SCILLY ISLES, THE ISLE OF MAN. 251? 



Want of fuel is the greatest inconvenience that both islands labour 

 undtr. The convention of the states cqnsists of a governor, coro- 

 ners, jurats, clergy, and constables. The inhabitants carry on a con- 

 siderable trade to Newfoundland and the Mediterranean. The sta- 

 ple manufacture is knit stockings. The only harbour here is at St. 

 Peter-le-port, which is guarded by two forts, one called the Old-Cas- 

 tle, and the other Castle-Cornet. Guernsey is likewise part of the 

 ancient Norman patrimony. 



ALDERNEY is about eight miles in compass, and is by much the 

 nearest of all these islands to Normandy, from which it is separated 

 by a narrow strait, called the Race of Alderney, which is a danger- 

 ous passage in stormy weather, when the two currents meet ; other- 

 wise it is safe, and has depth of water for the largest ships. To the 

 west lie a range of rocks extending near three leagues, called the 

 Caskets, among which are several very dangerous whirlpools or ed- 

 dies. The sons of king Henry I, were cast away and drowned here, 

 passing to Normandy : here, likewise, the Victory man of war, com^ 

 manded by admiral Balchen, was lost. This island is healthy, and the 

 soil is remarkable for a fine breed of cows. 



SARK is a small island depending upon Guernsey ; the inhabitants 

 are long-lived, and enjoy from nature all the conveniences of life ; 

 their number is about 300. The inhabitants of the three last-men- 

 tioned islands, together, are thought to be about 20,000. The reli- 

 gion of all the four islands is that of the church of England. 



The SCILLY ISLES, anciently the SILURES, are a cluster of 

 dangerous rocks, to the number of 140, lying about thirty miles from 

 the Land's End in Cornwall, of which county they were reckoned a 

 part. By their situation between the English Channel and St. 

 George's Channel, tliey have been the destruction of many ships and 

 lives. Sir Cloudesley Shovel, returning from a fruitless expedition 

 against Toulon, was lost here in October, 1707. St. Mary's is the 

 largest of these islands, being about nine or ten miles in circumfer- 

 ence, and containing as many houses and inhabitants as all the rest. 

 The number of the latter is about 700 ; several of the other islands 

 are well inhabited, and have large and secure harbours. 



The ISLE OF MAN has been supposed to take its name from the 

 Saxon Avord Mang (or among,) because lying in St. George's Channel. 

 It is almost at an equal distance from England, Scotland, and Ireland. 

 It is certain the Mono, mentioned by Tacitus was not this island, but 

 the Isle of Anglesey. Mona, indeed, seems to have been a generi- 

 cal name with the ancients for any detached island. Its length from 

 north to south is rather more than thirty miles, its breadth from eight 

 to fifteen; and the latitude of the middle of the island is fifty-four 

 degrees sixteen minutes north. It is said that on a clear day three 

 Britannic kingdoms may be seen from this island. The air here is 

 wholesome, and the climate, only making an allowance for the situa- 

 tion, nearly the same as that in the north of England, from which it 

 does not differ much in other respects. The hilly parts are barren, 

 and the champaign fruitful in wheat, barley, oats, rye, flax, hemp, 

 roots, and pulse. The ridge of mountains, which, as it were, divide 

 the island, both protects and fertilises the vallies, where there is good 

 pasturage The better sort of inhabitants have good sizeable horses, 

 and a small kind, which is swift and hardy; nor are they troubled 

 with any noxious animals. The coasts abound with sea-fowl ; and the 

 puffins, which breed in rabbit-holes, are almost lumps of fat, and 



Vol. I. LI 



