THE CRUISE of the BETSEY

BY HUGH MILLER
EXTRACTS
Selected, and presented wth co!!entares
"# MARTI$ G%ST&IC',
Secretar#, The (rends of H)*h Mller
+)l# ,-./
I$TR%0UCTI%$
&ELC%ME to ths classc wor1 of Scottsh lterat)re, whch "rn*s to*ether n
)n2)e rchness the earth scences, socal hstor#, fol1lore and rel*o)s o"ser3ance
n the He"rdean S!all Isles of the !d .4
th
Cent)r#5 It has "een rated !ost recentl#
6as *ood a read toda# as t was then,7 "# 0r $el Clar1, C)rator of 8alaeontolo*# at
the H)nteran M)se)!, Glas*ow5
These e9tracts ha3e "een *athered )p to cele"rate, and acco!pan# the !pendn*
3o#a*e n the Betse#:s wa1e a"oard the Leader saln* 3essel, ;
th
<.,
th
Septe!"er
,-./5 &e, The (rends of H)*h Mller, are pro)d partners n the 3o#a*e wth the
Ro#al Scottsh Geo*raphcal Socet# =RSGS> and we hope ther !e!"ers, and o)rs,
and ndeed all ad!rers of H)*h Mller:s wor1, wll en?o# readn* the!5
I ha3e chosen the passa*es to nterest the *eneral, rather than specalst readershp5 I
a! nde"ted to the edton ntrod)ced and annotated "# 0r Mchael A Ta#lor,
$atonal M)se)!s of Scotland, $MS 8)"lshn*, Edn")r*h ,--@, whch s now
)nfort)natel# o)t of prnt5 I ha3e atte!pted to p)t dates for the e9pedton whch are
not n the or*nal te9ts5 An# !sta1es whch ha3e slpped thro)*h are !# own5 %n
the other hand, I ha3e o!tted !an# 2)otatons fro! the no3els of Mller:s hero Sr
&alter Scott whch wo)ld "e o"sc)re to !odern readers5 $othn* can or sho)ld
replace the or*nal, whch s readl# a3ala"le n d*tal reprnts and second<hand
late Actoran edtons5 B)t I hope these 6h*hl*hts7 wll ser3e to rase awareness and
apprecaton of the "oo1, especall# as the replca 3o#a*e pro*resses5 I also hope the
re<enact!ent wll "e*et ts own stores, and scentfc )nderstandn*, and new
e9pressons of the arts, whch can then perhaps "e nterwo3en wth the or*nal5
BBBBB
Note on texts:Translations and explanations are added between brackets ( ).
Abridgements are identified between brackets [ ].
CHA8TER I
8.
Lea3n* The &tness offce n the Ro#al Mle on the wa# to M)ll "# one of the newl#
ntrod)ced stea!ers for hs ann)al holda#5
Monda#, ./
th
+)l# .C//
The pleasant !onth of +)l# had a*an co!e ro)nd, and for f)ll f3e wee1s I was free5
Chsels and ha!!ers, and the "a* for spec!ens, were ta1en fro! the corner n the
dar1 closet, and pac1ed )p wth half a stone we*ht of a fne soft Conser3at3e
Edn")r*h newspaper5
Comment: iller starts !is tale wit! a gentle dig at a Conser"ati"e ri"al to !is
newspaper# The &tness# w!ic! mostl$ s%pported t!e &!igs.
M# frend =the Re3 +ohn Swanson> now afloat n hs (ree Ch)rch #acht =the Betse#>,
had *ot a ho!e on the sea "esde hs sland char*e, whch, f not 3er# sec)re when
n*hts were dar1 and wnds lo)d, and the lttle 3essel tlted h*h to the lon* roll of the
Atlantc, la# at least "e#ond the reach of !an:s ntolerance, and not "e#ond the
protectn* care of the Al!*ht#5
Comment: 'wanson was one of ()( ministers w!o left t!e C!%rc! of 'cotland in t!e
sc!ism of *+(,# known as t!e -isr%ption# to fo%nd t!e .ree C!%rc!. T!e$ forfeited
t!eir c!%rc!es# !omes and li"ings in conse/%ence# and for some time ministered to
congregations from all sorts of o%tdoor locations# %ntil t!e$ raised t!e f%nds to
b%ild new c!%rc!es.
0o%nd copies of The &tness are !eld in t!e .ree C!%rc! College on T!e o%nd#
w!ic! incl%de t!is book as it first appeared in serialised articles (from + arc!#
*+(1).
8@D/
&estern H*hlands coastlne o"ser3ed
The dsposton of land and water on ths coast s)**ests the dea that the &estern
H*hlands, fro! the lne n the nteror whence the r3ers descend to the Atlantc,
wth the slands "e#ond to the %)ter He"rdes, are all parts of one *reat !o)ntano)s
plan, nclned slantwa#s nto the sea5 (rst, the lon* wthdrawn* 3alle#s of the !an
land, wth ther "rown !oss# strea!s, chan*e ther character as the# dp "eneath the
sea<le3el, and "eco!e salt<water lochs5 The lne of hlls that rse o3er the! ?)t o)t as
pro!ontores, tll c)t off "# so!e trans3erse 3alle#, lowered stll !ore deepl# nto the
"rne, and that e9sts as a 1#le, !nch or so)nd, swept twce e3er# tde "# powerf)l
c)rrents5 The sea deepens as the plan slopes downwardE !o)ntan chans stand )p
o)t of the water as lar*er slands, sn*le !o)ntans as s!aller ones, lower e!nences
as !ere *ro)ps of ponted roc1sE tll at len*th, as we pass o)twards, all trace of the
s)"!er*ed land dsappears, and the wde ocean stretches o)t and awa# n
)nfatho!a"le depths5
Comment: iller e"okes t!e entire land and seascape of t!e &est Coast and t!e
2ebrides in *+3 words4 And $o% can see abo"e and below water at t!e same time.
8F
At %"an
The So)nd =of 'errera> ter!nates n the "ea)tf)l "a# of %"an, so 2)et and
sheltered, wth ts two sland "rea1waters n front, < ts se!<crc)lar sweep of hll
"ehnd, < ts lon* whte<walled 3lla*e, "ent l1e a "ow, to confor! to the nflecton of
the shore, < ts !)ral precpces "ehnd, tapestred wth 3#, < ts rch patches of *reen
past)re, < ts "os1# dn*les of shr)" and tree, < and, perched on the seaward
pro!ontor#, ts old, t!e<eaten 1eep5
8;
In the ncalc)la"l# re!ote perod n whch the con*lo!erate "ase of the %ld Red
Sandstone was for!ed, the cla# slate of ths dstrct had "een e9actl# the sa!e sort of
roc1 that t s now G5555H I)arres !*ht ha3e "een opened n ths roc1, as now, for
roofn* slate, had there "een 2)arres to open the!, or ho)ses to roof o3er5
Comment: iller !as been introd%ced to t!e rock formations in t!e 5ban "icinit$
b$ a r Colin 6lder# w!o pro"ided 7e"erend 'wanson wit! a !ome at 8sle 5rnsa$#
'k$e# w!en !e lost !is manse on 6igg at t!e -isr%ption.
8s .- <.,
To"er!or#, Isle of M)ll
T)esda#, .;
th
+)l#
&e entered the Ba# of To"er!or# a"o)t !dn*ht and cast anchor a!d a *ro)p of
lttle 3essels5 An e9ceedn*l# s!all "oat shot o)t fro! the sde of a #acht of rather
d!n)t3e proportons, ")t ta)tl# r**ed for her sJe, and "earn* an o)tr**er
astern5 The water ths e3enn* was f)ll of phosphorc !atter, and t *lea!ed and
spar1led ro)nd the lttle "oat l1e a northern a)rora aro)nd a dar1 clo)dlet5 There
was ?)st l*ht eno)*h to show that the oars were pled "# a salor<l1e !an n a
G)ernse# froc1, and that another salor<l1e !an, < the s1pper, !a#hap, < attred n a
cap and pea<?ac1et, stood n the stern5 The !an n the G)ernse# froc1 was +ohn
Stewart, sole !ate and half the crew of the (ree Ch)rch #acht Betse#E and the
s1pper<l1e !an n the pea<?ac1et was !# frend the !nster of the 8rotestants of
S!all Isles5 In f3e !n)tes !ore I was sttn* G5555H "esde the lttle ron sto3e n the
ca"n of the Betse#E and the !nster, d3ested of hs cap and ?ac1et, ")t stll loo1n*
the 3erta"le s1pper to ad!raton, was ")sed n !a1n* )s a rather late tea5
The ca"n, < !# ho!e for the *reater part of the three follown* wee1s, and that of
!# frend for the *reater part of the pre3o)s twel3e!onth, < I fo)nd to "e an
apart!ent a"o)t twce the sJe of a co!!on "ed, and ?)st loft# eno)*h )nder the
"ea!s to per!t a !an of f3e feet ele3en to stand erect n hs n*htcap5 A lar*e ta"le,
lashed to the floor, f)rnshed wth ters of drawers of all sorts and sJes, and "earn*
a wrtn* des1 "o)nd to ts top, occ)ped the !ddle space, lea3n* ?)st roo! eno)*h
for a person to pass "etween ts ed*es and the narrow coffn<l1e "eds n the sdes,
and space eno)*h at ts fore<end for two seats n front of the sto3e5 A ?ealo)sl#<"arred
s1#l*ht opened a"o3eE and there depended fro! t ths e3enn* a close lanthorn<
loo1n* la!p, s)ffcentl# 3al)a"le, no do)"t, n fo)l weather, ")t drear# and d! on
the occasons when all one reall# wshed fro! t was l*ht5 The pec)lar f)rnt)re of
the place *a3e e3dence to the !9ed nat)re of !# frend:s e!plo#!ent5 A well<
th)!"ed chart of the &estern Islands la# across an e2)all# well<th)!"ed 3ol)!e of
Henr#:s 6Co!!entar#9 (on t!e 0ible). There was a 8ol#*lot =0ible in different
lang%ages) and a sp#<*lass n one corner, and a cop# of Cal3n:s 6Instt)tes,7 wth the
latest edton of 6The Coaster:s Saln* 0rectons,7 n anotherE whle n an ad?onn*
state roo!, nearl# lar*e eno)*h to acco!!odate an ar!char, f the char co)ld ha3e
contr3ed to *et nto t, I ca)*ht a *l!pse of !# frend:s prntn* press and hs case
of t#pes, canoped o3erhead "# the "l)e ancent (ensign or flag), "earn* n statel#
s9<nch letters of whte ")ntn*, the le*end, 6(REE CHURCH YACHT57 A door
opened whch co!!)ncated wth the forecastleE and +ohn Stewart, stoopn* 3er#
!)ch to acco!!odate h!self to the low<roofed passa*e, thr)st n a plate of fresh
herrn*s, splenddl# toasted, to *3e s)"stantalt# and relsh to o)r tea5 The lttle
r)de forecastle, a consdera"l# s!aller apart!ent than the ca"n, was all<a*low wth
the "r*ht fre n the coppers, tself n3s"le5555
Comment: 8n !is introd%ction and notes to !is edition# -r ike Ta$lor percei"es
t!at all of t!e minister:s doc%ments ;were means of na"igation# maritime or
spirit%al.9
8t m%st strike an$ reader !ow !ard$ t!e 7e" <o!n 'wanson m%st !a"e been# to
carr$ o%t !is ministr$ for a $ear in s%c! cramped conditions# and !ow dedicated to
!is ministr$ wit! so man$ works of reference at !and. T!e printing press was for
r%nning off lessons in =aelic so t!e islanders co%ld learn to read and write. 2e also
p%blis!ed tracts based on !is fer"ent preac!ings. 'wanson !ad learnt =aelic
especiall$ for t!e p%rpose of cond%cting a 2ebridean ministr$# as well as teac!ing#
doctoring and generall$ con"ersing. iller:s acco%nt of t!e s/%ee>e below deck is
f%ll of good !%mo%r# and some c!oice p!rases ? a fa"o%rite of mine is t!e toasted
!errings# ;w!ic! ga"e s%bstantialit$ and relis! to o%r tea#9 eaten some time after
midnig!t.
8.F
%ff the So)nd of Arsa*
&e passed the Isle of M)c1, wth ts one low hllE saw the p#ra!dal !o)ntans of
R)! loo!n* tall n the offn*E and then, r)nnn* alon* the Isle of E**, wth ts
colossal Sc)r rsn* "etween )s and the s1#, as f t were a pece of Ba"#lonan wall,
or of the *reat wall of Chna, onl# 3astl# lar*er, set down )pon the rd*e of a
!o)ntan, we entered the channel whch separates the sland fro! one of ts
dependences, Elean Chasteal, and cast anchor n the tdewa# a"o)t fft# #ards fro!
the roc1s5 &e were now at ho!e, < the onl# ho!e whch the propretor of the sland
per!ts to the slanders: !nster G5555H
Comment: T!is is iller t!e tra"el@writer in !is element# wit! !is commanding
metap!ors for t!e 'c%irA and t!is is !is first powerf%l criti/%e in t!is book of t!e
landed landowners# man$ of w!om ref%sed t!e newl$ formed .ree C!%rc! an$ sites
on w!ic! t!e$ co%ld b%ild new c!%rc!es for t!emsel"es# in t!is case forcing t!e 7e"
'wanson to minister to t!e congregation from t!e c!%rc!:s ;floating manse#9 t!e
0etse$. T!is was a blatant ab%se of t!eir power# since t!e$ owned all t!e land for
miles aro%nd.
CHA8TER II
8.;
At anchor off Elean Chathastal =%S>, Isle of E** SE corner
&ednesda#, .K
th
+)l#
&e had rch tea ths !ornn*5 The !nster was a!on* hs peopleE and o)r frst
e3dence of the fact ca!e n the a*reea"le for! of three "ottles of fresh crea! fro!
the shore5 Then followed an a!ple "a1n* of nce oaten ca1es5 The !ateral o)t of
whch the ca1es had "een !an)fact)red had "een sent fro! the !nster:s store
a"oard, < for oat!eal n E** s rather a scarce co!!odt# n the !ddle of +)l#E ")t
the# had "orrowed a crspness and fla3o)r fro! the sland, that the !eal, left to ts
own de3ces, co)ld scarcel# ha3e co!!)ncatedE and the *olden<colo)red c#lnder of
fresh ")tter whch acco!paned the! was all the sland:s own5 There was an a!ple
s)ppl# of e**s too G555H and wth crea!, ")tter, oaten ca1es, e**s and tea, all of the
"est, and wth sharp<set sea<ar appettes, we fared s)!pt)o)sl#5
Comment: 2 co%ld !a"e been a food critic too# if s%c! creat%res !ad existed t!en4
2e certainl$ makes t!e mo%t! water. 2ere is t!e first example of t!e "er$ !ig!
affection and esteem in w!ic! t!e islanders !eld t!eir minister# and t!e 6ditor of
The &tness newspaper.
