288 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



streets, as I once saw them with shuddering disgust. 

 Formerly women were thus publicly whipped ; but that 

 disgraceful exhibition was put a stop to before my time ; 

 and now Jersey has grown humanised enough to see 

 that whipping men must be relinquished. It was in- 

 deed a loathsome sight. The naked shrieking wretch, 

 with a cord round his neck, halberds pointed at his 

 breast to prevent his hurrying forwards, his back stream- 

 ing with blood, his face turned imploringly towards the 

 surgeon, who walked beside the executioner, and whom 

 I once heard utter the cruel words, " Harder, Jack I " 

 meaning that the victim had strength to withstand even 

 harder blows — a brutal mob following without sym- 

 pathy — the procession moving slowly from the Town- 

 Hall to the Prison ; — this was the picture Justice fre- 

 quently presented to the inhabitants of Jersey, and 

 which now, thank God, will never be seen by them 

 again, but will take its place among the brutalities of 

 the past, a sign of the onward progress we have 

 made. 



Although St Heliers, " the capital of Jersey," was the 

 spot consecrated by memory, I took up my abode at 

 the entrance of the fishing- village of Gorey, just four 

 miles from St Heliers ; and as these pages are addressed 

 to amateur naturalists, some of whom may hereafter 

 visit Jersey, a word on the reason of my choice may not 

 be superfluous. The attractions of the capital I do not 

 deny, and if the visitor is in need of watering-place 

 attractions, be will pitch his tent there ; but if his pri- 

 mary desires be zoology and quiet, he will select Gorey, 



