1910. Pkaeger. — Field Club Conference^ Rosapenna. 163 



lusca, the flowering plants and mosses, and to the photo- 

 graphing of the antiquities of the island — the round tower, the 

 famous '' Tau Cross," and the other remains at West Town 

 (Plates 4, 12). The Tory people proved most friendly and 

 helpful, and gave information and assistance freely. 



By five o'clock all were aboard again enjoying a hearty tea, 

 and the "Cynthia" steamed off into the fog, which was 

 slowly becoming denser. Experiences were exchanged, 

 observations compared, notes made, and specimens safely 

 put away. Meanwhile, Horn Head being — presumably — 

 repassed, the steamer edged southward, endeavouring to find 

 her wa}^ into Sheep Haven. The light north-easterly breeze 

 died awa\" ; the slight lazj^ roll on the ocean ceased, showing 

 that the vessel wasnow within the heads; but still no land, until 

 at length a clamour of sea-birds, growing gradually louder, 

 arose to starboard, and then suddenly the white foam around 

 a conical stack became visible close ahead, followed by a 

 long line of foam along the base of a range of cliffs. The 

 place could not be identified, and so in thirteen fathoms the 

 anchor went down. Air and water alike were still, and the 

 only sound was the incessant clamour of the birds — the 

 musical cries of hundreds of Kittiwakes, the hoarse notes of 

 Guillemots and Razorbills and the shrill piping of their 

 young, and the calling of Herring Gulls. Time passed slowly, 

 but presently, as darkness was falling, a cheer heralded the 

 approach of a long white fishing-boat. From her crew the 

 befogged party learned their position — close in under the 

 " Little Horn," south-east of Horn Head ; but in view of 

 the gathering darkness and the heaviness of the fog, the 

 captain decided not to move. So the party settled down for 

 a night at sea A few cushions and rugs were produced, and 

 life-belts were requisitioned as pillows. A smoking concert 

 was organised on the upper deck, in which Mr. McDonald, 

 assistant manager at Rosapenna, proved invaluable ; and at 

 10.30 " dinner " was announced — a cup of tea without milk 

 and one sandwich all round. By i a.m., all was silence, but a 

 couple of hours later the birds again took up their chorus, 

 and a new dav came. At four o'clock our indomitable waiter 

 went round with a number of lumps of sugar in a saucer — 

 the last of the provisions. At seven, the fog seemed a trifle 

 lighter, and the captain warily crept awa}^ eastward, and 