8.KD.C
A!on* the 3aro)s thn*s "ro)*ht a"oard ths !ornn*, there was a par of sland
shoes for the !nster:s ca"n )se, that str)c1 !# fanc# not a lttle5 The# were all
aro)nd of a deep !adder<red colo)r, soles, welts, and )ppersE and G555H were sewed
not )ns1lf)ll# wth thon*s G5555H The# were alto*ether the prod)cton of E**, fro!
the s1n o)t of whch the# had "een c)t, wth the l!e that had prepared t for the
tan, and the root "# whch the tan had "een f)rnshed, down to the last on whch the#
had "een !o)lded, and the artJan that had cast the! off, a par of fnshed shoes5
There are few trees, and, of co)rse, no "ar1 to spare n the slandE ")t the slanders
fnd a s)"stt)te n the lo"fero)s root of the Tormentilla erecta, whch the# d* o)t
for the p)rpose a!on* the heath, at no nconsdera"le e9pense of t!e and tro)"le5 I
was nfor!ed "# +ohn Stewart, an adept n all the !)ltfaro)s arts of the sland,
fro! the tannn* of leather to the tlln* of land, to the ")ldn* of a ho)se or the
wor1n* of a shp, that the nf)son of root had to "e thrce chan*ed for e3er# s1n,
and that t too1 a !an nearl# a da# to *ather roots eno)*h for a sn*le nf)son5 I was
f)rther nfor!ed that t was not )n)s)al for the owner of a s1n to *3e t to so!e
ne*h"o)r to tan, and that, the process fnshed, t was d3ded e2)all# "etween
the!5555 I wshed to call a par of these pr!t3e shoes !# own, and no sooner was
the wsh e9pressed than stra*htwa# one slander f)rnshed !e wth leather, and
another set to wor1 on the shoes5 &hen I ca!e to spea1 of re!)neraton, howe3er,
the slanders shoo1 ther heads5 6$o, no, not fro! the &itnessL there are not !an#
that ta1e o)r part, and the &itness does57 I hold the shoes, therefore, as !# frst
retaner, deter!ned, on all occasons of ?)st 2)arrel, to !a1e co!!on ca)se wth
the poor slanders5
Comment: T!is remarkable passage of social !istor$ tells $o% of t!e "er$ wide
range of skills t!e islanders re/%ired to s%stain life# and of t!eir nat%ral generosit$.
T!e s!oes were w!at -r Ta$lor !as described as ;c%lt%ral fossils#9 artefacts of a
fast disappearing wa$ of life# in w!ic! iller was interested almost as m%c! as !e
was t!e relics in stone.
8.4
%ff Elean Chathastal =!odern %S>
%ne of the frst thn*s that str)c1 !e, as I *ot on dec1 ths !ornn*, was the e9tre!e
whteness of the sand5 I co)ld see t *lea!n* "r*ht thro)*h the transparent *reen of
the sea, three fatho!s "elow o)r 1eel, and, n a lttle "a# drectl# opposte, t
presented al!ost the appearance of p)l3ersed chal15 A stron*er contrast to the dn*#
trap<roc1s ="asaltc> aro)nd whch t les co)ld scarcel# "e prod)ced G5555H
8.4D,-
I fo)nd the or*ns of the roc1 nterestn*l# e9h"ted5 The hollows of the roc1, a
ro)*h trach#te =fne*ro)nd dar1 *neo)s roc1, especall# "asalt>>, were flled wth
handf)ls of "ro1en shells thrown )p "# the s)rf fro! the sea<"an1s "e#ondE
fra*!ents of echn =sea )rchn>, "ts of the 3al3es of raJor<fsh, the sland c#prna
=cla!>, !actrdae =cla! fa!l#>, ")ccndae =whel1s>, and fract)red perwn1les, la#
heaped to*ether n 3ast a")ndance5G 555H Be#ond the nner ed*e of the shelf G555H les
the flat "a# G555H flled to the depth of se3eral feet, and to the e9tent of se3eral h)ndred
#ards, wth a p)re shell<sand, the *reater part of whch had "een th)s washed ashore,
and *ro)nd down "# the "lended a*enc# of the trach#te and the s)rf5
8,-
Landn* )nder ptchstone on west coast,
&e landed )nder the two ptchstone 3ens of E** G5555H The# occ)r n an earth#
*reensh<"lac1 a!#*dalod, whch for!s a ran*e of sea<clffs 3ar#n* n he*ht fro!
thrt# to fft# feet, that G555H see! to a"sor" the l*ht, whle the 3ens the!sel3es,
"r*ht and *lstenn*, *ltter n the s)n, as f the# were strea!s of water tra3ersn*
the face of the roc1 G5555H
8,.
I was l)c1# eno)*h to detach a spec!en, whch, tho)*h scarce fo)r nches across,
e9h"ts the three colo)rs characterstc of the 3en, < ts "ar of ol3e *reen on the one
sde, of ntense "lac1 on the other, and of "l)e, l1e that of !perfectl# f)sed "ottle<
*lass, n the centre5
8,,
Ua!h (hran* ca3e
M# frend the !nster stopped short5 6There,7 he sad, pontn* to the hollow, 6#o)
wll fnd s)ch a "one<ca3e as #o) ne3er saw "efore5 &thn that openn* there le the
re!ans of an entre race, palpa"l# destro#ed G555H "# one *reat catastrophe5 That s
the fa!o)s ca3e of (rances , n whch the whole people of E** were s!o1ed to death
"# the M:Leods57
8,@
It s co3ered o3er n ts entre area "# a strat)! of earth# r)""sh, whch has fallen
fro! the sdes and celn* n s)ch a")ndance, that t co3ers )p the straw "eds of the
pershed slanders, whch stll e9st "eneath as a lar*e !o)ldern* felt, to the depth of
fro! f3e to e*ht nches5 $e3er #et was tra*ed# enacted on a *loo!er theatre5 An
)ncertan twl*ht *l!!ers *re# at the entrance, fro! the narrow 3est")leE ")t all
wthn, for f)ll two h)ndred feet, s "lac1 as wth E*#ptan dar1ness5
8,/
The floor, for a"o)t .-- feet nwards fro! the narrow 3est")le, rese!"les that of a
charnel<ho)se5 At al!ost e3er# step, we ca!e )pon heaps of h)!an "ones *ro)ped
to*ether G5555H The s1)lls G555H ha3e dsappearedE the tra3ellers n the He"rdes ha3e of
late #ears "een n)!ero)s and c)ro)sE and !an# a !)se)!, < that at A""otsford
a!on* the rest, < e9h"ts, n a *rnnn* s1)ll, ts !e!oral of the Massacre at E**5
G555H Eno)*h stll re!ans to show G555H that the hapless slanders ded )nder the walls
n fa!les, each lttle *ro)p separated "# a few feet fro! the others5
Comment: iller:s powers of obser"ation and detailed recording# in t!is case
deplo$ed in almost total darkness# render a gr%esome spectacle# decades after t!e
e"ent. Abbotsford was t!e mansion 'ir &alter 'cott b%ilt for !imself at r%ino%s
expense. 2is writings# ric! in folklore# inspired iller# and gained a worldwide
readers!ip.
8@.
Aews of An S*)rr =!odern %S>
The Sc)r of E**, then, s a 3erta"le Gant:s Ca)sewa#, l1e that on the coast of
Antr!, ta1en and !a*nfed rather !ore than twent# t!es n he*ht, and so!e f3e
or s9 t!es n "readth, and then placed on the rd*e of a hll nearl# nne h)ndred
feet h*h5G 555H Aewed sdewa#s, t ass)!es G555H the for! of a perpendc)lar ")t
r)no)s ra!part5 Aewed endwa#s, t rese!"les a tall, !ass# tower, < s)ch a tower as
!# frend Mr 05%5 Hll wo)ld del*ht to draw, and *3e del*ht "# drawn* G555H a
tower three h)ndred feet n "readth "# fo)r h)ndred and se3ent# feet n he*ht,
perched on the ape9 of a p#ra!d, l1e a stat)e on a pedestal5
Comment: iller attempts to capt%re t!e grande%r of t!e 'c%ir wit! an effecti"e
combination of dimensions and comparisons.
-a"id 5cta"i%s 2ill was# wit! partner 7obert Adamson# an earl$ proponent of
'cottis! p!otograp!$ in t!e earl$ *+(3s# promoted b$ iller prop!eticall$ in The
&tness as a new art form. &!en iller wrote t!e abo"e compliment in !is paper#
2ill wo%ld alread$ !a"e been working on !is gigantic painting of T!e -isr%ption#
ret%rning t!e compliment b$ placing t!e 6ditor prominentl$ in t!e foregro%nd. T!e
original !angs in t!e .ree C!%rc! College# and a downsi>ed cop$ is s!own in t!e
2%g! iller %se%m# Cromart$. 2ill and iller:s b%sts sit side b$ side in t!e =reat
2all of t!e 'cottis! National Bortrait =aller$.
CHA8TER III
8@@
Cl!"n* the S*)rr
As we cl!"ed the hll<sde G555H we fo)nd t co!posed of 3aro)s "eds, each of whch
wo)ld !a1e a Gant:s Ca)sewa# entre, pled o3er each other l1e store#s n a
")ldn*5 Inn)!era"le pol#*onal fra*!ents G555H le scattered o3er the slope,
co!posed, l1e al!ost the rest of the Sc)r, of a pec)lar and 3er# "ea)tf)l
ptchstone, a dar1 ptchstone porph#r#, whch, nclosn* cr#stals of *lass# feldspar,
rese!"les n the hand spec!en a !ass of "lac1 sealn* wa9, wth n)!ero)s peces
of whte ")*le st)c1 nto t5 So!e of the detached pol#*ons are of consdera"le sJeE
few of the! lon*er and ")l1er, howe3er, than a pece of col)!n of ths characterstc
porph#r#, a"o)t ten feet n len*th "# two feet n da!eter, whch les a f)ll !le awa#
fro! the others, n the lne of the old ")r#n* *ro)nd, and dstant fro! t onl# a few
h)ndred #ards5
iller goes on to spec%late t!at t!is material mig!t !a"e been carried to t!e site b$
t!e islanders for ;marking some form of sep%lt%re#9 before t!eir progress was
arrested b$ t!e massacre.
8@/
&e had now reached the Sc)r5 There occ)r, ntercalated wth the col)!nar "eds, a
few "ands of a ")ff<colo)red non<col)!nar trap G555H whch G555H has weathered so
freel# as to for! horJontal *roo3es alon* the face of the roc1 fro! two to f3e #ards
n depth5 %ne of these r)ns for se3eral h)ndred feet alon* the "ase of the Sc)r, ?)st
at the top of the tal)s, and *reatl# rese!"les a paJJa lac1n* the o)ter pllars5 It s
fro! ten to twel3e feet n he*ht, "# fro! ffteen to twent# n depthE the col)!ns of
the ptchstone !!edatel# a"o3e t see! perlo)sl# han*n* n !d<ar5
8@F
The dr# and d)st# floor =of the paJJa> s rchl# fosslfero)s5
Under the old fo)ndatons of ths h)*e wall =the Sc)r:s sde>, we fnd the re!ans of
a pne<forest, that, lon* ere a sn*le "ed of the porph#r# had ")rst fro! "eneath, had
spr)n* )p and deca#ed on so!e hll and "esde strea! n so!e na!eless land M had
then "een swept to the sea M had "een ento!"ed deep n the "otto! n a *rt of the
%olte, < "een hea3ed )p to the s)rface, and h*h o3er t, "# 3olcanc a*ences wor1n*
fro! "eneath, < and had fnall# "een ")lt )pon, as !oles are ")lt )pon ples, "# the
archtect that had lad down the !asonr# of the **antc Sc)r n one fer# la#er after
another5
Comment: iller sees a forest landscape preceding t!e "olcanic %p!ea"al# t!en
sinking into t!e sea# onl$ for its remains to rise again %nder renewed "olcanic
press%re. T!e arc!itect is ass%med to be t!e -i"ine Creator.
8@;
%)r !an who carred the pc1<a9e G555H now ca!e )p n hot haste to sa# that a Ro!an
Catholc tac1s!an =chef tenant> n the ne*h"o)rhood G555H had pere!ptorl# warned
h! that the Sc)r of E** was the propert# of 0r M:8herson of A"erdeen, not o)rs,
and the 0octor wo)ld "e 3er# an*r# at an# !an who !eddled wth t5 6That
!essa*e,7 sad !# frend =Re3 Swanson>, la)*hn*, ")t loo1n* ?)st a lttle sad
thro)*h the la)*h, 6wo)ld scarce ha3e "een sent )s when I was !nster of the
Esta"lsh!ent hereE ")t t see!s allowa"le n the case of a poor 0ssenter, and s no
"ad spec!en of the tho)sand lttle wa#s n whch the Ro!an Catholc pop)laton of
the sland tr# to anno# !e, now that the# see !# "ac1 to the wall57
Comment: T!e 7oman Cat!olics pla$ed no part in t!e -isr%ption# b%t t!e 7e"
'wanson and 2%g! iller# in common wit! all t!e .ree C!%rc!men# disliked
7oman Cat!olicism intensel$ on t!eological gro%nds. 'wanson was partic%larl$
aggressi"e# probabl$ as a res%lt of t!e Cat!olic prosel$tising on 6igg d%ring t!e
ten%re of !is neglectf%l predecessor# and repeated pro"oking of !imself. iller:s
riposte to t!e %nwelcome interr%ption is a sa"agel$ !%moro%s send@%p of t!e
landowner:s pett$ restrictions of access.
8@;
I was tc1led wth the dea of a fossl preser3e 555whch co)pled tself n !# !nd wth
the dea of a *reat fossl Act for the Brtsh e!pre,G555H and ?)st wondern* what sort
of dsrep)ta"le 3a*a"onds *eolo*cal poachers wo)ld "eco!e )nder ts G555H nfl)ence,
I lad hold of the pc1<a9e, and "ro1e nto the stonefast floor5 And thence I s)cceeded
n a"stractn* M felono)sl#, I dare sa#, tho)*h the cr!e has not #et *ot nto the
stat)te "oo1@ so!e s9 or e*ht peces of the Binites 6iggensis# a!o)ntn* to a"o)t
half a c)"c foot of that 3er# ancent wood, 3al)e )n1nown5
Comment: iller carries on t!e satire# !oping fellow geologists wo%ld ;assist me in
feeing co%nsel9 s!o%ld !e be prosec%ted.
8@K
6There are !ore nterests than !ne at sta1e n ths affar5 If I "e cast and co!!tted,
< I who ha3e poached o3er onl# a few !sera"le dstrcts of Scotland, < pra#, what wll
"eco!e of G555H the L#ells, B)c1lands, M)rchsons, and Sed*wc1s, < who ha3e
poached o3er whole contnentsN
Comment: iller names t!e leading geologists of t!e da$# knowing t!e$ mig!t welll
read !is &itness col%mns. 2e was an %pfront opponent of landowners restricting
access to land# and t!%s one of t!e earliest c!ampions of t!e rig!t to roam# t!ro%g!
s%c! articles as =len Tilt Tabooed ('eptember *
st
# *+()) (see 6ssa$s# 2istorical and
Bolitical# p%blis!ed post!%mo%sl$).2e !eld t!at people s!o%ld not be depri"ed of t!e
c!ance for p!$sical and mental recreation.
8@K, @C
&e were s)ccessf)l n proc)rn* se3eral *ood spec!ens of the E** pne G5555H Aewed
thro)*h the !croscope G555H we fnd the !n)test cells, *lands, f"res of the or*nal
wood )nn?)red G5555H E3er# ncel# or*ansed spec1 G555H we fnd n as perfect a state of
1eepn* n the ncalc)la"l# ancent ple<wor1 on whch the **antc Sc)r s fo)nded,
as n the l3n* pnes that flo)rsh *reen on o)r hllsdes5
8/@</;
The sea, span*led n the wa1e of the s)n wth 2)c1 *lancn* l*ht, stretched o)t ts
"l)e plan aro)nd )sE and we co)ld see ncl)ded n the wde prospect, on the one
hand, at once the hll<chans of Mor3en and 'ntal, wth the !an# nter3enn* lochs
and "old ?)ttn* headlands G555HE and on the other, the 3aro)sl#<co!ple9oned
He"rdes, fro! the Isle of S1#e to Ust and Barra to Tree and M)ll5 The cont*)o)s
S!all Isles, M)c1 and R)!, la# !oored !!edatel# "esde )s, l1e 3essels of the
sa!e con3o# that n so!e sec)re roadstead drop anchor wthn hal of each other5 I
co)ld wlln*l# ha3e ln*ered on the top of the Sc)r )ntl after s)nsetE ")t the
!nster re!nded !e G555H that ths was the e3enn* of hs wee1<da# dsco)rse, and
that we were !ore than a partc)larl# ro)*h !le fro! the place of !eetn*, and
wthn half an ho)r of the t!e5 I too1 one last loo1 at the scene ere we co!!enced
o)r descent5 There n the !ddle of the a!ple parsh *le"e G555H rose the sn)* parsh
!anse G555H and #onder la# the Betse#, loo1n* wonderf)ll# d!n)t3e, ")t e3dentl#
a lttle thn* of h*h sprt G555H and fla)ntn* her tran*)lar fla* of "l)e n the s)n5
Comment: T!is obser"ation leads to r 'wanson describing !ow !e rel%ctantl$
(beca%se of all !e stood to lose) took part in t!e -isr%ption# and was denied
permission b$ t!e aforementioned proprietor# -r :B!erson# to b%ild a new !ome
for !imself# and new c!%rc!# despite two petitions from !is congregation.
