The Longstone Relief 



guillemots resort to lay their eggs, and even now, in mid- 

 winter, the breeding place of these birds is still white with 

 guano. 



After a crossing of forty minutes the motor-boat is run 

 into a sheltered landing-place just beneath the Longstone 

 Lighthouse, and the light-keepers hasten down to the slip to 

 meet us. 



The Longstone is uncovered even at the highest spring 

 tides except during very wild weather, but nevertheless no 

 vegetation of any kind grows on it. During summer a few 

 eider duck and arctic terns nest here, and occasionally a grey 

 seal may drop her youngster on the rock during the breeding 

 season in November. I am informed that the grey seals are 

 frequently heard around the Longstone; they call most just 

 before foggy weather, and their cry is a mournful one, 

 resembling the howling of a dog. 



As we land at the slip a solan is circling round the out-,, 

 lying rocks on the look out for fish. It is a bird of the year, 

 and of a uniform dark colour. In all probability it has been 

 bred on the Bass, and is now on its way south, for the gannet 

 is uncommon off the Northumbrian coast in December. Bird 

 life is plentiful this morning on the Longstone. A heron 

 stands sedately at its fishing pool, while a pair of oyster 

 catchers watch our arrival with interest. Redshank call 

 fussily as they take wing, and flocks of turnstones and purple 

 sandpipers — feeding in company, as is often the case — ^busy 

 themselves in picking up the edible morsels from the tide- 

 swept rocks. Very tame are some of these birds, allowing 

 us to approach without any show of alarm. Near them, 

 a rock pipit searches actively for insects. 



During a rapid inspection of the lighthouse I am shown 

 the room in which Grace Darling, of immortal memory, was 

 in the habit of sleeping. 



In clear weather an extensive view may be had from the 

 Longstone. To the west, Cheviot stands against the horizon, 

 dark blue of a summer's evening, sparkling white of a 



20 1 



