MOSOLLAM THE JEW. 331 



attention and provoke comment from the most unobservant. After 

 circling some half-dozen times round and round and right above 

 our heads, the bird, with one loud parting scream and yet scream 

 is not the word either ; the Gaelic guileag is nearer it and with an 

 upward oblique sweep, so beautifully easy and effortless that it seemed 

 the result of a simple act of volition rather than a grand pas in 

 volitation, flew away to join his companions, who were now heard 

 clamouring over a coal-fish goil or boil, as the Highlanders call the 

 ebullition of the surface play of a shoal of sea-fish. The men 

 looked at each other and at us meaningly ; and at last out it came. 

 " Small chance," said one of them, " have we of anything like a 

 good fishing this evening : better for us to stay at home." "Why 

 so ? " we quietly inquired. " Well, sir," was the response, " I never 

 knew a gull act in that sort of way but it meant bad luck in fishing, 

 and the non-accomplishment of one's errand afloat, whatever it 

 might be." The rest agreed with the speaker, but we persuaded 

 them, after some trouble, to proceed to their fishing-ground, to give 

 it a trial at least ; and when, at a much later hour, they returned, 

 we were on the beach to meet them, and found that after all 

 they had made an excellent fishing. There and then we sat down 

 beside them as they were dividing their fish into equal shares, and 

 told them the following story from Josephus, Against Apion. 

 Quoting from Hecatasus, the great Jewish historian proceeds : " As 

 I was myself going to the Eed Sea, there followed us a man, 

 whose name was Mosollam ; he was one of the Jewish horsemen 

 who conducted us. He was a person of great courage, of a strong 

 body, and by all allowed to be the most skilful archer that was 

 either among the Greeks or barbarians. Now, this man, as people 

 were in great numbers passing along the road, and a certain augur 

 vfas observing an augury by a bird, and requiring them all to stand 

 still, inquired what they staid for. Hereupon the augur showed 

 him the bird from whence he told his augury, and told him that if 



