Margaret's Bay; and at the same time the wind began to rise, while
the shades of night gradually overspread the scene.

Saint Margaret's Bay is one of those small, quiet, secluded hamlets
which are not unfrequently met with along our coasts, and in regard to
which the stranger is irresistibly led to ask mentally, if not really,
"Why did people ever come to build cottages and dwell here, and what do
they do? How do they make a livelihood?"

No stranger ever obtains a satisfactory answer to these questions, for
the very good reason that, short though they be, the answers to them
would involve almost a volume, or a speech equal in length to that with
which the Chancellor of the Exchequer introduces his annual budget.
There would be various classes to describe, numerous wants to apprehend,
peculiar circumstances and conditions of social life to explain; in
short, the thing is a mystery to many, and we merely remark on the fact,
without having any intention of attempting to clear the mystery away.

So narrow is the strip of shingle that lies between the sea and the
cliffs in Saint Margaret's Bay, that the cottages have been built close
up to the latter--much too close, we venture to think, for safety; but
perhaps men who live in constant peril of their lives, count the
additional risk of being crushed along with their families under twenty
or thirty tons of chalk, unworthy of consideration!

On descending to the beach the first thing our party saw was the burly
figure of Coleman seated on his "donkey" by the "sad sea waves."

It must not be supposed that the coast-guard-man was literally astride
of a live ass! No; his "donkey" was an exceedingly ingenious
contrivance invented specially for the use of a class of men who, being
human, cannot avoid becoming fatigued--yet who, being sentinels, must
not on any account whatever be permitted to encourage sleep.

The men of the coast-guard are subject to prolonged and frequent periods
of watching, by night as well as by day, hence they are liable to become
wearied. It has been wisely considered that the most self-denying
mortal alive will, when hard pressed, sit down on a rock or on the
ground, if need be, just to relieve his legs a little. The same wise
consideration has recalled the fact that when men do this they become
helplessly incapable of resisting the drowsy god, and will assuredly go
to sleep, against their will and their judgment.

To meet this case, some truly