Summer Rambles.—The "Real Natives."

to the head of the Church at Rome . Of course , Whitstable in those days was thoroughly ecclesiastic ; the hills along the shore Avere crowded Avith monasteries , and every inch of ground belonged to religious communities . At the dissolution of the monasteries , however , the land fell to

various OAvners , and underAvent a great deal of division and subdivision , owing to the custom of gavelkind , here in force , AA hich distributes real property in equal proportions between all the sons of a deceased owner , and failing them between all daughters . Thus there grew up a race of small

freeholders , very independent in manners , and even very turbulent on certain occasions , as , for example , in 16 S 8 , Avhen an ill wind drove poor King James II . unto this shore . The ship which carried flying Ceesar and his fortune having been boarded by the Whitstable fishermen , his Majesty

Avas handled very roughly , and might have lost his life , but for the timely arrival of some troops from Canterbury . Whether headed by a Masaniello or not , the fishermen ever after continued Reds , and about the time of the French Revolution sliOAved their independent spirit in a singular manner .

Watching a favourable opportunity when there was a good deal of land in the market , the men of Whitstable formed themselves into a close corporation , bought up the Avhole foreshore , and signed a charter for establishing a social-communistic republic , based on " liberty , equality , and

fraternity . " That Avas more than seventy years ago . Empires and kingdoms have sunk and risen since that time , thrones innumerable have fallen into the dust , and the face of Europe has changed in aspect . But the social-communistic republic at Whitstable has not changed a jot : it stands as it ever stood , tine et indivisible , at the gates of Canterbury .

Nothing is more striking than the first sight of Whitstable from the Canterbury road . Accustomed to see nothin g but " Avatering-places" on the coast of Kent , with endless raws' of brick - and plaster boxes , detached and semi-detached , one is surprised at beholding for once a genuine

old fishing village , Avith not so much as a " marine parade " near the shore . There are long TOAVS of Avooden houses close to the sea , all as nice and black as if fresh from the tar-pot ; and in front of them on the Avaves there lie long roAvs of Avooden vessels , as black and as beautifully tarred as the

houses . It is clear at a glance that houses and vessels are in the position of brothers and sisters ; no doubt , the houses would swim Avhen put upon the water , and the vessels would be quite at home Avhen stuck up among the potatoes and cabbages on shore . Entering Whitstable from the turnpike

road , Ave are startled by the extreme silence pervading the Avhole place . There seem to be no shops in which any kind of business is transacted ; there are no people loitering about , and even the indispensable publichouse is wanting , as far as Ave can judge . But near to the shore the scene changes , for all the inhabitants appear to have

congregated here . It is a curious shore , strewn thickly AA ith oyster-shells , and ornamented Avith heaps of sails , masts , chains , nets , and anchors . There is only one building near larger than the Avooden dAvelling Ave have passed , and it is this buildinround which the inhabitants

g congregate . p O o A feAv inquiries soon let us into the secret of the crowd—Ave are standing in front of Government House , the Capitol of the Republic of Whitstable . To understand the doings of the Capitol and of the multitude around , Ave must take a glance back

into Whitstable history . At the establishment of the republic , as already mentioned , the members were fishermen in general ; but before long they began to devote themselves exclusively to a particular branch of fishing , namely oyster dredging . Oystersfrom of oldwere plentiful on

, , this coast ; and the bay in front of the village formed by the mouth of the river Swale being exceedingly well adapted for the breeding of the luscious little creatures , the Whitstable communists determined to leave fish alone , and stick to oysters . Being possessed of more capital than

their unassociated brethren on other parts of the coast , they Avere enabled to dispose of their produce in a far more profitable manner ; they not only held it ready at the most favourable season , but took it to the Great , London market in their

own boats , and appointed their OAAII agents for the the sale , thus becoming dealers as well producers . After aAvhile , they Avent a step further by increasing their stock of oysters in an artificial manner . The process was simple enough . Whitstable men went all around the coast as far as Ireland

purchasing oyster-eggs , so-called " spat , " often to the amount of several thousand pounds , and sinking it in their OAVII grounds , or " beds , " near the shore , they afterwards sold the chickens for the eggs . Of course the profit by the transaction Avas very large , and the social republic prospered in consequence

, and has kept prospering to the present day . The way the good republicans manage their OAVU affairs is rather instructive . They make it a chief point never to catch more oysters than are really Avanted , so as to prevent a glut in the market ; and

accordingly they let their times of fishing or dredg--ing depend upon the ne \ vs they get from Billingsgate . Whenever there is a call from this quarter , the street bellman—important republican functionary—goes through the village at five o'clock in the morning , arousing the sleepers . The Avhole

of the citizens are divided into squads , working in turn ; and those Avhose turn it is for the time beingtake to the boats , and throw out their large ringmouthed nets . Fishing is easy when the crop is so plentiful as here , and the nets always come out loaded to the top . But the republicansAAdio Avell

, understand their OAVII interest , are not greedy by any means . They carefully select only the A'ery best of the oysters within their reach , and only as many as are required for the day , and throw the rest back into the sea . Then , Avhen the hoys are