A small pier, intended to facilitate the landing of stores, and shelter the numerous oyster vessels that resort to Grouville Bay at the dredging season, projects into the sea, immediately under the castle guns.  The bay, like that of St. Aubin, is defended by a regular line of martello towers, several of which are built far within flood-mark, on reefs that form part of the Violet Bank.  The adjacent country is a perfect garden, and numerous secluded villas and cottages are scattered among the umbrageous and productive orchards that spread around.  A small village, called Goree, lies a short way southward of Mont Orgueil.  In former times, it was a sutling-place for the garrison; now it is only the rendezvous of a few oyster-fishers.  In the auberges here, (every alternate house retailed liquor), brandy sold at a shilling a bottle.

The road leading directly from Grouville to St. Helier runs parallel with the southern shore, among corn fields, orchards, and hamlets, and is the best in the island.  I travelled it after sunset, and found myriads of toads hopping across it in every direction.  These reptiles are extremely common in Jersey; while, in the neighbouring island of Guernsey, if popular report may be credited, they are not only unknown, but cannot exist, as has been ascertained by importing them from less favoured countries.  This exemption in favour of Guernsey, is in all probability a mere fable, originating with some ignorant native, the absurdity of which no person has been at the trouble to expose.  Lizards and small snakes are also numerous in Jersey; and at night-fall, a chorus of crickets resounds from every hedge.

The Jersey cattle are small; but like the pigmy breed of the Scottish Highlands, their flesh is delicate, and their milk and butter rich.  The butcher market at St. Helier is supplied chiefly from France.  There are sportsmen in Jersey as well as in other countries, but game is neither various nor abundant.  The list, however, includes hares, rabbits, the Jersey partridge, a beautiful bird, with pheasant eyes, red legs, and variegated plumage; and several varieties of water fowl.  In severe winters, flocks of solan geese, locally denominated “barnacles,” frequent the shores.

The Romans, the pioneers of discovery and civilization in Europe, conferred on Jersey the name of Caesarea, in honour of their leader; and Caesar and Tacitus concur in describing it as a stronghold of Druidism, of which worship many monuments still exist.  The aborigines were doubtless sprung from the Celtic tribes spread over the adjacent continent; but the present inhabitants are universally recognised as the lineal descendants of the warlike Normans, who, under the auspices of the famous Rollo, conquered and established themselves in the north of France in the ninth century.  It was first attached to the British crown at the conquest; and though repeated descents have been made on it by France during the many wars