84 VATF.RSA, &C. 



VATERSA, SANDERA, PABBA, MULDONICH,* 

 MINGALA, BERNERA.t 



THESE islands, together with a few islets of little note, 

 form an irregular group to the south of Barra ; the latter, 

 which is the southmost point of the Long Isle, being 

 popularly known by the name of Barra Head. As the 

 composition of the whole is similar, and as they present 

 but little interest, a very brief notice of them will suffice. 



Vatersa is a small island consisting of two distinct 

 hills connected by a flat sandy bar where the opposing 

 seas nearly meet. This small tract exhibits the broken 

 remains of sand hills standing to mark the changes which 

 the land has undergone by the gradual and alternate ac- 

 cumulation and dispersion of these banks. There is 

 nothing here opposed to the junction of the two seas, 

 and the consequent division of Vatersa into two islands, 

 but this bar, which the westerly swell perpetually throws 

 up and which is again dispersed by the winds over the 

 surface of the land. The separation of Vatersa from 

 Barra is effected by Chisamil Bay, and by a narrow strait 

 to the westward which affords passage only to small boats 

 and is occupied like all the shores of this country by two 

 or three small islands, of which Eorsa and Snoasimil are 

 the most conspicuous. 



These islands are all composed of gneiss, differing in 

 no way from that of Barra already described. Vatersa 



* The hill of Duncan. Little or nothing is known of the legendary 

 history of the Highlands, but St. Duncan must have been a personage 

 of importance, as Sunday is frequently called Di Donich, Duncan's 

 day. Vatersa, Sandera. Water island, Sandy island. (Scand.) Ming- 

 heal, fair. Pab, stubble. Bernera, the serrated island. (Gaelic.) 



f See the general Map. 



