46 the ornithologist's guide 



report of my gun, or had observed us, and taken 

 flight to sea. In returning to the boat, I got a 

 shot at another Red-throated Diver, which I 

 killed. 



On the 5 th, the weather being fine, I made 

 another attempt to get to the west side of Rona's 

 Hill, and succeeded ; there was a considerable 

 swell, which prevented us approaching so close to 

 the rocks as I wished. Indeed it is very rare that 

 a boat dare venture to this place in the finest 

 weather, there being always a heavy swell here, 

 owing to its exposed situation, with nothing to 

 shelter it from the force of the Western Ocean ; 

 and while in other places the wind might be 

 blowing a pleasant breeze, it would here create a 

 sea so rough as to endanger the safety of a boat. 

 When viewed from the sea, this side of the hill 

 has a most barbarous appearance ; the cliffs are 

 high and rugged, with several extensive chasms, 

 into which the sea was rolling and breaking against 

 their sides with a noise like distant thunder, the 

 white spray forming a beautiful contrast to the 

 black rocks. Not far from the land, at irregular 

 distances from each other, are many rocks, or 

 stacks, some rising to a great height, resembling 

 the spire of a church, others only just appearing 

 above the surface of the water ; there are also 



