the people. The mufic afterwards plays up, and as many as choose it, take a partner to dance. In this merry and frolickfome manner, they pafs away the time till the next morning, with jovial companions, laffes, and bowls, verifying the proverb, "A feaft or a famine in Scilly."

A parfon having been at one of these entertainments, by the force of his imagination, (like those who fancy they fee figures, and the forms of animals, &c. in the clouds) compared the different fhapes of these iflands, as they appear in the map, to the various dishes in one of these feafts, as follows:

14. Great Ganelly, a breast of veal.

15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Scilly, Mincarlo, Guahal, Innisvouls, Northwithel, roast beef and steaks.

20. Little Ganilly, a plaice.

21. Ragged Island, a conger.

22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. Nornour, Minewithin, Round Ifland, Little Gannick, Little Arthur, Rat Ifland, pies and tarts.

The rocks, and leffer islands, lying scattered about these, are as oysters, cockles, and fhrimps, for garnish; and the intermixed furrounding feas as the flowing tides of liquor to drown the care of the inhabitants.

Some thrash their corn upon boards covered with canvas, and fome upon barn floors, as in England; others, who are not acccommodated with barns of their own to thrash in, borrow them of their neighbours.

They cleanse their corn in a breezy day without doors, by fpreading it upon canvas, and throwing it into a cafure, or inftrument for the purpose, whereby the corn falls down, and the chaff is blown away.

They thrash as they want, and ftore the cleaned corn in a cask, about the size of a hogfhead.

There are many hand-mills for grinding upon emergency in all the islands; but a wind-mill, upon a tract called Peninnis, grinds the larger quantities. The miller feldom fails of conftant vifits and employ from his cuftomers of both fexes. His diligence fupplies the place of water-mills, of which here are none to hinder his encreasing trade.

Hugh-Town is the capital of St. Mary's, fituated upon the low-land of the ifthmus, which joins the high body of the island to the high-land of the garrifon, above the

VOL. II.

5 B

town,

town, which is next it; being at the foot of the garrifon hill, on the back part, and washed by the fea of the pool on its front, where fhips are moored, or lie a-ground at low-water. And here the stone key, afore-mentioned, projects itself pretty far out, into the pool at the landing-place. (Vid. the map.) This town confifts of one long and two cross streets, of ftrong ftone-built houfes, wherein are several fhop-keepers and public-houfe keepers, felling many forts of liquors and commodities. Liquors are fold without licence, by as many persons as please here, and all over the islands. The feveral trades of bakers, brewers, coopers, butchers, weavers, taylors, mantua makers, fhoe-makers, fail-makers, a boat-builder, joiners, carpenters, masons, fmiths, perriwig-makers, &c. are exercifed in this town, either feparately or feveral together. The fteward's, or agent's new houfe, is a handfome ftrong piece of architecture, lately erected before the front of the old one, at the farther end of the town from the landing-place, next the banks of Percreffa, to the fouthward. At the hither end is a cuf tom-house, with a collector, furveyor, and four other officers belonging, under the direction of the two principals. About two furlongs beyond this town, to the eastward, is a curious fandy bay, called Pomelin, where the beach, from the mark of flood to the mark of ebb, is covered with an exceeding fine writing fand, and of which fhip-loads may be gathered at low-water. On account of its plenty and bright. ness, it is fetched by the inhabitants for fanding their houses in Hugh Town, and other parts of this island; and-presents of it are made to many parts of England as a curiofity.

Upon the fandy beaches or fhores, in other places, are gathered numerous pretty fmall fhells, which are prefented for furnishing of grottos. There are fome of a larger fize, picked up upon the fhores of this and other islands, which are used for the fame purpose.

The greatest natural curiofities obferved in St. Mary's, are the rocks of Peninnis, and a fubterraneous paffage near those rocks, whofe entrance is called Piper's-Hole. There is no reasonable account to be given for the production of thefe huge rocks, (in fome refpects like Stone-henge upon Salisbury plain,) but by an univerfal flood over the land, when this terreftrial mass was distorted and changed after an extraordinary manner; trees which have been found buried deep in the ground upon the tops of hills, and other places, cannot be accounted for but by fuch a miraculous cause. Whatever produced the waters over the face of the earth, whether the change of its pofition, the fhock of its frame, the chafms thereupon, the gufhing from its entrails, joined with the rapid torrents from above, moving in various directions at the earth's furface, some substances at that time were ejected, while others were immersed; and from no other cause affigned can the several strata of fubterraneous fhells, mixed maffes, inverted and deep whelmed trees, and nice and ponderous balancing of rocky matter at the earth's furface be accounted for. These appearances are a proof of terreftrial chafms, torrents, and ejectments of quarry fubftances, and of the regurgita tion of other fubftances, at fome time having happened. Several of these kind of rocks in Scilly are amazingly huge in fome places, and balanced upon one another, and especially in places of this ifland near or further from the fea; without comparison either of height or ponderofity, with the rocks of Peninnis, causing astonishment and admiration in the beholders above all others! I remember having feen huge rocks and quarry fubftances in the midst of foreign iflands, as if they had been once washed by the fea; which might probably come from the causes above affigned.

