of all, the scarlet
pimpernel, or poor-man's weather-glass, (_Anagallis arvensis_,) greets
you in fair weather on almost every square yard of sand. From Yarmouth I
have received the _Chrysopsis falcata_, (golden aster,) and _Vaccinium
stamineum_, (deer-berry or squaw-huckleberry,) with fruit not edible,
sometimes as large as a cranberry (Sept. 7).

The Highland Light-house,[A] where we were staying, is a
substantial-looking building of brick, painted white, and surmounted by
an iron cap. Attached to it is the dwelling of the keeper, one story
high, also of brick, and built by Government. As we were going to spend
the night in a light-house, we wished to make the most of so novel an
experience, and therefore told our host that we should like to accompany
him when he went to light up. At rather early candle-light he lighted a
small Japan lamp, allowing it to smoke rather more than we like on
ordinary occasions, and told us to follow him. He led the way first
through his bedroom, which was placed nearest to the light-house, and
then through a long, narrow, covered passage-way, between whitewashed
walls, like a prison-entry, into the lower part of the light-house,
where many great butts of oil were arranged around; thence we ascended
by a winding and open iron stairway, with a steadily increasing scent of
oil and lamp-smoke, to a trap-door in an iron floor, and through this
into the lantern. It was a neat building, with everything in apple-pie
order, and no danger of anything rusting there for want of oil. The
light consisted of fifteen argand lamps, placed within smooth concave
reflectors twenty-one inches in diameter, and arranged in two horizontal
circles one above the other, facing every way excepting directly down
the Cape. These were surrounded, at a distance of two or three feet, by
large plate-glass windows, which defied the storms, with iron sashes, on
which rested the iron cap. All the iron work, except the floor, was
painted white. And thus the light-house was completed. We walked slowly
round in that narrow space as the keeper lighted each lamp in
succession, conversing with him at the same moment that many a sailor on
the deep witnessed the lighting of the Highland Light. His duty was to
fill and trim and light his lamps, and keep bright the reflectors. He
filled them every morning, and trimmed them commonly once in the course
of the night. He complained of the quality of the oil which was
furnished. This house