>> The Party may either cross the ferry with their vehicle to Bembridge—­for there is a good horse-boat in attendance, and drive round Yaverland and Brading; or they may go to the latter place at once; returning over the downs to Ashey Sea-mark, which affords an almost unrivaled prospect,—­and hence descend towards Ryde, making altogether a charming circuit of about sixteen miles.

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BRADING HAVEN

[Illustration:  BRADING HAVEN, As viewed from Bembridge Mill looking across to the Town of Brading, Nunwell, &c. ISLE OF WIGHT.]

Exhibits during high water the beautiful appearance of an extensive lake:  but at the recess of the tide, a mere waste of sand and ooze, comprehending above 800 acres.

As the sea comes through a very narrow inlet at St. Helen’s, several unsuccessful attempts have been made to recover from its usurpation so valuable a tract of land:—­in 1630 the famous Sir H. Middleton was engaged, and indeed succeeded for a short time, by means of a bank of peculiar construction.  But the sea brought up so much sand, ooze, and weeds, as to choke up the passage for the discharge of the fresh water, which accumulating, in a wet season and a spring-tide, made an irreparable breach, and thus ended an experiment which then cost altogether about L7000.  “And after all, the nature of the ground did not answer the expectations of the undertakers; for though that part adjoining Brading proved tolerably good, nearly one-half of it was found to be a light running sand.”  But it should be observed, that previous to the above attempt, several of the rich meadows contiguous to the haven were at different times taken in.

One circumstance was very remarkable:  namely, A WELL, cased with stone, was discovered near the middle of the haven;—­an incontestible evidence, that at some remote period, the spot was in a very different condition.

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To the very remarkable CHANGE which appears (by the discovery of a well,) to have taken place in the condition of the haven—­and the threatened existence of St. Helen’s Church, from the “encroachment of the sea,”—­we beg to call the attention of our more reflecting readers.  History and tradition are silent as to the cause; and the popular opinion of the present day briefly dismisses the question by ascribing it to an increased elevation of the sea.  But this hypothesis is not supported by the appearance of the coast immediately to the westward of the haven, where some creeks or inlets have become dry; a circumstance which induced the Rev. P. Wyndham, who wrote almost the first intelligent Guide to the island, to conclude that there actually had been a secession of tides in this quarter; yet, singular enough, he makes no allusion either to the haven or the