inct, pointing to a period when
the country must have been inhabited by races of men as uncivilised as
the South Sea Islanders. Possibly it might have been at a period
antecedent to the flood, when our island was joined to the Continent.

The next morning we got under weigh, and stood across to Brixham, on the
south side of Torbay. There is a wide beach all the way along the whole
sweep of the bay, except near Brixham, where the cliffs again rise, and
extend to the southern point called Bury Head. Brixham is one of the
largest fishing-villages on the coast. The inhabitants own a number of
vessels. At few places is a greater quantity of shells to be picked up
of all descriptions, of which we collected a number in a few minutes,
when we pulled ashore. Some of the shells were four or five inches
long. The occupant has the power of working itself rapidly into the
soft sand, to get out of harm's way. We saw some, but they suddenly
popped down, and were far out of our reach when we attempted to dig them
up.

Brixham will over be memorable as the place where the Prince of Orange
landed. We looked at the stone on which he placed his foot when he
first stepped on shore. It was a glorious day for liberty when his
fleet of seventy ships, carrying fourteen thousand men, stood in the
bay. The inhabitants were inclined to look askance at the invaders when
they landed, recollecting the horrors they had endured at the hands of
Judge Jeffreys after the death of Monmouth; but when they saw the banner
of the prince unfurled, bearing the inscription of "God and the
Protestant religion," and he addressed them, saying, with a Dutch
accent, "Mein people, mein goot people! Be not afraid! I am come for
your goot, and for all your goots;" and when they saw the gallant array
by which he was surrounded, their courage revived, and loud acclamations
rent the air. It was the dawn of a new era; and England owes a deep
debt of gratitude to the memory of the gallant prince by whose means our
civil and religious liberties have been secured on a basis which can
never be undermined unless by our own folly and supineness, although
treacherous enemies within are insidiously making the attempt.

Papa made these remarks, and we all heartily agreed with him. Torbay
affords excellent anchorage except when the wind is to the east, towards
which direction it is perfectly open; and fearful accidents have
occurred when gales have suddenly sprung up