162 THE BIRDS or lONA AND MULL. 



brushwood, to the house, which stands on the top of the ascent — 

 a large, low, straggling white house, with old-fashioned windows 

 and numerous slated gables. Stables, offices, and garden nestle 

 behind, sheltered by walls and a few stunted trees. Shelter 

 seems the great object aimed at ; not shelter by trees, of which 

 there are none to speak of, but by the surrounding hills and 

 banks. A steep, rocky hill stands in front of the house, leaving 

 an opening on each side for sea views, with turf descending to the 

 shore. The south side of this rocky elevation is laid out in walks, 

 planted with laurels and lauristinus, forming overarching bowers, 

 and with rhododendrons, and fuchsias ; one of the latter, fourteen 

 feet in height, already budding, proved the mildness of the climate. 

 Natural caves and grottoes are formed in the cliffy face of the rock, 

 festooned with small-leaved ivy. There is a little grey rocky islet 

 forty yards off, leaving a narrow sound between it and the land. 



The owner of the mansion being away, we were gravely wel- 

 comed by Mr Dougald, the major-domo. We located ourselves 

 permanently in the smoking-room — a long room on the ground 

 floor — and there we had a very " tall " dinner ; soup, fish, beef 

 pudding, wine — a cask of beer had been tapped the moment our 

 boat touched the shore. Such a table spread in such a wilderness 

 gave the impression of an enchanted castle in that wild, remote, 

 hungry-looking island ; the more so on account of the stillness 

 and desertion of the house, for we never saw a sign of any other 

 servant in it besides Mr Dougald, who appeared and disappeared 

 in silence and mystery through a noiseless, self-closing, green 

 baize door, ever bearing fresh viands, wines, vivres, or books, 

 maps — anything we chose to ask for or even hint at. This green 



