The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-03-09
ADVENTURE IN A CAVE.
Stranded Hunter Battles with a Big
Seal.

It was in the autumn Of 1892,
while on a visit to the Outer He
brides, off the west coast of Scotland,
that I met with the following adven-
ture. The coast along the west side
OF the Long Island, as it is called, IS
dotted with innumerable small
rocky islands, which, during the fish,
ing season swarm with wild geese,
ducks, curlew, golden plovers and
flocks of the hundred and one varie-
ties of the diver species. Stalking
geese, however, is exceedingly trying
work. Crawling along on hands and
knees over rough, sharp rocks, you,
perhaps, get within yard of par
ticular ridge, where you know you
can get shot, only to find that a
curlew or plover has been stalking
you, and, thinking you have gone far
enough, gives his warning signal,
which is instantaneously followed by
the whir of wings-the geese have
gone for the day. He is a lucky
sportsman who, after nearly a nights
vigil, brings home a brace in the
morning. On the other hand, he
may have the time of his life and bag
q score or more.
It was on an expedition of this sort
that 1 left the Bay of Berneray, on
board a fishing boat, one autumn
morning, bound for the celebrated
Seven Hunters Islands, which lie
20 miles or so west of that bay. We
got there late in the afternoon, and
while the three men and boy who
composed the crew were securing the
boat and preparing some fishing
lines, l got into the dinghy which
was towing behind and went off to
have look around. 1t was a calm,
still evening, and, having rowed
round to the opposite of the largest
island of the group, at which we had
anchored, lay on my oars and look
ed about for signs of life. Suddenly
a flock of bluerocks appeared and,
circling about for time, entered a
cave, or, rather, fssure, low down
in the face of the cliff, which at this
spot rose sheer out of the sea to
height of 200 feet or more. Not hav-
ing noticed the opening in the rock
until now, I rowed in to investigate,
and found that as the tide was out,
and the floor of the cave therefore
dry, it would perhaps be an easy mat
ter to catch one or two young birds
to send to friend in England, to
whom l had promised pair. This
was an opportunity not to be lost.
When landing on rough shore OF
this sort special kind of mooring
is used. A rope of about five fathoms
or so in length is coiled down in the
bows, and to one end there is fasten-
ed stone heavy enough to act as an
anchor This stone is thrown ashore
or into shallow water, as the case
may be, and on landing the boat is
given sharp push. which carries it
out and away from any danger of
being stove in on the rocks. All this
1ldid and then stepped into the cave.
I found it to be about so feet in
length, 20 in height and of an aver
age of five feet in width, but. with
walls so polished and smooth, except
up above, where the birds roasted,
that getting at the pigeons was out of
the question. The floor sloped up
ward from the entrance, SO that the
high water mark was nine or ten
feet short of the extreme end. Here
were piled up shingle, seaweed, drift
wood, decaying fish and all the odds
and ends incoming tides usually
bring.
Making my way out again, after
a leisurely survey, / stopped down to
pick up my stone anchor, which was
now covered with water, as the tide
had risen in the interval. 1 was pre-
pairing to haul when, to my utter
amazement, l found that there was
no boat on the end of the line.
Looking seaward / saw the dinghy
quarter of a mile off, floating on the
tide. It afterward appeared that the
man who had put the mooring on
board had forgotten or had not trou-
bled to fasten it, SO that when l
pushed the boat away from the land
ing place the line simply ran out and
left the craft free.
I was in a tight fix now if ever
any one was. However, there was
nothing for it but to put the best
face on matters and hope that the
dinghy would be seen from the smack
and that they would set out to search
for me IT Would only mean a night