SEA-FOWL SHOOTING IN THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 141 



pride, his father had held for thirty years. He had succeeded 

 him for a few years ; but gave it up, as he was too weak to 

 throw the young solans clear of the rock into the sea beneath. 

 To do this effectually requires a very powerful arm. Many years 

 ago, an aspiring blacksmith, trusting to his ponderous strength, 

 offered to descend the Bass Eock. The ropes were adjusted, 

 and he was lowered over the first shelf. As soon as he caught 

 sight of the blue sea, and the abyss between, he went raving 

 mad, and would not move. The people in the boat below per- 

 ceived his state, and made signs to let him down, which was 

 done by main force. It took several men to hold him in the 

 boat ; but, in about a month, he regained his faculties. He is 

 now an old man ; but to this day has never spoken slight- 

 ingly of a cliffman's duties, or volunteered his unsolicited 

 services. 



About sixty years ago, when Canty Bay was much infested 

 by smugglers, there lived below Tantallon a family of the name 

 of Kelly. They were men of great resolution and herculean 

 strength. The old tar said he had seen one of them take a 

 pipe of smuggled wine upon his knee and drink out of the 

 " bung-hole." He was not at all pleased to see me smile at 

 the relation of this feat. The grandson of this family had the 

 reputation of being the best cliffman that ever descended the 

 Bass. Upon one occasion he was searching above, and one of 

 his uncles in the boat below : a very small pebble was dis- 

 lodged near the top, and struck the uncle upon his thick sea- 

 hat. It cut through the hat, stuck into his skull, and before 

 they could row ashore he had nearly bled to death. The geese 

 are sometimes maimed in the same way. 



Adams, the renter of the Bass, was very dexterous in the 

 management of the ropes above, which considerably lessens 

 the risk of descent. There are regular periods in the year for 

 this perilous work. The first search takes place at the be- 

 ginning of summer, to gather the eggs of the guillemots, kitti- 

 wakes, &c. ; and another in August, to collect the young gan- 



