50 DESCRIPTION OF THE PHYSICAL FEATURES 
Door," where tradition, or history, relates, that on one occasion, a 
large brig ran in during a gale, and her yards scraped against the 
cliffs on either side, so that the sailors landed from them on the cliff- 
top. In this district of Caithness there still exists a considerable 
number of Keerie sheep — the old native breed — closely allied to 
those of St. Kilda, and a few of which are still found in the more 
remote districts of Aardvaar, in Sutherland. This flock belongs to 
the crofters, or small tenants, and in order to catch them when 
occasion demands, the natives run them down a steep path or slack 
in the Duncansbay cliffs, and at certain states of the tide drive 
them into a natural cul-de-sac formed by the undercliff. There 
they are marked, fleeced, or counted. Any found without a 
mark are sold to the neighbours, and the money divided amongst 
the owners. Their flesh is excellent, and they can be bought at 
that time for a very few shillings. 
Eeturning from the same trip, on board the Earl of Caithness's 
yacht Franccsca, we had an opportunity of witnessing the tumultuous 
gambols of the " Merrie Men of Mey." In this extraordinary 
place — strong tide-run of the Pentland Firth — his Lordship's fine 
large steam-yacht, some 450 tons register, rolled heaA^ily. To-day 
it was calm ; but it is said that calms are the most dangerous for 
small craft, and we can quite imagine it. Yet what this frightful 
place may be during a gale of wind against the tide baffles imagina- 
tion to picture, and we would fancy few who have once experienced 
it, anA lived, would care to do so again. It is supposed that a 
rocky uptilted ledge of the great Caithness pavement catches the 
tide deep down, and causes the whole vast stream between the bay of 
Mey and the south-west corner of Stroma Island to boil and hiss, 
and raise great breaking pyramids of water when the tide sets from 
the east. Stroma, which is somewhere called " the enchanted isle," 
is guarded on the south by the " Merrie Men of Mey," and on the 
north and east by the equally dangerous " Bores of Duncansbay." 
To visit the Pentland Skerries a very fine calm day must be 
chosen, and a picked crew of men of local experience selected. 
The 2d of July was just such a day, and J. Sutherland of 
Huna and his crew the right men in the right place. The 
