28 Our Visit to Holy Island in 1854, by Dr. Johnston. 



And insensibly I found myself in the Churchyard, where 

 there is much to interest one, in many ways. The yard has 

 the character of the sluggard's garden — no exception to the 

 character in general of the churchyards in our district. I 

 found its botany to consist of the following vulgar plants :— 



Malva sylvestris. 

 Eanunculus acris. 

 Eumex acetosa. 



Urtica dioica. 

 Eanunculus bulbosus. 

 Plantago lanceolata. 

 Bellis perennis. 

 Lotus corniculatus. 

 Veronica Chamsedrys. 

 Cerastium vulgatum. 

 Trifolium pratense. 

 Senecio vulgaris. 

 Anthoxanthum odoratum. 



(Jhserophyllum sylvestre. 

 Leontodon taraxacum. 

 Eanunculus ficaria. 

 Alopecurus pratensis. 

 Cheiranthus cheiri. 

 Heracleum sphondylium. 

 Bromus mollis. 



Our evening stroll was from the village to the Castle, and 

 to Sheldrake Bay ; and it was very enjoyable. The view, 

 in whichever aspect it is taken, is picturesque and striking, 

 changing its features at every few steps onwards, ever 

 charming, ever new ; and in the present instance, these 

 were heightened by the fineness of the day and the fitness 

 of the hour. It was scarcely possible to prevent the mind, 

 entranced as it was with the present, casting backwards a 

 long, lingering look, and re-creating the same as it might 

 have been in the olden time. It was easy to people the 

 walk seaward with the prior, and his monks, and his 

 disciples, holding high converse, as they paced the green, of 

 the various fortunes of their island, and of the deeds and 

 virtues of their saints. Looking over the heaving waves, 

 the sense was almost cheated into the belief, sometimes, 

 that the black heads popping up to the surface were those 

 very sea-otters that the monks were in quest of, and which 

 had so often ministered to the necessity of their patron. 

 Thus runs the story : — Now, while the rest of the community 

 were asleep at night, it was the usual habit of Saint 

 Cudberct " to go out alone and spend the greater part of the 

 night in prayer and prolonged vigils ; nor did he return 

 home till the hour of common prayer was at hand. One 

 night, one of the brethren of the same monastery seeing him 

 go out in silence, followed him, with the design of discover- 

 ing where he was going, or what was his object in doing so. 

 Cudberct accordingly went out, and, followed by the spy, 

 proceeded to the sea, on the borders of which the monastery 



