282 SKY. LOCH SCAVIG. 



Loch Scavig is inaccessible by land on the north side, 

 and equally so on the south to all but the active and 

 practised mountaineer. The traveller, whose object is 

 picturesque beauty, should enter it from Strathaird. In 

 this direction the view from sea is extremely fine, the 

 dark ridge of the Cuchullin, with all its spiry and serrated 

 projections, flanked by the equally dark and lofty ridge 

 of Blaven, forming a varied and rugged outline on 

 the sky. On entering the bay these summits disappear 

 as they retire below the high skirts of the hills, which 

 descend into the sea varied by projecting points and 

 rocky islets, and surrounding the spectator with a con- 

 tinuous surface of bare and brown rock scarcely present- 

 ing a symptom of vegetation. The falling of a cascade, 

 the deep dark green of the water, and the wheeling flight 

 of the sea birds that frequent this retired spot, are the 

 only objects which vary the uniformity of colour and 

 of character it every where displays. On landing, 

 similar scenes meet the eye in every direction, no in- 

 truding object occurring to diminish the effect produced 

 by the gloomy grandeur and savage aspect of the place. 



Passing the river which runs foaming over a sheet of 



this mast in a similar manner, formed the yard, and the sail was 

 composed of a pair of blankets pinned together by wooden skewers 

 and fastened to the broomstick by the same means. The want of sheet 

 and tack was supplied by a pair of scarlet garters which one of the men 

 stripped from his chequered stocking, and thus a ship was at length 

 generated, not much unlike those of the heroic ages of which memorials 

 are still existing in the sculptures of lona. It was two o'clock before 

 this rigging was perfected and we were ready for sea. 



The want of a rudder being supplied by an oar, and the sail unable 

 to stand near the wind, we made no way except to leeward, and there 

 was a prospect of reaching Rum instead of Scavig ; neither arguments 

 nor authority being of the least avail with a people who, in spite of 

 their practice, are utterly ignorant of the properties and management 

 of a boat. On a sudden a fortunate squall unshipped the helm, brought 

 the sail aback, and the whole apparatus, too feeble to upset the boat, 

 was carried overboard. We reached our destination when we should 

 have been returning, and passed the greater part of the night at sea. 



