The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-02-19

white with roaring seas, could Almost
sail under this huge stone nose that "a
lifted bold and bare more than two hum
dred feet above the waters; above theDten
thousand trembling, grooming, moaning.
and continually roaring sea lions on their
jutting craggs and the hungry ~all-devour-
ing ocean.
Farla found her journey slow from the
beginning. Often she would have to
stop and roll aside and down the .steeu
hundreds and hundreds of eggs. They
were a dangerous footing where life de-
pended so entirely on the certainty of her
foothold.
After an hour of arduous work she
came to what seemed to her to be the last
steep ascent before the summit. But this
seemed utterly inaccessible. Here was
at least a place to rest, however, and roll
ing the eggs aside, she threw herself on
her face full length, threw out her long.
strong limbs their full length and rested
really rested for the first time. And this
time her prayer was a prayer of gratitude.
Lifting her face to begin the work be-
fore her, she instinctively turned her eyes
to the world of waters below. It was
alive with boatsl And such a shout
went up from the thousands of people
far, far below on the decks of these various
craftl
All night she had been missed. All
night men had searched about the entire
accessible portions of the rock. For the
girl was well known; was not only widely
known but was well known, and she was
universally respected, if not entirely loved.
They had only this moment discovered
her! But when the shout died away
and men looked and looked again they
grew white with pity and with dismay.~
Some of the boats drew in close to the
Island, as if to try and reach her; others
stood further put to sea, as if to survey
the possible chances of her escape; other
boats drew on around the Island, as if to
see what hope lay from the other side.
The girls heart swelled with gratitude.
And yet she was greatly vexed with her
self that she should have been the cause
of so much care. This made her very
resolved to lave done with the whole
sad business; and tying her girdle she
laid hold of the crag before her and began
steadily to ascend. She had more conf
dence now; and more strength, also. Ten
feet twenty feetI The knife was in her
teeth She had kicked off both her shoes.
Her fingers were streaming with blood.
Thirty feeti Forty feetl
One foot swings loose and the body
swaysl The left arm hangs loose as if
deadl One last superhuman effort and
the right arm is about a sharp jutting and
rugged bit of rock that hangs from the
rim of the summit and she drew herself
up by the knees, by the neck
And oh, such a shout from the waters
belowl The bleeding, trembling girl
stands erect on the loftiest summit of the
Lions Head.
Eagerly now she walks around the mar
row little space for the place by which to
ascend. Toward the city and the shore2
It is fifty feet or more of sheer preclpice.
She hastens with a sinking heart to the
side Of the head looking southwark.
Precipicel Nothing but precipicel
She sat down and folded her bleeding
fingers up under her naked arms. Her
black and glistening abupdaut b@g CO.
about her breast and shoulders. But aes
dress had been torn to pieces and hung in
shreds about her body.
The feet of boats increasing in num-
bers every moment, for the story of the
beautiful girls peril had spread like fire
over the city of San Francisco, now
gathered under the Lions Head; and
every face there lifted to Farla. And
every heart there that knew how to
pray prayed n continual prayer for her
deliverance.
The roar of the lions and the sea made
it impossible that she could either hear
or be heard. No one made signs what to
do. ALI felt so utterly helpless that ne
one dared to advise by sign or by utter
ance of any sort.