8/; =cont:d>
I had fre2)ent occason to re!ar1 afterwards, that !)ch of the wood )sed n the
s!aller and o)ter slands of the He"rdes !)st ha3e drfted across the Atlantc,
"orne eastwards and northwards "# the *reat *)lf<strea!5
Comment: iller obser"es t!at t!ese timbers co%ld !a"e come from ;%nfort%nate9
"essel (s!ipwrecksC) sailing from America# or swept to sea b$ t!e American ri"ers.
Tropical n%ts from t!e &est 8ndies were also fo%nd.
T!e c!apter closes wit! an acco%nt of t!eir ret%rn to t!e 0etse$ to find a dead
s!eep# w!ic!# intended for t!eir dinner# !ad managed to strangle itself in t!e boat:s
rigging. 8t was one of a large flock w!ic! 'wanson also lost# wit! !is glebe and
manse# in t!e -isr%ption.
CHA8TER IA
8F-
Ma1n* for the Ba# of La*, E** west coast
Th)rsda#, .C
th
+)l#
In less than an ho)r we were descendn* on the Ba# of La*, a se!<crc)lar
ndentaton of the coast a"o)t a !le n len*th, and, where t opens to the !an sea,
nearl# two !les n "readthE wth the no"le sland of R)! rsn* h*h n front, l1e
so!e 3ast "rea1waterE and a !ensc)s =crescent> of co!parat3el# le3el land, walled
n "ehnd "# a se!<crc)lar ra!part of contn)o)s precpce, sweepn* ro)nd ts
shores5 There are few fner scenes n the He"rdes than that f)rnshed "# ths sland
"a# and ts pct)res2)e acco!pan!ents, < none that "rea1 !ore )ne9pectedl# on
the tra3eller who descends )pon t fro! the east5
Isle of R)!, seen fro! Ba# of La*
The sland of R)!, wth ts a"r)pt sea<wall of roc1, and ts steep<ponted hlls, that
attan, !!edatel# o3er the sea, an ele3aton of !ore than two tho)sand feet,
loo!ed "old and h*h n the offn*, so!e f3e !les awa#, ")t apparentl# !)ch
nearer5 The fo)r tall s)!!ts of the sland rose clear a*anst the s1#, l1e a *ro)p of
p#ra!dsE ts lower slopes and precpces, 3are*ated and rele3ed "# *racef)l
alteratons of l*ht and shadow, and restn* on ther "l)e "ase!ent of sea, stood o)t
wth e2)al dstnctness5
8F.
Ba# of La* nland
There s no part of the sland so thc1l# nha"ted as ths flat !ensc)s =crescent
for!>5 It s co!posed al!ost entrel# of %oltc roc1s =*ran)lar l!estone>, and "ears
atop, especall# where an ancent o#ster "ed of *reat depth for!s the s)"sol, a 1ndl#
and fertle !o)ld5 The cotta*es le n *ro)ps, and, sa3e where a few "o*s G555H
nterpose ther ro)*h sha* of dar1 *reen, the plan aro)nd the! wa3es wth corn5
8sF.<,
6%ne of the few s)persttons that stll ln*er on the sland,7 sad !# frend the
!nster, 6s assocated wth that wld hollow5 It s "ele3ed that shortl# "efore a
death ta1es place a!on* the nha"tants, a tall wthered fe!ale !a# "e seen n the
twl*ht, ?)st #onder where the roc1s open, washn* a shro)d n the strea!5 +ohn,
there =+ohn Stewart>, wll perhaps tell #o) how she was spo1en to on one occason,
"# an o3er<"old, o3er<n2)st3e slander, c)ro)s to 1now whose shro)d she was
preparn*E and how she !ore than satsfed hs c)rost#, "# telln* h! t was hs
own5 It s a not )nnterestn* fact,7 added the !nster, 6that !# poor people, snce
the# ha3e "eco!e !ore earnest a"o)t ther rel*on, thn1 3er# lttle a"o)t *hosts
and spectresL ther fath n the realtes of the )nseen world see!s to ha3e "anshed
fro! ther !nds !)ch of ther old "elef n ts phanto!s57
Comment: 2%g! iller was !imself fascinated b$ s%perstitions# despite !is own
strongl$ professed C!ristian fait!. 2e p%rported to deplore s%perstition in t!e
name of religion# b%t diligentl$ collected scores of anecdotes like t!is one into !is
first p%blis!ed work# Scenes and Le*ends of the $orth of Scotland5 2e was in fact
among t!e first folk !istorians# following writers like 'ir &alter 'cott and <ames
2ogg# to capt%re t!ese once widel$@credited tales before t!e$ "anis!ed from
comm%nit$ life. 2is wife# L$dia# deplored t!is trait in !er !%sband# and e"en# and
probabl$ %nD%stl$# blamed !is nig!tmares D%st before !is deat! on !is mot!er:s
stories related to !im as a c!ild.
8F,
It =the o#ster "ed> s seen to !ost ad3anta*e555n so!e of the deeper c)ttn*s n the
felds555, and the shells !a# "e pc1ed o)t as entre as when the# la#, a*es "efore, n
the !)d, whch we stll see retann* aro)nd the! ts or*nal colo)r G5555 H (ew of the
shells e9ceed an nch and a half n len*th, and the !a?ort# fall short of an nch5 &hat
the# lac1 n ")l1, howe3er, the# !a1e )p n n)!"er5 The# are !assed as thc1l#
to*ether, to the depth of se3eral feet, as shells on the heap at the door of a $ewha3en
fsher!an, and e9tend o3er !an# acres5
Comment: New!a"en port# two miles nort! of 6dinb%rg!# was for cent%ries a
renowned o$ster fis!er$. T!e fis!erfolk were made famo%s for t!eir distincti"e
attire and wa$ of life b$ iller:s p!otograp!er friends# -a"id 5cta"i%s 2ill and
7obert Adamson. T!eir calot$pes of iller# and t!e New!a"en folk are !eld in t!e
'cottis! National Bortrait =aller$.
8t is anot!er interesting reflection of !ow !%man societ$ relies on geolog$# t!at t!e
fossil o$ster@beds of t!e <%rassic rocks rendered t!e 0a$ of Laig t!e most fertile to
farm on 6igg# and !ence t!e most pop%lo%s part of t!e island. T!e wall aro%nd t!e
7oman Cat!olic c!%rc! is b%ilt of stone ric! in t!ese fossils.
8F@
Lea3n*, howe3er, these o#sters of the %olte, whch ne3er net nclosed nor dra*
dst)r"ed, tho)*h the# !)st ha3e for!ed the food of !an# an e9tnct order of fsh, <
!a#hap reptle M we pass on G 5555H
8FC
Sn*n* Sands, Ca!as S*ota* =%S>, Cleadale
I was t)rnn* asde ths sand of the %olte, when I "eca!e aware of a pec)lar so)nd
that t #elded to the tread, as !# co!panons paced o3er t5 I str)c1 t o"l2)el# wth
!# foot G555H and the so)nd elcted was a shrll sonoro)s note, so!ewhat rese!"ln*
that prod)ced "# a wa9ed thread, when t*htened "etween the teeth and the hand,
and tpped "# the nal of the forefn*er5 I wal1ed o3er t, str1n* t o"l2)el# at each
step, and wth e3er# "low the shrll note was repeated5 M# co!panons ?oned !e,
and we perfor!ed a concert G555H
Comment: iller credits !imself and !is companions# <o!n 'wanson and <o!n
'tewart# as t!e first disco"erers of t!e now famo%s ;singing sands9 of 6igg.
2e goes on to disc%ss in detail two ot!er t!en known instances of ;m%sical sand9 in
Arabia and Afg!anistan# and tries to explain t!e ca%se of t!e singing. 2e later
(pEE) compares t!e so%nd to t!at e"oked from ;a !ig!l$ waxed floor.9 -r Ta$lor
explains t!at s%c! sand is toda$ fo%nd in man$ places# w!ile t!e ca%ses are still
being debated# ;b%t t!e$ t$picall$ comprise /%art> grains of %niform si>e made
slig!tl$ stick$ b$ a s%rface water@silica la$er.9
CHA8TER A
8;4<K-
It s co!parat3el# eas# to conce3e that the nner He"rdes sho)ld ha3e once e9sted
as a "road ocean so)nd, "o)nded on one or ether sde "# %oltc slands, fro! whch
strea!s descended sweepn* wth the! to the !arne depths prod)ctons an!al
and 3e*eta"le, of the land5 B)t t s less eas# to conce3e that n that so)nd, the area
co3ered "# the ocean one #ear sho)ld ha3e "een co3ered "# a fresh<water la1e n
perhaps the ne9t, and then a*an "# the ocean a few #ears after5 And #et a!on* the
%oltc deposts of the He"rdes e3dence see!s to e9st that chan*es of ths nat)re
too1 place5
8sK.<,
R) Stor M R)"ha Storr S*alledh, $orth CoastO
Ro)ndn* the pro!ontor#, we lose s*ht of the Ba# of La*, and fnd the narrow front
of the sland that now presents tself e9h"tn* the appearance of a h)*e "astonE G555H
and a no"le wall of perpendc)lar roc1, that towers o3er and "e#ond for at least fo)r
h)ndred feet !ore, for!s the ra!part G5555H B)t the dJJ# front of "lac1 "asalt, dar1 as
n*ht, sa3e where a "road "elt of l*ht<colo)red sandstone tra3erses t n an an*)lar
drecton, l1e a whte sash across a f)neral ro"e, < the fantastc pea1s and t)rrets n
whch the roc1 ter!nates atop, < the !asses of "ro1en r)ns, ro)*hened wth !oss
and lchen that ha3e fallen fro! a"o3e and le scattered at ts "ase, < the e9tre!e
lonelness of the place, for we ha3e left "ehnd )s e3er# trace of the h)!an fa!l#, <
and the e9panse of soltar# sea whch t co!!ands, < all conspre to render the scene
a profo)ndl# !posn* one5 It s one of those scenes n whch !an feels he s lttle,
and that nat)re s *reat5
Comment: -r Ta$lor finds 7% to be not a good rendering of t!e original =aelic
place@name . 7%ad! means red# and t!at is t!e rock:s colo%r# b%t more likel$ is
7%b!a# w!ic! means !eadland# and -r Ta$lor s%ggests t!is wo%ld be a more
appropriate rendering# meaning 2eadland of t!e s!adowed cliff. T!e name
appears on 5' map as 'gorr 'galleac!.
T!e writer !ere deplo$s a fa"o%rite and "er$ telling trope# t!e b%ilding %p of
pict%re %pon pict%re# leading to a s!ort# simple $et profo%nd concl%sion.
8K,
There s no precpce on the sland on whch the p)ffn so del*hts to ")ld as a!on*
the dar1 pnnacles o3erhead, or aro)nd whch the slence s so fre2)entl# "ro1en "#
the harsh screa! of the ea*le5
The ntrod)cton of the potato has done !)ch to p)t o)t the practce of cl!"n* for
the "rd =p)ffn>, e9cept a!on* a few #o)n* lads who fnd e9cte!ent n the wor1 to
p)rs)e t for ts own sa1e, as an a!)se!ent5
Comment: 2ere Fp%ffin: is %sed in t!e old sense of anx '!earwaters# not t!e
colo%rf%ll$ beaked Common B%ffin. T!is is toda$ a good place to see t!e
magnificent sea eagle# !%nted to extinction after iller:s time# t!en reintrod%ced to
'cotland on 7%m.
8K@
The sn1n* s)n shone "r*htl# ths e3enn*E and the war! h)es of the precpce,
whch "ears the na!e of 7%@'toir M the Red Head M str1n*l# contrasted wth the
pale and dar1 tnts of the alternatn* "asalts and sandstones n the taller clffs
"ehnd5 The dtch<l1e hollow, whch see!s to ndcate the lne of a fa)lt, c)ts off ths
red headland fro! all the other roc1s of the sland, fro! whch t appears to dffer as
consdera"l# n te9t)re as n h)e G55555H
8K/
The hard red "eds of 7%@'toir "elon* G555Hnot to the a*es of Coccoste)s and
8terchth#s =0e3onan>, ")t to the far later a*es of the 8lesosa)r)s and the fossl
crocodle5
Comment: -r Ta$lor obser"es t!at t!e red !eadland ;is act%all$ a sill of "olcanic
rock of Tertiar$ age (E1.1 to G.1 m$a) intr%ded into <%rassic (G33 to *(1 m$a).9
&hat frst str1es the e#e, n approachn* the 7%@'toir fro! the west, s the col)!nar
character of the stone5 The precpces rse !!edatel# o3er the sea, n r)de
colonnades of fro! thrt# to fft# feet n he*htE sn*le pllars that ha3e fallen fro!
ther places n the lne G555H le scattered "elow G5555H And n se3eral places where the
wa3es ha3e ?oned ss)e wth the precpces G555H and swept awa# the s)pportn*
fo)ndaton, the colonnades open nto roo!# ca3erns, that reso)nd to the dash of the
sea5
8KF
$*ht was co!n* on, and the tde had rsen on the "eachE ")t I ha!!ered l)stl#,
and lad open n the dar1 red shale a 3erte"ral ?ont, a r", and a parallelo*ra!!cal
fra*!ent of sold "one, none of whch co)ld ha3e "elon*ed to an# fsh5 It was an
nterestn* !o!ent for the c)rtan to drop o3er the pro!ontor# of 7%@'toirE I had
th)s fo)nd n connecton wth t well n*h as !an# reptlan re!ans as had "een
fo)nd n all Scotland "efore G5555H
8K;
Settn* o)t for the R)<Stor a*an
(rda#, .4
th
or Sat)rda# ,-
th
+)l#N
I fo)nd G 555H no )n!eet co!panon for !# e9c)rson than n hs =Re3 Swanson:s>
tr)st# !ate +ohn Stewart5 +ohn had not 3er# !)ch En*lsh and I had no GaelcE ")t
we contr3ed to )nderstand one another wonderf)ll# wellE and ere e3enn* I had
ta)*ht h! to "e 2)te as e9pert n h)ntn* crocodles as !#self5 &e reached the 7%@
'toir and set hard to wor1 wth ha!!er and chsel G5555H The fra*!ents of red shale
were strewed thc1l# alon* the shore for at least three<2)arters of a !le G555H ")t we
co)ld nowhere fnd =the "edroc1> in sit%5
8KK
&e fnd reptlan "ones n a")ndance M a thn* new to Scottsh *eolo*#, < and n a
state of 1eepn* pec)larl# fne5 The# not a lttle p)JJled +ohn StewartL he co)ld not
resst the e3dence of hs sensesL the# were "ones, he sad, real "ones, < there co)ld "e
no do)"t of that L t!ere were the ?onts of a "ac1<"one, wth the hole the "ran<
!arrow had passed thro)*hE and t!ere were shan1<"ones and r"s, and fshes: teethE
")t how, he wondered had the# all *ot nto the 3er# heart of the hard red stonesN
8KC
The !ore entre r"s I was l)c1# eno)*h to dsnter ha3e, as n those of crocodleans,
do)"le headsE and a part of a f")la G555H see!s also to "elon* to ths ancent fa!l#5 A
lar*e proporton of the other "ones are e3dentl# 8lesosa)ran5
BBBBBBBBBBBB
.A'T .57&A7-
Comment: Brofessor <o!n 2%dson and co@a%t!or Ann Allwrig!t in T!e =eolog$ of
6igg state t!at despite m%c! searc!ing# iller:s s%ccessors !a"e still not fo%nd t!e
red limestone bedrock near t!e R)<Stor5
0%t iller did find t!e bedrock# wit! Blesiosa%r remains in ab%ndance embedded#
somew!ere else# on a second "isit to 6igg aboard t!e 0etse$# t!e following $ear# in
<%ne *+(1. 2e said t!is "isit !ad t!e sole geological p%rpose of locating t!e
bedrock. 2e describes t!e disco"er$ in t!e concl%ding c!apter of t!e book#
C2ABT67 H888 ('%pplementar$) low on t!e beac! a few miles nort! of Iildonan
on 6igg:s east coast# t!e ot!er side of t!e island to 7%@'toir.
