A ROPE BRIDGE. 313 



deathless silence reigned among them. Their gallant captain at length exclaimed, "I 

 have it! They are carrying one end of the line to yon jutting promontory (east), 

 and are running with the other end to the other promontory (west) ; the two ends of the 

 line being drawn tight in opposite directions, the centre will overhang the rock, and be within 

 our reach/' As the sequel proved, his judgment was well founded. 



" We now," says the narrator, " placed our whole reliance on the success of the efforts 

 of those on shore with the ropes ; but the apparatus employed was imperfect time passing 

 rapidly, and the night quickly approaching. Just at the commencement of dusk the rope 

 reached us, which we were enabled to seize by a small tripping line that hung pendent from 

 it when it was stretched over our heads, being drawn tight at each promontory by the 

 many assembled." The captain, or some one of the men, caught the line and drew it down- 

 wards, when all seized it, and there was a wild huzza ! The captain had been right in his 

 conjecture. The line was extended from headland to headland. 



" When the rope was conveyed to us," writes the doctor, " we all cheered, as if re-animated 

 by a new existence ; and although it reached us too late to be of any service on that night, 

 such was our eagerness to be delivered from the rock, that one man volunteered, and imme- 

 diately descended to the base of it, and by a triangular knot made himself fast to the hawser, 

 which had been conveyed to us by means of the small lines already alluded to. The rope, or 

 hawser, although not a new one, I think was sufficiently strong to bear one at a time to 

 shore, and, indeed, up the lofty cliff, in safety ; but a boy who had been in care of the pigs, 

 unfortunately, through over-anxiety to escape from the rock, descended, and most imprudently 

 attached himself also at the same time to it, notwithstanding our earnest remonstrances to 

 the contrary ; and when they said ' all was ready ' meaning that they were secured to the 

 rope at the same time directing us to shout to those on the mainland ' to pull them 

 ashore,' we did so, and they immediately drew them towards the cliff, upon which we heard 

 a splash, but could see nothing, it being at this time dark. 



" During the night, when we occasionally conversed for we had but little to say, 

 each being wrapped up in his own gloomy meditations we felt a glow of satisfaction that 

 at last a contrivance had been resorted to by which two of us at least were rescued from 

 spending another night upon the rock, we not at this time at all considering that both had 

 met a watery grave, for we could see nothing it was dark neither could we hear anything, 

 from the howling of the storm and roaring of the tempest. 



" In the morning, however, in consequence of the rope having broken, we entertained 

 a melancholy surmise of their unhappy fate ; but upon landing, in the afternoon of Monday, 

 we ascertained the piteous fact. It was rumoured, but it proved to be untrue, that the 

 peasants, during the second night (Sunday) of our dreadful suspense upon the rock, had cut 

 the rope. This arose in consequence of its having been found divided early on Monday 

 morning." 



Next morning the good Samaritans ashore repaired to the scene, and eagerly scanned 

 the rock, to see whether any still survived. Among them was Lady Roberts, who came 

 with thirty of her men, with a car laden with ropes and other materials necessary for 

 their deliverance. The first plan attempted early on Monday morning was with Manby's 

 apparatus i.e., firing a two-pound shot with a line attached from a howitzer. After 

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