THE WESTERN ISLES. 25 



more frequently seen, however, after the storm, and when the 

 waves, though still almost equally high, were less broken. 



One of our pleasantest reminiscences of Orkney is a voyage we 

 made in a small boat round Eousay. The day was really fine, with 

 a suitable breeze and tide, and we saw the rock-scenery under 

 every advantage. Bound Scabra Head are some fine natural arches 

 and buttresses, the home of Guillemots and Eazorbills. Beyond 

 this the shore is low and rocky, but a little further on it rises rather 

 abruptly, until one comes to Bring Head, and still further on to 

 Hellia Spur, the highest cliffs of all. Here there is a very fine, 

 large colony of rock-birds, certainly the best in the island. The 

 top of the Lobist, a detached stack of rock, is covered with Herring 

 Gulls, the sides being inhabited by Eazorbills and Shags. Further 

 on we come to a set of fine natural caves called the Sinians of 

 Cutclaws ; these terminate inland in those curious openings called 

 gloups or blow-holes. Eound Sacquoy Head are some awful- 

 looking geos, but these and the rocks, almost until Saviskail Head 

 is passed, are inhabited only by Eock Pigeons and a few Shags. 

 Shortly after passing this Head the shore again lowers until, 

 at Saviskail itself, the short burn that connects Loch Wasbister 

 with the sea is reached ; here some fishing-boats are hauled up. 

 Faraclet is the next high cliff, dark and lowering, and, from its 

 sheerness, looking higher than it really is ; Cormorants and Eock 

 Pigeons are its principal inhabitants. This headland ends the 

 high cliffs, and we pass by Scockness, well sheltered from the 

 westerly gales by the land sloping down from Faraclet heights. 



We visited both the Holm of Scockness and Kili Holm, and 

 found plenty of birds breeding there, such as Sheldrakes, Eider 

 Ducks, Corncrakes, Snipe, Dunlins, etc. The Holm of Scockness 

 is sandy in the north-east, and there are some rabbits there. 



VIEEA. 



This is one of the smaller islands, being about two miles long 

 and one broad in its widest part, and is nearly all cultivated, with 

 the exception of the west end, where there is some marshy ground 



