4 COLONSAY 



to north. The depth of the channel generally is less than 

 20 fathoms, but north of the island the sea deepens con- 

 siderably with an irregular bottom. 



Notwithstanding the low elevation, in clear weather 

 distant views of the other islands and of the mainland can 

 be obtained. Northward, beyond the isles of lona, Tiree, 

 and Coll, the outline of what is thought to be the peak 

 of Ben Heavel (1260 feet) in Barra, 70 miles away, has 

 been observed. The hills of Donegal in Ireland to the 

 south-west, and Goatfell in Arran, 44 miles off, are more 

 frequently seen. In winter the snow-capped Ben Cruachan 

 and other Argyllshire hills, and even Ben Nevis, 60 miles 

 distant, are familiar objects on the horizon in the north-east. 

 On the western side the wide sweep of the Atlantic is 

 broken only by the lonely Du Hirteach lighthouse (15 miles 

 off) and a few barren rocks ; the Skerryvore light flashing 

 into view across the intervening 37 miles of sea only when 

 the sky is very clear. 



For several hours during low water the smaller island of 

 Uransay is connected with the southern end of Colonsay by 

 a sandy, islet-dotted strand. Oransay (Gaelic, Orasa) is 

 derived from the Norse (Orjiris-ey = ebb-tide island). The 

 name is common in the West, there being some twenty of 

 them between the western shores and islands. Oransay is 

 about 2000 acres in extent, and hilly on the north ; its 

 highest hill, Beinn Orasa, being 308 feet above sea-level. 

 The southern portion is low-lying, with sand-dunes over- 

 grown with Sea Maram, Sea Sedge, and other plants and 

 mosses, which assist in binding the sand. With the excep- 

 tion of some shrubby Willows and Elders, the island is 

 treeless. 



After his departure from Ireland in 563, St Columba is 

 said to have landed at Oransay, but there is no historical 

 record confirming this tradition. Port-na-h-Iubhraich (Port 

 of the Barge), at lochdar-na-Garbhaird, on the west side of 



