The Land of the Hills aiid the Glens 



was anchored in a narrow creek, out of reach of the swell, 

 and the journey completed on foot. Lying strewn along 

 the foot of the high cliffs are masses of basalt rock, 

 encrusted often with pale blue crystals of great beauty. At 

 one point also, there stands a perfect specimen of a fossil 

 tree, embedded deep in the cliff, and still standing up- 

 right so that its shape and form may clearly be seen. 

 Beyond it again is another such tree, in the same position 

 in which it fell to the ground many thousands of years ago, 

 and so near the water that with each tide it is washed by 

 the waves. 



Much wreckage is cast by the winter storms on these 

 desolate shores. Drift wood in plenty lies amongst the 

 rocks, yet there is none to benefit by it, so that it remains 

 there from one year's end to another. 



In former days the great sea eagle had her eyrie on the 

 Headland of the Caves, and for her fishing was wont 

 to sail out to far distant Tiree and its adjoining seas. Now 

 the eagle has gone ; indeed, there is scarce a single one of 

 her species left in the whole of Scotland to-day, and so 

 her lesser rivals the buzzard and peregrine hold undisputed 

 sway in her old haunts. 



As I left the Headland, a strong "breeze of wind," as 

 the fisher-folk say, was drawing in from the Atlantic, and 

 quickly the sea rose, so that the swell was booming on the 

 reefs. Far out to sea the clouds came to an end and the 

 pleasant Treshnish Isles stood out, the late September sun 

 shining golden on them. 



But at this season of the year the darkness falls all too 

 quickly, and soon hill and sea were shut out in the gather- 

 ing gloom, and all was silent save the restless surf as 

 it 'broke with measured rhythm on the lonely rocks of 

 the Headland of the Caves. 



104 



