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3-22 CHANNEL ISLANDS :
There was formerly, a considerable number of sheep
on the island; and since on many parts, the sheep
walks are unexceptionable, it is surprising that the
proprietor should overlook so simple a mode of enriching
himself. But every one, they say, has his
hobby; and the working of stone quarries is the
hobby of the present owner of Herm. When I visited
Herm, several stone quarries were in process of being
worked; and it is the opinion of the best informed,
that under better management, these quarries might,
be made a source of profit; for to any one working
them economically, there are many great advantages.
There are of course no harbour dues ; and the quarries
lie so close to the beach, that there is no expense of
carriage : the stone is of a good quality, and abundant;
and with these advantages, and with ordinary
management, it ought certainly to yield a remunerating
price. It was supposed some time ago, that a
vein of copper was discovered: a mine was sunk, and
worked several hundred yards; but nothing was obtained
to repay the labour,—or the speculator.
A little harbour has been constructed in the neighbourhood
of the quarries, and large vessels are sometimes
seen loading here.
The proprietor of Herm lives on the island. He
has his house and his establishment there; and contrives
to live without society. The only other houses
excepting his, are those of a few agricultural labourers,
and some miserable cottages for the quarriers. There
is no lack of amusement however, of a certain kind in
Herm. It abounds in wild rabbits; and besides the
birds that frequent the other islands, a shot at a cor-
HERM. 323
morant may sometimes be had. The rocks also,
abound in shell fish; and shrimping parties from
Guernsey, are accordingly of constant occurrence.
This, by the by, is a favourite amusement in all the
islands, and is occasionally indulged in by persons of
all ranks; and so various are tastes, in the matter of
recreation, that I have seen individuals who found
as much pleasure in wading for half a day, knee deep
among rocks, to make capture of some handfuls of
shrimps, as has ever been afforded to others in the
pursuit of the deer or the fox.
But Herm possesses another attraction, which,
during the summer, is the frequent source of pic-nic
parties from Guernsey,—its shell beach. This beach,
which extends from half a mile to three quarters of a
mile, is one mass of shells; intermixed neither with
pebbles nor sand. Dig with your hands as you may,
there is still nothing but shells. Few I believe, that
the conchologist would esteem valuable, are now to be
found; and indeed, few perfect shells of any size, now
remain. The shell beach is not of course composed
of the larger perfect shells, but of minute perfect shells,
and fragments of larger shells. The minute shells
are very pretty, and may be gathered in millions; and
although I am no conchologist, and might p ro ^ b ly
commit so great a heresy, as to estimate the value of
shells by their beauty, I spent a long summer’s day
much to my mind in Herm, chiefiy wandering on the
shell beach,—lying on it, — digging my hands an
arm’s length down; and sifting, and examining, and
pocketing. Nor must I omit the agreeable conversation
of the intelligent individual who accompanied me.