260 
BIRD-CATCHING 
devised the means of invading their territories, cross- 
ing the space by means of cradles, suspended on 
ropes thrown across. 
At Garrick- a-Beade, near the Giant's Causeway 
in Ireland, and in the Shetland Islands, two of these 
airy conveyances are still in use, and, until a sus- 
pension-bridge was erected a few years ago, a third, 
and tolerably commodious and safe one, existed, 
connecting the South Stack rock with Holyhead 
mountain, in lieu of an original and far more primi- 
tive machine, which w r as, for a time, of necessity 
resorted to by those who wished to inspect the works 
on the island. It consisted of a small box, sus- 
pended on two strong ropes swung across a chasm 
of about an hundred and fifty feet, commencing its 
journey from a projecting point, about half way down 
the precipice of the main land, from which the pas- 
senger was vaulted over the gulf, by a rope leading to 
the island: a journey wdiich, together with the scram- 
bling down the unprotected face of the precipice, was 
sufficiently disagreeable and alarming, to convey a 
correct idea of the far more terrific communica- 
tions 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 neighbour- 
hood, 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 
