ON THE COAST OF ARRAN 45 



is no more fishing till Monday and old Robert 

 Campbell, the Provost's elder brother, is ' penk- 

 ing ' with a hammer at his boat, which he has 

 got turned over on the beach. Eobert is ninety, 

 if not more ; yet he is still hale and strong, and 

 is always in the open air clinging to the rocks 

 like a limpet ; but his eyes are very dim, and 

 when he speaks the sound of his voice is faint 

 and strange and like that of a man talking to 

 you from afar off. He would make an excel- 

 lent study for the Ancient Mariner or for Mr. 

 Gilbert's seaman of the Nancy Bell. 



We turn from the sea, about half way on 

 the road to Sannox, by a path which leads past 

 a little waterfall and makes straight for the 

 Cioch. When we reach what is called the old 

 sea-level the walking becomes a little rough, 

 and the girls must needs gather up their skirts 

 and make all ' taut,' as the sailors say. The 

 boulders lie thickly about, and are masked with 

 heather and moss. In other places it is wet, 



