474 FATAL EVENT. 



prospect of his being discovered before morning. In 

 vain he exerted himself to bend upwards, so as to reach 

 the noose or grapple the rock. After a few fruitless 

 efforts, his strength was exhausted, and in this dreadful 

 situation, expecting moreover, that the noose might give 

 way every instant, did he pass a long night. At early 

 dawn, by good fortune, his shouts were heard by a neigh- 

 bour, who rescued him from his perilous suspension*. 



The last we shall relate terminated in a more awfnl 

 manner. A father and two sons were out together, 

 .and, having firmly attached their rope at the summit 

 of a precipice, descended, on their usual occupation. 

 Having collected as many birds and eggs as they could 

 carry, they were all three ascending by the rope, the 

 eldest of the sons first, his brother, a fathom or two 

 below him; and the father following last. They had 

 made considerable progress, when the elder son, look- 

 ing upwards, perceived the strands of the rope grind- 

 ing against a sharp edge of rock, and gradually giving 

 way. He immediately reported the alarming fact. 

 " Will it hold together till we can gain the summit?" 

 asked the father. " It will not hold another minute," 

 was the reply; "our triple weight is loosening it ra- 

 pidly!" "Will it hold one?" said the father. . " It is as 

 much as can do," replied the son, " even that is but 

 doubtful." " There is then a chance, at least, of one 

 of us being saved; draw your knife, and cut away 

 below!" was the cool and intrepid order of the parent; 

 "Exert yourself, you may yet escape, and live to 

 comfort your mother!" There was no time for discus- 

 sion or further hesitation. The son looked up once 

 more, but the edge of rock was cutting its way, and the 

 rope had nearly severed. The knife was drawn, the 

 rope was divided, and his father and brother were 

 launched into eternity! 



* BUCHANAN'S Hebrides. 



