THE SOUTH ISLES. 39 



for an hour or more, according to the height to which the gravel 

 may have been thrown by the last gales. The water flows usually 

 from the north or Longhope side, but before or after bad weather 

 it comes occasionally from the Aith Hope side. Hope in all Scan- 

 dinavian tongues (Haup) means a bay which is the Hap, Haven, or 

 recipient of a stream. 



The lower part of Longhope is excellent anchorage for sailing 

 vessels which cannot weather through the Pentland Firth for want 

 of a favourable wind. The upper part at one time contained 

 oysters, which were cultivated to a certain extent by the proprietor 

 of Melsetter, but owing to the mud and peat washed down by the 

 burns, and sheep drains made when the present owner of Hoy in- 

 creased the area under cultivation, and otherwise improved the 

 property, they died out, and at the present time there are few, if 

 any, left. Low says that in his time they were, though few, so 

 very large that they had to be cut into four pieces before they 

 could be eaten! Even cockles were nearly exterminated, and 

 several kinds of sea- weed affected, by this peaty deposit. 



South Walls contains little of interest to the ornithologist. 

 The rocks on the south side contain a few rock-birds and pigeons, 

 and there is one fine colony of Kittiwakes. At the south-east end 

 there is a very curious old church, in which, in former years, the 

 Hoodies of Melsetter were laid out on a table to dry when dead, 

 showing the dry and antiseptic nature of the air. 



GE.EMSAY, CAVA, EISA LITTLE, FAKA, ETC. 



Lying along the north-east coast of Hoy, and between it and 

 S. Eonaldsay, are the islands of Grsemsay, Cava, Eisa Little, 

 Fara, Flotta and its Calf, and Switha, which however are only 

 deserving of a short notice here. 



Graemsay, situated at the mouth of Hoy Sound, has two light- 

 houses, and is wholly cultivated, there being little or no grazing 

 all arable. Eisa Little and Cava are small green uninhabited 

 islands, used for grazing purposes, as is also Fara, but this latter is 



