PREPARATIONS FOR MULLET-FISHING. 71 



off the retreat of all within. When the ebb of tide 

 commences the mullet begin to retire, and when they 

 discover that their egress is obstructed, their attempts 

 to effect a passage are both constant and curious — now 

 running down the nets, trying for a broken mesh by which 

 to force an aperture — now with a bold spring endea- 

 vouring to clear the buoy-ropes, and even after repeated 

 failures, leaping at it again and again. The last effort 

 is directed to the bottom ; but there the heavy stones 

 resist every attempt to dislodge them, and, deserted by 

 the treacherous water, the mullet are left upon the 

 bare sands. 



As hours must elapse from the time the nets are laid 

 down until the fish can be secured, I left my kinsman 

 who officiated as chief engineer. Having brought two 

 brace of greyhounds with us, I set out to course, under 

 the guidance of a man who joined my cousin on the 

 Island. 



There was a striking air about the stranger, joined 

 to his wild and haggard look, that at once rivetted my 

 attention. His clothes were much better than those 

 of any of the peasantry I had yet seen, and in address 

 and manner he was far superior to the rest of my cousin's 

 retainers. He was not above five-and-twenty, his 

 figure tall, gaunt, sinewy, and almost fleshless — ^but 

 his square shoulders and well-knit joints proved him 

 to be a powerful and active man. I shall never forget 

 the singular expression of his countenance. It was 

 settled sorrow bordering on despair ; the hollow cheek, 

 the sunken, rayless eye, the wandering and suspicious 

 glance around him, all showed a mind fevered with 

 apprehension and harrowed by remorse. He shunned 

 observation, and if my eye met his by accident, he 



