Alexamler 



Appendix A. 457 



There is probably no more interesting island in Britain than this Island ol 

 Miuley, with its wonderful precipices, long narrow sea galleries, several hundred 

 feet high in the perpendicular sides, and marine arcades, winding their gloomy Carmichael 

 subterraneous ways under the precipitous island. To boat through these galleries 

 and arcades needs a calm sea, a good crew, and a steady nerve. The writer was 

 the first to discover, and the first and the last to go through much the longest, 

 largest, and gloomiest of these wonderful sinuous sea arcades. 



The Macneills of Barra lived in a castle on a tidal rock called Ciosmal, in 

 Baile Mhicneill, Macneilltown, now called Castlebay. There are two wells within 

 the walls of this old castle. The people say that the water of these wells 

 comes in pipes under the sea, the pipes being overlaid with large flags. 



Some fifteen years ago, the then Factor let the castle as a herring-curing 

 station, when the principal well, in the centre of the court, was filled up, and 

 the chapel in the west corner carried away piecemeal as ballast for boats and 

 vessels. The native people, who still fondly cling to the memory of their once 

 proud chiefs, were grieved at the destruction they were powerless to prevent. 



The site of Ciosmal Castle had been the site of a magazine, wherein the 

 Norsemen kept war materials during the Norse Occupation of the Western 

 Isles. 



Ciosmal was abandoned by the Macneills during the first quarter of last cen- 

 tury. They built houses in three other places, finally settling at Eoligearry, on 

 the north end of the island. The family became extinct in the direct male line 

 in Lieut-General Roderick Macneill. It is said that so symmetrical in person 

 was General Macneill that ' no eye looked at him without looking at him again.' 

 He was adored by his people, who, with the fidelity of their race, ruined them- 

 selves in trying to save him from ruin. They gave him their all. 



To Dr Macgillivray, the people of Barra are much indebted, and this they 

 gratefully acknowledge. Since he became tacksman of Eoligearry, some forty- 

 four years ago, probably he has given in one form or another some £7000 in 

 work to the people of Barra, while his skill and his medicine are ever at the 

 disposal of all. The eminent naturalist of that name was brother to Dr 

 Macgillivray. 



A curious custom prevails among the people of Barra of apportioning their 

 boats to their fishing banks at sea, much as they apportion their cows to their 

 grazing grounds on land. The names, positions, extent, characteristics, and 

 capabilities of these banks are as well known to them as those of their 

 crofts. 



The people meet at church on the 1st day of February — Gaelic, La-Fheill 

 Bride — the Festival of Saint Bridget ; and having ascertained among themselves 

 the number of boats engaging in the long line fishing, they assign these boats in 

 proportionate numbers among the banks according to the fishing capabilities of 

 each bank. The men then draw lots, each head-man drawing the lot for his 

 crew, and thus the boats are assigned to their respective banks for the season. 



Should a bank prove unproductive, the boats of that bank are considerately 

 allowed to distribute themselves among the other banks, the boats of which are 

 then at liberty to try the deserted banks. The fishermen say that the ways and 

 migrations of the fishes of the sea are as unaccountable as those of the fowls of 

 the air — here to-day and there to-morrow. They say also that fishes resemble 

 birds in their habits ; some fishes, as the Cod and the Conger, in being solitary, like 

 the Raven and the Skua ; while some other fishes, as the Saithe and the Herring, 

 are gregarious in their habits, and live in conmnmities, like the Razorbill and thp 

 Guillcmote. I am indebted to the intelligent and observant fishermen throughout 



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