88 WITH NATURE AND A GAME HA. 



of view, and induced my guide to slack the rope 

 between us in order that I might do so. As I 

 expected, the Ravens or Hooded Crows had pecked 

 out both the unfortunate creature's eyes. 



A little farther along I heard a curious noise 

 proceeding from an immense horizontal fissure run- 

 ning parallel with the ledge along which we were 

 travelling. The thing puzzled me, and I could not 

 resist the temptation to crawl in and investigate 

 the cause. I found the crevice tenanted by a colony 

 of Shags, whose young ones were crying lustily for 

 more fresh fish. 



After some difficulty and danger, we managed 

 to half-leap and half-tumble into the frail old boat, 

 which a month or two later according to a letter 

 I had from Finlay McQuien went to splinters on 

 the rocks during a gale. 



Martin's first experience of the birds at St. 

 Kilda was gained near Borrera, and his own 

 account of what he saw is worth quoting. He 

 says: "We put in under the hollow of an extra- 

 ordinary high rock (Stack in Armin) to the north 

 of this isle (Borrera), which was all covered with 

 a prodigious number of Solan Geese hatching on 

 their eggs; the heavens were darkened by their 

 flying over our heads ; their excrements were in 

 such quantity that they gave a tincture to the sea, 

 and at the same time sullied our boat and clothes. 

 Two of them confirmed the truth of what has been 

 frequently reported of their stealing from one another 

 grass wherewith to make their nests by affording 

 us the following very agreeable diversion, and it 

 was thus : One of them, finding his neighbour's 

 nest without the fowl, lays hold on the oppor- 

 tunity and steals from it as much grass as he could 

 conveniently carry off, taking his flight towards 



