Easaval of South Uist 



morsel he had found. The eggs were near hatching, and 

 both birds flew round anxiously when their nest was ap- 

 proached. Much bog myrtle grew on the hill-side, and in the 

 strong sunshine its fine scent was everywhere on the still air. 



The bell heather — Erica cinerea — ^was already in bloom, 

 but the ling — Calluna vulgaris — ^would not be at its best for 

 three weeks from this date. Near the hill-top I passed a fine 

 patch of white heather with buds already well formed. Ahead 

 of me a pair of ravens'soared tirelessly over the hill. Sud- 

 denly the two birds approached each other closely, and I saw 

 sailing in spirals above them a peregrine falcon, who passed 

 on his way over the hill-top, the ravens croaking the while, 



But little wind stirred on the hill this summer's day, and 

 the air was exceptionally clear. On the north-western horizon 

 lay St. Kilda, close on sixty miles distant. The island group 

 was quite distinct : Borreray and Hirta lying close together, 

 and a few miles north-east the great cliffs— Stac Lii — ^where 

 solans in their thousands nest. North of Easaval, some twelve 

 miles, Ben Mor (2,034 feet), the highest hill in South Uist, 

 was intercepting dark clouds drifting down from the north- 

 west, and the hills of Harris and North Uist were hidden in 

 a rainstorm. Across the Minch lay Skye, with its many 

 hills. MacLeod's Maidens, those flat-topped hills about 

 Dunvegan, were clear and sharp. On the Cuchulain range 

 clouds rested, though the lower slopes of the hills were clear. 

 Rhum was extraordinarily distinct, and on the low-lying 

 island of Canna, a little to the west of it, the long Atlantic 

 swell could, through the glass, be seen breaking. South- 

 'ard of Rhum was Eigg, with serrated outline, and bearing 

 more southerly the small island of Muck. Set in the midst 

 of the Minch the tall lighthouse of Heiskeir gleamed in the 

 bright sunlight, a large steamer on a southerly course passing 

 close by on her passage. About here a small rain-squall 

 caught the sun's rays near to the surface of the Minch, throw- 

 ing back all the colours of the rainbow. It was, perhaps, to 

 the southward that the view was most distinct. All the great 



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