PHOTOGRAPHING IN CLIFFS, ETC. 23 



little black shiny-skinned and quite downless young 

 ones. 



Having located the precise position of a nest, 

 the next thing to do is to drive a fairly stout 

 crowbar from eight to twelve inches, according to 

 circumstances, into the ground in a line directly 

 above it. The crowbar should have a slightly 

 backward cant of the head away from the cliff, 

 and have the guide-rope securely tied to that 

 portion of it close to the ground in whole or in 

 part, according to the requirements of the place to 

 be descended. It would be quite useless to fling 

 two hundred feet of guide-rope over a cliff only a 

 hundred feet in depth, not to say harmful, in a place 

 with the sea at the bottom. In the case of a crag 

 having a certain amount of backward summit slope, 

 the rope should be thrown well out in coil, so as 

 to get it clear of obstacles, and thus minimise the 

 work and trouble of the descender. 



It is an extremely important thing to have a 

 couple of fairly strong, level-headed men to pay 

 out and haul in the descending rope. It is of no 

 use taking men who would be likely to interpret 

 the first weird cry of a sea-bird as coming from 

 the photographer in distress a hundred feet below, 

 and have their hearts frightened into their boots 

 accordingly. On the other hand, it is equally 

 dangerous to have men assisting who under- 

 estimate the gravity of the situation, and conse- 

 quently grow careless. 



