. The castle is at present in a tolerable state of repair, mounts some cannon, and is garrisoned by a few soldiers. There are some good houses within it, though, as might be expected, it is not a strong fortification, in the modern acceptation of the phrase. The town of St. Peter's Port looks remarkably well from the water, and in this respect completely eclipses St. Helier's, in Jersey. It is built on the slope of an eminence, the houses overtopping each other; and on approaching after sunset, the various lights from the windows and the public lamps give it really a brilliant appearance. But, like many more important places than St. Peter's Port, these appearances are deceptive; and all the apparent attractions of the town disappear when one steps on shore. The first impressions of St. Peter's Port are decidedly unfavorable. We perambulate narrow, steep, and crooked streets, flanked by substantial, indeed, but old-looking, dusky houses; and walk as long as we may, we reach no open space, where we may stop and look about us. We speak at present of the town only, not of the environs, which are delightfully situated. The advantage which St. Helier possesses over St. Peter's Port is this, that the houses of the gentry are thrown into rows and streets, and form a part of the town; whereas, the better houses in Guernsey are not within the town, but are detached residences; and herein consists the great beauty of the environs of St. Peter's Port, which just as far exceed the expectations of the traveller, as the town falls below them.

The "lions" of St. Peter's Port are, its handsome fishmarket, its hospital or refuge for the destitute, and Elizabeth college. To these we may add the parish church. The fishmarket is quite a creditable thing to so small a town and so small an island. So also is the hospital or workhouse, for the excellent manage

ment and support of which the people of Guernsey deserve great praise. Elizabeth college is a fine building; it stands on an elevation behind the town, with a spacious area round it, ornamentally laid out.

The visiter will be struck with the superior neatness of the cottages of Guernsey, as compared with those of Jersey. He will also remark the passion which the people of Guernsey have for flowers. Splendid geraniums may be seen trailed up the front of many of the cottages, and among the other flowers cultivated, we must not forget the far-famed Guernsey lily, the pride of the island, and the favorite of every gardener, and every cottager who has a bit of garden ground. The Guernsey lily belongs to the amarylideæ, or narcissus tribe of plants, and is a native of Japan. It is said to have been introduced into Guernsey by accident. A vessel, having some roots on board, was wrecked off the island, and these being washed on shore, grew up on the beach; and the Hon. Mr. Hatton, son of Lord Hatton, the then governor, being charmed by the beauty of the flower, set about its cultivation, and naturalized it.

Guernsey is easily examined. The north end of the island is narrow, bare, and ugly, a large portion of it only having been reclaimed from the sea a few years ago, through the exertions of the same worthy governor who accomplished the making of the roads. It had previously been a marsh; and when the tide was full, the northern end of the island was completely cut off from the rest of it, and could only be approached by a bridge or causeway. The water was shut out by an embankment; the land was sold, and is now enclosed; and the purchase-money was applied to the making of the new roads. The southern and southwestern sides of Guernsey contain whatever of natural scenery is worth seeing. The environs of St. Peter's Port have been already mentioned. There is a fine field in the neighborhood of the town, called the New Ground, which is surrounded with double rows of trees, and was intended as a promenade for the inhabitants, though the inhabitants do not choose to promenade there, but, like their neighbors of Jersey, prefer the pier. From this ground there is a fine marine view-as there is to be obtained all round the townwhich includes in it the islands of Herm, Jethou, and Serk.

The Serk, or Sercq, is decidedly the most interesting of the whole group of the channel islands. It lies about six or seven miles from St. Peter's Port; and appears at a little distance, to be an elevated table-land, presenting on all sides frowning walls of rock. On the side next to Guernsey there is no mode of access but by slinging one's self by ropes up the rock; or, if the boatmen can be persuaded to go round the island there is a scanty slip of beach, with a door and a tunnel in the rock, through which the visiter finds entrance. In this harbor there is a beautiful little fountain of the clearest and coolest water, continually trickling down the rock, which is received in a natural basin, from which the fishermen fill their casks. The harbor is exactly what one might fancy to be a pirate's den-and indeed, during a portion of the fourteenth century, Serk was a pirate's nest, but that was before the tunnel was made. The tunnel, which is not unlike the entrance to a beehive, escapes notice at first; and the visiter feels that though landed in the harbor of Serk, he is still outside of the island. But after getting through this tunnel, instead of finding the island to be a flat, elevated country, it is found to be "covered with luxuriant crops-is diversified with wood-is intersected by roads-is broken into romantic valleys-is spotted with substantial farmhouses-and maintains in comfort and independence a hardy and industrious population of between five and six hundred."

The peninsula of Little Serk is connected with the main island by a high narrow ridge. This is about three hundred yards in length, and has a precipitous face to the sea on the eastern side; to the west it is also partly rocky and precipitous, and the remainder is a steep declivity of broken rocks and rubbish. It is called the Coupée, and on the top of it is a rugged path of frightful appearance, being in many places not above a yard or two in breadth, and in most without boundary on either hand. By this, the communication between the two parts of the island is kept up. The Coupée and the rocks and precipices in its neighborhood, are much visited by strangers. The engraving represents a favorite "pic-nic" spot; it is covered with grass to the summit. Serk may be described as an island having a body and head, joined by a narrow neck. The body is Great Serk, being the chief portion of the island, the head is Little Serk, and the neck is the Coupée. This, therefore, is a chief wonder of the remarkable island of Serk. The neck or isthmus is about four or five feet broad, with precipices on either side of about three hundred feet down to