Visit to the Haunts of the Guillemot 163 



This extensive range of rocks, as far as appertains to birds, 

 is not considered private property. Any person who can 

 climb it may carry away what number of eggs he chooses. 

 Still there is a kind of honourable understanding betwixt the 

 different sets of climbers, that they will not trespass over the 

 boundaries which have been marked by mutual consent. 



The eggs of the guillemot and razorbills form a consider- 

 able article of traffic from old May-day till about the middle 

 of June. Though the eggs of the kittiwake and puffin are 

 of fully as good a flavour, still they are not in such request, 

 on account of their tender shells, which are easily broken in 

 packing, and in transporting from place to place. 



The usual process of seeking for the eggs is generally car- 

 ried on by three men, though two will suffice in case of neces- 

 sity. Having provided themselves with two ropes of sufficient 

 length and strength, they drive an iron bar into the ground, 

 about 6 in. deep, on the table land at the top of the precipice. 

 To this bar is fastened the thickest of the two ropes, and then 

 it is thrown down the rocks. He who is to descend now puts 

 his legs through a pair of hempen braces, which meet round 

 his middle, and there form a waistband. At each end of this 

 waistband is a loophole, through which they reeve the smaller 

 rope. Sometimes an iron hook and eye are used in lieu of 

 this loop. A man now holds the rope firmly in his hand, and 

 gradually lowers his comrade down the precipice. While he 

 is descending he has hold of the other rope, which was fastened 

 to the iron bar ; and, with this assistance, he passes from 

 ledge to ledge, and from rock to rock, picking up the eggs of 

 the guillemot, and putting them into two bags, which he had 

 slung across his shoulder ere he commenced his arduous 

 undertaking. When he has filled these bags with eggs, he 

 jerks the rope, and the motion informs his friends at the top 

 that it is now time to draw him up. On coming up again to 

 the place from whence he first set out, all the eggs are taken 

 from the bags, and put into a large basket, prior to their being 

 packed in hampers and carried off in a cart by wholesale 

 dealers, who purchase them from the climbers for sixpence 

 the score. At Bridlington and the neighbouring places the 

 eggs are retailed at a halfpenny a piece. 



The rocks are searched for eggs every third day, provided 

 the weather be fair. It requires considerable address on the 

 part of the descending climber to save himself from being hit 

 by fragments of the rock, which are broken off by the rope 

 coming in contact with them. He avoids the danger by 

 moving sidewise when the stone is falling, and by taking care, 

 as he goes down, to clear away with his foot any portion of 



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