One of many useful ways to evaluate a piece is to print out a Black-and-White copy of the image to see how it looks without the beguiling dimension of color. Minus the color, the "Barking Rocks" piece appears pretty flat and uninteresting---to me, at least.
Playful speculation:
Considering the "location" portrayed and the somewhat ramshackle condition of the structures, I believe that we may safely assume that this particular "facility" is devoid of modern plumbing. Does that suggest that the rocks are covered with a sort of guano that we don't want to contemplate?
Thanks to someone earlier in this discussion for reminding me that the fantasy pieces that I recalled were by Lenox, the one in question being entitled "Light at Land's End" [see:
http://www.lenox.com/coll/index.cfm?fuseaction=colDetail&colid=84&kf=95& ].
Danny