C. AND II. CANDLKU ON HlltD-UKi; OK SKELLIG LOCKS. 
11 
had made the necessary arrangements over-night, and we found 
Tom Trant, the old Skolligs boatman, with his crew of six hands, 
engaged in launching the thirty-foot whale-boat in which he 
usually tends the lighthouse. The day was brilliantly line, with 
a light northerly breeze, and, unfortunately, a heavy rolling swell, 
which promised to make landing on the smaller lock a matter of 
some difficulty. 
Our boat was clumsily and somewhat inadequately rigged with 
two small lugsails; and the men had to pull, with their long 
sweeps, half the distance of ten miles to the larger island, which 
consequently we were three hours in making. "When we were 
clear of Bray Head wo spoke with the only craft we saw on our 
voyage, a Peel smack returning to Yalentia Harbour from her 
fishing-grounds. A great number of boats, chiefly Manx and North 
Irish, resort to these waters for the spring Mackerel fishing ; and at 
Bear Haven in Pantry Bay and, to a less extent, at Knight’s 
Town, where the fish are discharged, we found a scene of life and 
animation in striking contrast to the wild and lonely character of 
most of the south-west Irish coast. 
We passed a mile to windward of the Lemon, a bare and isolated 
rock, swept in every gale by the Atlantic surges, and of course 
untenanted by sea-birds, save as a chance resting-place. The 
absence of birds as we approached the Little Skellig surprised 
us considerably. We were within three miles of the rock 
before we saw' a Gannet at all ; nor was there afterwards 
anything to lead us to suspect that we were close to a teeming 
haunt of sea-fowl in the full activity of the breeding season. The 
number of Gannets gradually increased as we drew nearer; they 
flew low over the water, singly, or two or three together. Presently 
we met with iloeks of Puffins, Guillemots, and Razorbills, skimming 
the water, or settled in compact bodies on the surface, rising and 
falling with the swell like the undulations of a chequered carpet. 
Our plan was to explore the Great Skellig first, and to land, if 
we could, on the smaller island on our way home. As we passed 
half-a-mile to the west of the latter, our boatmen pointed out to us 
the white lines and patches which marked the quarters of the 
Gannets. Twenty minutes later we were under the precipices of 
the Great Skellig. It would be difficult to conceive anything more 
impressive, as seen from a small boat on the sea, than this rock, 
