The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-06-19
CHAPTER XIII.
NY LAST ATTEMPT AT EscALApE.


This lassitude, however, came over
me slowly and at first imperceptibly.
When l made up my mind not to at
tempt to rush the tunnel, l was vigor-
GUS enough. Accordingly l at once
commenced labor which had always
intended, but had put off till it became
certain that had no other way of es-
cape. AS the reader may remember, !
made no very serious effort in any di-
rection until I had first established such
relations with my dumb companions as
would insure me supply of food, for
perceived that no mode of possible escape
offered itself which did not involve time
and labor and that the food problem
was the first to which should devote
myself. At 9:30 O'Clock on this morn
ing I began to cut steps in the incline
leading up to Curry's Window. Not
long after my Imprisonment had scor-
ed the rock here with my knife. 1t was
limestone Of the hardest and closest
grain imaginable. For cutting steps ]
used the brass reel of my fishing rod,
which fortunately had been caught in
the interstice between two great bowl
ders. l broke it into pieces and used
piece after piece till the bit used as
chisel was worn too small. Tho little
wornout fragments l put carefully to
keep, intending to melt them if could
and fuse them into one piece afterward
when the disable pieces should be ex-
hausted. My precious knife 1 resolved
not to use up till the last extremity, for
l could not tell in what way it might
yet be necessary to me. worked
steadily at these steps. using first tho
right hand and then the left. With
plenty Of time and plenty of brass
could certainly make my way out of
the den, but I perceived after had fin
ished the first step, which was in fact
only little crevice into which could
insert my bare toes, that my supply
Of metal would be worn out long before
the necessary inches or footholds could
be made. l worked standing on tho top
of the rude bone and timber ladder,
whose construction l have already de-
scribed. and this ladder rested upon the
heap of stones, gravel, bones and sea-
weed. The seaweed was in fact my bed
and bedclothes. Every morning
brought it hither and at night brought
it back to tho seal pond, which was my
headquarters. 1t will be seen that by
utilizing the seaweed in this manner l
saved the making Of step or two,
which, of course, meant great deal to
me. Though my supply of brass wore
out fast, my strength seemed to wear
out faster. became very weak, so much
SO that tho cutting of tho second step
took five days longer than that of the
first, and that of the third took three
full weeks, and 1 was conscious that
my strength was still fading away. That
this arose from an exclusively fish diet,
helped a little, 1 confess, with edible
seaweeds gathered in the seal pool,
had rather curious proof. My marine
retainers brought me so much food that
it was an embarrassment to mo. What
l did not want used to fling into that
fissure spoke of at the ebb of the tide.
The tunnel was thus sort of refuse pipe.
One day took large haddock, to
which l fastened stone, and flung 1t
into the pool, where of course it sank to
the bottom. went to my craving work
as usual, and when returned and held
my torch over the spot where had
thrown down the fish saw fine lob
ster half covering the white paddock,
evidently feasting upon it. l thrust tho
butt end of my rod to him, which he at
once seized upon viciously with one of
his claws, SO that drew him safely to
land. made my supper upon him, rel