in agitation and distress. Every body knew the doctor; every body respected him; and every body was of course distressed at his untimely death. In the kitchen of the inn were three or four sailors, who had been saved by clinging to the rigging. I forget how many hours they had been in this state; but I remember well that when I saw them, their arms, which were being rubbed to restore circulation, were quite black, and so benumbed that they could not use them."

"I remember your mentioning the circumstance at the time," said Mr. Merton, "and the impression it made on you."

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Yes," said Mrs. Merton, "it is one thing to read of shipwrecks, and of sailors clinging to the rigging for hours, and another to see the poor creatures who have undergone such dreadful sufferings."

Having now satisfied their curiosity with all that was to be seen at Yarmouth, they re-entered the carriage and proceeded to Freshwater.

On the road they saw so many beautiful wild flowers that Agnes begged permission to walk a little way, that she might gather some. There was the beautiful blue Scabious, the yellow Ragwort, and a

bright pink Lychnis. In one place there was a mass of Ground Ivy, growing so luxuriantly as to look like a garden flower; and when Agnes brought some of this to the carriage, her papa made her observe the shape

of the flower, and how completely it is double-lipped, the lower lip being more than twice the size of the upper one. Then Agnes found a plant with small leaves

like the Trefoil, and curiously coiled-up seed pods, which she said looked like snails, or hedge-hogs. This Mr. Merton told her was called the Spotted Medick, and that its curious pod was, in fact, a legume like that of the pea.

The part of the island which contains Freshwater, the Needles, and Alum Bay, is almost separated from the rest by the river Yar, which rises behind the rock called Freshwater Gate, and runs into the sea at Yarmouth. It thus wants only a few yards of going entirely across the island, The geological construction of this part of the Isle of Wight renders it peculiarly liable to change; since, as most of the rocks are composed of chalk and flint, the softer parts of the chalk are frequently wasted away, leaving the flints and the harder part of the chalk remaining. In this manner the curious isolated rocks at the Needles, and at Freshwater Gate have been formed, and the numerous caverns and chines scooped out; and in this way, doubtless, numerous other changes will take place, as long as the island continues to exist.

Agnes was quite delighted with the appearance of the little inn at Freshwater, which is, in fact, a summer pavilion, with several rooms, all opening by fold