Preface 



Officer, though I have thought it better to avoid the mention- 

 ing of any matters in them which pertained to the war. 



During the later years of the war, when stationed in 

 Ireland, I had opportunities of comparing the dwellers on 

 the western shores of that island with the West Highlander, 

 and in the two Celtic types found much that is common. 

 This was especially noticeable on and around the Aran Islands 

 — a small group of islands lying west of Galway. It is here, 

 too, that the two languages — or shall I say dialects? — High- 

 land Gaelic and Irish Gaelic, most nearly approach one 

 another. 



There is an old saying that "the west's alive." Certain 

 it is that the western seaboard and islands, both of Scotland 

 and Ireland, have a charm that is ever present in the mind 

 of him who knows them well, a charm which will always draw 

 him back to the country known to Gaelic-speaking High- 

 landers as "Tir nam Beann, s'nan Gleann, s'nan Gaisgeach " 

 ("The Land of the Hills and the Glens and the Heroes "). 



Seton Gordon, 

 Late Lieutenant, 



Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. 



Ahoyne, 

 June, 1920. 



viu 



