The Mewstone and Shag Rock ([1834])

Hearder, G. & J. The South Devon monthly museum. Plymouth: September 1st, 1834. VOL. IV. No. 21. pp. 97-104.THE MEWSTONE. […] The Mewstone is about five miles from Plymouth. Any one of the old gentlemen who ply for hire at the Barbican, with shore boats, will convey you thither for a crown, in about three hours and a half. If, however, you can tool a boat yourself, and know any friend who is fond of bending an ashen oar, hire one of Wallis's skiffs for half a day, which will amount to sixpence each: his little craft, the "Belzeebub," has been frequently shoved over to the Mewstone, by two handy amateurs, in from fifty to fifty-three minutes.The island is part of the property of C. Calmady, Esq. of Langdon; and, at low water of spring tides, a person may walk to it over the rocks from the mainland. The most picturesque route, however, is by water: in passing under the bold heights of Staddon some peculiar geological formations may be observed, which have been noticed by Mr. Prideaux, in the "Transactions of the Plymouth Institution." Bovisand pier, and watering place, the Preventive station, the Harbour master's house, and the Break-water present themselves in pleasing and picturesque succession. At high water a boat may pass with safety between the Reny rocks and the shore, or between the former and the Shag stone; either of these passages will afford a shorter course than going outside the Shag stone; the latter however is safer at low water, as a reef of rocks runs from the shore to the Reny, and is continued to the Shag: some of which, lying just below the surface, might not be perceived by those unaccustomed to a boat or the passage. In passing outside the Shag stone, a boat may almost touch it with her broad-side, as there is a depth of four fathoms and a half at low water; and by approaching as closely as possible, a good estimate may be formed of the size and form of this singular rock, heaving its vast cubical mass out of the tormented waters, that, in the calmest weather are whitening at its base.Should the voyager to the Mewstone choose to make his excursion in a July sea-fog, he will be well repaid for his risk of steering out to sea: he is hereby recommended not to take a compass, the surety derived from that will spoil all his excitement; let him steer by the dim image of the sun, which, though burning in a clear cloudless sky above him, sheds but a subdued light on the mist curtained waters; it is very probable that he will not loose sight of land until he has passed Bovisand pier; he will shortly afterwards have the satisfaction of beholding nothing but sea and sky, or rather sea and fog. Nothing will be visible but the heaving waters and their canopy of white cloud, which sometimes sheds so much obscurity around, that a vessel bound to port may not be perceived ahead until there is but just time to avoid the glory of being run down. Sometimes, when the wind raises the fog a little, and it rolls along a few feet above the surface of the sea, the then visible white line of surf thrown out by the black girdling rocks of the coast will be sufficient to indicate pretty clearly the course which must be steered: should this not occur the voyager must guide himself to the best of his ability by the position of the sun and the sound of the breakers.The Mewstone itself will not be visible until he has arrived close under it, and he will most probably feel some surprise at its apparent magnitude, looming like a huge mountain shadow above him. From the highest pinnacle of the island, where the fog is less dense, a singular mist-bow may be perceived varying in distinctness and sharpness of outline as the sun is more or less obscured; its proportions will be found to differ materially from those of the rainbow as generally seen, its height being much greater than its breadth at the base. The spectator also will perceive a gigantic image of himself shadowed out on the subjacent mist, which will perform every motion made by the looker on: it may be formed similarly to the spectre of the Brocken which appearance has been explained by Dr. Brewster.The group of savage looking rocks called the little Mewstone will be seen, dimly visible or sternly black, as the mist rests upon or rolls over them, they are seen to most effect at low water.[Text may be taken from a different edition than that listed as the source by Somers Cocks.]

Wood engraving

61x83mm

On one sheet with SC3431