27 



Oar Visit to Holy Island in May, 1854. By George 

 Johnston, M.D., LL.D., &c, &c. 



May 19th. Leaving the mainland, you enter the boundary 

 of Holy Island on crossing the Low, a rivulet without beauty 

 which winds its sinuous Way to the sea through a wide 

 waste of sand. There are Wo miles of this sand to be crossed 

 before you gain the island ; and there is nothing on the road 

 to beguile the slow and weary pace at which it is necessarily 

 travelled. The wooden posts that mark the track are 

 covered with a common barnacle (Balanus elongatus) as high 

 as the Water mark of the tide ; and their base, protected by 

 a few stones, affords ground for the growth of Fucus vesicu- 

 losa, Ectocarpus littoralis, and a variety of Ulva compressa* 

 At this season there were no other sea-weeds noticed there. 

 The sands were very thickly covered with the casts of the 

 Lugworm, and the surface strewed with valves of the common 

 Cockle (Cardiwm edule). Scarce another object was seen ; 

 and the day was beautiful and favourable for observation. 



A stroll through the village disclosed very sensibly the 

 nature of the principal occupation of the natives. In every 

 street heaps of the shells of the mussel and limpet are 

 collected before the doors, and mixed with the refuse of the 

 fishing lines, and with the household ashes, &c. They do 

 send forth a most foul and fishy smell, evidently agreeable 

 to the senses of the householders. Men, and more women, 

 were sitting in the sun, at the doors, occupied in baiting the 

 lines for the morrow. The Mussel was the principal bait. 

 The Lugworm was also being used, but in less quantities ; 

 and I found there was an impression against it. The women 

 told me that it tendered their fingers and made them sore. 

 One ascribed the effect to the sand in the worm ; another 

 seemed to think that it was owing to the same juice as that 

 which colours the hands. Another objection to the use of 

 the Lugworm was, that it soon decayed and spoiled. A 

 number of skates were laid on the tiled roofs of many of the 

 houses, to be dried by the sun. _They were not ornamental, 

 and sent forth a pungent smell. When fully dried they 

 become a favourite relish to the fishermen when drinking 

 their ale ; and I was told that they were much in demand by 

 the sailors of the Scotch vessels that are driven here for 

 shelter. They are eaten without any preparation, or simply 

 toasted at the fire, 



