56 Proceedings of the Boyal Physical Society. 



Dean Munro's ideas of distance seem to be a little vague, 

 as the chart makes Sula Sgeir about 10 miles west by south 

 of Eona. 



Sula Sgeir is about half a mile long by about 300 yards 

 wide at the narrowest part, which is just opposite the land- 

 ing place we used. It lies about north-east and south-west. 

 The western end forms a steep, rocky bluff, tolerably level on 

 the top. The island slopes downward in the centre, and 

 rises again into a rounded mass of rock at the eastern end. 

 The whole of the western end is surrounded by steep cliffs, 

 and has its upper surface covered with huge blocks and slabs 

 of stone, among the crevices of which a few sea pinks grow. 

 It is on this part and not on the east end that the huts, about 

 three in number, are situated. They are indeed curious look- 

 ing erections, being built of huge blocks of stone piled up 

 together, and generally having no other opening than the 

 door. Most of them were about 8 feet by 5 feet, by 4 feet 

 high. At the time of my visit they were tenanted chiefly by 

 cormorants, which built in them. 



One of the yachtsmen excitedly described to me how, 

 having crawled into a hut with the innocent intention of 

 examining its interior, he was immediately attacked by a 

 terrible black bird, which scratched and bit him, all the while 

 giving vent to the most appalling croaks and groans, and 

 how, after a tremendous battle in the dark, the enemy was 

 slain, and being brought to daylight, turned out to be "jist 

 only one o' them scarfs." 



About eleven o'clock I got on board again, and we stood 

 over towards Eona, under the lee of which I wished to heave 

 to until daylight. Coming on deck after dinner, that is about 

 eleven o'clock at night, I found that the clouds had banked 

 up to the east, that it was blowing pretty hard, and altogether 

 looked like bad weather. The pilot sent word to say that 

 he thought we were going to have a heavy gale, and as this 

 appeared also to be the opinion of the crew, I set the course 

 by compass for the Butt of Lewis. 



While standing near the binnacle, my nostrils were sud- 

 denly assailed by a most villainous odour ; while, at the same 

 moment, the crew rushed on deck en masse. On making 



