110 AUTUMNS IN ARGYLESHIRE 



waggonette ; and now gives vent to excruciating 

 shrieks and howls of delight at the sight of the 

 rifle and its proprietor. He had to be left behind, 

 because his zeal for sport so far outruns his 

 discretion, that the raising of a gun or rifle is the 

 signal for an outburst which sends every rabbit 

 for miles around scuttling into the safe recesses 

 of the cairns. 



The gig, with the dredge on board and two 

 small oars as well as the regular ones, is ready for 

 us, and we are soon all on board, as it would take 

 far too long to beat round to our destination in 

 the large sailing-boat with this north-west wind. 

 The " Pirate King," a young gentleman of eight 

 so called partly from his nautical costume, blue 

 knitted guernsey and fisherman's cap, and partly 

 because, in his own estimation, he commands the 

 boat takes the stroke oar, and his sister is No. 3, 

 while the two boatmen settle down to their work 

 in the bows. I am steering at present, but ready 

 to relieve either of the volunteers at a moment's 

 notice ; but they will stick to their places for the 

 greater part of the four miles we have to go, and 

 help the boat along, and be too much occupied to 

 feel uncomfortable if there should happen to be a 

 little jobble where wind and tide meet. On we 

 go, past Port-na-Dewar, with its great cliff covered 

 with birch and rowan, and its jackdaw-haunted 

 cairn ; past Ardifure, with its snug farm and 

 banks of hazel ; past the rabbit island and round 



