January 1904JANUARY 1904.
JANUARY 1904.
Theweather continues dull and dark, but comparativelyquiet—a matter of much importance to us at relief times. We have no aversion to a rousing gale between reliefs; then one can afford to appreciate the grandeur of the warring elements; but as the appointed time draws near, and no sign of abatement is evident, all hands become a trifle uneasy, especially the man whose turn it is for shore duty. It is rather tantalising to see the relief steamer cruising doubtfully round the Rock, then finally take her departure, unable to effect a landing, all on account of “that nasty swell,” which possibly a week ago we were eulogising as “sublime!” It is a matter of remark here how quickly the boisterous nor’-east seas are subdued by the westerly wind. At times the morning presents a scene anything but peaceful, the whole reef enveloped by shouting, tumbling seas, which bang our domicile till the crockery rattles, and blind by their spray our kitchen windows, seventy feet from theRock—yet, let the wind but freshen from the westward and the conflict immediately becomes visible. The seas, now driving in the teeth of the wind, have their curling crests whipped cleanly off and carried leeward like clouds of steam. Perceptibly their force diminishes as they “lift and ’scend” in the struggle for supremacy, till by evening tide a comparatively easy relief may be effected. Home news and the doings of the outer world are then at our disposal, as well as a welcome consignment of fresh provisions. Considering his almost seven weeks’ confinement on the Rock, the shore-going keeper may be pardoned a feeling of relief and elation as he steps on board the relievingsteamer—a feeling, by the way, not at all to be confounded with that of the return journey. As an instance how dissimilar the same object may appear from different view-points, our lonely habitation never seems to assume such a pleasing aspect as when seen vanishing astern. Verily, it is we who appreciate the truth of the Irishman’s illogical remark that “the best thing about going away from home is getting back again.”
A round of the different fishing pools was made this month at low water, resulting in the capture of a most unhealthy-looking specimen of a poddley in the “Hospital” (Neill’s Pool). Long, lank, and lean, a post-mortem revealed the liver attenuated to a mere thread. It is most remarkable why these sickly fish should favour this pool alone. About twenty feet in diameter and twelve feet deep, with the bottom thickly strewn with rounded boulders, there is always a shallow wash into it at the lowest state of the tide. Possibly its greater depth offers a safer refuge for these convalescents than the other pools. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that in this pool alone these specimens are found; not only poddlies, but lythe and cod as well. With the flying fish of the tropics we are more or less familiar, and of tree-climbing fish and overland travellers we have the testimony of travellers that such perverse specimens do exist. Theceratodusof Queensland, for instance, which, with its peculiar respiratory arrangement and ambulatory fins is enabled to transport itself over swampy ground in migrating from pool to pool, a feat suggestive of the Yankee’s shallow-draught steamer, to which an ordinary meadow was easily navigable, providing there had been a heavy dewfall. The cause of these reflections was the discovery of a small fish, some four inches in length, on the cleaning path encircling our lantern, over a hundred feet from its usual habitat. Of the “cobbler” variety, the expanded pectoral fins might, with a little imagination, be imbued with the powers of flight, but more than likely our visitor owed its exalted position to some predatory gull, which, unable to bolt its victim or escape from covetous neighbours, had dropped it where found.
A solitary lapwing was our only feathered visitor for the mouth. Apropos of these days of “retaliation,” there is an old Scottish Act of Parliament of the time of Edward the First relating to this bird, in which all its eggs are ordered to be broken when found, “in order that Peesweeps may not go south, and become a delicious repast to our unnatural enemies the English!”
A quiet night on the 31st seemed to augur favourably for our relief, which was due the following evening; by that time, however, the prospect was completely changed by a strong sou’-east wind, and consequently heavy sea, which rendered landing extremely doubtful. The following morning thePharosmade her appearance, and attempted a landing at daybreak. The two boats despatched from the steamer for this purpose, on approaching the Rock, found the passage unsafe to attempt, and returned to the steamer. Weighing anchor, thePharosproceeded to the relief of the North Carr Lightship, where, owing to the tempestuous state of the weather, she broke the hawser by which she moors to the lightship three times during the operation. Landing the relief men from the lightship and BassRock—which had been relieved the previousday—at North Berwick, and sheltering overnight at the Isle of May, she returned to us on Wednesday morning and succeeded in effecting the relief.