Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-03-19
AN AWKWARD FIX.


my father was frying himself and his
crew or the Coast of Guinea, for the
supposed benefit of the negroes, and l |
had left one school, and no other had as
YET been decided on for me. What more |
propitious conjunction Of the planets
could be desired by young gentleman OF
enterprising character, in rude health,
and with decided taste for vagabondz-
ing? / bad soon thoroughly explored
the Downs, and, being specially charged
not to 20 near the cliffs, they were of
course, the most interesting and constant
ly visited portions Of my neighborhood,
with results more profitable to the tailor
and shoemaker than to my personal APP
pearance. Though the cliffs by the Oh
sGrvalory were nearer home and more
lrequented than was desirable, l never
,helcss, in a very short time, discovered,
not far from the pathway, a narrow ledge
or shelf, accessible from the top, and run-
ming across the face Of the cliffs in the
direction Of the Giants Cave.
Now to see this Giants Cave / had Of
ten desired, but pocket-moaey was too
precious, and the passage through the
Observatory too legitimlte p indcue a
visit en- rsgis-here, however, was
chance Of at once gratifying my curiosi-
~; Drawing a risk against which l had
been repeatedly warned, and invading a
desired territory by forbidden path, in
defiance Of constituted authority, | was
resolved to get into the Giants Cave over
the face Of the cliff. Some considerable
time elapsed, and many Reconnaissance
were made, before found the coast suili-
cienty clear for my proposed experiment.
It was late in the autumn, a rainy, gusty
and uncomfortable morning, when few
sensible people thought Of peramJulaiing
the Down, that first found myself on tie
heal Of tie elf, with nobody in sight,
and commenced the descent. The ledge
down to which I scrambled without much
difficulty, is tolerably wide at first, but
slopes outwards and downward5 and be-
ing overgrown with weak slippery grass,
! was obliged TO crawl on a,ltUurs. The
wind was at my back, and did not much
incommode me; l was not liable to gid
diness, and the chasn at my right was
sufficiently familiar to have lost its effect
on my neryes,i in the imperfectly developed
state in which schoolboys are provided
with these essentials.
As | crawled on, the ledge narrowed ;
and became bare of all but moss aud
lichen; at an angle where the cliffs point.
ed towards the river, and then re;edcd
It broke of abruptly; crept to the verge
and found that it continued again, beyond
the projection, within my reach, and that
by clnging closely to the inequalities o
the rock, l could drag myself round to it
steadily and carefully it was done; thu
ledge was now very narrow; l crawlel
On again q little further, and il ceased al
together; / could see the opening to tn
cave but a short distance ahead, but be
tween me and It was nothing but u per
pendicular face Of stone, without a ho
low or projection TO which could Gin!
II was perfectly evident that l coul
go no further; and that, without attain
ing my object, must turn back FUR
back The thought of doing so had ucv(
passed my brain till that moment. ii
right hand rested on tue very edge Of ii
precipice, sinking sheer down 900 fc
TO the roadway below, while my left sic
was pressed against the rock which 70
above me; 10 turn on that tiny slipper
shelf was impossible, unless could star
bol! upright. | made the attempt, b
NY head came in contact with the roc
which projected so far over that l cou
not even rise on my knees without to
ping over. l must absolutely Try
crawl backwards and upwards, along t
miserable little ledge which in the 9th
direction was 30 difficult and perilous
Slowly-oh low slowly, inch by inch
moved back, making carefully sure of t
plant Of each knee before ! allowed n
weight to rest on it, until as passed ba
one foot, it went over the edge. I tri
the other, kept close to tue cliff, and q
ping anxiously, but found nothing to r,
on. could not see, but felt that | h
got back to that salient angle of the c
which divides the path. Iagain attem
sd to raise myself, but in vain; the p;
appeared TO have been cut out of
perpendicular face Of the precipice VIII
was three feet above, and projects c.
siderably over it,
felt thoroughly and hopelessly be