They will build and plant, and endeavour to in

troduce into the prison scene every possible luxury and comfort. On its being the continual resort of strangers depends, and I think may safely depend, the increasing prosperity of this country.

Having now finished the general account of the island, I beg the reader to accompany me from Douglas, on a tour to Balasalla, Castletown, the Calf of Man, Peel, Kirk Michael, Ramsey, and thence through Laxey to Douglas. I must, on setting out, request him not to expect too much. The country has many extensive and some romantic views to boast of, but is altogether without such gentlemen's seats as, in England, would claim the traveller's attention. There are few which deserve an higher epithet than that of pretty; and the owner would be greatly surprized, if asked by the stranger to shew the interior of his mansion. Plantations and shrubberies are sometimes seen to flourish with great luxuriance: but no park-scenery is yet visible. The churches have not any peculiar characteristic. The altar and the saloon are little decorated by the artist's skill.

The relics of antiquity are not numerous. They are chiefly mounds of earth and detached masses of the supposed temples or altars of the Druids, most of which would be passed almost unnoticed on Salisbury plain, or in many parts of North Wales; and stones or crosses, with Runic characters on the edge, to be read from the bottom upwards, supposed to be erected by the Danes, during their residence in the Isle of Man, and after their conversion to the Christian faith in the tenth or eleventh century. In the Calf of Man have been found, buried, ancient brass daggers, and other weapons, in a few instances partly of pure gold.

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CHAPTER IX.

Douglas.

DOUGLAS derives its name from the junction, a little above the town, of two rivers, the Duff and the Glass, the waters of which meet the sea at Douglas bay. Of the antiquity of the four towns I can say little: we have no historical account of their origin; and in the times, the transactions of which are recorded in the Chro nicle of Man, all appear to have existed, though the first mentioned are those of Rushen and of Ramsey. Of their prosperity and magnitude we are nearly as ignorant, and can judge of these circumstances only by the general wealth and population of the country. Douglas contains upwards of five, some say, six thousand inha-. bitants, and though not the capital, is supposed to be nearly equal in size to Castletown, or Rushen, Peel, and Ramsey put together. Many of the houses are good, but none costly. The custom-house, lately the residence of the Duke, and now of the collector, is the best building.

The streets are very irregular, and in some places extremely narrow. I had the curiosity to measure the chief street opposite the projecting corner of a house, and found that it did not exceed seven feet, its average width being twenty or thirty, but without a pathway. The shape of the town is a triangle, the longest sides extending from the bridge at the upper part of the harbour, in a north-easterly direction towards the coast; and the shortest from the bridge to the pier. On the opposite side of the harbour is a red-herring house, and a row of modern houses of very good appearance. At the commencement of the pier are a court of justice and temporary prison, the latter being only used for securing prisoners till their removal to Castletown. Very near it, to the eastward, is an ancient tower, used for a similar purpose till this was built, a wretched dungeon, and now in ruins. The walls are completely naked, and do not form a pleasing object. The pier, constructed under the direction of Mr. Stewart, architect, and finished nearly ten years ago, is the chief beauty and great attraction of Douglas. length is five hundred and twenty feet; its breadth forty, and it is well paved with flag

Its

stones. At the distance of four hundred and fifty feet, it suddenly expands fifty feet to the right. This broad part is raised three or four feet above the other, and terminates in a semicircle. In the middle of the area is a handsome and very useful light-house. The whole of the building cost the English government upwards of 22,000/. The pier is the promenade of the town, and in fine weather crowded with genteel company. Immediately to the left is seen a range of hills, and beyond these the mountains of Penypont and Suawfel. Turning towards the east, we see the cliff of Clayhead, with a spacious intervening bay; and, to the right of it, a long extent of the coast of Cumberland, crowned with distant mountains, delightful objects to the eye. Still turning towards the right, nothing but the ocean is visible, till we discern, through a clear horizon, the high lands of Wales. The view is now obstructed by Douglas head. From the pier, directly across the harbour, is an elegant castellated mansion, till within these few years the residence of Mr. Whaley, usually called Buck Whaley. Its vicinity to the sea diminishes the verdure, and prevents the growth of trees about the grounds.