8,,,L
Two 1! north of 'ldonan
I fo)nd a "ed colo)red wth a tn*e of red G5555H It was n e9actl# s)ch a roc1 I had
fo)nd, n the pre3o)s #ear, the reptle re!ansE and I now set !#self wth no lttle
ea*erness to e9a!ne t5 %ne of the frst peces I tore )p contaned a well<preser3ed
8lesosa)ran 3erte"raE a second contaned a 3erte"ra and a r"E and, shortl# after, I
dsnterred a lar*e porton of pel3s5 I had at len*th fo)nd, "e#ond do)"t, the reptle
re!ans in sit%5
Brofessor 2%dson calls t!is ;a remarkable ac!ie"ement in so s!ort a "isit# as t!e
o%tcrop t!ere is still not eas$ to find or interpret.9 2e adds t!at Blesiosa%r bones
can still be fo%nd b$ searc!ing t!e storm@beac! on t!e nort! and east coasts for
blocks of t!e distincti"e red limestone.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
8K4

S1erres off R) Stor
It was n 3an that G555H I set !#self a*an and a*an to dsco3er the "ed fro! whch
the# had "een detached5 The tde had fallen, and a ran*e of s1erres la# te!ptn*l#
off, scarce a h)ndred #ards fro! the water:s ed*eL the shale "eds !*ht "e a!on*
the!, wth 8lesosa)r and crocodles stretchn* entreE and fan wo)ld I ha3e sw)!
off to the!, as I had done oftener than once elsewhere, wth !# ha!!er n !# teeth,
and wth shrt and drawers n !# hatE ")t a tall "rown forest of 1elp and tan*le, n
whch e3en a seal !*ht drown, rose thc1 and perlo)s ro)nd "oth shore and
s1erres5
Comment: iller was extremel$ fond of swimming and di"ing# sometimes D%st to
bat!e# b%t often to searc! for all sorts of marine c%riosities. 2e gi"es an acco%nt in
!is a%tobiograp!$ (pGE# $ 'c!ools and 'c!oolmasters# 6dinb%rg! *JJ,) of
searc!ing t!e sea@bottom off =airloc!# weig!ing !imself down ;8ndian met!od9
wit! stones of *E to *+ po%nds weig!t.
8K4<C-
How stran*e, that the dentcal sea hea3n* aro)nd stac1 and s1err# n ths re!ote
corner of the He"rdes sho)ld once ha3e "een thron*ed "# reptle shapes !ore
stran*e than poet e3er !a*ned, < dra*ons, *or*ons and ch!erasP 8erhaps of all
reptles, the 8lesosa)r)s was the !ost e9traordnar#5 An En*lsh *eolo*st
(pres%med to be =ideon antell) has descr"ed t, *rotes2)el# eno)*h, and #et !ost
happl#, as a sna1e t!readed thro)*h a tortose5 And here, on ths 3er# spot, !)st
these !onstro)s dra*ons ha3e dsported and fedE here !)st the# ha3e rased ther
lttle reptle heads and lon* swan<l1e nec1s o3er the s)rface, to watch an anta*onst
or select a 3ct!L here !)st the# ha3e warred and wedded, and p)rs)ed all the
3aro)s nstncts of ther )n1nown nat)res5 A stran*e stor#, s)rel#, consdern* t s a
tr)e oneP
Comment: 2ere is iller anticipating science fiction b$ a cent%r$ or more# like
man$ geologists of t!e time. &!ile !e# t!e practical geologist# dedicatedl$ extracts
<%rassic remains# !e lets !is imagination loose to en"isage t!e li"ing creat%res.
8magine t!e excitement of T!e &itness:s readers w!en t!e$ picked %p t!is c!apter
of re"elations ;new to 'cottis! geolog$.9 (5ctober *+
t!
# *+(+).
8s C-<CF
&al1n* fro! the north alon* the east coast to the sheln* at R)"ha nan Tr Clach
2ere follows a lengt!$ passage describing iller and <o!n 'tewart:s ret%rn to t!e
boat w!ic! simpl$ cannot be abridged or extracted. 8t is among t!e most e"ocati"e
pieces of s%stained descripti"e writing in all !is works# combining as it does# in a
wa$ %ni/%e to !im# t!e close obser"ation of landscape interspersed wit! a "er$
precio%s piece of social !istor$.
The da# passed pleasantl# eno)*h n the wor1 of e9ploraton and dsco3er#E the s)n
had alread# declned far n the westE and, "earn* wth )s o)r "etter fossls, we set
o)t, on o)r ret)rn, "# the opposte ro)te to that alon* the Ba# of La*, whch we had
now thrce wal1ed o3er5 The *rass# tal)s =slope> so often !entoned contn)es to r)n
on the eastern sde of the sland for a"o)t s9 !les, "etween the sea and the
naccess"le ra!parts of the precpce "ehnd5 It 3ares n "readth fro! a"o)t two to
fo)r h)ndred #ardsE the ra!part rses o3er t fro! three to f3e h)ndred feetE and a
no"le e9panse of sea, closed n the dstance "# a stll no"ler c)rtan of "l)e hlls,
spreads awa# fro! ts "aseL and t was alon* ths *rass# tal)s that o)r ho!eward
road la#5 Let the Edn")r*h reader !a*ne the fne wal1 )nder the Sals")r# Cra*s
len*thened so!e twent# t!es, < the lne of precpces a"o3e he*htened so!e f3e or
s9 t!es, < the *ra3ell# slope at the "ase not !)ch ncreased n altt)de =t!an t!e
Crags walk>, ")t de3eloped trans3ersel# nto a *reen )nd)latn* "elt of hll# past)re,
wth here and there a s)nn# slope le3el eno)*h for the plo)*h, and here and there a
ro)*h wlderness of detached cra*s and "ro1en "an1sE let h! f)rther !a*ne the
sea sweepn* aro)nd the "ase of ths tal)s, wth the nearest opposte land M "old,
"are and )nd)latn* atop M so!e s9 or e*ht !les dstantE and he wll ha3e no 3er#
nade2)ate dea of the pec)lar and str1n* scener# thro)*h whch, ths e3enn*, o)r
ho!eward ro)te la#5 I ha3e scarce e3er wal1ed a !ore soltar# tract5 The sea sh)ts t
n on the one hand, and the ra!part of roc1s on the otherE there occ)rs alon* ts
entre len*th no other h)!an dwelln* than a lonel# s)!!er sheln*E for f)ll# one<
half the wa# we saw no trace of !anE and the wldness of the few cattle whch we
occasonall# startled n the hollows showed )s that !an was no 3er# fre2)ent 3stor
a!on* the!5 A"o)t half an ho)r "efore s)nset we reached the !dwa# sheln*5
Rarel# ha3e I seen a !ore nterestn* spot, or one that, fro! ts )tter lonelness, so
!pressed the !a*naton5 The sheln*, a r)de low<roofed erecton of t)rf and
stone, wth a door n the centre so!e f3e feet n he*ht or so, ")t wth no wndow,
rose on the *rass# slope !!edatel# n front of the 3ast contn)o)s ra!part5 A sl!
pllar of s!o1e ascended fro! the roof, n the cal!, fant and "l)e wthn the shadow
of the precpce, ")t t ca)*ht the s)nl*ht n ts ascent, and "l)shed, ere t !elted
nto the ether, a r)dd# "rown5 A strea!let ca!e po)rn* fro! a"o3e n a lon* whte
thread, that !antaned ts contn)t# )n"ro1en for at least two<thrds of the wa#E
and then, )ntwstn* nto a shower of detached drops, that pattered lo)d and
3ehe!entl# n a roc1# recess, t a*an *athered tself )p nto a l3el# lttle strea!,
and, sweepn* past the sheln*, e9panded n front nto a crc)lar pond, at whch a
few !lch cows were les)rel# sla1n* ther thrst5 The whole *rass# tal)s, wth a strp
!a#hap a h)ndred #ards wde of deep *reen sea, la# wthn the shadow of the tall
ra!partE ")t the red l*ht fell, for !an# a !le "e#ond, on the *rass# s)rfaceE and the
dstant C)ch)lln Hls, so dar1 at other t!es, had all ther pro!nent slopes and
?)ttn* precpces tpped wth "ronJeE whle here and there a !st strea1, con3erted
nto "r*ht fla!e, stretched alon* ther pea1s, or rested on ther sdes5 Sa3e for the
lonel# sheln*, not a h)!an dwelln* was n s*ht5 An sland *rl of e*hteen, !ore
than !erel# *ood<loo1n*, tho)*h !)ch e!"rowned "# the s)n, had co!e to the
door to see who the )nwonted 3stors !*ht "e, and reco*nsed n +ohn Stewart an
old ac2)antance5 +ohn nfor!ed her n her own lan*)a*e that I was Mr Swanson:s
sworn frend, and not a oderate, ")t one of ther own people, and that I had fasted
all da#, and had co!e for a drn1 of !l15 The na!e of her !nster pro3ed a stron*l#
reco!!endator# oneL I ha3e not #et seen the tr)e Celtc nter?ecton of welco!e, <
the 1ndl# 6% o o,7 M atte!pted on paperE ")t I had a 3er# a*reea"le spec!en of t on
ths occason, "i"a "oce5 And as she set herself to prepare for )s a rch "owl of
!n*led !l1 and crea!, +ohn and I entered the sheln*5 There was a t)rf fre at one
end, at whch sat two lttle *rls, en*a*ed n 1eepn* )p the "laJe )nder a lar*e pot,
")t sadl# d3erted fro! ther wor1 "# o)r entranceE whle the other end was occ)ped
"# a "ed of dr# straw, spread on the floor fro! wall to wall, and fenced off at the foot
"# a lne of stones5 The !ddle space was occ)ped "# the )tensls and prod)ce of the
dar#, < flat wooden 3essels of !l1, a ")tter<ch)rn, and a t)" half<flled wth c)rdE
whle a few cheeses, soft fro! the press, la# on a shelf a"o3e5 The lttle *rls were ")t
occasonal 3stors, who had co!e, o)t of a ?)3enle frolc, to pass the n*ht n the
placeE ")t I was nfor!ed "# +ohn that the sheln* had two other n!ates, #o)n*
wo!en, l1e the one so hospta"l# en*a*ed on o)r "ehalf, who were o)t at the
!l1n*, and that the# l3ed here all alone for se3eral !onths e3er# #ear, when the
past)ra*e s at ts "est, e!plo#ed n !a1n* ")tter and cheese for ther !aster,
worth# Mr M:0onald of 'ell (ie Iildonan .arm). The# !)st often feel lonel# when
n*ht has closed dar1l# o3er !o)ntan and sea, or n those drear# da#s of !st and
ran so co!!on n the He"rdes, where na)*ht !a# "e seen sa3e a few shapeless
cra*s that st)d the nearer hlloc1s aro)nd the!, and na)*ht heard sa3e the !oann*
of the wnd on the wld "each "elow5 And #et the# wo)ld do ll to e9chan*e ther
soltar# lfe and r)de sheln* for the 3lla*e dwelln*s and *re*aro)s ha"ts of the
fe!ales who pl# ther r)ral la"o)rs n "ands a!on* the rch felds of the Lowlands,
or for so!e )nwholeso!e "ac1<roo! and wear# tas1<wor1 of the ct# sea!stresses5
The s)n<l*ht was fadn* fro! the h*her hll<tops of S1#e and Glenel*, as we "ade
farewell to the lonel# sheln* and the hospta"le sland *rl5
Headn* so)thward towards 'ldonan
The e3enn* deepened as we h)rred so)thwards alon* the scarce 3s"le pathwa#, or
pa)sed for a few seconds to e9a!ne so!e shattered "loc1, ")l1# as a H*hland
cotta*e, that had fallen fro! the precpce a"o3e5 $ow that the whole landscape la#
e2)all# n shadow, one of the !ore pct)res2)e pec)lartes of the contn)o)s
ra!part ca!e o)t !ore stron*l# as a feat)re of the scene than when a strp of shade
rested a*anst the face of the roc1, !partn* to t a retrn* character, and all was
s)nshne "e#ond5 A thc1 "ed of whte sandstone, as contn)o)s as the ra!part tself,
r)ns nearl# horJontall# a"o)t !dwa# n the precpce for !le after !le, and,
standn* o)t n stron* contrast wth the dar1<colo)red trap a"o3e and "elow, t
re!nds one of a "elt of whte hewn wor1 n a "asalt ho)se<front, or rather M for
there occ)rs a"o3e a second contn)o)s strp, of an ol3e h)e, the colo)r ass)!ed, on
weathern*, "# a "ed of a!#*dalod =basalt wit! ca"ities) < of a pece of dn*# old<
fashoned f)rnt)re, nlad wth one strn*ed "elt of "leached holl#, and another of
faded *reen<wood5 At so!e of the !ost access"le ponts I cl!"ed to the lne of
whte "eltn*, and fo)nd t to consst of the sa!e soft 2)artJ sandstone that n the
Ba# of La* f)rnshes the !)scal sand5 Lower down there occ)r, alternatn* wth the
trap, "eds of shale and "l)e<cla#, ")t the# are lost !ostl# n the tal)s5 Ill adapted to
resst the frosts and rans of wnter, ther e9posed ed*es ha3e !o)ldered nto a loose
sol, now thc1l# co3ered o3er wth her"a*eE and ")t for the crc)!stance that we
occasonall# fnd the! lad "are "# a water<co)rse, we wo)ld scarce "e aware of ther
e9stence at all5 The shale e9h"ts e3er#where, as on the opposte sde of the 7%@
'toir, fant !pressons of a !n)te shell rese!"ln* a C#clas, and ll<preser3ed
fra*!ents of fsh scales5 The "l)e cla# I fo)nd at one spot where the path had c)t
deepl# nto the hll<sde, rchl# char*ed wth "3al3es of the speces I had seen so
a")ndant n the rese!"ln* cla# of the Ba# of La*E ")t the closn* twl*ht pre3ented
!e fro! ascertann* whether t also contaned the characterstc )n3al3es of the
depost, and whether ts shells, < for the# see! dentcal wth those of the altered
shales of the 7%@'toir < !*ht not "e assocated, l1e these, wth reptlan re!ans5
$*ht fell fast, and the strea1s of !st that had !ottled the hlls at s)nset "e*an to
spread *ra# o3er the hea3ens n a contn)o)s c)rtanE ")t there was l*ht eno)*h left
to show !e that the trap "eca!e !ore col)!nar as we neared the ?o)rne#:s end5 %ne
especal ?)ttn* n the roc1 presented n the *loo! the appearance of an ancent
portco, wth ped!ent and cornce, s)ch as the tra3eller sees on the hll<sdes of
8etraea n front of so!e old to!"E ")t t !a# poss"l# appear less archtect)ral "#
da#5 At len*th, passn* fro! )nder the lne of ra!part, ?)st as the stars that had
"e*)n to twn1le o3er t were dsappearn*, one after one, n the thc1enn* 3apo)r,
we reached the lttle "a# of 'ldonan, and fo)nd the "oat watn* )s on the "each5 M#
frend the !nster, as I entered the ca"n, *athered )p hs notes fro! the ta"le, and
*a3e orders for the tea<1ettleE and I spread o)t "efore h! M a happ# !an M an arra#
of fossls new to Scotch *eolo*#5 $o one not an enth)sastc *eolo*st or a Jealo)s
Ro!an Catholc can reall# 1now how 3ast an nterest !a# attach to a few old "ones5
Comment: 8n t!is magnificentl$ elo/%ent passage# we can discern man$ t$pical
elements of 2%g! iller:s prose st$le# w!ic! can be bot! diffic%lt for t!e modern
reader# $et eas$ too# gi"en a little effort. -iffic%lt beca%se of t!e long# %nbroken
paragrap!s. T!ere are onl$ t!ree paragrap!s in t!e w!ole excerpt abo"e# two of
t!em well o"er fift$ lines long. T!e sentences can be lengt!$ too# sometimes more
t!an ten lines at a time# littered wit! colons and semi@colons to accommodate all
t!e cla%ses. 0%t once absorbed b$ iller:s material# one is swept irresistibl$ along
b$ t!e s!eer power and bea%t$ of it all. 2e can take $o% in min%te detail t!ro%g!
t!e la$ers of rock in t!e rampart# t!e descending streams# t!e s!ore@line terrain# to
t!e smoke c!anging colo%r abo"e t!e s!ieling# to t!e f%rnit%re inside it listed to t!e
last stick.
