30 Something about Sea Birds 



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they took no effect from below. To accomplish this, we had 

 to pass through the Needles, and land in Alum Bay, from 

 which there is a decent footpath up the cliff, and across to 

 the top of that other cliff, on the ledges of which the old hen 

 corvorants were so sedately planning for the welfare of their 

 future progeny ; in fact, where they were reckoning their 

 chickens before they were hatched. The water had gone 

 down about three hours, and the passage through the Needles 

 was a ticklish affair. The gap which we were about to attempt 

 was little wider than our boat, and had a constant current 

 running rapidly at ebb time towards Alum Bay. The depth 

 varied as each successive swell rolled in from the ocean, from 

 1 ft. to 20 ft., and at low water was left quite dry. Two of us 

 knew something of old ocean and old ocean's ways; and 

 though we were ignorant of this particular spot, we learned 

 sufficient from the fishermen to know the thing was to be 

 done. Off went the coats ; two men to each oar : we held our 

 craft steadily against the current, which was tremendously 

 strong, and kept her head right for the opening. An enormous 

 swell rolled seaward, leaving us almost aground : rattle, rattle, 

 and thump, thump, we heard the stones and fragments of 

 rock beneath us; it seemed an hour running out: at last 

 another came : " Here she comes again ! keep her head right, 

 and stand by !" up, up, we rose. "One stroke, up oars, let 

 her drive !" and through we went, in gallant style, on the very 

 crest of the swell. On the Alum Bay side of the Needles 

 there was no swell to be felt ; but the meeting of opposing 

 tides and currents, the influence of the winds, and the rough 

 rocky bottom keep the water in a sort of perpetual boil. As 

 we approached the shore, we had to pass over a good many 

 lobster pots, which we took the liberty of examining, and found, 

 among other contents, a great many soldier-crabs, which 

 had established themselves in the shells of the common 

 whelks : we did not rob the poor people of their lobsters, but 

 carried off the soldiers and a few species of crabs which could 

 only be useful to a naturalist. The geology of Alum Bay 

 must be very interesting ; the cliff above it presents all the 

 colours imaginable. The poor people in the neighbourhood 

 get sands from it of a dozen different colours ; and, running 

 them into a phial, make each colour form a distinct ring, 

 which has a very pretty effect : these phials, so filled, they 

 sell for a shilling each. 



We ascended the cliff, examined the lighthouse, purchased 

 a variety of eggs, and crossed the hill to the corvorant colony : 

 then, by lying down on our bellies on the turf, we quietly 

 peeped over the edge of the cliff, and obtained an excellent 



