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Page 39
This part of the Undercliff is at once picturesque and lively; there
being just sufficient houses to give the scenery a cheerful aspect,
without intrenching too much on the natural beauties of the place.
We now enter on a scene which gives us a complete picture of the
Undercliff in all its genuine lines,--for it was the subject of an
extensive landslip in the year 1799, when a tract of about one hundred
acres was disturbed, the whole sliding forward in a mass towards the
sea, rifting into frightful chasms, and alternately rising and falling
like the waves of the sea: a cottage was overturned, but fortunately no
lives were lost.
[Illustration: THE UNDERCLIFF, _Between the Sandrock Hotel & the
Chalybeate Spring,--affording the best idea of the romantic character of
that part of the Isle of Wight._]
The annexed Plate of "the Undercliff, as it appears between the
Sandrock Hotel and Blackgang Chine," is introduced in order to give an
idea of the _general aspect_ of this singular tract: the wall-like
precipice which is the land-boundary rises abruptly on the right: the
intermediate space to the sea-shore is broken into a series of craggy
knolls and dells: the carriage-road threading its way between immense
masses of the fallen cliff,--now conducted along the margin of a
dangerous slope or precipice; and now descending into a theatre of
detached rocks and wild vegetation; but even here, though the softer
charms of scenery be wanting, it proves that ...
--"Whether drest or rude,
Wild without art, or artfully subdued,
Nature in every form inspires delight."
* * * * *
>> _The individual objects in the neighbourhood of Niton, calling for
particular remark, are few; notwithstanding the general aspect of the
scenery is strikingly wild and sombre. The_ LIGHT-HOUSE _will force
itself on our attention: the_ CHALYBEATE SPRING _ought not to be passed
by unnoticed; but the crowning feature of the district is_ BLACKGANG
CHINE, _a scene of the most terrific grandeur_.
ST. CATHARINE'S LIGHT-HOUSE.
[Illustration: ST. CATHARINE'S LIGHT-HOUSE NITON, ISLE OF WIGHT.]
The building of this lofty tower was commenced in the spring of 1839,
and finished in the following year: the undertaking having originated in
consequence of the loss of the ship _Clarendon_ (see p. 85). From the
frequent wrecks on this most dangerous part of the coast, it is rather
surprizing that such a warning friend to the hapless mariner was not
erected before: because many of the catastrophes were owing to the want
of some light or signal in the night, which could be distinctly seen by
seamen long ere they reached the fatal shore. It is true indeed, that
between 50 and 60 years ago, a Light-house was built on the summit of
St. Catharine's down, but for some reason not known to the public, it
never was equipped and lighted: and was in fact very soon abandoned. It
has been said that the site was too elevated, that it would be quite
obscured by fogs and mists in those very seasons when its friendly ray
was the most required;--it might be so, but certainly that was never
proved by the experiment: and it seems strange that these grounds of
objection were not suggested to the projectors in time.
The new Light-house stands near the edge of the sea-cliffs, at an
elevation of about fifty feet above the beach. The stone Tower is 101
feet high from the surface of the ground, besides the lantern of about
20 feet more: and the foundation is of _solid masonry_ to the depth of
thirty feet! The requisite offices for the two light-keepers are built
round the foot of the tower, and are comparatively low, so that at a
distance the lofty fabric appears as a magnificent column, or
"Like some tall watch-tower nodding o'er the deep,
Whose rocky base the foaming waters sweep."
Inside the tower a broad stone staircase winds spirally to the top; and
many visitors make the ascent, for the sake of the beautiful view
afforded of the adjacent part of the Undercliff, as well as for
examining the splendid and complicated lantern.
* * * * *
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