important. A cordon of detached forts, connected for the most part with barracks, has been placed round those parts of the island where the cliffs are low enough to offer no difficulties to an enemy's approach; and there is one strong and large fortress (Fort George), mounting a large number of heavy guns, and tenable from the land for about thirty days. This fort, like that at Alderney, could only be taken by a large attacking force, provided with siege train, and by an enemy having command of the Channel. The main security, however, both of Alderney and Guernsey, is derived from the extreme variety and complexity of the currents, the great range of the tide, and the multitude of rocks and shoals that beset the passages by which ships must approach. The island thus possesses the defensive strength of the porcupine and hedgehog, if not the massive proportions of the lion and elephant.

Cornet Castle, though formerly important, has ceased to be of much value, except against small attacks; and the rock of Brehou, between Vale Castle and Herm, although mounted with heavy guns, could hardly be used against an enemy. Vale Castle is now only a barrack.

Many of the farm houses throughout the island are interesting; partly from their antiquity, and partly for historiettes connected with them. Most of them have good doorways with semicircular granite arches that have stood without the slightest injury for many centuries. A pretty sketch of one of these very characteristic doorways forms a tail-piece to this chapter. These houses are placed generally in sheltered positions away from the sea.

The roads of the island are now excellent, and reach to every part. They are, however, a very recent innovation, and are due to the exertions of one of the governors, Sir John Doyle. Less than fifty years ago, in a speech in which he urged the inhabitants to submit to the somewhat heavy tax necessary to construct, systematically, a good net-work of roads throughout the island, it was politic to submit such remarks as the following:

"One should think that in the nineteenth century, it would not be necessary to use many arguments to prove the utility of good public roads of communication. In this respect, we

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are two hundred years behind the rest of civilized Europe * * "It will be acknowledged that nothing is more conducive to health than exercise. In this country, if a man wishes thus to benefit his health, he must do it at the risk of his life. * * If the wife or daughter of a gentleman here is ill from the want of exercise, she is immediately ordered to England, at the risk of the sea- -at the risk of the enemy, and at a considerable expense; and the husband, or father, must separate from her, or give up his business."

The roads since constructed were admirably designed, and have been well executed. They enable the visitor to drive round the island and cross it in every direction; but they are not formal, and they neither seek nor altogether avoid differences of level. Where they proceed along the coast, near the sea, as from Pezerie to Grande Havre there is generally a sea wall defending the road, and except where the trees are allowed to overhang them, the water runs off within a very short time after rain. Not only have the roads been originally well made, but they are also kept in good condition, so that little is to be desired in this respect.

CHAPTER IV.

ISLANDS AND ROCKS NEAR GUERNSEY.

THE east coast of Guernsey is separated by a narrow channel from a formidable group of rocks and islands, ranging north-east and south-west, and nearly parallel to the main island. This channel is called the Little Russel, and in the narrowest part, opposite Vale Castle, there is not more than seven fathoms water. The whole group of islands and rocks is nearly six miles in length, from the Anfroque to the Ferriére rocks, and the width is about two miles. It includes Herm and Jethou-both inhabited-Crevichon, with a few other rocks, partially covered with vegetation, and Brehou, on which a small fort has been constructed. There are some other large detached rocks always above water; many others that are exhibited only during a part of each tide, and a multitude quite as dangerous as these, that never appear at all. One of the most dangerous rocks in the Little Russel is the Roustel, which lies exactly in mid channel, and only shows within two hours of low water.

An area of nearly continuous broken granite, laid bare at low water, extends for about two miles beyond the northern extremity of Herm, the principal island of this group. Except two narrow channels, there is no important break in the rocks, and they connect with a similar group about half a mile wide, projecting beyond the west coast of Herm, looking towards Guern

sey. Close to Herm, and forming a tongue at its northern extremity, there is a spit of low, flat land, which extends some distance seawards.

That part of the island of Herm permanently above water, is an irregular oval, measuring about a mile and a-half from south to north, and half as much across. As in Guernsey, the southern and eastern part of the island is high and precipitous, while the western and northern parts are lower and more accessible. The low grounds of L'Ancresse are represented in Herm by the long stretch of beach already alluded to; but while in Guernsey the sand is entirely quartz, in Herm it consists exclusively of small shells and fragments of shell, ground into a powder by the sea. On the north-eastern side of the island is a small bay, similarly provided with a shell beach.

The summit of Herm is flat. There is a valley at the north end, opening out to the smaller shell beach, and a well-marked through narrow depression on the south side, near Jethou. The central table land is, for the most part, cultivated; but the slopes,

especially near the sea, are still wild and covered with coarse, wiry, tufted grass, brambles and gorse. Among them it is difficult to walk. It is possible, however, to make one's way round by the cliffs and scramble down to the rocks at various points, although at the risk of being embayed, should the tide be rising. The scenery of the coast is remarkable. A beautiful white

and black granite rock forms the hard back bone; and may be recognised at intervals, around the coast, sometimes projecting from the ground in jagged pinnacles, sometimes seen in boulders and detached rocks. This granite is intersected by many wide. veins, extremely variable in their nature, but generally either soft or readily decaying. Deep ravines have consequently been cut by the sea at various places, terminating in small caverns; none of which, however, run in very far. Where the vein is decomposing it turns readily into soil; a great thickness of micaceous sand and fine gravel exists at the surface, and the entrances to the caverns are, in these cases, deeply and richly fringed with ferns, whose brilliant metallic green singularly and beautifully contrasts with the peculiar square, hard lines, produced by the parallel walls and straight top of the sides and roof.

But besides these caverns, eaten in by the sea, there is also a noble creux* in this little island. The top is about as large as the Pot in Sark, but the depth is less considerable. At the bottom is a tunnel, communicating with the sea. The origin of this creux is clearly to be traced to the action of water from the surface; and is quite unconnected with the sea; although, no doubt, when the water had once made its way downwards and a channel at the bottom was opened, the carrying away of the fallen rubbish greatly facilitated the enlargement of the hole above. Singularly wild and picturesque are the rocky bits to be seen

* The word creux (a hollow space), already made use of, is applied in Guernsey to a cavern, but elsewhere in the Channel Islands it means rather a funnel-shaped depression or shaft, communicating at the bottom with the sea by a kind of tunnel. Occasionally, the walls of this tunnel are broken away.