THE WELL OF QUALITIES. 43 



to tell, for, altlioiigli I am a teetotaler, he drank 

 far more than I either could or would. He says : 

 " Of the well of Qualities or Virtues I drank twice, 

 an English quart each time." I do not think there 

 can be any question as to the nobility of a man's 

 thirst Avho can swallow so much cold water, of 

 whatsoever quality, at a single draught, and this 

 singular feat half inclines me to believe in our 

 author's theory, dealt with earlier in this chapter, 

 anent the declining capacities and endurance of the 

 human race, for "the present generation comes 

 short," certainlv, of his in its thirst for cold water. 

 He further adds that " the inhabitants of Harris 

 find it (the water of the well of Qualities) effectual 

 against windy colics, gravel, and headaches " ; but, 

 being troubled with none of these disorders during 

 my stay close to it, I had no opportunity of putting- 

 its efficacy to the test. The inhabitants of this 

 remote rock are, aquatically speaking, still further 

 blessed ; for, according to the same enthusiastic 

 authority, there is another fountain on the island, 

 the water from whicli ' ' will wash linen without 

 soap as well as other water will with it," 



Some idea of the roughness of the sea in these 

 parts during a westerly gale, coming straight from 

 the bosom of the Atlantic, may be gathered from 

 the fact that waves have been known upon occa- 

 sion to leap over a part of the Doon, three hundred 

 feet in height, and j^our down the slope into 

 Village Bay in great green and white cataracts. 



Martin noticed that in hauling their boats up 

 the rocks out of the sea the natives employed " a 

 cryer, on purpose to warn all at the same minute, 

 and he ceases whenever he finds it convenient to 

 give them a breathing." Exactly the same practice 

 holds good to-day ; and so long have the peoj)le 



