164 THE FLOEA OF BRECHOU. 



farm, an obvious introduction. The absence of hedges at first 

 sight strikes one as curious. Brechou was formerly kept as a 

 rabbit warren, but rabbits have much decreased in numbers. 



The coast is extremely rocky and jagged. The cliffs on 

 the east and south are high and nearly perpendicular ; those 

 on the west and north are lower and more sloping. There is 

 no sand on any portion of the coast, and shingle is very rare, so 

 that sand-loving species are quite absent from its flora. 

 There is a little harbour on the west coast, with a good road 

 leading from it to the farm ; and the island is accessible at 

 two or three other (more or less difficult) landing places, the one 

 most favoured, because of easiest access from the mainland of 

 Sark, being at the extremity of a rocky promontory on the south 

 coast. There is a large cavern in the south of the island which 

 tradition says was once inhabited by pirates. A ladder, used 

 as a landing place on the north coast, is known by the curious 

 name of " Le Gale de Jacob," or Jacob's Ladder. 



From the summit of the lofty Pointe Beleme a magnifi- 

 cent view is obtained of the western coast of Sark, and this 

 when lighted up by the rays of the setting sun presents a 

 glorious picture. Brechou, set in deep blue seas, and with 

 charming panoramas of rocky coasts and sea-girt isles, is an 

 ideal summer paradise for the artist and lover of nature, and 

 forms a favourite picnic ground for visitors from Sark. The 

 island is said to have derived its name, Pile des Marchands, 

 from being at one time in possession of a family bearing the 

 name Le Marchant, who in consequence of a lawsuit were 

 obliged to relinquish possession in favour of the Seigneur of 

 Sark ; and it is amusing to notice that after this event the 

 Seigneurs of Sark took special care to describe themselves as 

 " Lords of Sark and its dependencies," the dependencies being 

 Little Sark, Brechou, Le Tas, etc. Brechou is almost in the 

 happy position of being an island without a history, few events 

 having occurred to disturb the equanimity of this sequestered 

 little spot. Perhaps the most important was the wreck, near 

 the rock called La Neste, off the west coast, of the East 

 Indiaman "Valentine" in the autumn of 1781. The vessel 

 became a total wreck, but fortunately no lives were lost, the 

 crew managing to reach the island, which at that time was 

 uninhabited. Brechou is the property of the Seigneur of Sark, 

 and was leased at the time of my visit to Mr. Best, a Guernsey- 

 man. The farm contained four tenants : three men working on 

 the land, and an artist who was very successfully engaged in 

 transferring the beauties of nature to his canvas. A bull and 

 a mare completed the population of the island. Although 



