78 Cliff Climbing 
excellent likeness but one which, it is unnecessary to say, he never 
presents to his country’s foes. 
I hope I have made it clear that ropes thus used by experienced 
hands are at times of untold value, whereas, when in inexperienced 
hands, they may prove a greater source of peril than of security. 
All the same, they are absolutely essential in innumerable cases, and 
nobody can hope to reach every point he may require until he has 
thoroughly mastered their use. 
But if there is, as I believe, a certain amount of confusion 
existing in the minds of very many as to the relative spheres of 
action of the Alpine climber and the birdsnester, there is even more 
popular misapprehension with regard to the using of ropes for the 
descent of the cliffs. 
How often have I been advised to go to Flamborough Head or 
St. Kilda or elsewhere and just see how the men do there. In reply, 
I may say I have been to various places on our sea-coast and have 
never yet seen anything which is the least applicable to the class of 
work which it has been my pleasure to devote myself to for so many 
years. To begin with, the conditions in the two cases are absolutely 
different ; for the professional eggers know exactly what lies before 
them and having the experience of former descents, know precisely 
whence to start from, what points can be reached and what amount 
of rope is required ; further, they know whether the cliff is a sound 
one or the reverse and arrange accordingly. Contrast the wander- 
ing naturalist. He has to find a way to reach a point above the 
nest, a matter in some cases of the greatest difficulty and danger. 
Having fixed this point, he has to make sure of a good footing 
for the lowering party, to ascertain whether the cliff is overhung and 
whether the nest is accessible or the reverse, how much rope will 
be required, what ropes it is possible to convey to the desired point, 
and, last but not least, whether the cliff be sound or rotten. This 
may seem a long list of contingencies, but there is not a single one 
