20 . A NATURALIST IN THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS. 



everywhere in fact, the air was full of birds. Those on 

 the ledges did not offer to fly, but sat still and stared at us 

 stupidly. The air was tainted with the odor arising from 

 hundreds of fish in all stages of decomposition. Such a 

 horrible clamor was kept up, too. One can never realize 

 the sight until it has been seen. About half-way up, the 

 captain and our man began to tremble and turn pale. The 

 way they hung on to the chains was a beautiful sight to see. 

 Every few feet the chain would run over itself as it was 

 wound up by the windlass, and in slipping back to its place 

 it gave us a slight jerk, that caused the captain to mutter his 

 prayers faster than ever. 



The ascent took twenty-seven minutes, and it really is not 

 a pleasant sensation being swung about over a hundred feet 

 in the air, supported only by a rusty chain. As we neared 

 the top, the captain kept crying out, " For God's sake, hurry!" 

 and when we were swung over the cliff above solid ground, 

 he gave a deep sigh and swore that if he got down alive he 

 would never again make the ascent. 



We were kindly received by Mr. Peter Whalen, the light- 

 keeper, and after a dinner on Guillemots' eggs we made 



