THE HERRING-GULL. 369 



mucli less concern than a lady steps from her carriage. Two or 

 three men (generally his two brothers) " give out " the rope, of 

 which a coil is left back, some little distance from the summit 

 of the cliff. They keep it tight, until the egg-gatherer reaches 

 the ledges containing the nests, when he gives a signal to slack 

 it. The liberty thus afforded him to move to either side pre- 

 vents the necessity of shifting the rope laterally at the summit 

 of the cliff, where it is kept to the same place all the time. On 

 descending, he takes hold of the rope with his right hand, grasp-: 

 ing it as high up as he can reach. He goes down sideways, 

 keeping his feet against the precipitous cliffs the whole way, and 

 stopping at each narrow ledge to pick up the eggs or young. 

 These are placed in his highland bonnet, which is kept on his 

 head until the plunder commences. After bringing up his 

 bonnet three times filled with eggs and young, at the same num- 

 ber of descents, each occupying a few minutes, he ceased. Hold- 

 ing the rope must be very tiresome on the arm. When the latter 

 became fatigued, he shifted the noose to the opposite side of his 

 body at the next ledge, and took the rope in his other hand. 



Mr.Waterton describes the method adopted on the coast of York- 

 shire ;* but that pursued at the Gobbins (one rope only being 

 used) is much more simple and effective. The man here sig- 

 nified his wishes to those above by calling to them or by jerking 

 the rope. By throwing his head and body as far back as possible 

 from the rocks, while his feet, clad in stockings only, were planted 

 against them in his descent, the rope was prevented from coming 

 in contact with the rocks, and breaking pieces off that might in- 

 jure him in their fall. When any loose fragment is perceived 

 during his descent, he pushes it down with his foot, lest it should 

 afterwards by any chance fall on him ; but the rope very rarely 

 touches the face of the rock,, so as to endanger liim by bringing 

 down such pieces. 



The manner in which the gamekeeper at the Horn went over 

 the rocks to the eagle's eyi'ie was similar to that adopted at the 

 Gobbins. 



* Essays Nat. Hist. vol. i. 



VOL. III. 2 B 



