REMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 73 



true were we. We were all sitting together 

 one of those fine days when there is nothing to 

 be done but admire the prospect — if the midges 

 •will let you — with just mist enough on the 

 hills to prevent stalking, no breeze for fishing, 

 and grouse too small to shoot, when our notice 

 was attracted by several boats appearing at the 

 mouth of Loch Seaforth. Out went the pvs- 

 joeds, and M'Aulay was summoned; after a 

 long look through his glass, he remarked, 

 shutting it up, with emphasis, and with that 

 look of pleasure and determination which 

 gleams in his eye when he sees a good royal : — 

 ''It's just the whalls." An electric shock 

 seemed to pass through the whole party, and 

 in less than no time every craft in the esta- 

 blishment was manned, and everybody seized 

 every conceivable weapon of ofience, and hur- 

 ried into the boats. The whale boat, our own 

 particular conveyance across Loch Seaforth, 

 was manned by the best crew, under the special 

 guidance of M'Aulay, who hoisted his flag on 

 board of it, and then took command of the 

 whole squadron, to watch the movements. The 

 whales had been descried off West Tarbert 

 Loch, in Harris, when all the inhabitants got 

 into their boats, and, following them, ''put 

 them,^^ as it is termed, ''into Loch Seaforth,'^ 



