84 Cliff Climbing 
up a dead weight. An awkward experience of this very thing 
occurred when I was descending to the nest of a Bearded Vulture. 
On this occasion the ready resource of a comrade alone got me out 
of what might have been very serious trouble. Hence I am now 
somewhat shy of using ropes knotted together. 
The very essence of good cliff work is absolute discipline 
throughout the undertaking, especially as regards no talking or 
‘back chat.” To ensure this, before descending I invariably 
appoint one man “captain” of the show and impress on the others 
that there is no danger unless they wilfully cause it by inattention 
to the instructions | have given them. For a small cliff two men 
are sufficient to haul a light man up but three is a better number. 
I have frequently been lowered over small places by one man 
but do not recommend it. It is all right if all goes right, but if 
things go wrong it may lead to trouble. 
The captain should see that the end of the rope is (whenever 
possible) strongly secured to some adjacent crag. This at times 
is of great use on an emergency arising. He then settles himself 
down in a sitting position as close to the edge as he can safely 
find a secure footing, and passes the rope under his right arm, 
Nos. 2 and 3 prolong the line behind him in a straight line from 
the strain in similar attitudes. Firm foot-hold of course is essential. 
Sometimes, if a cliff be peculiarly dangerous, it is very useful for 
the captain to post himself at the very edge, whence he can either 
see or hear the signals of the man down the cliff. 
This course is especially useful when a cliff is so shelving near 
the brink as to make it unsafe or impossible for the lowering party 
to obtain secure positions anywhere near it. The captain in this 
case should be himself in a bowline and when he has settled himself 
on the very edge of the cliff, his rope should be securely made fast to 
a rock. 
As a matter of fact it is unusual to find a cliff either in a lime- 
