186 ORKNEY. 



occurrence to me, and who looked on with terror at the 

 probable consequences, for a false step or a stumble 

 involved certain death. The man paused for a moment, 

 took off his broad bonnet, in which he carried, as was 

 customary, his snuff-horn, and after shaking up the snufl 

 in the most unconcerned way, he took three hearty 

 pinches, and then returned the horn to his bonnet, and 

 the bonnet to his head. Then straightening himself up, 

 he made an agile spring, and got the right foot first. 



It was an awful moment for the looker-on, and an 

 awful risk for the performer. Happily it was successful ; 

 he got round the point, and finally reached the top of the 

 rock in safety. 



My friend, who had waited for his ascent, said to him : 

 " Man, Johnnie, were ye no feared ? " 



" Eh man, if I had been feared, I wudna be here." 



" I dare say that," replied my friend ; " but what made 

 you think of taking a snuff when you were in such 

 danger ? ' 



" Weel," he answered, with admirable simplicity and 

 truth, "I thocht I was needin't." 



It is impossible, within the limits of a short paper, to 

 give a detailed description of the various islands. Nor is 

 tkis necessary. 



I cannot, however, omit giving some account of North 

 Ronaldshay, the most curious, most primitive, and most 

 remote of the whole group. It is also the most difficult 

 of access. Perhaps I was unusually unlucky, but I 

 made five several attempts to reach it without success. 



