DESCRIPTIVE. lI 
composed of stones of stupendous size and weight, was, until 
very recently, almost concealed by brambles and rank herbage, 
but now it has been carefully cleared and railed in, so that it will 
be preserved for all future time. At St. Peter’s, a huge monolith, 
eleven feet high, ‘by lichens grey and scanty moss o’ergrown,’ 
marks the burial-place of some famous warrior chief, perhaps, or 
commemorates his exploits. Rude pottery, stone implements, and 
-other relics of human workmanship, have been disinterred from time 
to time, proving that the island was inhabited by man at a very 
remote period. 
Guernsey is divided civilly and ecclesiastically into ten parishes, 
which are separated from each other by streamlets or main roads as 
a general rule, but sometimes by invisible lines, which bisect fields 
and gardens, or even houses, so that there are instances where a 
farm-house has certain rooms in one parish and the remainder in 
another. St. Andrew’s, which occupies the centre of the island, is 
the only parish that has no seaboard. 
The town of St. Peter-Port, which is comprised within the parish 
-of that name, is situated on the eastern side of Guernsey, and numbers 
a population of about 17,000 souls. Built on the slope of a hill 
which rises rapidly from the sea, it presents a strikingly beautiful 
picture when approached from the water; and the rocky fortress of 
Castle Cornet, together with the magnificent harbour and _ break- 
water, add considerably to the general effect. Judging from the old 
prints and drawings still extant, the town must have presented an 
exceedingly quaint appearance a century ago, having narrow streets 
and leaning houses, such as we find in many an old French town at 
‘the present time. During the last few decades great alterations and 
improvements have been made, and the inhabitants have gained 
largely in the matter of comfort and convenience, though unavoidably 
-at the cost of much that was picturesque. 
The parish of St. Martin’s, which forms the south-eastern angle 
of the island, has furnished more subjects for brush, pencil, and 
‘camera than any other part of Guernsey. Fermain Bay, Jerbourg 
Point, the Peastacks, Moulin Huet Bay and its famous water-lane, 
Saints Bay, and Icart Point are all within its boundaries ; and in the 
adjoining parish ot the Forest we have Petit Bot Bay, the prettiest of 
-all, and the bold cliffs and black abyss of the Gouffre. 
Very striking cliff scenery is to be found all along the south 
-coast as far as the Land’s End of Guernsey, Pleinmont Point, on 
which stands the lonely house immortalised by Victor Hugo in his 
thrilling novel, Les Zravailleurs de la Mer. Rocquaine Bay opens 
-out to the west, and presents a bristling array of rocks at all times of 
the tide. To the south are the Hanois Rocks and lighthouse, to 
the north the wind-swept islet of Lihou, on which are still to be seen 
the ruins of an ancient priory and chapel, dating from the beginning 
-of the twelfth century. 
