226 CLIMBING A ROCK IN FLAT ISLAND. 



noise down the face of the rock, and plunged into the sea. Just 

 as it gave way, Wolfe, with an effort of desperation, stretched 

 himself up, and in an instant his brawny hand was clasped round 

 my ancle. It was a perilous attempt for us both. Uusteadied 

 by the weight, I staggered, and should certainly have fallen 

 from my place, had I not held firmly on by a projecting mass 

 of the rock at my side. Poor Wolfe, in the mean time saw my 

 danger. "Say the word, Mr. Lascelles," he cried, "and I let 

 go my hold. Shall I come, or shall I not?" " Come, and be 

 quick ! '^ was my only reply; and with one strong effort, Wolfe 

 swung liimself up, and stood at my side. The small ledge of 

 the rock on which we were now poised, was not, as I have said, 

 more than two or three feet square ; indeed so narrow was the 

 space, that we were obliged to clasp each other round the body 

 to prevent ourselves falling off. On two sides it was walled in 

 by an adjacent rock, which rose up perpendicularly behind us 

 to a sufficient height to admit of our standing in a crouching 

 position, and, then, taking an outward direction, it projected 

 horizontally towards, and hung over our heads — a black and 

 craggy canopy. On the other two sides the platform was open, 

 and the rock dipped sheer down from its edge, till it was lost, 

 full fifty feet below. Scarcely dared we hazard a look beneath 

 to where our diminished galley rode buoyantly on the surging 

 waters, so dizzy and bewildering was tiie prospect. 



We stood for some time in silence, for there was something 

 too appalling in our situations to admit of speech. The wind 

 whistled and howled among the rents and fissures of the rock ; 

 the sea leaped and roared fiir beneath, as if eager to engulf us, 

 and the scared sea-fowl flew screaming, in eddying circles, round 

 the place where we stood. To have attempted to descend by the 

 path we had come up would have been madness, and, as for 

 mounting higher, our progress upwards seemed completely cut 

 off by the mass of rock that hung threateningly over our heads. 

 '-'- Have you considered what we ought to do, Mr. Lascelles V 

 said Wolf, at last ; *' we cannot remain here much longer, I 

 almost think I feel the rock trembling under us." " I see no- 

 thing we can do," I replied, " it appears impossible to get either 

 up or down." " Why, as to getting do\Mi, Sir," said Wolfe, 

 " that we might manage by a leap, and if we had deep water to 

 [tlunge into, I would not mind trying it a rope's end. But I 

 have no notion of jumping on that broad, rocky platform at the 

 bottoin, and b-iiis; suiiisIkmI to a jelly in the fall." *' Not to be 



