The Coming of Spring to the Mist Islands 



and it was probably because no eggs laid by the bird 

 had ever been seen that the quaint superstition arose. 



In the Gaelic the barnacle goose is known as "Cadhan," 

 and a certain man from Mull, Callum by name, was wont 

 to tell the story how that he swam for a week in the Indian 

 Ocean (where the water is very warm) and that the most 

 beautiful music he ever heard was that made by barnacle 

 geese as they emerged from the barnacles which had 

 attached themselves to Callum's feet during the swim ! 



As we passed slowly the tide was contrary through 

 the maze of small islands, the sun shone clearly, and bird 

 life responded to the warmth and quiet. Oyster catchers 

 in their handsome plumage of black and white stood on 

 the rocks enjoying a sun bath. On the summit of a cliff 

 a buzzard stood motionless. Companies of turnstones flitted 

 restlessly about. Above one of the islands I noted a snipe 

 flying in such a characteristic manner that it seemed to 

 me he must be "drumming," though we were too far dis- 

 tant to hear the sound. A pair of ravens appeared for a 

 time, and grey-plumaged hoodies took wing at our 

 approach. 



On a small rocky island before us numbers of grey 

 seals were lying on the flat rocks just above the water's 

 surface. One after another they dragged themselves awk- 

 wardly to the water-side and dived quietly in. For the 

 space of a little less than a minute they were hidden, then 

 in quick succession heads were thrust up out of the water, 

 and the boat closely scrutinized, though with little fear, 

 by the seal population, some of whom, more inquiring 

 than the rest, followed in the wake of the craft. 



My aim this day was the most outlying and distant 

 island of the group, and the sun was dipping to the 

 sou '-westward before it was reached. Even in this region, 

 noted for its storms, there was scarce a perceptible rise 

 and fall of the water on the rock-girt shores. Indeed, the 

 fishermen who were present gave it as their belief that 



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