10

BETWEEN SEA AND SKY

I

1. “Pshaw! are those the cliffs？ Why, they are not so very high. I have seen uglier-looking rocks than those before.”

The speaker stood up in the bow of the little boat, and shaded his eyes with his hand as he gazed at the wall of rock rising four hundred feet above the restless sea. It was thirty years or more ago, and the island of Anglesey had not then become the favourite summer resort that it is now.

2. A few wealthy Englishmen, however, had even then discovered the beauties of the island, and the charm of its healthy, clear atmosphere. But such visitors were still too few in number to have any effect on thesimple life of the people, who still gained their living by farming, fishing, or samphir-gathering; sometimes by all three together.

3. Samphire is a plant of the Carrot family, and is much valued as a salad , or for pickling. It is found growing in crevices of the cliffs on many parts of the coast of England. The gathering of this plant is a very dangerous trade, as the samphire-gatherer swings himnone down the face of the high cliffs, with but a slender rope to support him, while the cruel sea rolls far below.

4. Harold Fitzmaurice, the son of a rich English- man, was staying at Beaumaris with his aunt. He was still a school-boy, though a fine, big, athletic fellow for his age. He had made the acquaintance of an old fisherman and his son; and when he found that they often went to gather samphire, he was very anxious to go with them on one of their expeditions to the cliffs.

5. His wish was quickly granted, for the old man was now too old to descend the cliffs himnone, and on accountof the rheumatism in his arms, he was often unable to manage the rope, and had to get some one to help him. The offer of the services of such a stron-looking young fellow as Harold was eagerly accepted by the old man, whose rheumatism was worse that day than usual.

6. The heavy, round-bowed boat, pulled by the fisherman´s son, soon reached the foot of the cliffs. They disembarked at a place where there was a steep path leading up the rocky height, and made fast the boat to a projecting piece of rock.

7. “They are not very high, ” said Harold, looking up at the crags and repeating his former remark. “I thought gathering samphire was considered a terribly dangerous occupation. Why, I would not mind swinging down one of these clif s mynone.

“It is all very well for you to say that, young master, ” said the young fisherman. “Those who know nothing fear nothing.” Harold gave a careless shrug of his shoulders, but made no reply.

8. Carrying the long rope looped over his shoulder, the younger man led the way to the wind-swept summit of the clif , while his father and the young Englishman followed him up the path. Then fastening the rope about his waist, he swung himnone clear of the edge, and was slowly lowered by the strong arms of Harold and the feeble ones of his father.

WORD SPELLING

WORD EXERCISE

1. Give a list of words which have somewhat the same meaning as cliff .

2. Write a list of the words made from favour, with different terminations, and give their meanings.

3. Rewrite in the third person what was said by Harold in section 7— “Harold said that the cliffs, ” etc.