Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 33.djvu/474

458 from the northeastern point and pulled briskly in to look for a landing-place.

Viewing the island from a distance, it had appeared possible, with the light breeze then blowing, to beach a boat on the southerly slope; but, on closer approach, the seemingly narrow line of foam fringing the shewing rock had become transformed into the wash of a heavy swell upon a steep and slippery shore of granite, on which landing was quite out of the question.



Indefinite as was most of the information gathered in regard to the Funks during a stop at St. John's, all accounts agreed in locating the best landing on the northern side, not far from Escape Point, the eastern extremity. To this spot, known as the "Bench," we were also directed by the crew of a fishing-boat near by; and, passing the point on which the smooth swells broke into ragged patches of foam, a few minutes later found our boat lying at the foot of a low cliff, whose weathered side rose almost perpendicularly from the water. Right in the face of this cliff is a