484 
BIRD-CATCHING 
Holyhead mountain, in lieu of an original and far more 
primitive machine, which was for a time, of necessity, re- 
sorted to by those who wished to inspect the works on the 
island. It consisted of a small box, suspended on two strong 
ropes swung across a chasm of about a hundred and fifty 
feet, commencing its journey from a projecting point, about 
half-way down the precipice of the main land, from which 
the passenger was vaulted over the gulf, by a rope leading to 
the island, — a journey which, together with the scrambling 
down the unprotected face of the precipice, was sufficiently 
disagreeable and alarming to convey a correct idea of the far 
more terrific communications adopted in less frequented 
places ; such as that in Shetland, between the headland of 
Bressa, a sort of column rising out of the sea to the height 
of three or four hundred feet above its level, and not more 
than four yards in diameter on its summit. It is said that 
this cradle, by which the inhabitants pass easily and readily, 
and, from habit, without any fear of danger, was erected by 
a hold man in the neighbourhood, who mounted the hitherto 
supposed inaccessible sides of the rock. A great number of 
people were assembled, expecting to see him lose his footing, 
and fall headlong : however, he succeeded, and when at the 
top waved his hat and cheered his friends; and then having, 
with their assistance on the opposite side, arranged the 
ropes and cradle, might have been the first to cross safely 
and successfully over his own bridge, — hut being fool-hardy, 
and determined to descend by the way he had got up, 
before he had accomplished a third of the distance, his foot 
slipped, and he was dashed to pieces. 
But though here and there accommodations like this, or 
others, for facilitating the visits of the bird-catchers to their 
particular haunts, may be at hand, by far the greater number 
are taken by enterprising individuals, who have only their 
own steadiness of head, strength of muscle, and dauntless 
spirit, to insure success. We will describe the means and 
proceedings of those in St. Kilda, a small speck of an island, 
the most westward and distant, (save a still smaller needle- 
pointed uninhabited spot, called Bockall,) in the midst of the 
