As the island is almost wholly supplied with provisions from France, these women may be seen located in the market in considerable numbers; and the English stranger at first sight wonders who and what they are. Sometimes they perambulate the country with baskets containing eggs, poultry, nuts, &c., and in this way things are often procured at the door exceedingly moderate. Their dress is peculiar to the provinces of France from whence they come, and as they never wear bonnets, the head-dress is most fantastically arranged. The annexed engraving represents one of their caps.
Frogs.—
Are few, and only seen in marshy wet ground. There are no toads in the island, neither will they exist here, for the experiment has been tried from Jersey, where they abound in myriads, especially in umbrageous lanes. From a memorandum dated July 4, 1834, while living in Jersey, I find they creep from their lurking holes in the banks or hedges, throughout the summer evenings, in numbers almost incredible, especially in St Martin's parish, at times oft approaching in size nearly the Surinam toad.
Frost and Snow.—
Neither are severe, and the latter seldom remains on the ground beyond three days. One may be here two or three winters without witnessing both together, and not unfrequently without the least appearance of either. Like other maritime situations, the cold seems to be mitigated by caloric imparted to the atmosphere from the surrounding ocean; and the exuberance of the various exotics which flourish unguarded at all seasons in the open air, puts forth sufficient evidence of the mildness of the climate. The double camelias bloom abundantly in November, and orange-trees endure the winter with only a slight occasional covering of matting. A correspondent of the Horticultural Chronicle observes that on riding towards St Saviour's he was much pleased to see two magnificent orange-trees hid in boxes as a shelter from the side winds, at the house of a Mr Hartley, and which then looked exceedingly handsome, as they were ornamented with some two or three dozen of fine ripe fruit.[A]
[A] In a memorandum, Saturday, Feb. 6, 1841, I find that the winter of that year was the severest we have had for many years past. It destroyed many precious plants, especially myrtles and orange-trees, indeed its ravages were so extensive as to strip down huge limbs from the most robust trees, and in such quantities in the sister-isle, that many dreaded the consequences. This frost appears to have been very remarkable, for the preceding evening was marked by a dense mist, which in contact and in co-operation with a sudden frost, glazed the trees and shrubs with masses of ice, and gave them the appearance of solid icicles, which gave rise to the following witticism: "If the whole island were not christianized, it was at least crystalized." It proved fatal to several interesting exotics, which had been the pride of many a garden. The Cape heaths and Australian shrubs were almost all destroyed. Every species of leptospermum, which had braved our winters for forty years, were killed. The general scenery at the time was so exceedingly beautiful, from the ramifications of the trees being wrought up into so many magical and fantastical shapes, that I endeavoured to make a sketch of one, but the cold was too intense to allow me to accomplish my object. The snow and frost continued to increase from Monday the 1st, and on the 3rd and 5th all creation was white.
Furniture.—
Of all kinds may be obtained on reasonable terms, as it has of late been contrived by some speculative people to enter on a business of this kind. Families, ere they determine on taking up their abode here, would do well in being accommodated with a loan of furniture. On the contrary, should they purchase new, with a view to sell it hereafter, they will have just cause to repent, as it will not realize one quarter of its original value.