REMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 75 



the whole band will follow him like a flock of 

 sheep, and strand themselves. But, if you 

 press them too hard, they will be apt to turn 

 short round and make for sea again. 



JN'ow, Loch Seaforth is admirably adapted 

 for a whale-hunt. The loch runs up from the 

 Minch straight to Seaforth Island, about six or 

 seven miles, pretty well iron-bound on both 

 sides. At Seaforth Island, which is nearly 

 opposite Aline, the lock turns almost at right 

 angles, and runs by Aribhruich, where are 

 some sharp rapids, up to Skipnaclet, its head. 

 Here, or on the shoals above — the Aribhruich 

 Narrows, as they are called — is the best place 

 for stranding the bottle-noses. We, therefore, 

 in our boat division, hugged the shore by Aline, 

 so that, if they liked, they might take the sand 

 and shingle between Aline and Harris, at the 

 mouth of the Glenviedale river. Bottle-noses 

 preferred passing up to Aribhruich, and seeing 

 as much as they could before landing. When 

 they had well passed, and when the other 

 squadrons of boats hove within communicating 

 distance, as soon as ever it was ascertained 

 what squadron ours was, and that Murdoch 

 M'Aulay was our skipper, the command of the 

 whole fleet was by universal acclamation con- 

 ferred on him. 



