its base.
The effect of this was to enhance the weird grandeur of the view, for
when the eye had traced the steep glens, overhanging cliffs, rugged
water-courses, and sombre corries upward to the point where all was lost
in cloud, the imagination was set free to continue the scenery to
illimitable heights.

The youth was still gazing upward, with solemnised feelings, when there
was presented to him one of those curious aspects of nature which are
sometimes, though rarely, witnessed in mountainous regions. Suddenly an
opening occurred in the clouds--or mist--which shrouded the
mountain-tops, and the summit of a stupendous cliff bathed in rich
sunshine, was seen as if floating in the air. Although obviously part
of the mountain near the base of which he stood, this cliff--completely
isolated as it was--seemed a magical effect, and destitute of any real
connection with earth.

While he was looking in wonder and admiration at the sight, he observed
a bird hovering about motionless in the blue vault high above the
cliffs. Although inexperienced in such scenery and sights, Barret knew
well enough that nothing but an eagle--and that of the largest size--
could be visible at all at such a distance. Suddenly the bird sailed
downwards with a grand circular sweep, and was lost among the shadows of
the perpendicular rocks. A few minutes more and the mists drifted over
the opening, causing the vision to disappear.

This was Barret's first view of the Eagle Cliff, which was destined to
exercise a powerful and lasting influence upon his fortunes!

A few yards beyond this the explorer came upon a sheep track, and a
little farther on he found one of those primitive roads which are formed
in wild out-of-the-way places by the passage of light country carts,
with the aid of a few rounded stones where holes required to be filled
up, or soft places strengthened. Following it a short distance to a
spot where it ran between a precipice and the shore, he came suddenly in
sight of a wilderness of fallen rocks, which were varied in size from
mere pebbles to masses the size of an omnibus. These had all fallen
from a steep spur of the mountains which projected towards the sea of
that place. The whole of the level land at the base of the spur was
strewn with them; some being old, moss-covered and weather-worn, others
fresh and sharp in outline, as if they had fallen only the previous
winter, as probably they had, for the places from whic