CHAP. xi. RETURNS HOME. 229 



left it, that the impatient birds might once more 

 descend and recommence their banquet. 



" I now wished to get to a sandy beach, at some 

 distance to my left, known as Greenside, from which 

 I knew that a path led to the top of the cliff. On my 

 way thither, I met with a very serious obstacle in the 

 form of a huge rock, whose base extended into the 

 sea ; and, as a matter of course, as I could not get 

 round it, I required to get over it. I was then far 

 from being in a condition to climb a rock. However, 

 I had no alternative. The tide, then about to come in, 

 would have shown me no mercy. Accordingly, my 

 gun was once more on my back, and on hands and 

 knees, for feet here were of no use, and with the aid 

 of my mouth, I succeeded in crawling over, and, with 

 some further difficulty, I contrived to reach Greenside, 

 Instead of holding on to Gardenstown, I turned my 

 face towards home, where I arrived betwixt five and 

 six in the evening, with the impression of the last 

 day of 1850 so deeply stamped upon my body and 

 mind, that it will not easily, if ever, be obliterated 

 from either." 



