oss, and
landed us on a smooth sandy shore, along which we proceeded for a
considerable distance through a succession of caverns, until we arrived
at a small circular chamber where they appeared to terminate.

On putting my hand into the water on my return, to my surprise I found
it perfectly fresh, although so close to the sea. Here any number of
outlaws might take refuge, with small chance of being discovered, or
defend themselves against any force sent in pursuit, provided they had
food to hold out until their enemies had grown weary of looking for
them. Charon--unlike his namesake--had no objection to ferry us back
across the Styx; and having made our way into the upper air, we regained
the boat.

Our next visit was to Rock Island, the resort of countless numbers of
sea-birds. It is at the extreme northern end of the group, and consists
of a high table-land, surrounded by precipitous cliffs. As we
approached, the gulls rose in masses so thick as positively to darken
the air, while all around the sea was speckled with the white feathers
of innumerable puffins. On the cliffs were ranged numerous clusters of
black cormorants, who seemed to be watching us eagerly. Their plumage
was very fine, being of a lustrous invisible green, while their eyes
were of the brightest emerald hue. The boats which went in pursuit
brought back a number of gulls and puffins and cormorants, some of which
Oliver begged might be preserved for stuffing.

We paid a visit on the last day of our stay to the residence of Mr
Smith, in the island of Tresco. On landing, we proceeded across a park,
and approached the large, many-gabled house, in front of which the rocky
ground was completely concealed by masses of blooming creepers. We
passed between beautiful flower-beds, among which grew magnificent
aloes, twenty feet in height, covered with bloom. We wellnigh lost
ourselves in the labyrinth of walks, literally shaded by scarlet
geraniums of giant growth, and shrubs, such as grow nowhere in the open
air on the mainland, many of them of extreme beauty, brought from all
parts of the world. In the midst of the gardens we came upon the
ivy-mantled arches of the ruined abbey of Tresco, which has reared its
head in these far off islands for the last eight centuries. We all of
us agreed that we had never before been in so perfect a garden, so rich
with a profusion of flowers. Mr Smith, in making this "Paradise," had
an object in view--to set