26 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



family, and on its return to the archipelago brought 

 us another manager. Those of the islanders who 

 had been the promoters of this measure gave them- 

 selves an incredible amount of trouble to make a 

 noise in honour of the new-comer. They lighted 

 fires around the flagstaff, fired guns and pistols, and 

 cried till they were hoarse, Vive le Gouverneur ! 

 There were only two or three of these enthusiasts, 

 and during their demonstrations the rest of the 

 population quietly pursued their labours, and did 

 not even for a moment suspend any of their ordinary 

 avocations. Was not this a miniature representation 

 of the history of our great revolutions ? 



In addition to the persons who are employed upon 

 the farm, and who form a special body, Chausey 

 maintains three totally distinct classes of inhabitants ; 

 the stone-cutters, fishermen, and barilla-collectors. 

 The highest of these three classes is, undoubtedly, 

 the fishing community, whose seven or eight families 

 inhabit a small cape on the opposite side of the port 

 of Chausey. An old boat, turned on end at the foot 

 of some rock, forms the roof of their cabins, and is 

 kept in its place by stones cemented together with 

 the argillaceous mud of the Sound. One of these 

 huts, from ten to twelve feet square, and three to 

 four feet high, serves as a sleeping-place for a whole 

 family, including the father, mother, sons, daughters, 

 nephews, and nieces, and often various friends who 

 have been attracted by the prospect of a day's fishing 

 at spring tide. These fisher families are natives of 

 Blainville, a little port situated on the coast of Nor- 

 mandy, who resort year by year to Chausey to catch 



