The face of the country is varied with gentle risings and hills, being watered with springs, ponds, and fine clear gravelly brooks, many of which are constantly employed in turning over-shot mill-wheels. On the North or vale side, the coast, with the exception of a few cairns and risings, is generally low and flat, making a gradual elevation from a level very little above high-water mark, to the South side, which is beautifully intersected by deep ravines and craggy hills, for the most part covered with wild herbage, on the whole forming a true miniature representation of Welch scenery, the crags rising precipitately to the height of 280 feet above the level of the sea. For considerable distances off the land, the island is circumgirt with sharp sunken rocks, which together with the line of breast-works, batteries, and a regular and efficiently supplied fort and citadel, renders it upon the whole almost impregnable. [Illustration: A View of rough Sea, near Richmond.] Formerly, in the Valle, there was a noble sheet of water, extending for upwards of two miles in length and one in breadth, which of late years, by great labour and expence has been drained off. At present, it is an inland marsh, but a vestige of the pool may still be seen throughout the winter months, as inundating a space of about three acres a little to the West of Noirmont, and which may be plainly seen from Grandes Roques and the road leading thereto. [Illustration: Grande Mare.] The inhabitants have still a few small and convenient fish-ponds, and one the property of Mr Arnold, near the Valle church, when full, is upwards of three acres, has pleasure boats on it, and abounds in excellent fish, such as tench, mullet and eels; which latter, properly speaking, are the only kind that inhabit the rivulets and fresh water pools of the island. [Illustration: Mr Arnold's House and Pool.] The houses lie scattered throughout the island; mansions, farm-houses, and even cottages being excellently built; and if not pleasantly surrounded with orchards, trees and shrubs, at least with neat little gardens, flowers-beds and bowers. Most of the mansions have green-houses, for a late paper says, "in our country rambles we took many a peep into the kitchen-gardens and green-houses, and were highly gratified in observing the paths syringed and fresh, and sickly plants watered at the roots with liquid manure: and were careful to note in thinning them they went over twice instead of all at once; which we understood to be much better, as they avoided wounding them. They examined newly budded stocks, which were secured by tying to the tree, and encouraged by removing suckers and buds beneath. They disbudded wall-trees, and nailed in the young shoots, as they became sufficiently advanced; moved earth frequently with the spade under the walls, and slipped off all infected shoots," &c.