The Irish standard., 1915-06-05

cliffs, l was stopped BY gap across
which I feared to spring lest should
not be able to return. That was two
summers since. wished to see whether
it looked as formidable to me now as it
did then. The only real object of inter-
est In these cliffs was small square
aperture at great height from the wa
ter. had often noticed this aperture,
which from below looked only a little
square black spot. No one in the neigh
borhood knew anything about it. But
once while out with an ancient fisher
man from one of the adjoining islands
was told by him that it was the mouth
OF haunted cave ard that it was un-
lucky to have anything to do with 1t.
Indeed it was difficult to see how a per-
son could come at it at all, for it was
quite unattainable from the sea or from
any other side, so sheer and smooth
seemed the cliff in which it was stu
ated. This old fisherman called 1t Cur
rvs Window and spoke of Curry as a
great smuggler. Curry, he said, was so
active that he would take q barrel of
rum under one arm and barrel under
the other, and, though weighted so,
spring from the deck of his schooner
and fly clean through the aperture into
the cave. When made some chatting
remark about the old smuggler's ex-
traordinary activity, he only said Curry
was known to be "a clever man., and no
more would he say. asked about Cur
~ on another occasion, but he not only
refused to add anything, but rather an
grily denied that he had spoken to me
about Curry at all. All this naturally
excited my curiosity. Knowing that l
was much larger and stronger than when
I last made the attempt, resolved to
try again. easily reached the gap to
which refer. Here there was split
in the cliff reaching down to the sea.
Far below in the darkness the sullen
waters were murmuring. At the other
side there was good foothold, but it
was decidedly lower than the point from
which one would have to spring In or
der to reach it. Consequently the return
leap would be far more difficult, and it
was this as we'll as the horrible depths
below and the gulping and gurgling of
the dark waters which had daunted me
before. ! perceived now that it was
really no such wonderful leap, after all,
and surprised at my poltroonery on the
former occasion sprang over and then
sprang back again with comparative
ease. After this proof of my prowess l
resolved to forego the rest of the explo-
ration till next day, intending to bring
my brother Ned with me. Though two
years younger, he was better leaper
than myself, being slight and long leg
ged, whereas I was made rather for
strength than activity. My evil genius,
however, led me on, as did the thought
of the two hours yet wanting till sunset
and the time when pollock would begin
to rise. The exploration did not indeed
promise much, for the cliff as seen from
Dhu-C orrig as we'll as from the sea
seemed ono sheer unbroken wall of rock
apparently offering no foothold to any
creature less prehensile than a fly. Yet
Immediately before me there was very
narrow traversable ledge. In traversing
this saw it would be an advantage to
have my rod with me in order to steady
my footsteps. l returned for it to Dhu-
Corrig and third time cleared the
chasm and presently encountered a
piece Of cliff, walking which could not
possibly have been managed without
such aid. There was ledge indeed,
but the cliff above 1t was so sheer, or
rather inclined forward so much, that
some slight support on the seward side
was necessary in order to get along here.
The iron spike at the end of tho rod sup
piled a good rest for me as went. Pass
ing this dangerous point, was delight
cd to find that the cliff was still travers-
able. though with difficulty, and l had
frequently to crawl. Yet continued to
get forward. forward, and also upward,
ever upward. In this manner l pro-
gressod about mile, not knowing
whittier that traversable ragged ledge
led me. but hoping it might be to Cur
rvs Window. AS my progress was slow
l would upon ordinary evenings have
been perceived by some passing boat,
but the people were at this timo very
busy about hay, and the Old Rake was
the only one which on this unlucky
evening had put forth from our little
harbor, tho Basin, as we used to call it.
Eventually l found myself all of sud-
den looking into considerable cave in
the cliff side, Curry's Window, as l plain
ly perceived. was surprised to find it
so large and also find that it was not
square, but irregularly arched. l used
to think that the famous slnuggler would
have found difficulty in rolling even
one barrel at a time through tho aper-
ture. The delusive appearance of per-
feet squareness had of course been
caused by distance, for the aperture was
very high up in the cliff. 1t, however,
resembled window in this respect, that
the sill, so to speak, was perfectly
smooth, fiat and horizontal as If the
work of mans hands. Tho rest of tho
aperture was very Jagged and ragged.
l also saw that the rock In the inside
was smooth and slopcd away from tho
sill at an angle of as degrees or there
about. The sun had now to round the
shoulder of tho hill whose base was sup
piled by their cliffs; consequently /
could SEQ little or nothing of the interior
Of tho cave, but thought that could
perceive the bottom at short distance.
! pushed tho butt end of the fishing rod
before mo and found that this was 80.
There, about six feet below me, was the
bottom Of tho incline and apparently
the floor Of the cave.