OUR PETS. 51 



The next thing was to get it up the precipice of two 

 hundred feet. The plan we adopted was this. We 

 doubled the line for strength, and tied it round one 

 end of the spar. My companion — a servant boy about 

 my own age — climbed up with the slack of the line as 

 far as it would reach. Having secured a good footing, 

 he hauled up the spar till it reached his hand, and 

 then held it firm and steadied it, while I made my 

 way up to its lower end, which having supported in 

 some convenient niche or projection of rock, Magnie 

 proceeded upwards to another vantage point, and hauled 

 up as before. And so we crept upwards bit by bit. 

 When not far from the top, a sudden exclamation of 

 warning from Magnie made me glance quickly upwards. 

 Eight above me I saw the spar slipping through the 

 loop. I had barely time to swerve a little to one side 

 when down went our prize with a crash amongst the 

 rocks far below. It was an exceedingly narrow escape, 

 for if it had struck me — and it passed me within a 

 few inches — I must have been carried down with it 

 to certain destruction. I was a boy then and never 

 thought of that, but only felt disappointed at so much 

 labour being lost. Nothing daunted, we followed the 

 spar ; and our second essay was more successful. That 

 spar was converted into couples for the roof of a 

 splendid house for several of our pets. This is how, 

 often at the risk of our lives, we were wont to get wood. 

 In lieu of slates, we always used turf, which we 

 thatched with straw. 



In giving a short account of our principal pets, 



