388 BELGIAN BOTANY. [January, 



the continent from Bayonne to the Isle of Texel, it is somewhat 

 surprising that it has not yet been found in England. Perhaps 

 it grows at some part or other in our eastern counties with 

 Car ex vulgaris, with which it has some slight resemblance. In 

 the hard road towards Westcnde we observed Scirpus pauci- 

 florus. 



For upwards of an hour the sky had been covered with sus- 

 picious-looking clouds, which did not delay advancing in a 

 phalanx towards the sea; this became rather disheartening, es- 

 pecially as there was no shelter obtainable in the neighbourhood. 

 Increasing our steps among the loose sands, where walking costs 

 no small amount of labour, we reached a fisherman's hut built 

 up against a bulwark of sand, which almost hid it completely 

 from view. 



At first we hesitated about entering and asking hospitality, as 

 we were ignorant of the language of the country, and thought 

 our eccentric attire might cause a little uneasiness to the good 

 people of these retired parts. However, as the thunder was 

 beginning to rattle overhead, we no longer argued about the 

 matter, hwt, walking round the humble dwelling, and pushing 

 open the door, we besought its inmates in an Anglo-Flemish ver- 

 nacular to let us remain under the roof till the storm had passed 

 over; this was cheerfully granted. They offered us the only- 

 stools that the cabin possessed, and invited us to draw up to the 

 hearth, where a turf fire was burning. 



On leaving this hospitable family we offered a present of 

 money, which was politely declined. Cutting across the fields, 

 we were soon on the paved road from Ostend to Nieuport, where 

 we saw in the distance several of our companions, who had Jeft 

 us at our departure from the Pavilion des Dunes. Like us they 

 had been equally fortunate. 



We continued our route in high spirits through Lornbartzyde, 

 where the church was adorned with an immense banner, contain- 

 ing the colours, not of one single nation only, but of all together. 

 As it was the Kermis, or annual feast of the village, the place on 

 which the fair was held was covered with booths of itinerary 

 merchants, and every description of mountebanks, etc. We went 

 for a spree to try our luck at a wheel-of-fortune, which wheeled 

 in our favour, for it brought us a stock of cakes, of which we 

 took especial care, so as to share them with the rest of the com- 



