BIRDS. 3(?9 
of the precipice. The height of some is above forty 
fathoms; their faces roughened with shelves or 
ledges, sufficient only for the birds to rest and lay 
their eggs. To these the dauntless fowlers will ascend, 
pass intrepidly from one to the other, collect the 
eggs and birds, and descend with the same indif- 
ference. In most places the attempt is made from 
above ; they are lowered from the slope contiguous 
to the brink by a rope, sometimes made of straw, 
sometimes of the bristles of the hog ; they prefer 
the last even to ropes of hemp, as it is not liable to 
be cut by the sharpness of the rocks ; the former is 
apt to untwist. They trust themselves to a single 
assistant, who lets his companion down, and holds 
the rope, depending on his strength alone, which 
often fails, and the adventurer is sure to be dashed 
to pieces or drowned in the subjacent sea. The 
rope is often shifted from place to place with the 
impending weight of the fowler and his booty. The 
person above receives signals for the purpose, his 
associate being far out of sight ; who, during the 
operation, by the help of a staff, springs from the 
face of the rocks, to avoid injury from the project- 
ing parts. 
“ In Fowla, they will trust to a small stake driven 
into the ground, or to a small dagger which the 
natives usually carry about them, and which they 
will stick into the ground, and twisting round it a 
fishing cord, descend by that to climbing places, 
and after finishing their business swarm up it with- 
out fear. Few who make a practice of this come to 
2 B 
vol. i. 
