FISHING 95 



masts and rigging stand out in graceful lines 

 against the grey sky which in these northern 

 latitudes never comes to black at that time 

 of year. The little beacon light glimmers up 

 forrard, filling the mind with visions of 

 Viking ships of old, and many other dreams. 

 Then it is that this north-west country of ours 

 lays hold on heart and senses, drawing its 

 child close to itself with all the magnetism of 

 the north, setting its seal on you with wild 

 sweet kisses, its splendour of sea and hills, 

 its varying moods, chaining you to itself with 

 fetters that will bind you from the uttermost 

 parts of the earth. The song of the western 

 wind is that of the Siren, and when once your 

 ears have heard her in duet with the sea you 

 will never be free again, but wind and sea and 

 hills of the west have claimed you as their 

 own for ever. 



But I must not be tempted to dilate on the 

 joys of yachting in western waters, for that 

 is a theme of its own. 



In the first cruise our northernmost point 

 was Gairloch ; to me the most beautiful of 



