Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-02-07
TRICKS OF BIG WAVES.
Rough Experiences on the Storm
Coast of the Scilly Isles.

Rough Experiences on the stormy
Coast of the scilly Isles.
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 neves1rust
the sea for moment. Once l was
standing with my back to Il cliff on
the top of which was friend, whose
outstretched hands l could just reach
After watching the sea for some time
breaking Mt q safe distance, turned
my back on it for one moment to reach
up to my friend for fresh dark slide.
Fatal movement-as fatal as taking
ones eyes from crouching tiger-for
no sooner had turned my head than
Il wave darted in and crashed with ter
rifle force on to my back was abso-
lutely flattened against the rock, all
breath and feeling were knocked from
my body, While my camera was smash
ed to smithereens. Bruised and gasp
ing, could only totter home to bed,
and two days were passed before
was lit to venture out again.
"Then there was another adven-
ture," says Mr.. Mortimer again. "caus-
ed by n rope man who was too care
less. He had lowered me down n mar
row 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 re-
quired to haul me up again. One
glance Mt the sea told me that was in
a most dangerous position. The tide
was coming in and would soon be
yelling up the chimney, and only by
way of the chimney could l escape
All intentions of taking photographs
threw to the wind, and, after shouting
till 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 n
friend in trying to save my life cost
me valuable outfit. I was photo
\ graphing from the base Of a cliff, Oh
the top OF which stood my friend hold
ing the rope to which 1 was attached.
Along came n fine wave that would
have made Il magnificent study. While
it was yet far distant, sudden dis
trust Of it entered my friends soul,
and while l was STOPPING over my
things on the ground, without word
Of warning, lie gave u mighty jerk to
the rope and hauled me into the air
Dangling helplessly, unable to cry out
l was forced to watch that fine wave
roll quietly in, break with great eff
feet of foam, and US quietly go of
with all my apparatus.
II once had an awful fall when de
scending steep bit of cliff OH st
Agnes. l was clambering down, very
much incumbered by my camera
which allowed me to cling on with on.
hand only, supported by toes, knee:
and elbows, when suddenly IA
leaped from hole in the rock, brushed
against my face and landed on IN!
hand. Now, didn't know that rat.
inhabited the rock, and my surprise
at this unexpected discovery in natura
history, combined with the start CAV,
when the rat touched my hand, caused
me to let go my hold and to falr ,
distance of thirty feet. landed OF
my camera case, breaking up my out
fit as completely as the sea itsell
could have des..r.'