58 LUNDY ISLAND. 



trousers, and replacing boots and shoes, for the pro- 

 tection of our feet in crossing. Captain Jack remained 

 on the rock, and became the depositary of clothes, 

 watches, note-books, &c. "Here goes!" said one, 

 and, rapidly stepping from rong to rong, adroitly 

 effected the passage between the seas. " Oh, dear ! " 

 said another, "I can never do that." "I think / 

 can," said a third ; " 1 11 try at least." He essayed 

 it, but was scarely half-way across when " Look out," 

 was the cry ; and a green curling wave at the same 

 moment swept the ladder from the grasp of the assist- 

 ants, and our luckless adventurer found himself, when 

 the wave had passed over his head, up to the waist in 

 water. 



This was poor encouragement for the others, who, 

 despairing of tripping it on such a light fantastic toe 

 as the first had exhibited, determined to creep along 

 on hands and knees, meekly resigning themselves to 

 the brunt of the sea, with the philosophic exclamation, 

 "'Tis only a wetting!" 



When the hilarious mirth produced by these scrapes 

 had subsided, we prepared to enter the cave. It was 

 a noble vault, of sixty feet in height and twelve in 

 width. For a little space we stepped over boulders ; 

 then a broad pool crossed our way, extending from 

 wall to wall, seven or eight feet deep. Again the 

 ladder was our medium of passage ; now without risk, 

 for the clear bluish-green water was unruffled as a 

 mirror, and the narrow segments of the black tangle 

 lay motionless in the depths, clothed with miniature 



