aunted by numerous sea-gulls, and
under it is Scratchell's Cave, a singular recess in the rock accessible
only by boat. Sheltered by the bold headland is Alum Bay, with its
tinted sands, gray, buff, and red, and from Headon Hill, its eastern
boundary, the coast stretches away to Yarmouth, a little town on the
Solent, where are the remains of one of the defensive blockhouses built
by Henry VIII. The shores of the strait trend to the north-east, with
pleasant views across on the coast of Hampshire, until the northernmost
point of the Isle of Wight is reached, where its chief stream, the
Medina, flows into the strait through an estuary about five hundred
yards wide. Here is Cowes, divided by the river into the West Cow and
the East Cow, the plural form of the name being modern. It is a popular
bathing-place, but gets the most fame from being the headquarters of the
Royal Yacht Club; their house is the old castle at the Medina entrance,
built by Henry VIII., it is said, with portions of the masonry of
Beaulieu Abbey. The harbor, at the proper season, is usually dotted with
yachts. There is steam communication with the mainland, and a railway
runs inland to Newport, the chief town of the island. Near East Cowes is
Whippingham, which was the birthplace of Dr. Arnold, the famous
head-master of Rugby School. Ascending the Medina, the beautiful park
and gardens of Osborne House, the marine residence of Queen Victoria,
border its eastern margin. This was the ancient manor of Austerbourne,
and its owner in the Civil War buried all his money and plate in an
adjoining wood, called the Money Copse, so as to preserve it. When
peaceful days came back he went to get it, but found he had concealed it
so thoroughly that it could not be recovered. The queen bought the
estate in 1844, and the plain mansion was extended into an elegant
marine villa just back from the sea-coast. It was the queen's childhood
attachment to the locality that made her settle here, for when a young
princess she had passed many pleasant days in the neighboring Norris
Castle.

East of the Medina the coast trends to the south-east, the shores being
lined by fine villas surrounded with highly-cultivated grounds; indeed,
the coast of the strait seems like an extended park. Here, opposite
Portsmouth, is the famous watering-place of Ryde, in a beautiful
situation, and with railways running across the island to Sandown and
Ventnor. The land steeply rises from the sea, wit