204. A Foas Lair. [CHAP. XI. 
a rather slouching attitude at the other end of the shelf, 
apparently very much discomfited at my unwarrantable in- 
trusion. 
“Another look at the place and its surly occupants was 
enough to convince me of the unmistakable truth that, in- 
stead of having met with a path leading to the bottom of 
the cliffs, 1 had only found one to a fox’s lair. My first 
impulse was to ascend the rocks, but in this I was com- 
pletely baffled. The brow of the cliff to which I wished 
to ascend was fully as high as my breast, and overhung the 
rock on which I stood. I had nothing of the nature of a 
step to put my foot on to aid myself up, and nothing to 
lay hold of with my hands but small tufts of withered 
grass and some small stones, all of which gave way as soon 
as any stress was put upon them. The last and the only 
remaining object within my reach was a stone about twice 
as large as my head, and partially imbedded among the 
grass. I took hold of the big stone with both hands, and 
succeeded in drawing myself about half-way up, when it 
suddenly gave way. The stone came into collision with 
my right shoulder, and would in all likelihood have borne 
me along with it to the bottom of the cliff, had it not been 
that at that instant I got hold of a short tuft of heath with 
my mouth, by the aid of which, and by using my fingers as 
a beast would its claws, I was enabled to regain my former 
position. : 
“Tt was now quite evident that I would require to de- 
scend the cliff by some means or other; but how? That 
was a matter for deep consideration. I was standing on 
the brink of a precipice—had two cunning fellows to deal 
with—had to hold on, at least with one hand, to the ‘rock 
above in order to maintain my equilibrium—and had to 
keep a steady eye on my companions, for fear lest they 
should rush at me and throw me over the cliff. 
“Such being the case, was I not in a pretty fix? If 
there were any means of escape, it was from the point near 
