Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-05-13

THE "sPLrr ROCK IN THE PACIFIC.

ssnasn iof ouf authoF Near ~ was remarkable
object, called the asplit Rock Pa small Island
spia in two by some CONFUSION of Nature. leaving
passage through it. A visit made to this place
IN company with man named Emery, who had
lived for some years on neighboring Island to
which he had given his name, is one of the most
interesting passages in the Rosings,s for the pic
ture Of wonderful natural phenomena, as wei as
of the power that man can attain in feats Of agli-
ty.
ave steered for the South side Of the Is
land, that we might paddle through the split.
As we neared, The weather was SO calm that.
though no soundings could be obtained close
to the Island, and the side we were rounding
rose perpendicularly from the water, the long
CLASSY undnlations Of the ocean laved the
rocky base without creating ripple We
approached within an oars length Of this
immence rock; its grandeur imposed feelings
of ave- and | could scarcely reconcile to my
mind that we were in a safe position. How
ever | left it to Emery who was an expert
enced hand. On gaining the passage, felt
still less at my ease; it is only Of sufficient
width to admit of canoe being padded
through, and is about two hundred feet in
length. The two sides Of the cleft cores
pond exactly, and at about one third from the
summit of tue Dpening a massive block is
firmly wedged; and, from its appearance, l
am confirmed in the opinion that in the con-
vulsion that caused this singular phenomenon,
as the fearful chasm was about to close, the
upper part of the Island tottered from its
centre and tumbled into the yawning gull,
where it got immovably jammed and proven
ted closer union, leaving his passage me-
mortal of the terrific commissions that must
have troubled these seas, and reminding man
of the insignifcance OF all his works when
compared with the grand and mighty opera
tions of Nature. The water in the passage
appeared of Unreasonable depth; and the
long smooth rolling swell that swept through
it seemed like the commissions of some mon
ster of the deep. We had only one native
with us who had been to the Island before
and he desired us to turn face about, that we
might work the canoe through stern first, as
the landing place was on our larboard hand,
and the out-rigger being on the larboard side
of the canoe, we should get dashed to pieces
unless we shifted. | was somewhat startled
and, being no swimmer, did not altogether
relish the intelligence but the imperturba-
BILE GOODNESS with which old Emery set to
work caused me to suppress any observation
felt tempted to make. On clearing the
passage, prepared as was for ar awkward
landing place, ] was not quite prepared for
what saw The Island is wall of rock
shooting upwards from four hundred to six
hundred feet high, and curying like horse
shoe, the South-e eastern termination of the
curve being split and riven into thousand
pinnacles and rocky needles The passage
we came through is exactly in the centre of
the crescent but, instead of finding the sea
placid in the hollow, as it was outside, it
was tumbling about foamiDg and seething
like boiling caldron, roaring and dashing
up the rocks as If trying to overlap the OPP
posing barrier, and in its retreat forming such
eddies that momentarily expected to be
shiyered like the rocks around us. The
whole swell of the ocean sets into this 'hol-
low and even if there is no broeze, the con
tracing points of the curve confine the roll
ing pillows, which in their recoil create this
dancing turmoil.
'.Well was it for us that the natives from
Wea had padded into the hollow before us,
as they we're accustomed to the Island, and
to land on its steep and slippery sides. The
way they managed was admirable They
balanced their canoes so close to the precipi-
tous rock that the lashing surge broke just
under their bows and went roaring a hun
bred feet above them. Wondering what they
were going to do, we noticed two of them
plunge into the crest ola gigantic roller, and
when it had spent itself, and | expected to
see their mangled remains swept back in its
rushing retreat, the men were standing on
the rocks high over head, smiling and nod
ding to US. Que Of them had long rope
coiled round his waist, and he threw the end
of it down to us; Emery gave it to me, and
told me. when the next swell hove us nearly
on level with the men, to leap with all my
might towards them. My amazement at this
cool request was too great for utterance, but
somehow ! did as | was desired. Watching
the favorable moment, gave spring, and
the natives who held the rope, seconding the
impetus, Jerked me alongside of them like a
fish out Of water; Emery followed immedi-
ately after, aided in tho same way. The
man with us who had already visited the Is
land threw himself overheard, and in a few
minutes he also had secured footing, drip
ping like water-s prite The two left in
the canoe lost their presence Of mind, and
would infallihly have been lost had not the
natives from Wea treasured them, and di-
rected them how to act"
"There is little soil on the summit or
wall like ridge of the Island yielding growth
of course grass and peculiar variety of
scrub The natives have likewise succeeded
in rearing few eocoanut trees. The ascent
to novice is rather pcrilous and made me
wink You have to wind your way up later
ally and at one point you have to pass round
the salient projection of a bald rock where
the footing is shelving, and not fourteen in
ches broad, the rock overhead bullying for
ward, while below you have a sheer fall be-
tween two hundred and three hundred feet
in depth. was for giving it up, when En-
cry took the lead telling me it was the only
dangerous spot; but then he was barefooted,
and for years had been habituated to go so
The tenderness of my feet would not allow
me to dispense with shoes, and the slippery
soles made my case more perilous. False
shame prevented my retreating but at the
time | could not help considering that the