PERCE AND BONAVENTURE 139 



I may soeiii to give undue attention to the boat- 

 men of a day ; but there are days and days iu our 

 lives, and v^ith neither my companion nor myself 

 will time dim the memory of the day off Bona- 

 venture. 



There had been a heavy blovs^ from the east the 

 night before, the tide was ebbing, and ere we had 

 passed the Rock, and while still under the lee of 

 Bonaventure, our boat began to toss in a very dis- 

 quieting manner. As we rounded the southwest end 

 of Bonaventure we were more exposed to the action 

 of the waves, but my physical balance was sustained 

 by the anticipation of seeing "two, tree million of 

 bird," which the men declared would soon be visible 

 on the cliffs. 



The farther we advanced the less shelter had we 

 from the land, and finally, passing the northwest 

 end of the island, we were at the mercy of the full 

 force of a long rolling sea, which made it impossible 

 to stand, or even sit, without clinging to one's sur- 

 r(niiidiags. At this point, I believe, the promise of 

 the most wonderful sight in the bird world would not 

 have induced me to continue on our course another 

 minute ; but fortunately no promise was required, 

 the sight itself existed, and under its inspiration I 

 b.ittled with weak nature for the next half hour 

 with a courage born of enthusiasm and a desire to 

 picture the wonders of the scene before me. 



On the ledges of the red sandstone cliffs, which 

 rose sheer three hundred feet above the waves at 

 their base, was row aft(ir row of snow-white Gan- 

 nets on their nests.'"' Tlieir number was incredible, 

 and as we coasted slowly onward, the red walls above 



