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the sweetest I think in nature,—loads every air that
blows.
The only part of Serk, that is not under tillage, or
some cultivation, is “ Little Serk,” to which I found my
way the first evening of my arrival ; and Little Serk,
or rather, the access to Little Serk, is one of the
wonders of Great Serk. It will be difficult I fear, to
convey to the reader a clear understanding of this
wonder ; but it is necessary that I should make the
attempt. Little Serk, as it is called, is a part of, and
connected with the island of Serk; and may form
perhaps one-eighth part of it ; and the singularity is,
that at the point of junction, the island is almost cleft
in twain. To pass from the larger to the smaller
part of the island, you walk along a narrow isthmus,—
nearly two hundred yards long, and four or five feet
broad, with precipices on either side, of about three
hundred feet deep, down to the sea. On one side,
the descent is perpendicular; on the other, so precipitous,
that one would be more rash than bold in
attempting a descent. The connecting ridge is a
solid rock.
At one time, the pass was still more dangerous
than it now is. In 1811, a small part of the ridge
was detachejd and fell ; but before this, the width was
not more than two feet. It is related, that an individual
who resided in Little Serk, was accustomed
very frequently to visit the other part of the island,—
one temptation being, to call at the public-house : and
that when he returned home at night, he was in the
habit of ascertaining, by a certain test, whether he
had drunk so much, as to make it imprudent for him to
venture across. This important test of his sobriety
was thus practised. During the war, a piece of artillery
had been posted close to the point of junction,—
and indeed I believe lies there still; and the test by
which the tippler ascertained the steadiness of his
head, was, to walk on the cannon from end to end,
two or three times. If he accomplished his task, he
concluded that he was sober enough to venture across
the bridge; but if he fell, or slipped over, he then lay
down, and slept among the heath, till on awaking, a
second trial proved to him the safety of the attempt.
Little Serk differs in its features from the rest of
the island: it is, in fact, a fine sheep walk—only that
few sheep walk upon it; and it is scarcely, if at all,
under tillage; neither is there any wood: but the
absence of wood is atoned for, by the beautiful heaths
with which the ground is tufted. I have never indeed
in a northern latitude, seen any heath so beautiful as
that whicli grows upon Serk. From the elevated part
of Little Serk, an extensive view is laid open, comprehending
the whole of the Channel Archipelago.
Guernsey, with its imposing town, at the distance of
three leagues, is distinctly visible; to the south-east,
and at the distance of about twenty miles, or somewhat
less, Jersey is seen on the horizon; in precisely an
opposite direction, the smaller island of Alderney is
still less distinctly visible : wliile nearer at hand, Herm,
Jethou, and many still smaller islets, stud the ocean
on all sides.
Descending from the table land of Serk to the sea,
which may with considerable difficulty be accomplished
at one point, by far the finest rock scenery is present