Along wit! t!is# !e ga"e most "al%able witness to t!e wa$ of life li"ed in t!e
s!ieling. 8t is interesting in itself t!at t!e $o%ng# single women of t!e comm%nit$
were assigned to t!e s%mmer tasks# alone except for t!eir own compan$ for mont!s
on end. -r Ta$lor !as s%ggested t!e girl:s ;5@o@o9 ma$ not !a"e been a =aelic
expression at all# simpl$ an %ttering of s!$ness and s%rprise at t!e s%dden
appearance of a complete stranger.
2%g!:s ;more t!an merel$ good@looking9 admiration for !er tells $o% !e !as an e$e
for p!$sical bea%t$# D%st as !e remarked on t!e !andsomeness of <o!n 'tewart:s
broad@s!o%ldered assistant in an earlier c!apter. 7e"ealing too# t!at t!e girl:s tan
is seen as detracting rat!er t!an adding to !er comeliness. .or Kictorians t!e
w!itest of w!ite skins was a ke$ criterion of attracti"eness.
Anot!er facet of t!ese pages is proof of iller:s /%ite extraordinar$ p!$sical
energ$. 2e !as not eaten an$t!ing from rising to s%nset# spends t!e w!ole da$
fossil@collecting# incl%ding <%rassic finds new to science# finis!ing wit! a long walk
along t!e lengt! of t!e island:s east coast# still examining t!e rocks as darkness
falls. 8t is recorded elsew!ere t!at !e t!o%g!t not!ing of co"ering t!irt$ miles in a
da$# wit! no more t!an a porridge@cake in !is knapsack. 8 once made t!e walk
from Iildonan to t!e s!eiling and back wit! a part$ led b$ Brofessor 2%dson# and 8
can testif$# !a"ing made onl$ a /%arter of iller:s Do%rne$# to its "er$ to%g!
walking# and its %tter solitariness# to t!is da$. 2%g! and <o!n 'tewart appear to
!a"e circ%mna"igated t!e entire island in a single da$# from t!e so%t! east corner#
nort! to t!e 0a$ of Laig# on f%rt!er nort! to t!e precipices of 7% 'toir# and back to
t!e boat down t!e lengt! of t!e east coast# a colossal Do%rne$ o"er ro%g! gro%nd#
littered wit! big landslides# on foot. 2ere tr%l$ is scener$ of bot! grande%r and
ferocit$# w!ere geologists still !%nt in iller:s footsteps.
8t is a pit$ t!at t!e a%t!or ended t!is s%perb c!apter wit! anot!er dig at despised
7oman Cat!olicism# wit! its liking for old relics extended to t!e appropriation of
fossils. 8t is act%all$ a most entertaining tale in w!ic! !e proposes ;a geologists:
gratef%l b%mper in !ono%r of t!e (.renc!)7e"ol%tionar$ arm$9# w!ic! capt%red
aastric!t in a siege of *)J(# for caref%ll$ remo"ing %n!armed a giant fossil
Masaeosa)r)s wit! ;Daws fo%r and a !alf feet long and bristling o"er wit! teet!.9 8t
!ad been collected some $ears before b$ a renowned amate%r local geologist#
<o!ann Leonard 2offmann. 8t still rests toda$ in t!e %se%m National d:2istoire
Nat%relle in Baris. 0%t a ke$ point of t!e tale is t!at t!e .renc! resc%ed t!e fossil
from a cleric w!o !ad claimed it as c!%rc! propert$. No do%bt t!e stor$ titillated
iller:s .ree C!%rc! readers no end.
CHA8TER AI
8 C4
At Gal!sdale
S)nda# ,-
th
+)l#
It was Sa""ath, ")t the !ornn* rose l1e a h#pochondrac wrapped )p n hs n*ht<
clothes M *ra# n fo*, and sad wth ranG5555H The entre scene s)**ested the dea of a
land wth whch !an had done for e3erE < the 3apo)r en3eloped roc1s, < the waste of
e""<)nco3ered sand, < the deserted har"o)r, < the r)no)s ho)se, < the !elanchol#
ran<fretted tdes edd#n* alon* the strp of "rown tan*le n the fore*ro)nd, < and,
d! o3er all, the thc1 slant lnes of the "eatn* shower5
84-
&e set o)t for the ch)rch a lttle after ele3en, < the !nster encased n hs a!ple<
s1rted stor!<?ac1et of oled can3ass, and protected atop "# a *en)ne so%@wester, of
whch the "road posteror r! sloped half a #ard down hs "ac1E and I closel#
wrapped )p n !# *re# !a)d, whch pro3ed, howe3er, a rather ndfferent protecton
a*anst the penetratn* powers of a tr)e He"rdean drJJle5 The ")ldn* n whch the
con*re*aton !eets s a low dn*# cotta*e of t)rf and stone, st)ated nearl# opposte
the !anse wndows5 It had "een ")lt "# !# frend, pre3o)s to the 0sr)pton, at hs
own e9pense, for a Gaelc school, and t now ser3es as a place of worshp for the
people5
Comment: 'ome so%@wester4 iller:s plain gre$ ;ma%d#9 also known as a
s!ep!erd:s plaid# was !is !abit%al o%tdoors wear from !is $o%t! as a stonemason
onwards# and w!ic! !e contin%ed to wear in t!e 'cottis! capital# now !e was t!e
famed 6ditor of a national newspaper. 2e ma$ e"en !a"e worn it on p%blic
occasions# despite !is wife:s disappro"al. 8t appears# for example# adorning !im at
t!e first .ree C!%rc! =eneral Assembl$# as painted b$ !is friend -.5. 2ill# alt!o%g!
2ill ma$ !a"e added it to s$mbolicall$. 8t seems t!e ma%d was part of an image !e
c%lti"ated as a ;man of t!e people.9
T!e sc!ool@c%m@c!%rc! of t%rf and stone was clearl$ t!e midL*J
t!
Cent%r$
e/%i"alent of a comm%nit$ centre. T!e b%ilding remains toda$ as a sometimes
bracken@co"ered circle of stone# its t%rf roof long gone# beside t!e main road on t!e
wa$ %p to t!e central saddle of 6igg.
7emember t!e reference in C!apter 8 to 'wanson:s printing press# and reference
books# aboard t!e 0etse$# ob"io%sl$ pro"iding all t!e material at t!e sc!ool for
teac!ing and c!%rc! for wors!ip.
8S 4-<4.
&e fo)nd the con*re*aton alread# *athered, and that the 3er# "ad !ornn* had
faled to lessen ther n)!"ers G5555H The slanders of E** are an act3e, !ddle<sJed
race, wth well<de3eloped heads, ac)te ntellects, and sn*)larl# war! feeln*s G5555H
Rarel# ha3e I seen h)!an co)ntenances so elo2)entl# 3ocal wth 3eneraton and
lo3e5
Comment: iller !as alread$ referred to a crowd of male paris!ioners r%s!ing
forward to s!ake 'wanson:s !and. 2e passes on to detail 'wanson:s man$ calls on
t!e congregation:s affection# s%c! as t!e sacrifice of !is manse# !is principles# !is
ser"ices as ;t!e sole medical man [...] wit!o%t fee or reward#9 !is ;new life of
!ards!ip and danger.9 2e praises t!e de"o%t wors!ippers of all ages# some of
w!om !ad tra"elled on foot t!ro%g! t!e soaking dri>>le from t!e f%rt!er
extremities of t!e island.
8 4.
There was as lttle re3erence of the e9ternals n the place =the ch)rch> as can well "e
!a*nedL an )ne3en earthen floor, < t)rf walls on e3er# sde, and a t)rf roof a"o3e, <
two lttle wndows of fo)r pane a<pece, adown whch the ran<drops were co)rsn*
thc1 and fast, a p)lpt *rotes2)el# r)de, that had ne3er e!plo#ed a "red carpenter, <
and a few ran*es of seats of )ndressed deal, < s)ch were the !ere !aterals!s of ths
lowl# ch)rch of the people5
84.
M# frend, at the concl)son of hs dsco)rse, *a3e a "ref d*est of ts contents n
En*lsh, for the "eneft of hs one Sa9on a)dtorE and I fo)nd, as I had antcpated,
that what had so !o3ed the s!ple slanders was ?)st the old wondro)s stor# G55555H
84,
%n ths occason, as on !an# others, I had to re*ret !# want of Gaelc5 It was !#
!sfort)ne to !ss "en* "orn to ths ancent lan*)a*e, "# "arel# a !le of ferr#5 I
frst saw the l*ht on the so)thern shore of the (rth of Cro!art# G5555H a!on* an old
esta"lshed Lowland co!!)nt# G555HE whereas had I "een "orn on the northern
shore, I wo)ld ha3e "een "ro)*ht )p a!on* a Celtc tr"e, and Gaelc wo)ld ha3e
"een !# earlest lan*)a*e5
Comment: ;'axon9 in t!is instance means 'cots Lowlander. Almost all of
Cromart$:s in!abitants# incl%ding iller:s ancestors on !is fat!er:s side# !ad
migrated nort! o"er t!e generations. 5n t!e ot!er !and# !is mot!er# and !er
ancestors# were =aels w!o li"ed on t!e nort!ern s!ore (paris! of Nigg)# b%t#
clearl$# !e was bro%g!t %p speaking in t!e Lowland 'cots tong%e# and writing in
6nglis!. iller de"oted /%ite a lot of writing to t!e different /%alities good and bad
of Lowlanders and 2ig!landers. 8n "er$ general terms# !e deemed t!e Lowlanders
more !ard@working# and t!e 2ig!landers better C!ristians.
84,<4/
At Gal!sdale
In ret)rnn* to the Betse# d)rn* the !d<da# nter3al n the ser3ce, we passed the
r)no)s two<*a"led ho)se "esde the "oat<har"o)r5 0)rn* the nc)!"enc# of !#
frend:s predecessor, t had "een the p)"lc<ho)se of the sland, and the parsh
!nster was "# far ts "est c)sto!er5 He was n the practce of sttn* n one of ts
dn*# lttle roo!s, da# after da#, !""n* whs1# and peat<ree1 G5555H Had not the
!an *ot senselessl# dr)n1 G5555H and sta**ered, of all places n the world, nto the
General Asse!"l#, he wo)ld pro"a"l# ha3e ded !nster of E**5 G555H
8res"#terans! wtho)t the an!atn* lfe s a poor shr)n1en thn* G5555H wtho)t the
dal# 3talt# of e3an*els! t s nothn* G55555H M# frend la"o)red hard G555H5 to !part
to 8rotestants! n the parsh the an!atn* lfe of the Refor!aton and, thro)*h the
"lessn* of God, after #ears of an9o)s tol, he at len*th f)ll# s)cceeded5
Comment: 5n t!e s%cceeding pages# iller tells t!e edif$ing tale of !ow 'wanson
resc%ed a "agabond former freebooter# and s!eep@stealer# originall$ from
neig!bo%ring 7%m# w!o ended %p on 6igg# ;s/%atting on t!e beac! in a wretc!ed
s!ed.9 2is own son# a miller# tried to stop !im b%ilding a better s!elter# %ntil t!e
good re"erend inter"ened.
'ome passages of praise for t!e minister and !is paris!ioners probabl$ o"erdo t!e
piet$ for t!e modern readerA t!e$ nonet!eless pro"ide a "er$ telling pict%re of t!e
religio%s fer"o%r of t!e times. ore in t!e "ein of !ea"$ pat!os follows (pJ+) wit!
t!e re"erend telling !is little son# ;$o% !a"e no !ome now: $o%r fat!er is like t!e
poor s!eep@stealer w!om $o% saw on t!e s!ore of 6igg.9
84C
Isle%rnsa#, '#le Rhea, So)nd of Sleat
Monda#, ,@
rd
+)l#
%n the !ornn* of Monda#, we )nloosed fro! o)r !oorn*s, and set o)t wth a l*ht
3ara"le "reeJe for Isle %rnsa#, n S1#e, where the wfe and fa!l# of Mr Swanson
resded, and fro! whch he had now "een a"sent for a f)ll !onth5
844
Towards e3enn* we entered the har"o)r of Isle %rnsa#, a 2)et well<sheltered "a#,
wth a roc1# slet for a "rea1water on the one sde, and the r)d!ents of a H*hland
3lla*e, contann* a few *ood ho)ses on the other5 Half a doJen s!all 3essels were
rdn* at anchor, c)rtaned ro)nd, half<!ast h*h, wth herrn* netsE and a fleet of
herrn*<"oats la# !oored "esde the! a lttle nearer the shore5 There had "een a few
tolera"le ta1es for a few n*hts on the ne*h"o)rn* sea, ")t the fsh had a*an
dsappeared, and the fsher!en, whose worn<o)t tac1le *a3e s)ch e3dence of a lon*<
contn)ed r)n of ll l)c1, as I had learned to nterpret on the east coast, loo1ed
*loo!# and sprtless5
Comment: 2%g! iller !ad first made !is name as a writer in *+GJ# wit! Letters on
the Herrn* (shn* n the Mora# (rth# p%blis!ed in t!e In3erness Co)rer# "i"idl$
reporting !is own experiences o%t on t!e boats w!en t!e fis! were ab%ndant. At
some point in t!e *+,3s# t!e !erring s!oals# w!ic! once spread a sil"er s%rface
across t!e Cromart$ .irt! from s!ore to s!ore# disappeared completel$# ne"er to
ret%rn.
(ro! Isle %rnsa# to the 8ont of Sleat, a dstance of thrteen !les, *ness s the
pre3aln* depost5
8.--
6M# wse "rother s ")ldn* a fne ho)se555 It s rather a pt# for h!self that he
sho)ld "e ")ldn* t for h!self on another !an:s land57 The re!ar1 G555H at once
arrested the pro*ress of the wor15
Comment: iller sa$s legend attrib%ted t!is anecdote to an older brot!er of t!e
ac-onalds of t!e 8sles w!o forbade !is $o%nger brot!er:s proDect o%t of Dealo%s$.
Land@!olding in b$gone da$s was t!e prime mark of rank and esteem.
8.-- < .-.
