72 Mr. C. Dixon on the 



year (in spring and autumn), and he himself generally accom- 

 panies her on her spring voyage. This vessel conveys meal, 

 tea, sugar, salt, tobacco, &c. to the St.-Kildans, and brings 

 back oil, feathers, cloth, salt-fish, tallow, and a few hides, 

 the natural products of the place. 



"We left Dunvegan in the ' Eobert Hadden,' a tight little 

 smack of about eighty tons, at noon on Tuesday the 3rd of 

 June. The wind was light, scarcely sufficient to carry us 

 out of Loch Follart into the Minch, which we crossed during 

 the evening, arriving at 1.30 a.m. on Wednesday in the 

 Sound of Harris, where we awaited daylight to navigate 

 these dangerous straits. All day Wednesday we were be- 

 calmed in the Sound ; and I took the opportunity of exploring 

 some of the small islets, in company with Mr. John Mac- 

 kenzie, jun., and Mr. Campbell, a gentleman going out to 

 St. Kilda as schoolmaster. Several of the small islands in 

 the Sound are frequented by otters, and seals are very 

 common. The Oystercatcher, the Merganser, and the Eider 

 Duck were abundant, and the sea was studded with Guille- 

 mots, Razorbills, and Puffins, whilst every now and then a 

 string of Cormorants or Shags flew swiftly over the glassy 

 water, and the gaggle of Wild Geese sounded faintly from 

 Harris and Uist. We finally cast anchor off Obb to take in 

 a supply of fresh water, and got under weigh again at four in 

 the afternoon. As soon as we got clear of the island of 

 Pabbay, we caught a stiff breeze, and were speedily bowling 

 along W.N.W., with all sails set for St. Kilda, some fifty 

 miles ahead. The sea was rough, and our little craft was 

 tossed about considerably by the waves. Just as dusk was 

 falling, old Neil, one of the crew, sighted the island of Borreay 

 from the rigging ; and the excitement of " laud aliead " — 

 far-famed St. Kilda at last — was enough to make us forget 

 the discomforts of the protracted voyage and the by no means 

 gentle treatment of the wind and waves. About twenty 

 miles from St. Kilda we saw several Manx Shearwaters flying 

 in the gloom round the ship, a few Auks floated like corks 

 on the billows, and one or two solitary Fulmars floated Owl- 

 like above us and then disappeared again in the twilight. 



