The Argosy — page 56: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Channel Islands. 45 chief beauties of the isles. It was especially bright and pleasant that morning. Under the shelter of the land we were in smooth water. The Corbiere rocks—a picturesque group of reefs—stood out conspicuously, crowned by a lighthouse. As we rounded the island one feature after another opened’up. The warm, sheltered bays slept in the morning sunshine, and the clear green sea splashed upon the shores with long crescents of white foam. ‘The high and rugged rocks of the west gave place to fertile slopes on the south. St. Brelade’s Bay—perhaps the prettiest of all the Jersey bays—disclosed a line of houses and a picturesque old church, the oldest church in the islands. Next came St. Aubyn’s Bay. The town of St. Helier might be seen rising on the slopes, an apparently confused mass of ———— i SS ees C—OSOS wr ee SC ll SS>SS>S>S=S— ane = Ee - = - = <— — ——— —————S— = —— —— = --~ - - a = ROCKS NEAR ST. BRELADE’S. houses. The harbour stretched out its piers like sheltering arms. In the midst of the waters stood Elizabeth Castle. The steamer was soon at anchor. The quay was all bustle and excitement. A great crane was straining away and holding up its long neck, preparatory to fishing up all the cargo, animals and luggage, out of the vessel. All down the pier were vehicles of every description, and in numbers sufficient to convey a regiment of soldiers. The season might have been at its height, instead of, happily for us, a record of the past. In front of us, Fort Regent reared its head upon a rock 150 feet above the sea. It is said to have cost the country over a million, and is supposed to be impregnable. We had heard much of two hotels: the Marine on the Esplanade, and Bree’s Stopford Hotel in the town. The former faced the sea, and sounded altogether full of promise, but upon landing, we were told that a travelling circus had encamped under the very shadow of EORMNIECOOOKS COR