458 Highlandi an! Islands Commission. 



XclX. those islands for much interesting and curious information regarding fishes and 

 . " ^, sea birds. 

 Carmichael. Having completed their balloting, the fishermen go in to church, accompanied 

 by fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, wives and children, and sweet- 

 hearts. The good priest says a short service, wherein he commends those ' who 

 ' go down to the sea in ships ' to the protection of the holy Saint Barr, after 

 whom Barra is named, of the beautiful Saint Bridget, ' virgin of a thousand 

 ' channs' — ' Bride bhoidheach oigh nam mile beus ' — on whose festival they are 

 met, of their loved Mother, the golden-haired Virgin, and to the protection, indi- 

 vidually and collectively, of the Holy Trinity. The people disperse, chanting — 

 ' Athair, A Mhic, A Spioraid Naoimh, 

 Biodh an Tri-aon leinn, a la 's a dh-oidhche ; 

 'S air chul nan tonn, no air tliaobh nam beann, 

 Bith'dh ar Mathair leinn 's bith'dh A lamh rau'r ceann. 

 Bith'dh ar Mathair leinn 's bith'dh A lamh mu'r ceann.' 



Father ! Son ! and Spirit's Might ! 



Be the Three-in-One with us day and night ; 



On the crested wave, when waves run high, 



Oh ! Mother ! Mary ! be to us nigh. 



Oh ! Mother ! Mary ! be to us nigh. 

 Having dispersed, the people repair to their homes, on the way thither eagerly 

 and simultaneously discussing the merits and the demerits of tlieir respective 

 banks. To hear their loud and simultaneous talk, one would think thiit the 

 people were quarrelling. But no, this is only their way — the Barra people being 

 peaceable and gentle, and eminently well-mannered and polite. 



This habit of the Barra fishermen of apportioning their fishing banks may seem 

 antiquated to modern views. The fishermen themselves advance good reasons 

 for its retention, some of these being that it prevents overcrowding of boats on 

 the banks, with the consequent entanglement of lines, resulting sometimes in 

 the loss of temper and friendship. 



In the Inverness Courier seventeen years ago, or so, the writer suggested con- 

 verting the strait between Barra Head and Miuley into a harbour of refuge, by 

 throwing a break-water across the west end. A harbour there would be of 

 inestimable benefit to shipping and fishing. 



Third Stage of Bun-Rig. 



The arable land of the crofters of Barra is all divided into crofts, no part 

 being in common. The grazing grounds only are held in common, each townland 

 being confined to its own grazing limits. The crofters of each townland have 

 their own herdsman, and regulate their own townland affairs with no inter- 

 ference from without. 



South Uist. 



The Island of South Uist forms an oblong, with a range of high hills 

 on one side, and long level low-lying moors and machairs dotted with shallow 

 lakes on the other side. The people live on this side. In the time of the 

 Clanranalds, the crofters had the hills for their sheep and cattle, and they say 

 that they were very comfortable. Since then the greater and best part of the 

 niachair has been cleared of crofters, and their townlands converted into large 

 farms, with the whole of the hills added thereto. Some of the evicted people 

 were chased among the hills, caught, tied, and shipped like felons to Canada, 

 against which the Canadian press of the d:iy raised a strong protest. 



