THE OTTER AND SEAL 85 



numbers at one end of the island, and on an 

 adjacent rock. 



Before dealing with the habits of seals, it may 

 be of interest if I describe our time on this 

 isolated island. 



Some forty years ago Rona was inhabited by 

 a family of about thirty individuals, who carried 

 on primitive cultivation and bred sheep. During 

 the winter these crofters were held up for many 

 months at a time on their little island and war- 

 ships had frequently to go to their relief. Ulti- 

 mately the population was taken off and given 

 holdings on the mainland. 



Our Norwegian friend, my brother and I 

 duly arrived, jumped on the rocks, while some 

 provisions and an old sail were thrown ashore. 

 In the centre of the island the four walls of a 

 small croft were still standing, and these we 

 roofed with the sail. Adjoining the croft was 

 the cemetery, which consisted of several mounds 

 and a single gravestone over the body of the last 

 chief. Near by were the ruins of a chapel. 

 Under the chapel was a vault, some ten feet 

 square, which was full of the bones of sea birds 

 and sheep. It was evidently the home of some 

 carnivorous animal, and we found marks indicat- 



