U‘
298 CHANNEL i s l a n d s :
Passing from the southern coast of England to Je rsey,
or to the coast of Brittany, one perceives on the
left, after leaving Guernsey, at the distance of between
two and three leagues, the elevated, but even
line of an island, of considerable magnitude; for in
using this word, it will be recollected I am speaking
of the islands of the British Channel, none of which
are of great extent. This line, is the line of the table
land of S e rk : and if one should feel curious to bring
Serk a little nearer, and should apply the eye to a
telescope, nothing will be seen but a perpendicular,
and very rugged wall of rock. But this object, which,
by such a glimpse, one might very naturally conclude
to be a sterile, and perhaps even uninhabited islet, is
covered with luxuriant crops—is diversified with wood
—is intersected by roads—is broken into romantic
valleys—is spotted with substantial farm houses—and
maintains, in comfort and independence, a hardy and
industrious population of between 500 and 600.
I had not been long among the Channel Islands,
before I visited this interesting spot; provided with a
letter of introduction to the lord of Serk, W. Le
Pelley, Esq., to whom I take this opportunity of
returning my warmest acknowledgments for the valuable
information which I received from him, as well
as for the hospitalities of his manor house.
It was on a fine July morning, and with a stiff
breeze, that my little boat ran under the rocks of
Serk; and I confess I was not a little puzzled to
understand, where the boatmen intended to put me
ashore; for everywhere round the little cove into
which we had run, perpendicular rocks rose from the
SERK.
water, to the height of several hundred feet. However,
by the boatmen laying aside his oars, and
demanding his fare, I concluded that the voyage had
ended; though I could not, for the life of me, understand
how my pilot intended to dispose of me.
“ That is the way,” said he, in his own broken dialect,
pointing upward; and upon casting my eyes in
the direction of his finger, I perceived a rope-end
dangling upon the rock,—and within arm’s length of
m e : and accordingly, concluding this to be the legitimate
entrance to the island, I paid my fare,—seized
the rope, —and finding resting places for the tiptoe,
and sometimes for the sole of the foot, reached by
these various helps, and by the aid of the rope, a
ledge about forty feet above the water. From this
spot, the ascent was somewhat easier, though still requiring
a sure foot, and a steady head; and after a
toilsome, but interesting scramble of between three
and four hundred feet, I found myself on the table
land of Serk, with a fine, and apparently level extent
before me, of cultivated land, and abundant vegetation.
It must not however be imagined, that there is
absolutely no way of gaining the table land of Serk,
unless by the precipitous, and somewhat dangerous
path, by which I made my entrance. Serk possesses
a harbour; though the very least, and most curious,
and most picturesque, that can well be imagined; but
this little harbour lying on the other side of the
island, boatmen from Guernsey prefer making their
passengers swing up the side of the rock, to the inconvenience
of a longer voyage. This little harbour.