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Page 48
ALUM BAY.
The brilliant and novel display of rock scenery which this spot affords,
and its being easily accessible either by water or land (for a road
leads to it from the north side of the down), cause it to be universally
visited by strangers who extend their tour to this quarter of the
island. It is bounded on the south by the Needles and the snowy
precipices of which they once formed part: but its greatest celebrity is
owing to the wonderful diversity and brightness in the cliffs on the
opposite side, which are composed of sand, clay, and ochreous earths,
disposed in alternate _vertical_ strata: and as the torrents of winter
carry away vast masses of the soil, forming numerous deep ravines--an
endless variety of the most beautiful peaks and romantic forms are thus
produced. The colored strata vary in thickness from a sheet of paper to
several yards; are now purely white, black, red, or yellow; then brown,
blueish, or dull green,--alternating in a surprizing manner with each
other, or blending into every hue: and many of the tints so vivid, yet
so delicate, that they are justly compared to the variegations of a
tulip, or to the shades of silk. "Alum Bay," says an eminent geologist,
"is so extraordinary a place, that I am unable to explain in adequate
terms, the surprize I felt on first seeing it. The scenery is indeed of
a species unique in this country: and nothing that I had previously seen
bore the least resemblance to it." This spot owes its name to the fact
of alum having been occasionally found on its shores.
* * * * *
And now, having pointed out the most remarkable features in the cliffs,
it only remains to notice THE LIGHT-HOUSE, which is a gratifying object
of curiosity to persons unacquainted with the nature of such an
establishment, it stands near the extremity of the down, and commands a
prospect of great extent and beauty, particularly of the unrivaled
scenery of Alum Bay. The Needles are seen to most advantage from the
water: but when this has not been enjoyed, the party should cautiously
approach within a few yards of the precipice, "and to those whose nerves
are proof against the horrors of the position, the new into the bays
beneath, and of the cliffs and Needle Rocks, is extremely sublime. The
agitation and sound of the waves below are hardly perceived, and it is
scarcely possible to imagine that the quiet expanse which now seems
stretched in boundless repose under the eye, is the same turbulent
element which had but lately been seen bursting in clouds of foam, and
thundering on its rocky shore.--In hard blowing weather, the fury of the
wind on this promontory is scarcely credible. Very large flints and
fragments of chalk are blown from the cliffs, so as to endanger the
windows of the light-house; and for many days in succession, it is
scarcely possible to open the door."
* * * * *
The precipices of Freshwater, like those at Bembridge, are
frequented at periodical seasons by prodigious flights of sea-fowl
of various kinds. The birds are taken by the country-people at the
hazard of their lives; they descend by means of a stout rope which
turns round a crow-bar firmly fixed in the ground above; one end of
the rope being fastened about their body, and the other end held in
their hands, by which they lower and raise themselves from ledge to
ledge of the horrid precipice. The aquatic fowl furnish most
amusing sport to numberless shooting-parties during the season. The
principal species are ... puffins, gulls, cormorants, Cornish
choughs, the eider duck, auks, divers, guillemots, razor-bills,
widgeons, willocks, daws, starlings, and pigeons. Their
breeding-season is in the months of May, June, and July, and
towards the end of August the greater part of them migrate with
their new generations. Their flesh is too rank and fishy to be
eaten, and is used only for baiting crab and lobster pots; the
feathers are valuable, and the eggs are bought chiefly by visitors
for curiosity.
* * * * *
THE ROADS TO YARMOUTH, NEWPORT, &c.
>> _Having visited the western extremity of the Island, we
return--either by_ CALBOURNE _to Newport, which is the nearest; or round
by_ YARMOUTH, _this being perhaps the less monotonous road of the two._
* * * * *
The tourist, on leaving the magnificent scenes of the western coast, can
hardly expect to see many spots in the remainder of his journey, capable
of engaging his attention. He may still however enjoy some very charming
prospects, particularly in the neighbourhood of Yarmouth, whither we
shall now suppose him to shape his course.
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