106 THE OCEAN. 



Atlantic, dashing against them for ages with un- 

 broken fury, had undermined their solid foundations, 

 and worn for themselves numerous passages, leaving 

 only columnar rocks of vast height, detatched from 

 one another, though of similar formation and con- 

 struction. Such a rock is the Holm of Noss, appa- 

 rently severed from the Isle of Noss, from which it 

 is about a hundred feet distant; but the cliffs are 

 of stupendous height, and far below, in the narrow 

 gorge, the raging sea boils and foams, so that the 

 beholder can scarcely look downward without horror. 

 But stern necessity impels men to enterprises, from 

 which the boldest would otherwise shrink : to obtain 

 a scanty supply of coarse food for himself and family, 

 the hardy inhabitant of the Orkneys dares even the 

 terrors of the Holm of Noss. In a small boat, with 

 a companion or two, he seeks the base of the cliff; 

 and leaving them below, he fearlessly climbs the pre- 

 cipice, and gains the summit. A thin stratum of 

 earth is found on the top, into which he drives some 

 strong stakes ; and having descended and performed 

 the same operation on the opposite cliff, he stretches 

 a rope from one to the other, and tightly fastens it. 

 On this rope a sort of basket, called a cradle, is 

 made to traverse, and the adventurous islander now 

 commits himself to the frail car, and suspended 

 between sea and sky, hauls himself backward and 

 forward by means of a line. And do you ask what 

 prize can tempt man to incur such fearful hazard, 

 lavish of his life ? It is the eggs and young of a sea- 

 bird, the fishy taste and oily smell of Avhose flesh 

 would present little gratification to any whose senses 



