]861.] KENTISH BOTANY. 245 



the side of Dover which is opposite to the seabeach. The town 

 fills the bottom of the comb^ aud has extended along the shore 

 to the east, under the hill on which the Castle stands. When 

 the traveller enters from Deal, the Castle is on the left. When 

 he arrives from the Continent, the Castle is on the right, and 

 the new fortress building on the west of Dover is on the left- 

 hand. The background is completely shut in by steep hills, so 

 that Dover is open only on the south, or that part which is oppo- 

 site to the sea. Entering either from Deal or from Folkestone 

 the visitor obtains a bird's-eye view of the town. 



This is surely one of the most singularly situated and the most 

 picturesque of England's numerous and beautiful urban locali- 

 ties. Its environs, especially its cliffs, are most favourable for 

 botanical pursuits; but as it was now late in the season, and, 

 what was worse, late in the day, we had but little leisure to note 

 the rare plants of this ancient military and naval station. We 

 had made arrangements for sleeping at Folkestone, seven or eight 

 miles further, and determined to take Lydden Spout in our way, 

 therefore haste and good speed were both requisite, in order that 

 we might reach our quarters in proper time. 



The only notable plant observed at Dover was Diplotaxis 

 tenuifolia, which abounded on the walls, and was not scarce 

 along both sides of the road between Dover and Haugham (here 

 pronounced Havjfliam) . 



The sun was setting as we scoured along the land side of 

 the Shakspeare, as they call this celebrated precipice, a singular 

 and well-merited honour to England's greatest poet. 



It was dark before we reached the houses on the cliff,"^ which 

 are occupied by the Preventives and their families. A little boy 

 belonging to one of the coastguard-men volunteered to conduct 

 us down the precipice by a zigzag rude staircase, consisting of 

 four hundred and forty-four steps, united by several inclined 

 planes by way of landings. 



* Future botanists who may follow our track (for there are good pickings, 

 rich gleanings, obtainable after those who have spent more time on this coast than 

 we could afford), should, instead of going on straight to Lydden Spout, descend the 

 chff by the "Shrimpers' Steps," a short distance beyond the Shakspeare, and 

 botanize along the shore till they reach Lydden Spout. We suppose the way 

 between the cliffs and the sea is passable at all times, but this should be ascer- 

 tained. On reaching Lydden Spout, either the seashore or the top of the cliil'may 

 be chosen by the traveller, but the latter is tlie easier way ibr the pedestrian. 



