224 



CLIMBING A ROCK IN FLAT ISLAND. 



I HAD already spent about three weeks in Flat Island, and had 

 explored every corner of my dominions several times over, with 

 the proud consciousness of being monarch of all I surveyed. 

 In the whole circuit there was not a rock or shrub with which I 

 was not familiar, not a hare's form or gannet's nest to which I 

 could not almost have approached blindfold. Within about half 

 a mile up the coast from our little harbour, however, a tall insu- 

 lated rock, called the Sugar Loaf, shot up in solitary stateliness 

 sheer out of the water. On this rock I had never yet set foot, 

 and for the purpose of changing the scene, I determined one day 

 to explore it, hoping at the same time to find a sufficient number 

 of eggs among its crannies to reward my labour. Accordingly, 

 having left a few look-outs properly stationed, with orders to fire 

 a musket should any vessel be seen nearing the island, I manned 

 the galley, with a couple of men, and taking Wolfe as my atten- 

 dant, set forward on my expedition. 



It was a lovely morning for a pleasure excursion. The breeze 

 was light, the water gently rippled, and a glorious tropic sun 

 rode high in the clear azure of the heavens. Merrily, merrily 

 went the bark, bounding buoyantly through the harmless waters, 

 and, ere many minutes had elapsed, we found ourselves under 

 the lee of the Sugar Loaf. It was a threatening, dark-browed 

 rock, the lower part of which rose perpendicularly out of the 

 water, while its summit hung beetling outwards, and nodded 

 fearfully over our heads. We lay to for a moment to contem- 

 plate it, and consider how it was possible to ascend to the top. 

 But never was there rock more forbidding to the climber. Steep, 

 unbroken, wall-like masses of stone girded its base, while its 

 brow hung threateningly over the water, seeming, as it were to 

 dare us to the ascent. A shelving platform of rock about ten 

 or twelve feet in width, tangled with sea weed, and washed by 

 the rising and receding waves, seemed to form the foundation of 

 this massive superstructure. Upon this rock, having backed in 

 the boat stern foremost, Wolfe and I leaped without much 

 difficulty; and ordering the men to lie off on their oars till our 

 return, set forward on out survey.** 



In the unbroken fapade of the lofty wall of rock that rose 

 perpendicularly from the platform where we stood, there was not 

 a single projecting angle to clasp, nor the smallest crevice into 

 which the foot of the climber might be inserted. ^Encrusted with 



