spun my yarn to a finish, and if my readers have been
interested in my narrative, I shall, with the sense of conveying
pleasure to others, never regret the happy hours I myself spent while
enjoying a Crusoe's life in the Channel Islands.

_L'ENVOI._

At St. Peter's Church, Guernsey, on New Year's Day, ALEXANDER
DUCAS, of Jethou, to JEANETTE GRAVIOT, of Herm.

[Illustration: Decorative scroll]

[Illustration: Decorative chapter heading]

APPENDIX.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE CHANNEL ISLES.

To say that the Channel Islands are not known to the general public
would be to say what is in these modern days of advertising untrue; but
it may be doubted if they are so well known as they really deserve. They
might very well be called the "Multum in Parvo Islands," for they
contain a very great deal of beauty in a small space; in fact, it would
be very difficult, if not quite impossible, to find another place of the
same collective area with such a diversity of natural beauty. Hills,
dales, bays, promontories, rocks, trees, lawns, dells, watercourses, and
other natural features are here seen in every conceivable variety, and
their beauties never pall upon one.

The extent of the islands is roughly as follows:--

____________________________________________________________________
| Name. | Length | Breadth. | Area. | Population. |
| | Miles. | Miles. | Acres | |
|-----------|---------|------------------|-----------|--------------|
| Jersey | 121/2 | 5 to 7 | 40,000 | 65,000 |
| Guernsey | 91/2 | 41/2 | 15,500 | 35,000 |
| Sark | 3 | 11/2 at widest | 950 | 600 |
| Alderney | 2 | 1/2 on average | 600 | 2,000 |
| Herm | 11/2 | 1/2 | 300 | 2,000 |
| Jethou | 1/3 | 1/4 | 50 | 1 family |
|___________|_________|__________________|___________|______________|

Total area, 57,400 acres, or about 90 square miles.
Total population, 102,620.

Everybody appears to agree as to the salubrity of the climate, which is
remarkably equable throughout the year. Cool in summer, compared to the
continental towns on the same degree of latitude, and much warmer in the
winter. As a winter residence it is milder and less changeable than even