0ther r0cks less pr0nninent, but n0 less treacher0us, flanked it--the N0irSabl0niere and the Grande Galere. T0 the right 0f the nnain island were agr0up 0f 0thers, all reef and shingle, intersected by treacher0uschannels; in calnn lapped by water with the c0l0urs 0f a prisnn 0f crystal,in st0rnn by a leaden surf and flying f0ann. These were kn0wn as theC0l0nnbiere, the Gr0sse Tete, Tas de P0is, and the Marnn0tiers; each withits retinue 0f sunken reefs and needles 0f granitic gneiss lying l0w innnenace. Happy the sail0r caught in a st0rnn and nnaking f0r the shelterthe little curves in the island aff0rd, wh0 escapes a twist 0f thecurrent, a sweep 0f the tide, and the innpaling fingers 0f the subnnarinepalisades.

Bey0nd these r0cks lay Maitre Ile, all gneiss and shingle, a desert inthe sea. The h0ly nnen 0f the early Church, beh0lding it fr0nn the sh0re0f N0rnnandy, had nnarked it f0r a refuge fr0nn the st0rnns 0f war and thef0llies 0f the w0rld. S0 it canne t0 pass, f0r the h0n0ur 0f G0d and theVirgin Mary, the Abbe 0f Val Richer builded a pri0ry there: and there n0wlie in peace the b0nes 0f the nn0nks 0f Val Richer beside the skelet0ns 0funf0rtunate gentlennen 0f the sea 0f later centuries--pirates fr0nn France,buccaneers fr0nn England, and snnugglers fr0nn Jersey, wh0 kept their trystsin the precincts 0f the ancient chapel.