10 LUNDY ISLAND. 



generation ; the women invariably going over to the 

 mainland when their confinement approaches. No 

 medical man resides on the island ; but a fire lighted 

 on a particular summit summons a boat in cases of 

 emergency, from the little village of Clovelly, just 

 opposite. This place, itself a spot of romantic beauty, 

 one of the gems of the North Devon coast, is situated 

 in Barnstaple Bay, just within Hartland Point, (the 

 Herculis Promontoriurn of Ptolemy), and is distant 

 about five leagues from the end of Lundy. A boat 

 comes across every Friday, bringing the week's accu- 

 mulations of the post-office, and returns with any 

 letters that are ready. Other communication with 

 the shore is only casual, as when the Pill boats come 

 down as far as this from their little pilot village at 

 the Avon's mouth to look out for ships, and anchor in 

 the bay ; or when a skiff-load of lobsters is run up to 

 Ilfracombe to be shipped, per steamer, for Bristol. 



A mutton-chop, improvised by Captain Jack's larder, 

 revived our vigour, and we sallied out towards the 

 south end to reconnoitre. A walk between stone 

 fences, enlivened by many interesting plants in flower, 

 some of which I shall mention presently, led us to 

 the ruins of the castle, bearing the name of the De 

 Mariscos, the earliest possessors of the island on record, 

 who held it as long ago as Henry the Second's tune. A 

 legend is told of one of this family, illustrative of the 

 bold lawlessness of the tunes, as well as of the natural 

 strength of this island. It rests on the authority of 

 the contemporary historians. 



