Appendix A. 



465 



isthmus connected lona with the opposite shore of Mull must be evident 

 to any person who examines the place at low water. 



Nor does it militate against this theory that the formation on the Mull side 

 is granite, while that of lona is gneiss. 



That the heavy Atlantic surf, ceaselessly beating against a bank of friable 

 sand should ultimately destroy it is only natural. The process is going on at 

 various places along the West Coast. I know men who ploughed and reaped 

 fields now under the sea. 



The island of Heisgeir is called Heisgeir Nan Cailleach— ' Heisgeir of the 

 ' Carlins.' A community of Nuns lived here in connection with lona. These 

 good Nuns lived there far into Reformation times, and only died out from 

 natural decay. The site of their house was pointed out to me by a lonely old 

 woman who lived on the spot, and who, from her aged appearance, might almost 

 have been the last remaining link between them and us. 



Divided by a strait a third of a mile wide, and beyond Heisgeir Proper, is 

 Heisgeir Nam Manach — ' Heisgeir of the Monks.' The s^hole extent, rocks 

 included, is half a mile long and half a mile wide. A monastery stood in the 

 olden times where the lighthouse now stands. And I think it is but simple 

 justice to the memoiy of those good monks of old to believe that they were 

 actuated from pure motives of humanity to buUd their house on that wild bare 

 bluff to warn passing vessels of their danger. The lighthouse serves the same 

 purpose now. 



This is the nearest island to Saint Kilda, and is known to mariners as 

 Monach, but to the natives as Seiley-Seal-isle — Norse. Before the lighthouse 

 was built the island and the rocks around it were much frequented by seals. 

 They have now deserted the place. Shipping is indebted to Mr John Macdonald, 

 Newton, for having drawn the attention of the Lighthouse Commissioners to 

 the need of a lighthouse on this highly dangerous coast. 



One summer day long ago, all the men and women in Heisgeir went to Seiley 

 to shear sheep. Having landed their wives on Seiley, the men went to a tidal 

 rock near hand to kill seals. In their hurry to club the seals on the rock they 

 omitted to secure their boat properly, and the boat drifted away before the wind. 

 The women had no boat with which to rescue their husbands, and the tide was 

 flowing rapidly. The cries of the distressed women were heard by a woman on 

 the opposite side of the strait. End by end this brave woman took down from 

 above water mark a large boat and pulled it across to her agonised sisters. But 

 alas, too late ! The Atlantic waves rose mountains high, as they can rise only 

 round this coast, and the men were swept ofif the rock one by one and drowned 

 before the eyes ot their wives. Some of their wives lost their reawn, some 

 their health and strength, and died of broken heart. Such is the tradition in the 

 place. 



The flesh of the seal is called Carr in Gaelic. This is probably the root of 

 Cardhus — Lent — from Carr-Dhiosg, flesh-weaning, or Carr-Thraisg, flesh-fasting. 

 The flesh of the whale is also called Carr, but the flesh of no land animal is. It 

 would be curious to trace the cause of this distinction. 



The people of Uist used to eat seals. One of their proverbs is — 



' Is math am biadh femanaich 

 Aran seagail agus saill roin.' 



' Good food it is for sea-weed worker 

 Rye bread and blubber of seal.' 



cut into long thin strips. These were placed on a table. 



2 (J 



XCIX. 



Alexander 

 Carmichael. 



The seal blubber was 