T)esda# ,@
rd
+)l#N
The *ness at 'noc1 s e9ceedn*l# 3aro)s n ts co!poston, and !an# of ts strata
the *eolo*st wo)ld fal to reco*nse as *ness at all5 &e fnd alon* the precpces ts
two )ne2)3ocal 3aretes, the schstose and the *rantc, passn*, not nfre2)entl#,
the for!er nto a tr)e !ca schst, the latter nto a pale feldspathose roc1, thc1l#
per3aded "# needle<l1e cr#stals of tre!olte, that G 555H fre2)entl# f)rnshes
spec!ens of *reat "ea)t#5
8.-,
(ro! Isle %rnsa# to Broadford on foot, poss"l# alon* lne of ACF. toda#
&ednesda# ,/
th
M Th)rsda# ,F
th
+)l#N
It had "een an essental part of !# plan to e9plore the splendd secton of the Lower
%olte f)rnshed "# the lne of sea<clffs that, to the north of 8ortree, rse f)ll se3en
h)ndred feet o3er the "eachE and G 555H I set o)t wth ths ntenton fro! Isle %rnsa#,
to ?on the !al ** at Broadford, and pass on to 8ortree, < a ?o)rne# of rather !ore
than thrt# !les5 I soon passed o3er the *ness, and entered on a wde depost,
e9tendn* fro! sde to sde of the sland, of what s *enerall# lad down n o)r
*eolo*cal !aps as %ld Red Sandstone G5555H
Comment: -r Ta$lor obser"es t!at t!is is Torridonian sandstone# m%c! older t!an
t!e 5ld 7ed# of Brecambrian age (between (.E billion and 1(G million $ears ago).
8.-, < .-@
To the tract of Red Sandstone there s)cceeds a tract of Las =Lower +)rassc> G5555H It
occ)pes a flat, dn*# 3alle#, a"o)t s9 !les n len*th, and that 3ares fro! two to
fo)r !les n "readth5 The drear# nteror s co3ered wth !osses, and st)dded wth
n1# pools, n whch the "otanst fnds a few rare plants, and whch were d!pled, as
I passed the! ths !ornn*, wth co)ntless eddes, for!ed "# !#rads of 2)c1
*lancn* tro)t, that see!ed ")sl# en*a*ed n fl#<catchn*5 The roc1 appears ")t
rarel#, < all s !oss, !arsh and poolE ")t n a few localtes on the hll<sdes G555H the
shepherd fnds shells of stran*e for! strewed alon* the water<co)rses5
8.-@
The 3alle#, < e3dentl# a dan*ero)s one to the n*ht tra3eller, fro! ts "o*s and tarns,
< s sad to "e ha)nted "# a sprt pec)lar to tself, < a !sche3o)s, eccentrc,
*rotes2)e creat)re, not )nworth#, fro! the !onstrost# of ts for!, of "en*
assocated wth the old !onsters of the Las5 L)da* M for so the *o"ln s called M has
")t one le*, ter!natn*, l1e an ancent sat#r:s, n a clo3en footE ")t t s f)rnshed
wth two ar!s, "earn* hard fsts at the end of the!, wth whch t has "een 1nown to
str1e the "en*hted tra3eller n the face, or to t)!"le h! o3er nto so!e dar1 pool5
The spectre !a# "e seen at the close of e3enn* hoppn* 3*oro)sl# a!on* the
dstant "o*s5555E and when the !st les thc1 n the hollows, an occasonal *l!pse
!a# "e ca)*ht of t e3en "# da#5 B)t when I passed the wa# there was no fo*L the
l*ht, tho)*h softened "# a thn fl! of clo)d, fell e2)all# o3er the heath, re3ealn*
hll and hollowE and I was )nl)c1# eno)*h not to see ths *o"ln of the Lasc 3alle#5
Comment: 2ere we enco%nter 2%g! iller t!e a"id collector of s%perstitions
again# breaking description of a field trip of solid scientific p%rpose# wit! a !ig!l$
colo%rf%l instance of local folklore. 8s t!e ;%nl%ck$9 a gen%ine regret# or ironic
!%mo%rC Mo% wonder w!ere !e picked %p t!is taleA !e ma$ well !a"e got it from
rs 'wanson (see p**().
2ere also is more e"idence of iller:s remarkable p!$sical capacities# taking on a
walk alone of some nine miles from 8sleornsa$ "illage to 0roadford to catc! a mail
gig# o"er some of t!e wildest# most desolate tracts of 'k$e# a solitar$ trek w!ic! !e
finis!es b$ exploring a ;considerable range9 of 0roadford 0a$. T!is is w!ile !e
waits for t!e !orse@drawn mail@ gig to take !im on a b%mp$ trip nort! of well o"er
G3 miles# w!ic! will take all nig!t.
8 .-/
Broadford to 8ortree
It was late ths e3enn* ere the post<** arr3ed fro! the so)th, and the n*ht and
se3eral ho)rs of the follown* !ornn* were spent n tra3elln* to 8ortree G5555H
Mornn* "ro1e d! and *ra#, whle we were #et se3eral !les fro! 8ortreeE and I
reached the nn n t!e to see fro! !# "ed<roo! wndows the frst ra#s of the rsn*
s)n *lea!n* on the hll<tops5
CHA8TER AII
8 .-F
8ortree
The !ornn* was o!no)sl# hot and "reathlessE and whle the sea la# !o3eless n
the cal! as a floor of polshed !ar"le, !o)ntan, and roc1, and dstant sland
see!ed tre!)lo)s all o3er, thro)*h a wa3# !ed)! of thc1 rsn* 3apo)r5 I ?)d*ed
G555H !# co)rse was destned to ter!nate a"r)ptl#5
The lon* narrow sland of Rasa# =Raasa# toda#> les parallel to the coast of S1#e, l1e
a 3essel lad alon* a wharf, ")t drawn o)t fro! t, as f to s)ffer another 3essel of the
sa!e sJe to ta1e the "erth "etween5
8.-;
%n the eastern shores of "oth S1#e and Rasa# we fnd the sa!e %oltc deposts tlted
)p at nearl# the sa!e an*le5
8.-K
Loch 8ortree
A lon* lne of trap<hlls rses o3er t =a !oor# 3alle#>, n one of whch G555H I reco*nsed
the Storr of S1#e, fa!o)s a!on* lo3ers of the pct)res2)e for ts stran*e *ro)p of
!n*led pnnacles and towers G5555H R)nnn* so)thwards alon* ts "otto! s the no"le
sea<ar!, Loch 8ortree, n whch, as ndcated "# the na!e =the 'n*:s 8ort> a Scottsh
1n* of the olden t!e, n hs 3o#a*e ro)nd hs do!nons, cast anchor5 The openn*
of the loch s sn*)larl# !a?estcE < the clffs tower h*h on ether sde n *racef)l
!a*nfcence L ")t G5555H all wthn G555H "eco!es ta!e and low5
I p)rposed p)rs)n* t =!# ro)te> fro! 8ortree to Hol!, a dstance of a"o)t s9
!les, and then ret)rnn* "# the flat nteror 3alle#5
8.-C
The frst fosslfero)s depost whch *a3e !e occason ths !ornn* to )se !#
ha!!er occ)rs near the openn* of the loch, "esde an old Celtc ")r#n* *ro)nd, n
the for! of a thc1 "ed of hard sandstone, char*ed wth Bele!ntes G555H a "otto!,
!a#hap, of so!e e9tens3e "a# of the %olte, rese!"ln* the Loch 8ortree of the
present da# G555H whch swar!ed as thc1l# wth Cep!alopoda =!oll)scs e* octop)s,
s2)d, a!!onte and "ele!nte> as the loch swar!ed ths da# wth !n)te, p)rple<
tn*ed ed%sae =?ell#<fsh>5 I fo)nd on the shore, !!edatel# "elow ths "ed, a pece
of calcareo)s fssle sandstone, a"o)ndn* n s!all s)lcated =*roo3ed> Terebrat%lae
G5555H A colon# of ths delcate Brachopod !)st ha3e once lan !oored to ths spot,
l1e a fleet of lon*<prowed *alle#s at anchor G5555H
(or a f)ll !le after ro)ndn* the northern "o)ndar# of the loch we fnd the !!ense
escarp!ent co!posed fro! top to "otto! e9cl)s3el# of trapE ")t then the %olte
a*an "e*ns to appear, and a"o)t two !les f)rther on the secton "eco!es tr)l#
!a*nfcent, < one of the fnest sectons of ths for!aton e9h"ted an#where n
Brtan, perhaps n the world5
8.-4
In the shale we fnd n)!ero)s !n)te A!!ontes, sorel# weatheredE n the
sandstone, Bele!ntes, so!e of the! of *reat sJeE and dar1 car"onaceo)s !ar1n*s,
passn* not nfre2)entl# nto a *loss# c)"cal coal5
I had now co!e f)ll n 3ew of the roc1# sland of Hol! G5555H&e had "een thrst# n
the hot s)n, and had fo)nd the sprn*s few and scant#E ")t the "o# =hs *)de>now
ass)red !e, n 3er# "ro1en En*lsh, that we were to *et a *reat deal !ore water than
wo)ld "e *ood for )s, and that t !*ht "e ad3sa"le to *et o)t of ts wa#5
8..-
&e were "oth partc)larl# wet ere we reached 8ortree5
In e9plorn* o)r Scotch for!atons, I ha3e had fre2)ent occason, n Ross,
S)therland, Cathness, and now once !ore n S1#e, to pass o3er *ro)nd descr"ed "#
Sr R5 M)rchsonE and n e3er# nstance ha3e I fo)nd !#self !!ensel# hs de"tor5
Hs descrptons possess the !ert of "en* tr)e G5555H Hs secton of ths part of the
coast, for e9a!ple, str1es fro! the e9tre!e northern part of S1#e to the sland of
Hol!, thence to Scrapdale n Rasa#, thence alon* part of the coast of Scalpa, thence
drect thro)*h the !ddle of 8a""a, and thence to the shore of the Ba# of La*5 The
lne th)s ta1en ncl)des, n re*)lar se2)ence n the descendn* order, the whole
%oltc desposts of the Her"rdes5
Comment: 2%g! iller dedicated !is first book of geolog$# The %ld Red Sandstone
(*+(*)# to %rc!ison# in !omage to !is forer%nning researc!es into t!e formation.
'ir 7oderick 8mpe$ %rc!ison was a ;gentleman9 geologist born# like iller# on t!e
0lack 8sle# at Tarradale 2o%se# %ir of 5rd# b%t %nlike iller# into wealt!# w!ic!
enabled !im to tra"el extensi"el$. 2e geologised in 6ngland# 'cotland# parts of
6%rope# and 7%ssia# becoming known as ;Iing of t!e 'il%rian.9 2e was a fo%nder
of t!e 7o$al =eograp!ical 'ociet$# and a director@general of t!e =eological '%r"e$.
8...<..,
The nn at 8ortree
The three Edn")r*h *entle!en who! I had !et at "rea1fast were stll at the nn5
The e3enn* passed pleasantl#E and I can now reco!!end fro! e9perence, to the
hapless tra3eller who *ets thoro)*hl# wet thrt# !les fro! a chan*e of dress, that
so!e of the "est thn*s he can resort to n the crc)!stances are, a war! roo!, a
war! *lass, and a*reea"le co!panons5
Comment: iller admitted !e initiall$ completel$ mistook t!e gentlemen for ;!ig!
Tories#9 !a"ing fo%nd in s%bse/%ent con"ersation t!at t!e$ were &!igs# wit! Celtic
blood in t!eir "eins# like !im# and t!%s t!at !e was ;decidedl$ g%ilt$ ... of t!e crime
of D%dging men b$ t!eir looks.9
8../
+ohn Swanson:s ho!e, Isleornsa#
E3enn* of Th)rsda#, ,/
th
+)l#
Mrs Swanson 555 I fo)nd deepl# 3ersed n the le*endar# lore of the H*hlands5 The
!nster showed !e a fne spec!en of 8terchth#s whch I had dsnterred for h!,
one of !# frst dsco3ered fosslfero)s deposts of the %ld Red Sandstone, e9actl#
thrteen #ears "efore, and f)ll se3en #ears ere I had ntrod)ced the creat)re to the
notce of A*assJ5 And the !nster:s da)*hter, a lttle ch)""# *rl of three s)!!ers,
ta1n* part n the *eneral entertan!ent, stro3e to !a1e her Gaelc so)nd as l1e
En*lsh as she co)ld, n !# especal "ehalf5 I re!e!"ered, as I lstened to the
)nntell*"le prattle of the lttle thn*, )npro3ded wth a word of En*lsh, that ?)st
e*hteen #ears "efore, her father had had no GaelcE and wondered what he wo)ld
ha3e tho)*ht, co)ld he ha3e "een told, when he frst sat down to st)d# t, of the stor#
of hs sland char*e n E**, and hs (ree Ch)rch #acht the Betse#5
Comment: A delig!tf%l domestic scene of !app$ reminiscing# notable in t!at t!e
little girl:s onl$ lang%age is t!e =aelic !er fat!er !ad ta%g!t !imself. iller goes on
to recall !ow !e and 'wanson competed in t!eir earl$ twenties to collect t!e best
ammonites and belemnites at 6at!ie. 2e pa$s trib%te to !is friend for s%bse/%entl$
leading !im towards ;t!eological tr%t!.9
<o!n 'wanson wo%ld remain anot!er t!ree $ears minister to t!e 'mall 8sles# before
transferring to anot!er =aelic@speaking paris!# t!at of Nigg# on t!e .earn
penins%la. 2e !ad earlier ta%g!t t!ere# and wo%ld remain its minister %ntil !is
deat! in *+)(. 2e is b%ried in t!e Nigg 5ld C!%rc!$ard %nder an obelisk. T!is kirk
is well wort! a "isit for its famo%s Bictis! standing stone and excellent !istorical
interpretation displa$s# incl%ding iller:s own ancestr$ and writings on t!e paris!.
T!e disco"er$ of t!e Bteric!t!$s (now Bteric!t!$odes Mller) in t!e s%mmer of
*+,*# and t!e ot!er -e"onian age fis!es# in t!e Cromart$ deposits# first set iller
on t!e road to fame as a geologist. 2e sent !is finds for e"al%ation to t!e great
'wiss@born nat%ralist Lo%is Agassi> in *+,+ as Agassi> was t!en !eld to be t!e
world:s leading expert on fossil fis!.
8..F
Saln* fro! So)th S1#e to R)!
(rda# ,;
th
+)l#
$e9t da# at noon we we*hed anchor, and stood o)t for R)!, a r)n of a"o)t twent#<
f3e !les5 A 1nd frend had, we fo)nd, sent a"oard n o)r "ehalf two peces or rare
ant2)t#, < rare an#where, ")t especall# rare n the loc1ers of the Betse#, < n the
a*reea"le for! of two "ottles of se!<fossl Madera, < Madera that had act)all#
e9sted n the *rape e9actl# half a cent)r# "efore, at the t!e when Ro"esperre was
startln* 8ars fro! ts propret#, "# !)tlatn* at the nec1 the ")sts of other people,
and !)ltpl#n* casts and !edals of hs ownE and we fo)nd t, e9plored n
!oderaton, no "ad st)d# for *eolo*sts, especall# n coarse weather, when the# had
*ot wet and so!ewhat fat*)ed5 It555had e9chan*ed ts dstnct3e fla3o)r as Madera
for a "etter one, and flled the ca"n wth fra*rance e3er# t!e the cor1 was drawn5
Comment: Let no one sa$ iller lacked a sense of !%mo%r# !ere at work on
7obespierre:s g%illotine. 2e was normall$ "er$ a"erse to strong drink# describing
!ow !e !ad been p%t off w!isk$ for life# from being incapacitated b$ two drams
after !is first da$:s toil as a Dobbing stonemason =see p .F., M# Schools and
School!asters, , Edn")r*h .44@>5
8..;
Sat)rda#, ,K
th
+)l#
There fell a dead cal!5 I tred fshn* wth the #acht:s set of lnes, ")t there were no
fsh to "te, < *ot nto the "oat, ")t there were no ne*h"o)rn* slands to 3st, < and
sent half a doJen pstol<")llets after a shoal of porposes, whch, co!n* fro! the
(ree Ch)rch #acht, !)st ha3e astonshed the flat slee1 fellows prett# consdera"l#,
")t dd the!, I a! afrad, no sero)s da!a*e5
Comment: 8mportant to remember t!at w!aling was b$ t!e mid@*J
t!
Cent%r$ an
international ind%str$. .or iller# pot@s!otting at porpoises was an idle sport. 8n
t!e same waters a cent%r$ later# =a"in axwell wo%ld make t!em r%n wit! gore
wit! !is basking@s!ark fis!er$# t!ankf%ll$ s!ort@li"ed.
