kill them, and that, consequently, it is much safer for inexperienced gardeners not to give them any."

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I remember once being told that all the places that produce salt end in wich; but the name of this place is Cowes."

"I have heard that the word wich is derived from the Saxon, and that it signifies a salt spring," said Mrs. Merton; "but of course that does not apply to salt procured from the sea."

Mrs. Merton and her daughter had now reached the beach, and ordering a boat from one of the boatmen lounging about, they stepped into it to return to West Cowes.

"But, mamma," said Agnes, who was still thinking of the salt-works, "is this the water they use for making salt? This is the Medina, and not the sea, and the Medina is a river, is it not?"

"This part of the Medina," said Mrs. Merton, "is what is called an estuary; that is, an arm of the sea mixed with the waters of a river; the water of this estuary is salt, and affected by the tides as far as Newport."

"What makes the waters of the sea salt?" asked Agnes.

"You know," said her mother, "that all rivers run into the sea; and as every river in its course, from the place where it first rises out of the ground till it empties itself into the sea, runs through a quantity of earth, it is not surprising that it should become mixed with some of the minerals the earth it runs through contains. The minerals contained in the earth differ in different places, but salt is so common in some of its various forms, that no rivers can run far without meeting with earth containing it; and, as salt is easily dissolved in water, it is more easily taken up and carried onwards by a river, than any other minerals. Now, as all rivers empty themselves into the sea, they deposit there the salt they carried with them; and as the water in the sea is continually being evaporated by the heat of the sun, the quantity of salt, in proportion to the quantity of water, soon becomes much greater in the sea than in the river, and hence the water becomes much salter."

"Why, mamma," cried Agnes, "that is just what is done in the salt pans."

"You are right," returned her mother.

"The

salt manufacturers observing the process of nature, have imitated it as well as they could, by applying ar

tificial heat to evaporate the water. What is called. bay-salt, is formed by the sea-water left in the clefts of the rocks by the tide, evaporating naturally, and leaving a saline crust behind; and this salt takes its name from the sea water being frequently thus left in bays. But see, here is the Fountain Inn, where I have no doubt your papa is waiting dinner for us."

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CHAPTER III.

Morning Walk throught West Cowes. - Ride to Newport.Carisbrook Castle.-Children of Charles I.-Donkey Well.Chapel of St. Nicholas.-Boy Bishop.-Archery Meeting.— History of the Isle of Wight.-Bows and Arrows.

THE next morning Agnes and her mamma both rose early; and as Mr. Merton felt inclined to take some repose, they went out by themselves to take a walk before breakfast. They were advised to visit the Parade and the Castle; and, accordingly, they bent their way down the main street of the town, and soon found themselves on the beach. They strolled gently along a terrace, supported by a sea wall, till they arrived at a part which was semicircular, and which was backed by a small battery, pierced for eleven guns. This wall forms the boundary of the garden of a moderate-sized house, which, they were told, was called the Castle. This building, they were told, had been formerly a fort, built by Henry

VIII., at the same time as Calshot Castle, for the purpose of defending the coast against the attacks of pirates, which were then frequent in this sea; but it has been so completely modernized, that it now retains nothing of a castle but the name. They saw a great many bathing-machines, which are very common here, as the gravelly beach permits the machines to be used at all states of the tide. After satisfying themselves with this walk, Mrs. Merton and her daughter turned up a beautiful lane, which afforded them a most magnificent prospect; commanding the Solent Sea, Calshot Castle, and the tall tower of Eaglehurst, seated on the neighbouring cliffs.. In a small garden that they passed, they saw a tortoise crawling slowly along; and Agnes, who disliked slow movements exceedingly, expressed her pity at its miserable fate.

"Nothing is destined by the all-merciful Creator to a miserable fate, Agnes," said her mother; "for I am confident that every creature has a particular kind of happiness allotted to it, though our ignorance may prevent us from seeing in what it consists. The tortoise is also curiously and wonderfully made: as it has neither force to resist its enemies, nor swiftness