"Riding rocks likewife are to be feen in all countries where ftone-quarries abound. And in feveral parts of Cornwall near, and far off the fea, large rocks are feen fe

parate, or riding in equal poife, as already defcribed; which must be the expulfion of fubterraneous matter, left at reft in that pofition, after fome extraordinary concuffive cause.

Piper's-Hole, the entrance of the fubterraneous paffage aforefaid, has its fituation under the high banks of Peninnis, (near the faid rocks) being about the fouth-welt part of the island next the fea, which washes its orifice at high tide. This paffage is faid to communicate under ground with the ifland of Trefco, as far as the north-welt cliffs or banks of it, next that fea, where another orifice is feen that goes by the fame name with the former.

Going in at the orifice at Peninnis banks in St. Mary's, it is above man's height, and of as much space in its breadth; but grows lower and narrower farther in: a little beyond which entrance appear rocky bafons, or refervoirs, continually running over with fresh water, defcending as it diftils from the fides of the rocky paffage; by the fall of water heard farther in, it is probable there may be rocky defcents in the paffage: the drippings from the fides have worn the paffage, as far as it can be feen, into very various angular furfaces. Strange ftories are related of this paffage, of men going fo far in that never returned; of dogs going quite through and coming out at Trefco, with most of their hair off, and fuch like incredibles. But its retired fituation, where lovers retreat to indulge their mutual paffion, has made it almoft as famous as the cave wherein Dido and Æneas met of old. Its water is exceeding good.

Upon the part of this island oppofite to Peninnis, is a fertile spot of ground called Newford, where is a good dwelling-house, farm, garden, &c. occupied by Mr. Roger Edwards, who is a member of the court of civil judicature; a family of worthy reputation. Here and in Holy Vale, the land affords milk and honey.

Beyond Newford, upon the north fhore, is a small key, where boats land from St. Martin's island lying oppofite; near it stands a hut of convenient reception.

Many kinds of phyfical and fragrant herbs grow in St. Mary's, and in all the islands, which the inhabitants gather in large quantities in the months of May, June, July, and Auguft. These they diftil in an alembick, for making cordials all the year. They cover the distilled water, put into bottles, with the strong vegetable oil that comes from the herbs in drawing, which preferves it till they want it to mix with brandy and sugar

for use.

By the low fituation of Hugh-Town, or the ill contrivance of thofe who built it, being almost level with every high tide, the water comes into fome of the dwellers' yards and houses. And at fuch times of tide, fome are greatly incommoded, as others living in the garrison, standing very high, out of the reach of all tides, are greatly ac、

commodated.

It would be a great happiness to moft of Hugh inhabitants, if their town were removed, either into the garrison, or to the high-land at the farther end of the isthmus, next the body of the island, where no high tides could poffibly affect them whatever wind blows.

The town, as it is at prefent fituated, is fubject to be deftroyed by inundations of the fea; which, if it should happen in the night, the people are alfo liable to be drown, ed in their beds. For on September 26, 1744, in the afternoon, it being a very high tide, the fea rolled in vast mountains, driven by the winds, and broke over the banks of Percreffa, next the fouthward, where it entered the town with fuch violence and rapidity, as threatened the levelling of all the houses. One of the torrents, paffing directly over the isthmus to the pool, took a house away there as it went; other parts 5B 2

of

of it went through the fteward's former houfe, 'which it partly destroyed, filling the rooms, and carrying away the furniture with it: a third torrent beyond this came down and joined it, paffing both together through the streets of the town with great fury to the oppofite fea; alfo carrying away furniture, and filling the rooms of the houses. The damages done to fome at that time, were very confiderable; but the agent, or steward, fuftained the moft. If it had happened in the night time, as it did in the afternooon, when feveral inhabitants were obliged to quit their houses at the upper windows, and fly for refuge, it is reasonably fuppofed, that thofe who now efcaped would have been drowned people. Most of the inhabitants were drawn out of their houfes before this flood begun, by a curiofity to behold the profpect of the fea, appearing as if it was going to overwhelm the whole town; but they were forced to fly before its fury, as it fuddenly paffed over its bounds, near which, among the reft, I happened to be prefent. At this time great ftones were thrown by the fea into fome houses standing next it, in different parts of the ifland; the walls of fome houfes were beat down, and the dwellers therein had but just time to escape with their lives out of the windows before it. Most of the low-land was overflowed, and fome of the ftone hedges levelled.

