30 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



water by the numerous air-vessels with which these 

 marine plants are provided. These raft-like floating 

 masses are then directed towards the spot which has 

 been selected for the scene of operation, and after 

 being brought out of reach of the waves, are scat- 

 tered over the sands. When the fucus is thoroughly 

 dried it is raked together and burnt, and the ashes 

 are then collected in a small kiln, and melted, form- 

 ing the substance known in commerce as barilla. 

 The red light given forth at night, and the long 

 columns of smoke which issue by day from these 

 smouldering heaps, produce a very picturesque effect 

 from the midst of the rocks, but the odour emitted 

 from the smoke is extremely offensive; and on the 

 islands it is considered, although certainly most un- 

 justly, that it may engender every kind of disease. 



One occasionally meets, upon the most isolated 

 points of the archipelago, with families of Jersey- 

 men who have come either for the purpose of fishing 

 or of collecting the wrack which serves to manure 

 their land. Woe betide these poor fellows if they 

 are detected by the coast-guard ; no mercy is shown 

 them ; their lines and nets are unceremoniously taken 

 from them and their boats put into pound. The 

 islanders, moreover, frequently take upon themselves 

 to inflict summary punishment on the marauders. 

 During my stay a circumstance of this kind occurred 

 which nearly brought about serious disturbances. 

 Some fishermen had come over from Jersey at the 

 time of spring-tide, and had actually begun to block 

 up Port Homard at a few paces from the dwelling- 

 houses. A party of stone-cutters hastened to the 



