APPENDIX. 315 



south, we have helped in taking over 600 lbs. of cod 

 in1;o one boat. When visiting Handa do not omit a 

 judicious dram for the men, and if belonging to the army 

 of the blue ribbon, some other substitute for oneself, as 

 Handa is not famed for the quality of its water. 



Handa is a mile, more or less, in diameter, and nearly 

 circular ; slopes gradually towards the east or shoreward 

 side, and where it is laved by the wavelets of the sheltered 

 sound is interrupted by upright veins of trap, which form 

 lovely little sandy coves for landing-places. A gradual 

 slope leads upwards and westwards to the cliff edges, 

 covered for a considerable space with short grass growing 

 on sand, and producing sweet sheep-grazing and mush- 

 rooms. The cliff face occupies fully three-fourths of the 

 circumference, low at the south and north-east; and, 

 rising boldly and rapidly towards the west, culminates in 

 a magnificent precipice of 620 feet in height. The sandy 

 coves and trap dikes occupy the other fourth part of its 

 coast-line. A flock of sheep is kept on the island, the 

 grazing of which belongs to Mr. MTver, the Duke of 

 Sutherland's factor at Scourie, and he used not infre- 

 quently to lose some of them, which, falling over the cliffs, 

 were dashed to pieces on the rocks below, or drowned 

 in the sea. 



On the north side of Handa is a remarkable stack of 

 rock, inaccessible, with flatfish or sloping top, populated 

 by a colony of great black-backed gulls, razorbills, guille- 

 mots, etc. Opposite is a deep scar or gyo in the cliff face, 

 down which a man can easily descend, populated by a 

 large colony of puffins which nestle amidst the grass slopes 

 and loose masses of stones and debris. To the west of 

 this is a projecting peninsula of cliff, over which, in 

 certain winds, streams of rock -birds hurry up to their 

 nesting-places on the stack. Farther west the cliff rises 

 rapidly in altitude, till, facing west, it reaches 620 feet in 

 height. There the peregrine falcon breeds, and, till of 

 late years, the white-tailed or sea eagle reared her young. 

 This is one of the grandest cliffs in Britain ; though hardly, 

 perhaps, comparing in height with Foula in Shetland, 