About a mile up the island from the Hugh-Town, which borrows its name from the Hugh-Land in the garrifon, ftands Church-Town, confifting of a few houfes, with a court-house, (otherwife called Parish-house) and alfo a church, at which laft the people meet twice at their devotion every Lord's day.

About two furlongs beyond Church-Town, to the eastward, stands Old-Town, bordering upon the fea, against the oppofite part of a fandy bay. This town confifts of feveral convenient dwellings, fuitable to the dwellers, who live by fishing, farming, felling liquors, and the exercife of a few mechanic trades. Both thefe towns received great damages by the late inundation, when the Hugh was overflowed, and a vaft deal of mifchief was done upon the English coaits, by the fame form. The fea paffed over the bottom of this bay, between the two towns, (after throwing ftones into the houfes on each fide of it, and breaking the walls as it entered,) and drowned the Lower Moors, before mentioned. The Off-iflands, at the fame time, had fome of their low-lands overflowed, and fome pools of their fresh water spoiled.

Their buildings are of rock, or moor-ftone, which lie in great quantities upon the furface, but are chiefly dug from the quarries, a little below the furface of the earth, where they abound. They cover with tile, but moftly with straw; the first is brought from England, and laid upon the roofs of the houfes here, as it is there; the latter is of their own product, and the method of covering is with a thin coat, which is commonly renewed every year when harvest is over, and they begin thrashing their corn, binding the coat with ftraw ropes, as has been de

fcribed.

They make their lime by burning of English lime-stone, brought over in shipping for ballaft.

Their mortar is tempered with a fifted earth, which they call ram, and is faid to make the strongest cement for binding the rock-ftone together.

The outfide chinks of the ftone walls are filled up with white mortar, as well for ornament, as for refifting of moisture.

Their brick is all brought over, there being no proper earth that I could discover, for making them in the islands.

The apartments of their dwellings are apt to be damp on account of the rockftone walls, which are porous, and attract moisture; an inftance of which may be seen in Trefco caftle, where the walls are of many feet in thickness, yet always appear very moist on their infide. By the diftillation of the moifture through the ftony fubftance, and mixing with the cement, a tranfparent matter, harder than the ftones, is produced, sticking to the fides of the wall, or lower ftones, where it drops, fhining like glafs; or hangs pendent from the upper ftones like ificles. The proper remedy to cure this dampnefs in rooms, is plaiftering well their infide, and wainscoting over it; which, with keeping fires now and then, are fufficient.

All timber is brought hither, which is in ufe, and none grows upon any of the iflands. Some come in by wrecks, which is kept in the agent's poffeffion, for proper difpofal.

Deal or fir, is used for moft occafions of building, fuch as roofing houfes and churches in the islands, laying floors, lining rooms, making tables, &c.

The apartments of fome houfes are fpacious and handsome, as in others they are fmall and contracted, where you may fee them adorned with faints' pictures, ears of corn and wreck furniture; the last of which are fent them by the hand of Providence.

They have very good workmen, who make tables, chefts, drawers of mahogany, and other fine woods, &c. which are here as completely finished as any where. These woods are cheaply purchafed out of fhips coming in from the Weft-Indies, or other foreign parts, in their return to England.

All the islands are defended by numerous rocks placed about them, the citadels of nature. But the island of St. Mary, of which I have been giving a defcription, is likewife defended by a strong garrifon, fituated upon the weft part of it, overlooking the town and ifthmus, and commanding the country that way and to the fea about the batteries, of which there are feveral frong ones, mounted with fixty-four pieces of cannon, fome eighteen pounders. It alfo contains a company of foldiers, a maftergunner, and fix other gunners. A ftore-houfe, with arms for arming three hundred inlanders, who are obliged to affift the military forces at the approach of an enemy. An impregnable magazine. A guard-house, barracks, bridge, and ftrong gates; and, upon the fummit of the hill, above a regular afcent, going from Hugh-Town, ftands His Majefty's Star-caftle, with ramparts, and a ditch about it. This caftle commands a profpect of all the iflands and feas about them; from whence, in a fair day, are alfo beheld fhips paffing to and fro, and England as though rifing out of the fea at a diftance. Here the king's colours are hoifted and appear confpicuous aloft, for fhips to obferve and obey coming in. The Right Honourable the Earl of Godolphin commands as governor of all the iflands; and a lieutenant-governor is here commiffioned to act under his lordship by His Majesty, but not upon establish.

ment.

By the particular favour and bounty of the Earl of Godolphin, the ufe of the castle, and all its apartments, with all perquifites, or harbour dues of fhipping, drawing protefts, have been enjoyed by the captain of the company, commanding in his lordship's and the lieutenant-governor's abfence, who never refide, being a very considerable benefit. He has allo the manuring and improving all the garrifon land, upwards of a hundred acres, the grazing of it with cattle, and the cutting and difpofal of all the turf for firing; and has likewife the fole management of all the coals and candles allowed.

Befides