BIRD ROCK 167 



clear idea of the feelings which, would attend the 

 beginning of a fall, and it was with a decided sense 

 of having had a narrow escape that, on being hoisted 

 slightly above the level of the summit of the Rock, 

 we saw the arm of the crane '* pulled inward, bring- 

 ing the crate over the land, to which we were gently 

 lowered. 



The twenty years which have elapsed since 

 Cory visited the Rock have reduced the time re- 

 quired for the ascent from twenty - seven to six 

 minutes. The world moves, therefore, even at Bird 

 Rock. 



To a naturalist this slow passage through the 

 air, about six feet from ledge after ledge, crevice 

 above crevice, filled with Kittiwakes,'^ Murres, and 

 Razorbills, with great white banks of snowy Gan- 

 nets on either side, possesses an almost stupefying 

 fascination. The birds were so abundant and 

 showed such entire lack of fear, I seemed to have 

 reached, if not the heart, at least one of the most 

 important centers of the bird world. 



Alighting from the crate, we were greeted by 

 Mr. Bourque's two assistants and his daughter, a 

 girl of sixteen, who, with a third assistant, now 

 absent on leave, completed the population of the 

 island. There should be added, however, one cow — 

 an important member of the Rock colony, who had 

 reached her elevated position in life by means of the 

 same apj^aratus with which we had just gratefully 

 parted company. Numerous buildings,^" which we 

 had barely noticed from the sea, were found to form 

 a miniature village on the grassy, nearly level sum- 

 mit of the Rock, giving to the scene an atmosphere 