8..;
The cal! was e3dentl# not to "e a cal! lon*E and the !nster ss)ed orders that the
*aff top<sal sho)ld "e ta1en downE and that we sho)ld lower o)r top!ast, and ha3e
all t*ht and read# for a s!art *ale a<head5
8..K
The *ale, thc1ened wth ran, ca!e down, shre1n* l1e a !anac, fro! off the
pea1ed hlls of R)!, str1n* awa# the tops of the lon* ran*# "llows that had rsen n
the cal! to ndcate ts approach, and then carr#n* the! n sheets of spra# aslant
the f)rrowed s)rface, l1e snow<drft h)rred across a froJen feld5 B)t the Betse#,
wth her stor!<?" set, and her !ansal reefed to the cross, 1ept her weather "ow
"ra3el# to the "last, and *aned on t wth e3er# tac15 She had "een the pleas)re
#acht, n her da#, of a !an of fort)ne, who had )sed to enco)nter G555H the swell of the
Ba# of Bsca#E and she stll 1ept tr)e to her old character, wth ")t ths draw"ac1,
that she had now G555H rather !ore water n a hea3# sea than her one lttle p)!p co)ld
con3enentl# 1eep )nder5
8..C
Loch Scresort5 Isle of R)! east coast
L1e a sta)nch (ree Ch)rchwo!an, the lowler she "ent, the !ore steadfastl# dd she
hold her head to the stor!5 The stren*th of the opposton ser3ed ")t to speed her on
all the !ore s)rel# to her desred ha3en5 At f3e o:cloc1 n the !ornn* we cast
anchor n Loch Scresort G555H ha3n*, wth the e9cepton of the !nster, *aned no
loss n the *ale5 He, l)c1less !an, had parted fro! h! hs e9cellent so%@westerA a
s)dden *)st had seJed t "# the flap, and h)rred t awa# far to the lee5
Comment: iller:s excellent sailing $arn of t!e gallant $ac!t concl%des wit! an
appeal to an$one picking %p t!e so%@wester an$w!ere in t!e Atlantic# to donate its
"al%e to t!e .ree C!%rc!:s f%nds.
8s ..C<..4
S)nda# ,C
th
+)l#
The *ale stll "lew n ferce *)sts fro! the hlls, and the ran pattered l1e s!all shot
on the dec15 Loch Scresort G555H loo1ed partc)larl# ds!al ths !ornn* G5555H Alon*
the slopes of the sandstone rd*e I co)ld dscern, thro)*h the haJe, n)!ero)s *reen
patches, that had once s)pported a dense pop)laton, lon* snce 6cleared off7 to the
"ac1woods of A!erca5 &hle G555H on the other sde =of the 3alle#> I co)ld see se3eral
*ro)ps of t)rf cotta*es, wth here and there a !n)te spec1 of raw<loo1n* corn
"esde the!, that, ?)d*n* fro! ts colo)r, see!ed to ha3e ")t a sl*ht chance of
rpenn* G5555H E3er and anon G555H a hea3er shower ca!e sweepn* down on the wnd
G555H and all was fo* and r!e to the water:s ed*e5 Bad as the !ornn* was, howe3er,
we co)ld see the people wendn* ther wa#, n threes and fo)rs, to the place of
worshp, < a "lac1 t)rf ho3el, l1e the !eetn*<ho)se n E**5 The appearance of the
Betse# n the loch had "een the *athern* s*nalE and the (ree Ch)rch slanders M
three fo)rths of the entre pop)laton M had all co!e o)t to !eet ther !nster5
Comment: T!e !eroic /%alities of 'wanson# and t!e $ac!t# w!ic! !e personall$
piloted t!ro%g! a raging storm all nig!t# and t!e steadfastness of t!e =aels t%rning
%p for wors!ip in a !o"el in t!e gale# again bear o%t not onl$ t!e minister and !is
congregation:s de"otion# b%t t!eir co%rage too. No wonder 'wanson was
prostrated b$ ex!a%stion after t!e ser"ice.
CHA8TER AIII
8s .,- M .@@
The *eolo*# of the sland of R)! s s!ple, ")t c)ro)s5
Comment: T!e opening pages of C!apter K888 present diffic%lties for t!e modern
general interest reader on se"eral co%nts. T!e first problem lies in t!e first sentence
abo"e. -r Ta$lor states plainl$ t!at t!e geolog$ of 7%m is not simple# b%t complex.
2e goes on: ;iller# b$ an$ standards# made a bad lapse w!en !e explicitl$
described 7%m as a microcosm of 'cottis! geolog$# wit! t!e 5ld 7ed 'andstone a
coastal fringe Fframing: t!e rocks of t!e interior. 2e was# for 7%m and t!e w!ole of
nort!ern 'cotland# e/%ating t!e Torridonian sandstone of t!e &est of 'cotland
(w!ic! occ%rs on 7%m) wit! t!e m%c! $o%nger 5ld 7ed 'andstone of eastern
'cotland (w!ic! does not occ%r on 7%m). ; iller preferred to examine fossilifero%s
rocks# and t!e Torridonian is fossil@less# as !e !imself noted.
-r 'imon C%t!bert of =lasgow Nni"ersit$ t!inks !e ;rat!er per"ersel$# largel$
ignored t!e now famo%s la$ered igneo%s complexes9 inland of Loc! 'cresort# in
fa"o%r of examining t!e !eliotropes and bloodstone@ric! la"as in t!e west of t!e
island. 0%t of co%rse t!e fame of t!e igneo%s complexes was not $et manifest in !is
da$.
.or t!e second part# t!ese pages are probabl$ t!e most densel$ tec!nical in t!e
w!ole book in t!eir scientific terminolog$. T!e disc%ssion on t!e impact of t!e 8ce
Ag# o"er w!et!er t!is was d%e to glaciations# or per!aps a deep marine indentation
laden wit! icebergs# will interest t!e !istorian of t!e science.
&!en an islander slas!es a li>ard belie"ed poisono%s# t!ere is a lengt!$# and
somew!at gr%esome disco%rse on w!at !appens to "ario%s creat%res w!en killed#
starting wit! t!e li>ard# and going on to re"iew t!e deat! agonies of t!e ra$# t!e
eart!worm# t!e frog# t!e pol$p%s (c%ttlefis!)# t!e salmon and t!e rabbit.
T!is c!apter is most "al%ed for its blistering den%nciation of t!e cr%elt$ of t!e
Clearances# one of t!e most ferocio%s in all t!e literat%re on t!e s%bDect. 2ere# wit!
one or two sentences !ig!lig!ted in bold# it is:
8.@@ M .@;
Clearances on R)!, .C,;
The sland, e*hteen #ears "efore, had "een d3ested of ts nha"tants, a!o)ntn* at
the t!e to rather !ore than fo)r h)ndred so)ls, to !a1e wa# for one sheep far!er
and e*ht tho)sand sheep5 All the a"or*nes of R)! crossed the AtlantcE and at the
close of .C,C, the entre pop)laton conssted of ")t the sheep<far!er, and a few
shepherds, hs ser3ants L the sland of R)! rec1oned )p scarce a sn*le fa!l# at ths
perod for e3er# f3e s2)are !les of area whch t contaned5 B)t depop)laton on so
e9tre!e a scale was fo)nd ncon3enentE the place had "een rendered too thoro)*hl#
a desert for the co!fort of the occ)pantL and on the occason of a clearn* whch too1
place shortl# after n S1#e, he acco!!odated so!e ten or twel3e of the e?ected
fa!les wth stes for cotta*es, and past)ra*es for a few cows, on the "t of !orass
"esde Loch Scresort, on whch I had seen ther h)!"le dwelln*s5 B)t the whole of
the once peopled nteror re!ans a wlderness, wtho)t nha"tant G5555H Alon* a
dstant hll<sde there ran what see!s the r)ns of a *ra#<stone fence, erected, sa#s
tradton, n a re!ote a*e, to facltate the h)ntn* of the deerE there were felds on
whch the heath and !oss of the s)rro)ndn* !oorlands were fast encroachn* that
had "orne !an# a s)ccess3e har3estE and prostrate cotta*es, that had "een the
scenes of chrstenn*s, and "rdals, and "lthe new<#ear:s da#s G5555H I do not !)ch
l1e e9ter!naton carred o)t so thoro)*hl# and on s#ste!E < t see!s "ad polc#E
and I ha3e not s)cceeded n thn1n* an# the "etter of t tho)*h ass)red "# the
econo!sts that there are !ore than eno)*h people n Scotland stll5 There are, I
believe, more than enough in our workhouses, - more than enough on
our pauper rolls, more than enough huddled up, disreputable, useless
and unhappy, in the miasmatic alleys and typhoid courts of our large
towns; but I have yet to learn how arguments for local depopulation are
to be drawn from facts such as these. A brave and hardy people,
favourably placed for all that is excellent in human nature, form the
glory and strength of a country; - a people sunk into an abyss of
degradation and misery, and in which it is the whole tendency of external
circumstances to sink them yet deeper, constitute its weakness and its
shame G.... It dd not see! as f the depop)laton of R)! had "een !)ch to
an#one:s ad3anta*e5 The sn*le sheep<far!er who had occ)ped the holdn*s of so
!an# had "een )nfort)nate n hs spec)latons, and had left the slandL the
propretor, hs landlord, see!ed to ha3e "een as lttle fort)nate as the tenant, for the
sland tself was n the !ar1etE and a report went c)rrent at the t!e that t was on
the e3e of "en* p)rchases "# so!e wealth# En*lsh!an, who p)rposed con3ertn* t
nto a deer<forest5 How stran*e a c#cleP Unnha"ted or*nall# sa3e "# wld an!als,
t "eca!e at an earl# perod a ho!e of !en, who, as the *ra# wall on the hll<sde
testfed, der3ed, n part at least, ther s)stenance for! the chase5 The# "ro1e n
fro! the waste the f)rrowed patches on the slopes of the 3alle#s, < the# reared herds
of cattle and floc1s of sheep, < the# en?o#ed the a3era*e happness of h)!an
creat)res n the present !perfect state of "en*, < the# contr")ted ther porton of
hard# and 3*oro)s !anhood to the ar!es of the co)ntr#, < and a few of ther !ore
ad3ent)ro)s sprts, !patent of the narrow "o)nds whch confned the!, and a
co)rse of lfe lttle 3ared "# ncdent, e!*rated to A!erca5 Then ca!e the chan*e of
s#ste! so *eneral n the H*hlandsE and the sland lost all ts or*nal nha"tants, on
a wool and !)tton spec)laton, < nha"tants, the descendants of !en who had
chased the deer on ts hlls f3e h)ndred #ears "efore, and who, tho)*h the#
reco*nsed so!e wld sland lord as ther s)peror, and dd h! ser3ce, had re*arded
the place as ndsp)ta"l# ther own5 And now #et another chan*e was on the e3e of
ens)n*, and the sland was to ret)rn to ts or*nal state, as a ho!e of wld an!als,
where a few h)nters fro! the !anland !*ht en?o# the chase for a !onth or two
e3er# twel3e!onth, ")t whch co)ld for! no per!anent place for h)!an a"ode5
%nce !ore, a stran*e and !ost !elanchol# c#cleP
Comment: T!e r%mo%r iller !eard was borne o%t to t!e letter: An 6nglis! lord#
t!e ar/%ess of 'alisb%r$# bo%g!t t!e estate and t%rned it into a game park in
*+(1# and t!e island remains t!e preser"e of wild animals and precio%s few people
nearl$ *)3 $ears later. %c! of it is now r%n as a 'cottis! National Nat%re 7eser"e
b$ 'cottis! Nat%ral 2eritage# principall$ to enable eart! scientists to st%d$ its
remarkable geolog$.
7%m !as been renowned for o"er a cent%r$ for Iinloc! Castle# probabl$ t!e most
grotes/%el$ grandiose mon%ment to Kictorian landowners: !%bris in t!e w!ole of
'cotland. 0%ilt as a grand !%nting lodge b$ 'ir =eorge 0%llo%g! at a cost of some
O*1 million in toda$:s mone$ wit! !is famil$:s fort%ne in textile mac!iner$# it
boasted t!e most extra"agant amenities imaginable. 8t was completed in *J3,# b%t
!ad a s!ort@li"ed 6dwardian !e$da$. T!e .irst &orld &ar carried off most of its
pos! clientele# and man$ of its own staff. 8ts si>e and extra"agance and s%bse/%ent
dilapidation make it extremel$ diffic%lt# and expensi"e to conser"e.
-ebate !as de"eloped ro%nd iller:s ferocio%s polemics on t!e Clearances. 2e !ad
preceded !is den%nciation of t!e 9extermination9 on 7%m# wit! a still@famo%s essa$#
'%t!erland as it &as and 8s (T!e &itness# *+(,# reprinted in 6ssa$s# *+EG ) on t!e
o%tcasting of t!e peasant pop%lation b$ t!e Co%ntess of '%t!erland. -r Ta$lor !as
/%estioned w!et!er iller was t!e radical some !istorians !a"e ass%med. 2e did
on occasion act%all$ commend lairds w!o %sed t!eir lands and powers o"er tenants
responsibl$. ike Ta$lor and ot!ers !a"e s%ggested !e mig!t !a"e downgraded t!e
co"erage in The &tness b$ t!e late *+(3s beca%se ri"al p%blications took a lead on
t!e iss%e# and in case t!e criticisms co%ld alienate !is Lowland readers.
$ reading of t!e abo"e passage tells me iller was certainl$ aware of t!e t!eories
dri"ing t!e Age of 8mpro"ement# and s!owed in t!e most dramatic prose possible#
!ow# w!ile ;8mpro"ement9 co%ld ac!ie"e needed c!ange# it co%ld also res%lt in bot!
economic foll$ and social collapse. -id !e need to sa$ m%c! more# gi"en t!at ot!ers
!ad taken %p t!e ca%seC Land owners!ip and %se remains as contro"ersial to t!is
da$# as it was t!en. %c! of 2ig!lands and 8slands land remains in t!e !ands of a
"er$ few owners. T!ere !a"e been some welcome comm%nit$ b%$@o%ts# s%c! as on
Ass$nt. T!at on 6igg ended a long# and latterl$ m%c! tro%bled period of pri"ate
owners!ip.
8.@K
Monda#, ,4
th
+)l# N
There was l*ht eno)*h left, as we reached the )pper part of Loch Scresort, to show
)s a shoal of s!all sl3er<coated tro)t, leapn* "# scores at the effl)ence of the lttle
strea! alon* whch we had set o)t n the !ornn* on o)r e9pedton5 There was a net
stretched across where the pla# was thc1estE and we learned that the ha)l of the
pre3o)s tde had a!o)nted to se3eral h)ndreds5 %n reachn* the Betse# we fo)nd a
pal and "as1et lad a*anst the co!panon<head M the "as1et contann* a"o)t two
doJen s!all tro)t, < the !nster:s )nsolcted tend =Scots for tthe> of the !ornn*
dra)*htE the pal flled wth raJor<fsh of *reat sJe5 The people of !# frend are far
fro! wealth#E and the cottars n E** contr3e "arel# eno)*h to earn at the har3est n
the Lowlands, !one# s)ffcent to clear wth ther landlord at rent<da#5 &e fo)nd the
s)ppl# of "oth, < especall# as pro3sons were "e*nnn* to r)n short n the loc1ers of
the Betse#, < 2)te deser3n* of o)r *ratt)de5
Comment: ore "al%able e"idence of t!e bare s%bsistence existence of t!e
islanders# and t!eir "%lnerabilit$ to bad !ar"ests# and t!e rent@rises w!ic! were
among t!e landowners: principal instr%ments for enforcing t!e Clearances.
<o!n 'tewart ga"e an acco%nt of !ow t!e pre@Clearance islanders of 7%m %sed to
catc! tro%t b$ la$ing b%ndles of !eat! across t!e stream. T!e$ wo%ld t!en beat
down t!e banks and pools# dri"ing t!e tro%t into t!e mo%t! of t!e miniat%re dam
formed b$ t!e stripped branc!es of !eat!.
