96 PHOTOGRAPHY FOR BIRD-LOVERS. 



the remainder being thrown over the edge, where- 

 upon it should dangle opposite or close beside the 

 object of the descent. If it does not do this and is 

 hanging plumb, the crowbar must be extracted 

 and its position altered accordingly. At times a 

 boulder lying deeply embedded a little way back 

 from the edge may take the place of the crowbar, 

 but is seldom so satisfactory. 



The Descent. 



All being in readiness, the climber, having donned 

 the belt, then goes to the cliff-edge, the haulers 

 paying out the lowering rope as he goes, and here, 

 taking hold of the hand-line to steady himself, he 

 steps backwards over the edge, at once assuming 

 a horizontal position in which he continues walking 

 backwards down the cliff. Thrusting oneself thus 

 in a reclining attitude into space seems an un- 

 natural and unsafe proceeding, and one at first 

 instinctively wishes to creep over the edge on all 

 fours hugging the cliff-face all the way down as 

 closely as possible. But the sharp ledges of rock 

 soon work such havoc with skin and clothes, 

 and are so productive of bruises, that ere long 

 one is anxious to keep as far away as possible 

 from the jagged face, touching it only with the feet, 

 and so the right position is naturally assumed. 



We do not recommend that the lowering-rope be 

 passed once round the crow-bar, as is sometimes 



