THE ISLAND OF COLONSAY 41 



out of a deep pool in the grass at the edge of the bay, 

 and discharges a strong stream across the sand into 

 the Atlantic. I detected hesitation and disapproval 

 on the part of the keeper who accompanied me with 

 my nets and gun, but could not get to the bottom of 

 his objection, which accordingly I disregarded. I had 

 a most successful morning, filling two or three pickle 

 bottles with large prawns, mostly of the ^Esop variety, 

 which next day made a satisfactory appearance on the 

 breakfast table. There is a great charm about the 

 rock pools ; in addition to the prawn the net brings 

 to bag many strange fishes and crabs ; and bright- 

 coloured anemones, corallines, and algae present a 

 feast to the eye in the natural aquaria and water 

 gardens. But never again did I go prawning there. 

 Next day, 



" Or ever the evening ended a great gale blew." 



The Atlantic billows rolled in from the west, the 

 white horses dashed over the rocks scattering the 

 spindrift far and wide, the lobster fisher's heavily- 

 weighted pots were washed ashore in all directions, 

 the borders of the links were covered thick with slimy 

 jellyfish, and I, as I found out, was responsible ! 

 " There will be no good weather again as long as 

 Mr. Hardy goes on digging up Traigh na Tobar 

 Fuar," said my scowling boatman. There was no 

 more apparent connection of cause and effect than 

 between Tenterden Steeple and the Goodwin Sands, 

 but the storm, one of exceptional violence, had 

 certainly come opportunely to confirm the prejudices 

 of the natives. I never quite got to the bottom of 

 the nature or origin of the " taboo," but it was 



