152 JOTTINGS ABOUT BIRDS. 



was enabled to visit the famous islands in his smack, 

 and to revel in their bird treasures for nearly a 

 fortnight. This small vessel generally visits the 

 islands twice in the year, in spring and autumn, to 

 convey such necessaries as the St. Kildans may 

 require, and to bring back the few products of the 

 place oil, feathers, cloth, salt fish, tallow, and one 

 or two hides. I might also remark that the islanders 

 pay their rent on these occasions, either in money 

 or in kind. 



We left Dunvegan, a tiny village on the west 

 coast of Skye, in the Robert Hadden, a smack of 

 about eighty tons, at noon on Tuesday, the 3rd 

 of June. A light wind was barely sufficient to 

 carry us out of Loch Follart into the Minch, and 

 we did not arrive in the Sound of Harris until early 

 on Wednesday morning ; here we lay to until day- 

 light, for the navigation of the Straits is dangerous. 

 The wind eventually dropped altogether, and 

 throughout Wednesday we were becalmed in the 

 Sound, the sea being smooth as glass. The day 

 was by no means wasted, for we spent the time in 

 exploring the various small islands round us, where 

 we met with the Red-breasted Merganser, the 

 Oyster-catcher, and the Eider Duck in abundance, 

 and found many nests ; otters and seals were also 



