IN THE HIGHLANDS 77 



and crockery-place and sort of general receptacle for 

 waterproofs, plaids, guns, ammunition. Beyond this 

 open space was another curtain concealing the sleeping 

 apartment of Simon and the boys, and occasionally 

 William Grant and Macmillan. In the bow was the 

 crew's lodging-place. 



" The floor of our bedroom was rather uneven, being 

 merely hay placed on the top of the stone ballast; 

 but once in bed we were well off — at least, whenever the 

 Jessie behaved herself, but when she pitched and tossed, 

 as she did on the following Thursday, then Osgood 

 and I neither praised the bed nor anything else. 



" On waking on Tuesday morning we found ourselves 

 very near Lochmaddy (the Loch of the Dogs), there being 

 at the entrance of the loch two rocks that bear the name 

 of " The Dogs " {na madaidh). We sailed to the head 

 of the loch, and the captain went ashore to try and get 

 a pilot, a Colin Macleod, who was highly recommended. 

 Unfortunately, he had gone seven miles from home, 

 and thus we were detained five hours waiting for him. 

 During those hours we went on shore. The appearance 

 of the place, which is not at all pretty, is rendered 

 strange by the very numerous lochs, many of which are 

 affected by the tide. We went to see a small steamer 

 belonging to Lord Hill, the shooting tenant of Macleod^s 

 country in Skye, and also of Lord Macdonald's North 

 Uist shooting. He resides chiefly at Dun vegan Castle, 

 but occasionally goes over to Lochmaddy in his steamer 

 from Monday to Saturday. He killed a great many 

 seals last season. One day he got six. We also visited 

 a small school where the children read English and 



