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‘278 CHANNEL islands:
that there is no indication of a true Alderney cow so
certain, as prominent sparkling eyes: and in this, the
Alderney cow offers a strong contrast to other cows;
for the eye of a cow is generally of a tranquil and
sleepy expression.
The cow in Alderney is almost invariably tethered,
as in the other islands; and is milked three times a
day. Many instances of extraordinary produce came
to my knowledge. I heard of two cows, which produced
each 10 lbs. of butter per week, 18 oz. to the lb.
I even heard of another, which had produced 14 lbs.
of butter per week. Major Baines, the present
governor of Alderney, to whom I had the pleasure of
presenting a letter of introduction, and whose kindness
I am happy to acknowledge, informed me, that
he had a cow, which yielded twenty-five quarts of
milk per day. These are certainly extraordinary instances
of productiveness; but my general inquiries
do not warrant me in asserting, that the cow now met
with in Alderney, is any way superior, as a milclier,
to the cow of Jersey and Guernsey. If it be fair to
draAV any inference from the quality of the butter, it
would be an unfavourable one for Alderney, where I
found no butter equal to that of Guernsey.
Scarcely any observation is required respecting the
other domestic animals. The horses appear to be indifferent
; but in the rearing of hogs, the islanders are
very successful. I was informed, that it is no uncommon
occurrence for a hog to weigh'more than a well
fed cow: but as this..might be a proof of the smallness
of the cow, as well as of the size of the hog, I may
state, that the weight of some of the hogs has reached
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ALDERNEY. ‘279
500 pounds. I saw more sheep on Alderney, than on
Jersey or Guernsey: they are small, rough, and
black faced; and appeared to be but indifferently
attended to.
CH A P T ER I II.
The People of Alderney—their Character and Habits— Improvidence
and Feasting—Fishing—Expenditure, and Mode of Life
—How Time is passed—Party Spirit, and Litigioiisness—The
Climate of Alderney—Health and Disease, and Rate of Mortality.
I n this chapter I proceed to speak of the people. I
have already said, that properties in Alderney are extremely
small; and here, where there is not as in Jersey,
or even in Guernsey, a regular trade to take off
superabundant hands, and to offer some temptation to
those who have not a suflficient patrimonial inheritance,
the minute division of property leads to bad results;
for, where no patrimony whatever can possibly descend
to a child, he is sent out into the world, to push his
fortune; whereas, where there is some inheritance of
land, however trifling, one is not fond of deserting it;
and when, after some experience, it is found that the
owner cannot be supported by it, he falls into whatever
calling is the readiest and most likely to better
his fortune. This happens unfortunately to be the
smuggling trade ; for Alderney has none other.
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