CHAPTEE VIH 



DUNNET HEAD. 



THE coast scenery, east and west of Thurso, is very grand. 

 On the one side it rises into Holborn Head, and on the 

 other into the long perpendicular rocks of Dunnet Head. 

 Holborn means Hell's child, from Holla the goddess of 

 hell, and biorn child. Many a ship has been dashed 

 against the rocks there. This has probably originated 

 the peculiar name of the headland. 



When a ship in the North Atlantic is caught by a 

 storm, and the wind blows violently from the west, she 

 is driven towards the rockbound coast of the Hebrides. 

 If she can weather the Butt of Lewis, she is driven 

 towards the gigantic rocks of Cape Wrath, which extend 

 for about fifty miles towards Holborn Head. If she can 

 manage, by backing, to enter Scrabster Eoads, she is 

 safe. If not, she is driven upon the rocks, and utterly 

 destroyed ship, men, and cargo. 



The faces of the rocks are hollowed into gaping 

 caverns, where the waves thunder in, and roll along the 

 gyoes far inland. The leap of the waves is only exceeded 

 by their rebound seaward again. They rush up the 

 face of the rock like a pack of hounds, and spread them- 

 selves along the summit in blinding showers of spray 



