2 02 A SKETCH OF THE 



" You have indeed a bonne bouche there," the vendor cried ; " but 

 why not have some more ? " she added, bringing down a string of 

 robins and chaffinches. But on the stout gentleman declaring that 

 he had enough, the vendor seized my daughter's arm, as though 

 a sudden enlightenment had dawned upon her, and screamed, "Aha! 

 he has bought that delicate morsel for his leetle baby." 



Here also exposed for sale is a kite, which some fortunate chasseur 

 has brought down ; but he must be nearly the last of his race, for 

 the birds are well-nigh exterminated in this country, and no song is 

 heard to break the silence of the woods. 



We passed on through the market to buy some fruit to help us on 

 our way ; but although plentiful and cheap, there can be no doubt 

 that the fruit is only second-rate, when compared with that exposed 

 for sale in England. The apples, pears, and oranges would hardly 

 find a market in London, which only accepts the best which the 

 earth affords ; and, after tasting the produce of the vineyards here, 

 we can sympathise with Reynard when he declared that the grapes 

 were sour. The only fruit we largely patronise are the half-dried 

 native figs, twenty for a penny. 



By the time our purchases are made the sun has risen high above 

 the horizon in a cloudless sky, and its rays reflected from the sea 

 compel us to shield our heads with our umbrellas, notwithstanding 

 that the shortest day has only lately passed. We were glad to get 

 under the shadow of the castle rock to admire the large yellow 

 Mediterranean stone-crops, growing on the face of the precipice, 

 along with red valerians, beloved by cottage gardeners in England. 

 There is a great want of life upon the sea ; and, although the glossy 

 water is warm and inviting, hardly anyone appears to go upon it 

 either for pleasure or profit ; but as we pass the castle and come 

 again upon the beach, the first fishermen we have seen are dragging 

 their net to shore over the pebbly bottom of the sea. We had not 

 long to wait before a huge octopus appeared, and a bulldog-looking 

 fisher boy rushed down and seized it in his teeth, worrying it 

 until apparently life was extinct, although its suckers convulsively 



