WITH NATURE and a CAMERA 



CHAPTER I. 



ST. KILDA AND ITS PEOPLE. 



A FTER having exploited many of the favourite 

 ■-^-^ sea-bird breeding stations on the coasts of 

 England, Scotland, and Ireland, we were very 

 desirous of an opj^ortunity of visiting the paradise 

 of British ornithologists, and accordingly made 

 arrangements as far back as Christmas, 1895, to 

 accompany (jur friend, Mr. John Mackenzie, jun., 

 on his annual visit as factor to St. Kilda. 



We arrived in Glasgow early on the morning of 

 June lltli, 1896, and after getting our luggage on 

 board the Dimara Castle, we went in search of a 

 supply of tinned provisions for ourselves and a 

 quantity of sweets and tobacco for the natives. 



During the afternoon we were joined by our 

 friend, Mr. John Young, and had a telegram wish- 

 ing us success from the veteran naturalist of the 

 North — Mr. Harvie-Brown. 



As soon as the Avindlass had ceased to rattle 

 and the last bag of meal was aboard, we dropped 

 down the Clyde and steamed away to the North. 

 The following day was spent in discharging cargo 

 at various Hebridean islands, catching flounders, and 



B 



