434 BIRD-CATCHING 



Holyliead mountain, in lieu of an original and far more 

 primitive machine, which was for a time, of necessity, re- 

 sorted to by those who wished to inspect the works on the 

 island. It consisted of a small box, suspended on two strong 

 ropes swung across a chasm of about a hundred and fifty 

 feet, commencing its journey from a projecting point, about 

 half-way down the precipice of the main land, from which 

 the passenger was vaulted over the gulf, by a rope leading to 

 the island, a journey which, together with the scrambling 

 down the unprotected face of the precipice, was sufficiently 

 disagreeable and alarming to convey a correct idea of the far 

 more terrific communications adopted in less frequented 

 places; such as that in Shetland, between the headland of 

 Bressa, a sort of column rising out of the sea to the height 

 of three or four hundred feet above its leyel, and not more 

 than four yards in diameter on its summit. It is said that 

 this cradle, by which the inhabitants pass easily and readily, 

 and, from habit, without any fear of danger, was erected by 

 a bold man in the neighbourhood, who mounted the hitherto 

 supposed inaccessible sides of the rock. A great number of 

 people were assembled, expecting to see him lose his footing, 

 and fall headlong : however, he succeeded, and when at the 

 top waved his hat and cheered his friends ; and then having, 

 with their assistance on the opposite side, arranged the 

 ropes and cradle, might have been the first to cross safely 

 and successfully over his own bridge, but being fool-hardy, 

 and determined to descend by the way he had got up, before 

 he had accomplished a third of the distance, his foot slipped, 

 and he was dashed to pieces. 



But though here and there accommodations like this, or 

 others, for facilitating the visits of the bird-catchers to their 

 particular haunts, may be at hand, by far the greater number 

 are taken by enterprising individuals, who have only their 

 .own steadiness of head, strength of muscle, and dauntless 

 spirit, to insure success. We will describe the means and 

 proceedings of those in St. Kilda, a small speck of an island, 

 the most westward and distant (save a still smaller needle- 

 pointed uninhabited spot, called Rockall), in the midst of the 



