Te} 
oot 
power. The apartments where the un- 
fortunate Charies was confined are in a 
very mutilated state; Lut the window 
from which he attempted to escape is 
still shewn. Crossing the court, a pon- 
derous door Jeads up a ling flight of stone 
steps to the Keep, which has stood since 
the sixth century. Over the crumbling 
watis of this very teresting memento of 
past ages, highly varied and extensive 
views of the island, the sea and the oppo- 
site coast are afforded. Terrace-walks, 
ene above another, range round the 
walls of the castle; sometimes winding 
through hazle copsés, and at others ex- 
tending along the open cliff. All here 
1s crand, striking, and solemn, and faney 
turns with reluctant step and slow, to 
common scénes, and common cccapa- 
tens. 
Not having explored all im the neich- 
boarhood of Niton, worth notice, thither 
we determined to return. The lone and 
Steep ascent up St. Catharine’s hill is 
extremely interesting, every turn of the 
wheels aff OMA new and highly varied 
views. his Jofty eminence towering 
seven tarde and fifty feet abuve the 
sea, 13 cultivated im spacious terraces 
alingst to the top; on the highest point 
is a signal-house, ‘aid near it a singular 
aid stone building, said to be a tower of 
an ancient church. A long line of coast 
with its indented bavs is traced to the 
western extremity of the island. Be- 
tween this point and the ocean lies Black- 
gang Ghne, so named from a band of 
pirates who used to conceal themselves 
there. This is one of those tremendous 
chasms wrought by great Nature’s land. 
Some perils and much fatigue must .be 
endured to see it to advantage. Llere 
rocks have been hurried down im iin- 
miense masses and different forms, leaving 
piles and pyramids as they rolled. The 
cavern is centered amidst these grand 
accompaniments, and surrounded with 
their grotesque confusion. Over the 
opening, which is forty feet high, a stream 
of water falls, which in a wet-season 
forms a wagnificent cascade. All around 
is bold, wild, and grand; and the ocean 
roaring and tossing its mighty waves 
beiow, adds wonderfully to the eflect of 
the whole. At no great distance from 
this scene, commences that “‘ wréck of 
matter,” the land-slip which took place 
in 1799, when a hunaved acres, 
broken up, receded fyoin their original 
destination. Earth, rocks, pools, ‘copses, 
all rushed, ‘to the astouishinent of the 
lieig suLouring inhabitants, with wregular, w 
4 
Tour in the Isle of Wight. 
all “ 
[Aug. 1, 
confusion towards the sea. A .cottage 
fitted up as a tea-drinking place was 
burried away with its attendant scenery, 
and swallowed up, all but the chimney, 
which is still visible. The whole of this 
sublime phenomenon presents a more’ 
chaotic and awful appearance than lan- 
guage can pourtray. In some parts the 
effects appear hke those of a volcano ; 
masses of black, loose, crumbled earth 
resembling ashes, filling the chasms be- 
tween treinendous piles of rocks, while 
the mighty rampart of parent cliff towers 
behind, and a boundless extent of ocean 
with its tumuitnous waves, as if to ag- 
grandize the scene, fills the void below: 
When time shall have given stability to 
the disturbed rocks, when the streams 
siall have shaped their course, and the . 
buried. foliage shall re- appear 3 beauty 
and variety will add ther charms to 
erandeur and sublimity, and complete 
the unique whole. Towards the ter~ 
munating point of this august scene, 
where the surface was less agitated, and 
the removal less costal this change 1s 
begianing to take -place.. The verdant 
plot smiles amidst the desolation, groups) 
af trees, (probably removed with their 
native soil around them,) enrich the val- 
ley, and the copse breaking through ats 
Imprisonment again decorates the. grey 
crags. which had buried it. Ev ery year: 
will render this scene more interesting, 
aod the traveller of taste who can bear 
the fatigue, and will allow the time for 
contemplating what probably can be no 
where else beheld, will find himself am- 
ply repaid. 
The western extremity of the island 
was now the only object we had in view. 
Although Niton has a comfortable inn, 
it has no carriages, nor are there any to 
be obtained at the back of the island, so’ 
that the traveller must either detain ‘his 
vehicle, or return to Newport; our party 
prefe ered the latter, as we could with 
more convenience visit the Needles from 
thence. 
The road to Yarmouth Fi not afford 
so much varicty of scenery as we had 
enjoyed in some of our interior rides, 
Swaynston, the seat of Sir John Bar- 
rington, 1s the most intcresting place we 
passed. The mansion commands a good 
view of the sea, and is enriched with fine 
oak woods, sweeping in elegant forms. 
To the honour of the owner, we observed 
more infant plantations here than near 
any other seat we had passed. 
¥ armouth is a small old town on the 
western point of the Loland. It enjoys 
. . fing 
