Mr John MacGillivray on the Island of St Kilda. 49 
M‘Niel, a former tacksman. When matters were in this state, 
the fog partially cleared up for a few moments, and to our great 
joy disclosed a black looking rock of vast height, two or three 
miles to windward. This was immediately recognised as the 
island of Borreray, the most northerly of the St Kilda group, and 
distant from our destination about 8 miles. The wind being now 
adverse, and having increased to a gale, we were fortunate in 
making, at a single tack under double-reefed square-sail, the 
lee-side of a rock called Leveinsh, off the entrance of the bay. 
Here we lowered sail and mast, and emerging from our place 
of shelter, rowed against a heavy sea till long after the sun had 
set. In the dim twilight could be observed hundreds of ful- 
mars and stormy petrels passing and repassing, or skimming 
along the surface of the waves. After rowing two miles in as 
many hours, about midnight, we entered the bay, and cast 
anchor. By thistime, we observed the singular phosphorescence 
of the water of the bay. Each dip of the oars, and every rip- 
ple on the surface, disclosed myriads of small rounded luminous 
bodies, while every now and then a large medusa passed us, 
appearing a globe of fire or submarine meteor. Soon after, I 
landed by a boat belonging to the Prince of Wales gun-brig, 
which, together with the yacht, had entered the bay a short 
time before. I spent the night in one of the huts, and in due 
time commenced my examination of the island, which occupied 
me for the four following days, and the result of which I shall 
now proceed to give. 
The islands of St Kilda are situated about 50 miles to the 
westward of the Outer Hebrides. They are three in number ; 
Hirt, the principal and only inhabited one, generally called 
St Kilda; Soay, about a mile to the westward ; and Borreray, 
lying eight miles due north. There are besides eight or ten 
others of smaller size, stacks (rocks) as they are called by the 
natives, all of which agree in general structure, being nearly 
perpendicular, and of great height. Some of these exhibit 
very singular forms: thus, one somewhat resembles a church 
steeple ; another forms a tolerably perfect triangle ; while a 
third bears a considerable resemblance to a vessel under sail. 
Not having been able to effect a landinz on any of the smaller 
VOL, XXXII, NO. LXIII.—JANUARY 1842. D 
