( 92 ) 



Befides the curious lituation of Hurfl- 

 caftle, there is another peculiarity on this 

 coaft, which deferves notice. It is an ifland 

 called the Shingles^ which fometimes rifes 

 Mittxv or twenty feet above the water ; and 

 at other times totally difappears. It fliifts 

 it's lituation alfo, rearing itfelf, at one time, 

 nearer the ifle of Wight, and at another, 

 nearer the coaft of Hampfhire. The my fiery 

 of it is this. In that part of the channel lies 

 a vaft bank of pebbles, fo near the furface, 

 that it is beaten up into an ifland, by the 

 raging of the fea, fometimes on one fide, 

 and fometimes on the other, as the tides and 

 currents drive. From the fame caufes too, 

 all the prominent parts of it are as eafily 

 difperfed, and the ifland vaniflies. When 

 we faw it, it confifted of feveral acres : but 

 it was then larger, than had been remem- 

 bered for many years. The fea however had 

 found a paflage through the middle of it ; and 

 it was leflening daily. 



But as the country from Chrift-church is 

 flat, and the fea generally excluded from the 

 fight, all thcfe views of the ifle of Wight, 



the 



