110 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES, 



and then, as the bullets struck the rock behind her, 

 but rested continuously upon her nest. 



Finding this style of action of no avail, I returned to 

 the boat, and after expending several more cartridges 

 without effect, we rowed to a sort of natural pier of rock 

 abutting upon a deep cavernous gorge containing the 

 hollow which had been the means of preservation to the 

 shipwrecked sailor, and I landed upon a broad sloping 

 shelf, near to which I experienced a fall upon my last 

 excursion to this cliff by land. Knowing that rock- 

 pigeons build in the crannies overhead, I waited for a 

 flight, and killed four young birds with my first two 

 shots. A female rock pipit also fell to my share, ere 

 I re-embarked. We now hoisted sail and stood off the 

 land. The wind, together with the sea, was fast rising, 

 many a " white nose " chequering the blueness of the 

 more open water. 



We bore almost across to Hoy before we put the 

 helm down for the port tack ; and as the Kirk skerrie 

 came in sight the glass showed me about a dozen 

 shags, with one tall cormorant towering in the midst 

 of them, drying their feathers in the breeze. The ring 

 of the mainsail creaked upon the mast, which bent 

 with each capricious gust ; and when within little less 

 than a hundred yards, expecting every instant to 

 see them rise, I whispered " Shall I fire?" 



" We dare not approach any closer," replied Joseph, 

 in a low tone, " on account of the shoal water, and 



