82 A MANUAL 



crowbar, we may reasonably expect that a tolerable 

 harvest will crown our labours. The depth of the 

 fall of water at spring tides varies considerably, but, 

 by the aid of a Nautical Almanac, we shall readily 

 arrive at a knowledge of the extent of shore which 

 will be open for our exertions. On the shelving 

 coast of North Devon a perpendicular fall of four- 

 and-twenty feet will yield us as low a level as we can 

 desire. 



Very well ; now, able-bodied man and crowbar, to 

 the front — march ! Don't stop to put out your pipe 

 — and we will follow with the can and the hammer- 

 case, and the whole paraphernalia of our shore-going 

 warfare. 



We descend this slippery path to our right, and 

 arrive at a narrow ledge of rock, some two feet in 

 width, with an uninterrupted descent on either side 

 to the jagged rocks below. Never mind your nerves; 

 forward! and a few roughly-hewn steps bring us 

 down to the base of the cliffs. We will now trend 

 to the westward, in order to hunt the extremity of 

 that point which we have just left. Crash ! splash ! 

 Oh ! I see, you have fallen into a rock-pool, and are 

 wet up to the knees, and have possibly sprained your 

 ancle or dislocated your thumb. Yes, one cannot be 

 too careful on these occasions, the sea-weed is ex- 

 tremely deceitful, and you ought to have " sprigs " 

 in your boots. " Your ardour induced you to make 

 a rush at the first sea-anemone you saw?" That 



