The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-08-13
VOLUME 8.
Dangers Of Craigsmen.

Dangers OF Craigsmen.
IN 1919, when | was spending few
days at Clyth, an estate then belonging
to my father. was invited by the tacks-
man, DIR. Henderson, TO go with him in
his boat along the coast. He promised
to show me some cliff scenery not often
surpassed in grandeur throughout the
world We embarked accordingly in his
boat on a calm midsummer day, and
was admiring the magnificent promon-
tory of Clythness, when the Doctor bade
the rowers stop, and pointing to small
bit Of green sward, the size of pocket
handkerchief, some hundred feet above
us, inquired whether / could distinguish
it. Having ascertained that there was
no mistake, he continued. "a few days
ago assisted in rescuing a young craigs
woman from that fearful height. You
observe that down to the patch of green
sward the cliffs, although precipitous,
form an acute angle. The woman was
alone, and in her 'eagerness to collect
eggs had the audacity to descend about
thirty feet with her face toward the
rocks, graspiug small projections with
her hands and pressing against the sides
with her knees. On reaching the green
sward she discovered, TO her horror, that
the angle ceased and the cliff became
a sheer precipice. What could she do?
A startling question, this, involving life
or death, and she sat down to consider it.
But once seated, with her face toward
the sea, she conld not rise again. To
return the way, she came had become
impracticable, and unless help, should
from misery and exhaustion, she should
tall into the water. In this extremity
her nerves did not fail her. She retain.
ed her-self-possession and trust in Prov
idence, hoping against hope. From time
to time she gave shout, but there was
no human ear to hear her. Hours pass
ed away, but no deliverance came. Had
she continued unobserved till nightfall
she must inevitably have perished. "But
happily" continued the Doctor, 81 was
that day rowing in this very boat along
the coast. 1t was a dead calm. Sudden
ly We thought we heard human voice
"a faint cry. Pausing in silence few
moments to listen, we heard the cry a
second time. We drew near the craigs,
and, looking up, were able to distinguish
at that dizzy height what appeared to be
human figure in sitting posture. To
give help from below was impossible.
We hurried to the nearest landing, got a
stout rope, and scrambled up the foot
way. On rsnching the top we could see
nothing of her, but we shouted and she
faintly answered. We let down the rope
as nearly as we could guess to the place
from which the answer came. The end
providentiaIly dropped within her reach
She grasped it, tied it firmly round heI
waist, and was hauled up, uninjured in
mind and body, and, as hope, not un'
grateful for her marvellous deliverance.'
The next adventure, illustrating the
activity and daring of the northern
fowlers, took place in Orkney. A craigs
man, creeping cautiously along the mar
row ledge of Drecipitous cliff, came tt
sharp angle, round which it was nee
essary for him to pass. The difficulty
of rounding the angle was great, but i
appeared to be converted into an i'm
possibility when he discovered, to hi
dismay, that he had the wrong foot fore
most. Happily he retained his self
possession. He simply pansed, took
sustaining pinch from his snuff horn
and then, making an agile bound, GO
his right foot foremost, and so ma tere
the difficulty. A friend of his, who ha
waited for the ascent, said to him, Mar
Johnnie, were ye no feared?" "Ef
man, if / had been feared / would ma
here" "I dare say that" replied hi
friend; "but what made thee think G
taking snuff when thou vert in sue
danger?" "Weel," replied the fowler
!, "I hocht I scas needn't.
The scene of my last illustration
Shetland. A fowler, being let down b
rope from the top of a precipiee ovel
hanging the sea, contrived to swing hin
self in such a manner as TO reach a MAJ
= row ledge within the hollow and havin
q as he thought, secured the end of th
b rope to projection in the rock, he bega
81
# to collect the eggs which there abonnt
9 ed. In his eagerness to Eli his bag
d forgot the precious rope and allowed
e to escape from its moorings and swir
Is like a pendulum in the air. He saw
l. once the extremity of his danger, for
le il escaped entirely death, either by ia
b or by the more dreadful pangs of starvt
1t tion, would become inevitable. Pei
re ceiving, therefore, that the rope on
s. next return would for an instant
in nearly within his grasp, he watched h
in opportunity, made desperate sprin
!" and clutched 1t with his hands: Happi
le it did not break; he had strength enou.
I'd to retain his hold, and was hauled up
i, safety. Scarcely any man in all histo
e! ever had so narrow an escape fro
is death.-[Old Times and Distant Place
ne John Sinclair.
m
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