348 A FARMER'S YEAR 



Atlantic, while the gale catches their crests as they come, and 

 drives them back in puffs of snowy spray. 



Then the sport begins again, and is followed with varyin<T 

 success till evening is at hand. Here and there the pointer 

 stands to partridges and we get a shot or two, but to-day our aim 

 IS snipe, so we do not follow up the coveys. Thus we work home- 

 wards across the lower land, till about six o'clock, thoroughly tired 

 we find ourselves back in the Castle, and murmur, almost in the 

 words of Dr. Johnson, but, I hope, a little more politely : 'Now, 

 Coll, if you could get us a dish of tea ' 



Such is a day's shooting in the Hebrides ; bag, twelve couple 

 of snipe and three brace of partridge. It ought to have been 

 more, but on this we will not dwell. 



September i8.-To-day is Sunday, and we rest from our labours 

 After breakfast I went to examine the old Castle where the 

 McLeans lived for many generations, although I believe that it dates 

 from long before their time. This ruin, massively constructed of 

 great boulders gathered on the seashore, stands at a distance of 

 about two hundred yards from the present house, which was built 

 a few years prior to Dr. Johnson's visit. In his day the roof was 

 still on the Castle, and the floors of the various stories remained; 

 but now roof and floors have vanished, and the place is tenanted 

 only by numberless rock-pigeons. It consists of a square tower 

 or keep, which was divided into four stories, and an attic covered 

 in with a sharp-pitched roof, for its angle can be traced upon the 

 stonework. Joined on to it is the dwelling-house, which was also 

 of several stones, with wide fireplaces for the burning of peat and 

 driftwood. All the arrangements of this abode, including those 

 of a sanitary nature, seem to have been rude in the extreme yet 

 they proved sufficient for the needs of generations of chieftains 

 and their families, till a certain McLean, the red McLean, built 

 the present house, about 1 730, and le^ the old sea-robbers' fortress 

 to fall into ruin. 



After leaving the Castle we walked to visit the tomb of the 



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