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PICTURESQUE ACCOUNT OF THE ISLAND.

elevation of six hundred feet, but in that spot, though extremelysteep, their face is not absolutely vertical.

Besides the scenery of the cliffs, Freshwater possesses a cave,which is no small object of curiosity to those who have seennothing of a more romantic cast; those who have, will not findthis excavation answer to all that has been said of it, though thescene is undoubtedly curious. To those who have the rare goodfortune of visiting it at high water in a perfectly calm day, whenit is accessible by a boat, it must certainly exhibit in high perfec-tion the peculiar beauties which the reflection of its dark roof inthe water, and the tremulous twilight diffused on its recesses bythe ever-changing mirror of the waves, afford in such situations.

From Freshwater , in serene weather, it would he highly advisableto go by water to the western point of the island called Scratchel’shay, which is a very small cove entirely surrounded by vast chalkcliffs, whose edges are worn by the action of wind and weather toan extraordinary thinness, and from thence, passing between theNeedle rocks enter Allum bay, which is the counterpart of White-cliff hay at the eastern end of the range; being formed like iton one hand by the northern face of the chalk hills, and on theother, by the clay cliffs with vertical strata dependant on thechalk.

The scenery of Allum hay is very superior in magnificence tothat of any other part of the island. The chalk forms an un-broken face every where nearly perpendicular, and in some partsformidably projecting, and the tenderest stains of ochreous yellowand greenish moist vegetation, vary without breaking its sublimeuniformity. This vast wall extends more than a quarter of amile, and is probably near four hundred feet in height; its