88 HAPPY HUNTING-GROUNDS 



for this reluctance. Gaelic is the universal language 

 of the natives, and I am informed that the word caddie 

 is represented in the vernacular by an equivalent 

 which really means something like " rascal," " villain," 

 or " blackguard." Therefore any unfortunate lad who 

 carries clubs is looked down upon, mocked, and de- 

 rided by his companions, and this " peaceful picketing " 

 has produced something like a strike. I remember the 

 scene once when my boatman tried to persuade his 

 ten-year-old son to undertake the duty, and the 

 urchin fled over the brae pursued by his angry father 

 with a stick. 



For myself the difficulty was generally solved by 

 combining my golf with a shooting, boating, or fishing 

 expedition, and my gillies and keepers were quite 

 ready to walk round the links with my clubs, although 

 they could never even affect any enthusiasm for the 

 game. 



Sometimes we shot our way to Machrins, spreading 

 in line along the north side of Loch Fada, but more 

 often we sent on the keepers to await us at the first 

 tee, and drove along the road ; the buckboard heavily 

 loaded with guns, fishing-rods, golf clubs, cartridges, 

 and a substantial lunch. Gaily we made our way 

 straight for Port Mor, the little boat harbour on the 

 south-west, whence the lobster fishers start on their 

 adventurous voyages through the labyrinth of rocks 

 and breakers which makes the whole of that side of 

 the island unapproachable by yachts or large craft of 

 any description. Among these jagged and tangle- 

 grown islets the big crustaceans still increase and 

 multiply comparatively unmolested, and the daring 

 natives still reap their harvest of the sea without the 



