52 INTRODUCTION. 



bitants of these islands give to Sea- weed is vraic, evidently 

 a corruption of varec, the French word for Sea-weed. 



According to Inglis^ collecting vraic is so important a 

 matter in the Channel Islands, that the seasons when the 

 operations of cutting and collecting it begin, are appointed 

 by law. The seasons are two, usually the 10 th of March 

 and the 20th of July, and they continue about ten days. 

 When the vraicJcing season has come, if a family be not 

 sufficiently numerous for the work, they are joined by some 

 of their neighbours, and the parties, consisting of eight, 

 ten, or twelve, sally forth betimes from all parts of the 

 island to their laborious, but cheerful work. Though a 

 time of labour, it is also a season of merriment, — the 

 "vraicking cakes,^' made of flour, milk, and sugar, are 

 plentifully partaken of. On the cart which accompanies 

 the party to the sea-beach, there is generally slung a little 

 cask of something to drink, with a suitable supply of eata- 

 bles. Every individual is provided with a small scythe to 

 cut the weeds from the rocks, and with strong leg and 

 foot-gear. The carts proceed as far as the tide will allow, 

 and boats carry the rraicl-ers to those more distant rocks 

 which are not approachable in any other way. 



" It is trulv a busv and curious scene,'^ savs Inc^lis : 



