place itself, where it
welcomes those who arrive, and gives the departing "God speed." It
represents the capital letter at the beginning of that long line which
forms the front of the town towards the sea.

It is both the parish church of St. Peter's Port and the chief place of
the Deanery of the whole island. Its officiating minister is the
surrogate of the bishop, a clergyman in full orders.

The harbour of St. Peter's Port, a very fine and large port at the
present day, was at that epoch, and even up to ten years ago, less
considerable than the harbour of St. Sampson. It was enclosed by two
enormous thick walls, beginning at the water's edge on both sides, and
curving till they almost joined again at the extremities, where there
stood a little white lighthouse. Under this lighthouse, a narrow gullet,
bearing still the two rings of the chain with which it was the custom to
bar the passage in ancient times, formed the entrance for vessels. The
harbour of St. Peter's Port might be well compared with the claws of a
huge lobster opened a little way. This kind of pincers took from the
ocean a portion of the sea, which it compelled to remain calm. But
during the easterly winds the waves rolled heavily against the narrow
entrance, the port was agitated, and it was better not to enter. This is
what had happened with the _Cashmere_ that day, which had accordingly
anchored in the roads.

The vessels, during the easterly winds, preferred this course, which
besides saved them the port dues. On these occasions the boatmen of the
town, a hardy race of mariners whom the new port has thrown out of
employment, came in their boats to fetch passengers at the landing-place
or at stations on the shore, and carried them with their luggage, often
in heavy seas, but always without accident, to the vessels about to
sail. The east wind blows off the shore, and is very favourable for the
passage to England; the vessel at such times rolls, but does not pitch.

When a vessel happened to be in the port, everybody embarked from the
quay. When it was in the roads they took their choice, and embarked from
any point of the coast near the moorings. The "Havelet" was one of
these creeks. This little harbour (which is the signification of the
word) was near the town, but was so solitary that it seemed far off.
This solitude was owing to the shelter of the high cliffs of Fort St.
George, which overlooked this retired inlet. The Havelet was accessible