rOOLHARDINESS OF AN ENGLISH SEAMAN. 367 



the only means of ingress and egress to the garrison 

 occupying a fort at the summit of the elevation. 

 There is only a single narrow street laid out in the 

 town — the narrowness of the valley not admitting 

 of any farther expansion. On the sides of the accli- 

 vities are stone-walls, built for the purposes of travel. 

 They are wide, and admit of the passage of a vehicle 

 upon them ; but a misstep will entail upon the un- 

 fortunate wight who should make it certain death, 

 as it would precipitate him into an abyss hundreds 

 of feet in depth. Shortly before our arrival an Eng- 

 lish seaman on liberty, who had been carousing, was 

 suddenly seized with the whim of drinking his brandy 

 on one of these airy places. In pursuance of this 

 phantasy, he procured a bottle of spirits, and, seat- 

 ing himself on the ledge of the wall, with his feet 

 suspended over the chasm, he was enjoying his 

 brandy and his position to his entire satisfaction. 

 He could not be removed by force, as such a pro- 

 ceeding would be productive of imminent danger to 

 him and his rescuers, and as he was proof against 

 persuasion, his shipmates were constrained to allow 

 him to remain in his perilous position, trusting for 

 his preservation in Providence, who assists the sea- 

 man out of so many diiBculties and dangers. For 

 a time he did very well, and maintained an upright, 

 and consequently a safe position ; but, as the spirits 

 he had imbibed began to operate, his body swayed 

 to and fro, and finally, whilst about to take another 

 drink from his bottle, he lost his balance, and was 

 precipitated down, far down, upon the jagged rocks; 

 from whence his body was taken, mangled almost 

 out of the semblance of humanity. 



