POOLE AND BROWNSEA ISLAND MEETING. 1X1. 

 BROWNSEA ISLAND. 



Then it was time to repair to the little pier close by to cross 

 over the channel to Brownsea Castle. Messrs. Ashton and 

 Kilner's steam launch had been engaged to ferry the party over, 

 and a large barge was taken in tow ; but so large was the 

 number that the crossing would have taken some time, had not 

 Mr. and Mrs. Van Raalte most kindly and thoughtfully expedited 

 the passage of their guests by sending their steam yacht and 

 steam pinnace to supplement the hired boats. 



On landing, the party received a gracious welcome from Mr. 

 and Mrs. Van Raalte, and were conducted to a spacious terrace 

 beneath the Castle and overlooking an Italian garden, exceed- 

 ingly beautiful in its summer garb and wealth of colour. Here 

 Mr. VAN RAALTE read the paper on the history of Brownsea 

 Island, which is printed at the end of the volume. 



The PRESIDENT, in thanking Mr. Van Raalte, expressed 

 pleasure at the fact that in his paper he had dealt with the 

 natural history of the Island as well as its matters of general 

 history and archaeology ; and he took occasion to refer to the 

 catalogue of the botany of the Island made 150 years ago. 



Mr. Van Raalte then conducted the party over the Island. 

 They visited first the battery of five guns, supposed to have been 

 brought from the Royal Frederick, and, as evidence thereof, 

 bearing the initials R. F. on their trunnions. The hill on which 

 the battery is stationed has been lowered ; had this not been 

 done, the battery would have commanded the Castle. When 

 carrying out some alterations to the square tower of the Castle 

 three ancient cannon balls (j-pounders) were found embedded 

 in the wall. 



From the battery the party strolled through a pine wood 

 above the sea and across a pleasant grassy glade to the church 

 a new one, but containing much that was old and interesting. 

 In the churchyard is a finely-sculptured Italian well-head, now 

 used as a memorial stone. The well-head is cut in Appenine 

 limestone, and is reputed to be very old. If that is the case, it 



