206 Makes the Leap. [cHaP. xi. 
require to go beyond it in order to reach the landing un- 
derneath. To accomplish such a feat seemed to me im- 
possible. 
“T hung thus, being afraid to make the leap, though up 
I could not get, until my hands began to give way; when, 
mustering all my remaining strength, and having taken the 
last swing with some force, I let go my hold to abide by 
the dreadful alternative, for I had little hope of gaining the 
desired haven. Most fortunately, however, I did gain it; 
but, in doing so, I received a severe blow on the left temple 
from the rock I had so much dreaded. JI also lost my cap, 
which fell off when my head struck the rock. From this 
cavity or chink, which was the worst that I ever had to deal 
with, I managed—by leaping and swinging from one rocky 
shelf and cavity to another, and by crawling from crag to 
crag, alternately, as circumstances required it —to reach a 
huge stone, which evidently had once formed a part of the 
higher portion of the cliff, but had, at a by-gone period, by 
some means or other, become detached from it, and on roll- 
ing down had found a temporary resting-place there. 
“Beyond this stone I found my leaping was at an end, for 
T had now arrived at the top of a rather rough and almost 
perpendicular declivity, fully fifty feet from the bottom, and 
bounded on both sides by steep and overhanging cliffs. Be- 
fore me was the sea; behind and above me was an insur- 
mountable barrier of three hundred feet of cliff. Although 
I had descended thus far, there was no human possibility of 
my being able to re-ascend by the same path. In such a 
place — alone, and almost powerless — bruised and nearly 
worn out with exertion—what could Ido? Throw myself 
down, and meet my fate at once, or wait till help should ar- 
rive? But where was help to come from? Two boats had 
already passed from Gardenstown, both of which I hailed, 
but they sailed along on their way. Perhaps they were too 
far out at sea to hear my cries, or to notice my signals of 
distress. 
