132 CORFE 



" Marn-tee," from shrill and aged female voices, was 

 the most prevalent, and which I was duly informed at the 

 breakfast-table was intended to convey the morning's 

 salutation. Upon rising, the father of my intended bride, 

 a fine handsome man, somewhat under sixty years of age, 

 with a countenance blooming with health and expressive 

 of good-humoLir, proposing a walk, we sallied out to take 

 a view of, to me, this interesting old town. 



Its decayed and overthrown walls, erected for defence 

 against the common enemy, are now the site of produc- 

 tive gardens, set aside by the owner of the soil for the 

 accommodation of the inhabitants ; and they give 

 evidence of a much larger area and a more numerous 

 population, while the ivy-grown towers and walls of 

 dilapidated churches afford as ample testimony of the 

 ancient, though more remote and rude maf^nificence of 

 this important possession of our Saxon ancestors. 



Situated at the head of the estuary that opens its way 

 through the harbour of Poole into the ocean, it was not 

 difficult of access to those enterprising and bold pirates 

 that so continually harassed our coasts ; and their frequent 

 visits to this town and neighbourhood, exemplified by 

 man}' large barrows, Vv^ould give reason to suppose that 

 not only was this part of our island much more thickly 

 populated, but that the soil was of a more productive 

 nature than it is at present ; for if it then bore the same 

 appearance it now does, there was little to be devastated, 

 and nothing to carry away ; therefore nothing to invite 

 the presence of the roving Viking, or to reward the 

 courage of a conquering army or a rival nation. 



]\Iany were the recognitions that passed between the 



