Books Should Be Free Loyal Books Free Public Domain Audiobooks & eBook Downloads |
|
The Eagle Cliff By: Robert Michael Ballantyne (1825-1894) |
---|
![]()
This is a truly delightful book by this prolific author. I know of no
other of his books that leaves so many images in the mind, so fresh
after many a year. The scene starts with a young man cycling on his
penny farthing towards London. On the way he has an accident, knocking
down an elderly lady, but fleeing the scene when he sees a policeman
coming. But when he gets home he finds a telegram informing him that
his friends will be departing very soon in a yacht, to visit the
islands on the North West of Britain, so he joins them. Unfortunately there is a fog and the yacht is damaged but all the young
men and their crew manage to get ashore, finding themselves in the
neighbourhood of a large house, the residence of a gentleman and his
family. They are invited to stay there as his guests, and it is at
this point that the adventures begin, involving fishing, shooting,
bird watching, sailing and so forth. There is a charming young lady
also staying in the house, and deploying her hobby of painting. Our
hero falls in love with her, but is very much taken aback when she is
joined by her mother, who turns out to be none other than the elderly
lady he had knocked down back in London. Even more disastrous was the
fire that destroyed the house. This is a brilliant book, and you will
love it. As a footnote you may be surprised that one of the children is called
Junkie. This certainly does not mean that same as it does today:
instead it is a nickname given to a favourite boy child, and you will
find several examples of this in Ballantyne's books.
THE EAGLE CLIFF, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE. CHAPTER ONE. BEGINS THE TALE NATURALLY. From the earliest records of history we learn that man has ever been
envious of the birds, and of all other winged creatures. He has longed
and striven to fly. He has also signally failed to do so. We say "failed" advisedly, because his various attempts in that
direction have usually resulted in disappointment and broken bones. As
to balloons, we do not admit that they fly any more than do ships;
balloons merely float and glide, when not otherwise engaged in tumbling,
collapsing, and bursting. This being so, we draw attention to the fact that the nearest approach
we have yet made to the sensation of flying is that achieved by rushing
down a long, smooth, steep hill road on a well oiled and perfect
ball bearings bicycle! Skating cannot compare with this, for that
requires exertion; bicycling down hill requires none. Hunting cannot,
no matter how splendid the mount, for that implies a certain element of
bumping, which, however pleasant in itself, is not suggestive of the
smooth swift act of flying. We introduce this subject merely because thoughts somewhat similar to
those which we have so inadequately expressed were burning in the brain
of a handsome and joyful young man one summer morning not long ago, as,
with legs over the handles, he flashed if he did not actually fly down
one of our Middlesex hills on his way to London. Urgent haste was in every look and motion of that young man's fine eyes
and lithe body. He would have bought wings at any price had that been
possible; but, none being yet in the market, he made the most of his
wheel a fifty eight inch one, by the way, for the young man's legs were
long, as well as strong. Arrived at the bottom of the hill the hilarious youth put his feet to
the treadles, and drove the machine vigorously up the opposite slope.
It was steep, but he was powerful. He breathed hard, no doubt, but he
never flagged until he gained the next summit. A shout burst from his
lips as he rolled along the level top, for there, about ten miles off,
lay the great city, glittering in the sunshine, and with only an
amber tinted canopy of its usual smoke above it. Among the tall elms and in the flowering hedgerows between which he
swept, innumerable birds warbled or twittered their astonishment that he
could fly with such heedless rapidity through that beautiful country,
and make for the dismal town in such magnificent weather... Continue reading book >>
|
Genres for this book |
---|
Adventure |
Fiction |
History |
Sea stories |
Teen/Young adult |
eBook links |
---|
Wikipedia – Robert Michael Ballantyne |
Wikipedia – The Eagle Cliff |
eBook Downloads | |
---|---|
ePUB eBook • iBooks for iPhone and iPad • Nook • Sony Reader |
Kindle eBook • Mobi file format for Kindle |
Read eBook • Load eBook in browser |
Text File eBook • Computers • Windows • Mac |
Review this book |
---|