Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-01-02
A LONELY ISLAND.
1T is A BRITISH POSSESSION IN TIE
ATLANTIC OCEAN.

known as Rockall, and No Human Be-
ing Has Ever Landed Upon u-Prob-
ably the Cause of Many Disasters-Looks
Like n Ship Under Full Sail.
Perhaps the loneliest island in the
Atlantic Ocean is British possession
known on the map as Rockall. Where
is it? Rockall is a lonely pyramidal
rock, some 20 feet in height and 251
feet in circumference, rising sheer out
of the wild Atlantic waves, about 1874
miles west-half-south from st. Kilda,
in the outer Hebrides, 290 miles from
the nearest point of the Scottish main
land and 260 miles northwest from the
nearest point on the Irish coast.
More exactly, its position-at least,
as nearly as this has been ascertained
is latitude 81 deg. 80 min. north.
longitude l3 deg. AZ min. west. There
is neither soil upon it nor sandy beach
round it, the depth of water close up
to 1t being twenty or thirty fathoms.
rock" therefore it must be called
rather than an island, or even an islet;
and, of all the rocks and islands, great
and small, surrounding our shores it
is at once the most remote, the most
desolate, the least known, and in many
respects the most remarkable
Not only has 1t never boasted a hui
man inhabitant, but no holiday tripper
or sportsman has ever set foot on its
shores, and only on one or two occa-
sions is it even known to have been
landed upon. Only in the finest wealth
er is it possible to land upon it; in
Winter the ocean waves far overtop
its summit. This summit can only be
reached, even when a landing has been
effected, by an ascent on the north
eastern face of the rock, so precipitous
are its other sides.
Close to the main rock, and with
deep water between them, lies dan
gerous reef, exposed at low tide, known
as Hazlewood Rock; while mile and
a half southeast lies another similar
rock known as Helen's Reef, from a
vessel of that name whose wreck upon
it first made it known.
To the mariner Rockall presents it.
self as serious danger. Neither the
main lOCh IlOl TIE IEGl
has even been either lighted, belled or
buoyed. Yet, though not in the main
line of cross-Atlantic traffic, there can
be no doubt that they have frequently
proved fatal to vessels. There are
several actual records of wrecks upon
them, the earliest being in 1856, and
it is probable that they are partly ac-
countable for some of the disappear
ances of well-found vessels which are
reported annually from the Atlantic.
Even in broad daylight the main rock
is a menace, for, with its steep, tall
sides, and its pointed top, always whit
ened by the deposits of sea birds, it is
invariably at first sight taken for a
ship in full sail.
Mr.. j. A. Harvie-Brown, an eminent
Scottish naturalist; Mr. R. M. Bar
rington, leading Irish naturalist, and
two other gentlemen, undertook not
long ago a scientific expedition to
Royal Irish Academy. Twice was the
rock approached, but on each occa-
sion the swell around it rendered
landing impossible, and the expedition
had at last to return, baked of its
main object. Nevertheless it brought
back some very interesting results, OBJ
tanned chiefly by dl edging on the bank
and by observing the birds flying
around the rock.
Ornithologists have long awaited
with keenest interest information re-
lating to the bird population of the
rock, and have imagined it possible
breeding place of several interesting
sea birds. But the recent expedition,
during which no fewer than twenty
species were observed round the rock.
proved that in all probability no spe-
cies breeds upon it except the common
guillemot
In many other ways the rock is of
much scientific interest, and any
yachtsman or Others who may hereaf-
ter be fortunate enough to effect a
landing upon Rockall will certainly
obtain results of much interest to nat
uralists.