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288 CHANNEL i s l a n d s ;
it be believed, that the garden belonging to the
government-house, and which reaches up to the windows
of the house, has been taken from Major Baines,
and let on the behalf of government, at the magnificent
sum of 81 per annum ! This is economy. The
reason alleged is, that government made a bad bargain
with the late hereditary governor. General Mesurier ;
and that the 700Z. a year, for which he was tempted to
relinquish his patent, must be made up as far as
possible, from the revenues of the island. That
government made a bad bargain is certain; but it
would be well to look to the sinecurists and overpaid
persons elsewhere, before an insult is offered to the
representative of the British government, to effect a
miserable accession of 8/. to the treasury.
I must not omit to mention, that there is an island
militia, consisting of about 200 men; together with
nine pieces of artillery, and seventy artillerymen.
The service is extremely popular; and the soldiers
pride themselves on their correct shooting,—probably
not without some reason ; since the number of rabbits
and birds, on Alderney, and on the neighbouring
island of Berhou, afford sufficient opportunity for
practice.
Before quitting Alderney, the reader must accompany
me on another rid e ; for although I have but
little more to tell, of Alderney, I have some strange
things to tell of the neighbouring island of Berhou;
and I must also say something of the Caskets and
their light-house, which, both day and night, are so
conspicuous from every elevation in Alderney.
In riding for the last time, over the island, some
stone quarries were pointed out to me. They are
used only in building ; and not being situated close to
the sea, it is probable that the expense of carriage
would prevent the realization of profit by exportation.
I noticed with some surprise, numbers of enormous
stones lying imbedded in the sandy soil, on the sides,
and even on the top of the hills, where no rocks are to
be seen. I do not attempt any explanation of this.
I missed in Alderney that abundance of wild flowers,
wliich is so striking and so attractive a feature of the
sister islands. Only a few days before, I had seen in
Guernsey and Jersey, the banks so covered with
primroses, that scarcely could the grass be seen ; while
on others, were thousands of the single wild daffodil,
with its beautiful fringed bell-shaped heart, and pale
and fragile petals, and delicate odour ; bringing to my
recollection Wordsworth’s
Host of dancing daffodils;
Along the lake, beneath the trees,
Ten thousand dancing in the breeze,
The seaward view from any of the heights of Alderney,
is perhaps, more striking, than from any of the
other islands; for the French coast is so near, as in
some positions to be easily mistaken for a distant part
of the island : and the Casket light-houses also form
another object of interest. Alderney too, being-
situated more on the outside of the great bay, than
the other islands, is more in the way of vessels up and
down the Channel, especially of the numerous French
chasse marées that trade between the southern ports
and the Baltic ; so that, owing to the more frequent
vessels, there is greater variety in the sea views
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