GENERAL DESCRIPTION 31 



was a well-remembered day in the annals of the locality, 

 when a battle was fought on the sands of Traigh an Tobair 

 Fhuair between natives and Norsemen, who, it is surmised, 

 were attempting to land. The combatants on one side, 

 probably the natives, appear to have been armed with 

 sharpened sheaves of birch. That it turned out to be a 

 deadly conflict for one side or the other, notwithstanding the 

 primitive weapons in use, is proved by the number of human 

 bones which have been exposed from time to time on the 

 sands of the bay. There is a belief that if any one disturbs 

 the bones by digging for lug-worms, the favourite bait in 

 flounder-fishing, a storm will arise which will prevent the 

 person from being able to use the bait thus obtained. It is 

 a curious coincidence that the last time bait was dug here 

 a storm came on which half-swamped the boat of those who 

 set the lines. 



Of the old ruins of Cill-a-Chiarain on the north side of 

 Port Lobh hardly a vestige now remains, the stones having 

 been used in building one of the field walls in the neighbour- 

 hood (garadh na h-airde). Dunan-ga'-Gaoth is at the head 

 of Traigh an Tobair Fhuair. 



Following the old road southwards from Machrins through 

 Druim Sligeach and down Bealach-na-Traghadh, passing the 

 deep gullies of Turnigil on the right and the grey Carna 

 Glasa on the left, we come in view of the bent-covered 

 dunes, the sandy beaches, and skerry-lined shores of 

 Ardskenish. Cut off from Garvard by the bay of Traigh- 

 nam-Barc on the east, this promontory, projecting for several 

 miles into the Atlantic, forms the south-western extremity 

 of the island. Stretching seaward for miles are reefs and 

 sunken rocks over which the sea, as far as the eye can reach, 

 rises in stormy weather into foaming masses of roaring 

 breakers an impressive sight of the power of the elements 

 in an angry mood. 



To the lover of nature these solitudes provide much that 



