Long Valley advocate. (Lardo, Idaho) 1904-1907, 1905-10-19
DEATH ALWAYS NEAR
ARTIST TELLS OF RISK IN PHO
TOGRAPHING WAVES.
Moment-CareIess and Timid At
PENDANTS Add to the Excitement Of
the Undertaking.

There are plenty of adventures to
be found in photographing the great
waves of the sea. F. j. Mortimer, an
EngliShman, tells of some rough ex-
periences in getting pictures of this
kind on the stormy coast of the Scilly
islands. He says: zone can never
trust the sea for a moment. Once
was standing with my back to a
cliff, on the top of which was q friend,
whose outstretched hands / could just
reach. After watching the sea for
some time, breaking at a safe dis
lance, turned my back on it for one
moment to reach up to my friend for
a fresh dark-slide. Fatal movement
as fatal as taking ones eyes from a
crouching tiger-for no sooner had l
turned my head than wave darted in
and crashed with terrific force on to
my back / was absolutely f1attened
against the rock, all breath and feel
ing were knocked from my body, while
my camera was smashed to smither-
eens Bruised and gasping, could
only totter home to bed, and two
days were passed before l was fit
to venture out again.
Then there was another adven-
ture." says Mr.. Mortimer, again,
caused by a rope man who was too
careless. He had lowered me down
narrow crevice, chimney as it is
called, and having seen me safely
come to ground at the bottom he
calmly threw the rope down to me
and went off, never thinking that he
might be required to haul me up
again. One glance at the sea told me
that was In a most dangerous posi-
ton; the tide was coming in and
would soon be yelling up the chin.
ney; and only by way of the chimney
could L escape. All intentions of TAX
ing photographs threw to the wind:
after shouting till l was hoarse
began the upward climb unaided-
elbow work of the stiffest kind
The chimney was 100 feet high and
spent the rest of the day in getting to
the top.
Another time the promptitude of a
friend in trying to save my life cost
me a valuable outfit. l was photo
graphing from the base of a cliff on
the top OF which stood my friend, hold
ing the rope to which | was attached.
Along came final wave that would
nave made magnificent study.
Wnlle 1T was yet far distant, a sud-
den distrust of it entered my friends
soul, and while l was STOPPING over
my things on the ground, without a
word OF warning he gave a mighty
jerk to the rope and hauled me into
the air. Dangling helplessly, unable
TO cry out, | was forced to watch that
fine wave roll quietly in, break with
great effect OF. foam, and as quietly
go Off with all my apparatus.
Il once had an awful fall when des-
cending steep bit of cliff on ST.
Agnes. was clambering down, very
much incumbered by my camera.
which allowed me to cling on with
one hand only, supported by toes.
knees and elbows. when suddenly
rat leaped from hole in the rock
against my face and landed
on my hand. Now didn't know that
rats Inhabited the rock; and nv sur
prise at this unexpected discovery in |
natural history, combined with the |
start | gave when the rat touched nv |
hand, caused me to let go my hold |
and to fall a distance of thirty feet.
landed on my camera case, breaking
Up my outfit as completely as the sea
tself could have desired"