CLIMBING IN ENGLAND 281 



on it to be very careful climbers." The uses of the 

 magnificent cliffs of Dover, and between that place and 

 Folkstone, with the precipices of Beachy Head, and the 

 vertical cliffs to the west of it, are thus indicated for 

 the enjoyment of seaside visitors who may think of a 

 visit to the English lakes next year, and of qualifying 

 for the Alps the year after. " As a rule chalk is only 

 sufficiently solid for real climbing for the first 20 ft. 

 above high-water mark, though here and there 40 ft. of 

 fairly trustworthy rock may be found. These sections 

 of hard chalk are invariably those which at their base 

 are washed by the sea at high tide." " Traverses," or 

 scrambles sideways, are the proper exercises in these 

 delightful spots ; " a good olyectifmay be found in the 

 endeavour to work out a route to the various small 

 beaches that are cut off by the high tide and the cliffs." 

 The discovery of these little hidden bays and rock- 

 gardens is always interesting ; but though Mr. Haskett 

 Smith properly cautions his readers that in climbing the 

 upper precipices of the chalk slopes, "a slip would 

 almost certainly prove fatal," he omits to mention that 

 if not killed the modest " passager " who breaks his 

 leg by a slip from the sea-washed base is also pretty 

 certain to drown at high tide. Nor should it be for- 

 gotten that climbing, even on Cumberland fells, is 

 perhaps the severest form of exercise known, and that 

 the results of overstrain are almost equally dangerous 

 with those of a fall, when the exhilaration of mountain 

 air has led to an overtax of a frame fresh from the 

 sedentary life of professional work. 



