VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEN. 11 



The adventurous islander who first ascended 

 the holm, and showed the possibility of joining it 

 to the island, from an excess of bravery, met with 

 an untimely end. Disdaining to pass over in the 

 cradle, and trusting that the same expertness which 

 had conducted him to the summit of the rock would 

 enable him to descend to its base, — he fell, and 

 wac dashed to pieces. 



" Qucm si non tenuit, magnis tamen excidit ausis." 



It may be observed, that both men and horses 

 are transported over the rapid rivers of South 

 America in a similar manner. Vid. Ull. Voyage 

 de VAmeriquc, vol. i. p. 358. 



As there is a considerable discrepancy in au- 

 thors as to the height of this rock, and the breadth 

 of the chasm ; and not having myself an oppor- 

 tunity of examining it, I have followed the ac- 

 count given by the accurate Pennant in his Arc- 

 tic Zoology. 



The erection of a light-house on the Island of 

 Noss would be of essential service to the interests 

 of navigation. Many valuable ships, and, among 

 others, a Russian frigate of 38 guns, have been 

 lost on the east coast of the Shetland Isles. 



To the north of Mainland lies Yell, an Island 

 twenty miles long, and nearly twelve broad, with 