8.@C
Glenel*, '#le Rhea, &ester Ross
T)esda#, @-
th
+)l#N
Mornn* "ro1e as we cast anchor n the Ba# of Glenel*5 At ten o:cloc1 the stea!er
hea3ed n to the "a# to land a few passen*ers, and the !nster went on "oard,
lea3n* !e n char*e of the Betse#, to follow h!, when the tde set n, thro)*h the
'#les of S1#e5
CHA8TER IX
8.@4
$a3*atn* '#le Rhea
&ednesda# @.
st
+)l#N
$o saln* 3essel atte!pts threadn* the '#les of S1#e fro! the so)th n the face of
an ad3erse tde5 The c)rrents of '#le Rhea care lttle for the wnd<flled sal, and
"attle at t!es, on scarce )ne2)al ter!s, wth the stea!<propelled paddle5 The
Toward Castle ths !ornn* had s)ch a str)**le to force her wa# nwards as !a# "e
seen !antaned at the door of555a p)"lc !eetn*, when a dsapponted crowd press
ea*erl# fro! wtho)t G55555H
8./-<./.
&e we*hed anchor a"o)t noon, and entered the openn* of '#le Rhea G555H and now
we fo)nd o)rsel3es the co!ponent of a lttle fleet, wth so!e f3e or s9 3essels
sweepn* )p the '#le "efore )s, and so!e three or fo)r dr3n* on "ehnd5 $e3er,
e9cept perhaps n a H*hland r3er "* n flood, ha3e I seen s)ch a tde5 It danced and
wheeled, and ca!e "oln* n h)*e !asses fro! the "otto!E and now o)r "ows
hea3ed a"r)ptl# ro)nd n one drecton, and now the# ?er1ed as s)ddenl# ro)nd n
another5
8./.
At one pont the '#le s lttle !ore than a 2)arter of a !le n "readthE and here, n
the powerf)l edde whch ran alon* the shore, we saw a *ro)p of s!all fshn* "oats
p)rs)n* a shoal of slloc1s =#o)n* coalfsh> G5555H (or a few seconds rods wo)ld "e
cast thc1 and fast555and then the ta1e wo)ld cease, and the pla# rse elsewhere, and
oars wo)ld flash o)t a!an, as the lttle fleet dashed nto the heart of the shoal5 As
the '#le wdened, the force of the c)rrent d!nshed, and sal and hel! a*an
"eca!e thn*s of post3e !portance G5555H And the Betse# G555H "e*an to show her
paces5 (rst she passed one ")l1# 3essel, then anotherL she la# closer to the wnd
than an# of her fellows, *lded !ore 2)c1l# thro)*h the water G555HE and ere we had
reached '#le A1n, the fleet n the !ddle of whch we had started were toln* far
"ehnd )s5
8./,
Ma1n* for Broadford Ba#
A few 3essels atte!pted follown* )s, ")t, after an neffcent tac1 or two, the# fell
"ac1 on the anchorn* *ro)nd, lea3n* the Betse# to ")ffet the c)rrents alone5 Tac1
followed tac1 sharp and 2)c1 n the narrows, wth an ron<"o)nd coast on ether
hand5 &e had fre2)ent and delcate t)rnn* L now we lost fft# #ards, now we *aned
a h)ndred5 +ohn Stewart held the hel!E and as none of )s had e3er saled the wa#
"efore, I had the 3essel:s chart spread o)t on the co!panon<head "efore !e, and
told h! when to wear and when to hold awa#, < at what places we !*ht r)n )p
al!ost to the roc1 ed*e, and at what places t was safest to *3e the land a *ood
offn*P H)rrah for the (ree Ch)rch #acht Betse#P And h)rrah once !ore P &e cleared
the '#le, lea3n* a whole fleet tde<"o)nd "ehnd )sE and, stretchn* o)t at one lon*
tac1 nto the open sea, "ore, at the ne9t =tac1> r*ht nto the "a# at Broadford, where
we cast anchor for the n*ht wthn two h)ndred #ards of the shore G5555H The stea!<
"oat passed so)thwards ne9t !ornn*, and I was ?oned "# !# frend the !nster a
lttle "efore "rea1fast5
Comment: No greater Do$ co%ld t!ere be for $ac!tsmen t!an to tack fa%ltlessl$
against a fast@r%nning tide in a narrow so%nd# and lea"e be!ind e"er$ ot!er "essel
in $o%r wake4 iller is D%stl$ ex!ilarated at t!e 0etse$:s seawort!iness# and t!e
!elmsman <o!n 'tewart:s# and !is own na"igating prowess. T!is is $et anot!er
example of iller:s exceptionall$ li"el$ tra"el@writing.
8n t!e late *+,3s# iller and !is new wife L$dia !ad sailed ro%nd t!e '%tors of
Cromart$ in !is own little $awl# b%t t!ere is no ot!er record of !im sailing.
'wanson m%st !a"e !ad great tr%st in t!e mate# <o!n 'tewart# and iller as c!art@
reader# to let t!em take on s%c! a trick$ passage# in a boat not !is own# b%t
belonging to t!e .ree C!%rc! t!en desperatel$ needing f%nds.
8./@ < .//
8a""a =8a"a#>, sle off So)th<East S1#e
Th)rsda# .
st
, or (rda#, ,
nd
A)*)st
The sland of 8a""a les so!ewhat l1e a lon* *reen stea!<"oat at anchor5 =%n ts
coast> there s =an> ndentaton, 1nown as the Ba# or Co3e of L)c#5 The central space
n the co3e s soft and *ra3ell#E ")t on "oth ts sdes t s flan1ed "# low roc1s, that
stretch o)t nto the sea n lon* rectlnear lnes, l1e the fo)ndatons of dr#<stone
fences5 %n the so)th sde the roc1s are redE on the north the# are of a "l)sh<*ra#
colo)rE ther h)es are as dstnct as those of colo)red patches on a !apE and the#
"elon* to *eolo*cal perods that le wdel# apart5 The red roc1s we fnd lad down n
!ost of o)r !aps as %ld Red, tho)*h I a! dsposed to re*ard the! as of a !)ch
h*her ant2)t# than e3en that ancent s#ste!E whle the "l)sh<*ra# roc1 s
decdedl# Lasc G555H the oldest Lasc roc1s an#where seen n Scotland G5555H &e see n
passn*, near a pct)res2)e lttle cotta*e, < the onl# one on the shores of the "a#, < a
cra* of sn*)larl# ro)*h appearance, that pro?ects !ole<l1e fro! the sward )pon the
"each, and then descendn* a"r)ptl# G555H r)ns o)t n a lon* ra**ed lne nto the sea5
The strat)! fro! two to three feet n thc1ness G555H see!s wholl# ")lt )p of
rre*)larl# for!ed r)""l# concretons G555HE and we fnd G555H that e3er# see!n*
concreton n the "ed s a perfectl# for!ed coral of the *en)s Astrea5 &e ha3e arr3ed
at an entre "ed of corals, all of one speces5 Ther s)rfaces, where3er the# ha3e "een
washed "# the sea, are of *reat "ea)t#5
Comment: 0a$ of L%c$ appears as 5b L%sa on t!e 5rdnance '%r"e$ toda$. iller
was rig!t t!is time to identif$ t!e red rock as m%c! older (ie Torridonian). A
cottage is still on t!e same spot# as is t!e coral bed.
8./F
&e fnd the! =the corals> fretted o3er wth pol#*ons, l1e those of a hone#co!" G555H
and the centre of e3er# pol#*on contans ts !an#<ra#ed star5
Comment: T!ere follows detailed comparisons between fossil corals fo%nd in
different locations# for example 5olitic corals at 2elmsdale# w!ic! were of m%c!
greater si>e.
8./;
(or !les to*ether, < we 1now not how !an# M the "otto! of a clear shallow sea was
pa3ed wth l3n* AstreaeL e3er# rre*)lar roc1<l1e coral, for!ed a separate colon# of
pol#pora =pol#ps> that, when n !oton, presented the appearance of contn)o)s
!asses of !an#<colo)red lfe, and, when at rest, the places the# occ)ped were !ore
thc1l# st)dded wth the l3n* florets than the rchest and !ost flower# pece of
past)re the reader e3er saw, wth ts 3olets or ts dases5 And !le "e#ond !le ths
scene of "ea)t# stretched on thro)*h the shallow depths of the Lasc sea G5555H
8./;<K
The Lasc "ed of Astraeae e9sted lon* eno)*h here to attan a thc1ness of fro! two
to three feet5 Mass rose o3er !ass, < the l3n* )pon the dead, < tll at len*th, "# a
depost of !n*led !)d and sand, < the effect, !a#hap, of so!e chan*e of c)rrents
G555H the nn)!era"le pol#ps of the l3n* s)rface were ")red )p and 1lled, and then,
for !an# #ards, la#er after la#er of a calcfero)s *rt was pled o3er the!5
8./K<C
I fo)nd no corals n ts h*her "eds G5555H In not a few of the !ddle strata, co!posed
of a !)d<colo)red fssle sandstone, the *r#phtes le as thc1l# as c)rrants n a
Chrst!as ca1e5
Comment: =r$p!aea are fossil o$sters of man$ "arieties# some of t!em pop%larl$
known as. de"il:s toenails.
8./C
In a fra*!ent of the dar1 sandstone, s9 nches "# se3en, I rec1on no fewer than
twent#<two *r#phtes, and t for!s ")t an a3era*e spec!en5 B# far the !ost
a")ndant speces s G555H the gr$p!aea inc%r"a.. &e fnd detached spec!ens
scattered o3er the "each "# h)ndreds, !9ed )p wth the re!ans of recent shells, as
f the gr$p!aea inc%r"a were a recent shell too5
8./C<4
The Las of S1# has ts three dstnct *ro)ps of fossls, n whch the Astrea descr"ed
s !ost a")ndantE ts !ddle *ro)p, n whch the =r$p!oea inc%r"a occ)rs "#
!llonsE and ts )pper *ro)p, a"o)ndn* n A!!ontes, $a)tl, 8nnae =fanshells, a
*ro)p of "3al3e !oll)scs> and Serp)lae =t)"ewor!s n l!estone>5
8./4
He wo)ld "e a happ# *eolo*st, who 555 co)ld call 8a""a hs own5 It contans less than
a s2)are !le of s)rfaceE and a wal1 of lttle !ore than three !les and a half lon*
G555H "rn*s the tra3eller "ac1 to hs startn* pontE and #et G555H the petrfactons of ts
shores !*ht of the!sel3es fll a !)se)!5 The# rse "# tho)sands and tens of
tho)sands on the e9posed plane of ts sea<washed strata, standn* o)t n "old relef,
l1e sc)lpt)rn*s on ancent to!"stones, at once !)!!es and !on)!ents, < the
dead and the car3ed !e!orals of the dead5 E3er# roc1 s a ta"let of hero*l#phcs
wth ts ascertaned alpha"etE e3er# rolled pe""le a cas1et, wth old pctoral records
loc1ed )p wthn5 Trap<d#1es 555 stand )p l1e fences o3er the sed!entar# strata or
r)n o)t l1e !oles far nto the sea5 The entre sland, too, so *reen, rch and le3el, s
tself a spec!en ll)strator of the effect of *eolo*cal for!aton on scener#5
Comment: iller also sa$s t!at t!e trap@d$kes were ;be$ond comparison finer9
t!an t!ose in t!e &ater of Leit!# w!ic! !elped <ames 2%tton fo%nd !is t!eor$ of t!e
eart!.
8.F-
The onl# pece of s!ooth, le3el En*land, contaned n the entre landscape, s the
fossl<!ottled sland of 8a""a5
Comment: iller !as earlier in t!e book en"isaged Babba (Baba$) as resembling
an 6nglis! landscape# remarkabl$ at "ariance wit! its mo%ntaino%s 2ebridean
setting# b%t act%all$ calling it a piece of 6ngland is passing strange.
&e were frst str)c1, on landn* ths !ornn*, "# the *reat n)!"er of 8nnae
e!"edded n the strata, shells 3ar#n* fro! f3e to ten nches n len*th, < one speces
of the co!!on flat t#pe G555H and another nearl# 2)adran*)lar5
An old (rench nat)ralst, the A""e le 8l)che, tells )s that 6the 8nna wth ts flesh#
ton*)e7 =foot> 6spns s)ch threads as are !ore 3al)a"le than sl1 tself, and wth
whch the !ost "ea)tf)l st)ffs that e3er were seen ha3e "een !ade "# the Sclan
wea3ers57 Glo3es !ade of the "#ss)s of recent 8nnae !a# "e seen n the Brtsh
M)se)!55
8.F.
The *r#phae are also a")ndant, occ)rrn* n e9tens3e "edsE and Bele!ntes of
3aro)s speces le so thc1l# scattered o3er the roc1 as f the# had "een the spndles
of a whole 1n*do! thrown asde G5555H &e fnd spec!ens of na)tl)s s)ffcentl#
perfect to show the pec)lartes of the shell, and n)!ero)s A!!ontes pro?ect n
relef fro! al!ost e3er# weathered slope of the strata5
Comment: 2ere ends 2%g!:s acco%nt of !is fossil@!%nting field trips in t!e 8nner
2ebrides in *+((. 2e contin%es to t!e ;clo"en tower#9 an ancient keep# w!ic! is still
;t!e central obDect of t!e "ista9 at I$le Akin.
8.F, M @
Moored at '#le A1n
&ee1end of @
rd
D/
th
A)*)st
It was h*h t!e for )s to "e ho!e5 The dnner ho)r ca!e L ")t G555H not the dnner5
&e had "een n a cold Moderate dstrct, where there ca!e no half<doJens of e**s, or
whole doJens of tro)t, or palf)ls of raJor<fsh, and n whch hard ca"n "sc)t cost
)s s9pence per po)nd5
Comment: iller is !eaping spleen on t!e meanness of t!e oderate wing w!o !ad
remained wit!in t!e establis!ed C!%rc! of 'cotland at t!e -isr%ption.
8.F@
And now o)r stores were e9ha)sted, and we had dned as "est we co)ld, on o)r last
half<o)nce of tea, sweetened "# o)r last 2)arter po)nd of s)*ar5 I had !ar1ed,
howe3er, a dred thorn"ac1 =ra# wth spnes on "ac1 and tal> han*n* a!on* the
r**n*5 It had "een there nearl# three wee1s "efore, when I frst ca!e a"oard, and
no one see!ed to 1now for how !an# wee1s pre3o)s G5555H B)t necesst# sharpens
the dscernn* fac)lt# G5555H It was stra*htwa# ta1en down, s1nned, roasted and
eatenE and tho)*h rather rch n a!!ona G555H we ca!e del"eratel# to the opnon,
that, on the whole, we co)ld scarce ha3e dned so well on one of Ma?or Bellenden:s
?ac1<"oots5
Comment: aDor 0ellenden# in &alter 'cott:s no"el# 5ld ortalit$# %nder siege b$
Co"enanters# swears not to s%rrender %ntil t!e garrison !a"e eaten !is old boots. A
great Dest among t!e diners# cons%ming t!e most disg%sting meal imaginable4
8.F/ M F
'#le Rhea narrows5
I!!edatel# at the water ed*e, )nder a tall, dar1 hll, there were two s!o)ldern*
fres, that now shot )p a s)dden ton*)e of "r*ht fla!e, and now d!!ed nto "lood<
red spec1s, and sent thc1 stron*l#<scented trals of s!o1e athwart the s)rface of the
'#le5 &e co)ld hear, n the cal!, 3oces "esde the! apparentl# those of chldrenE
and learned that the# ndcated the places of two 1elp<f)rnaces, < thn*s whch ha3e
now "eco!e co!parat3el# rare alon* the coasts of the He"rdes5 There was a low
r)sh of tdes all aro)nd, and the dstant 3oces fro! the shore, ")t no other so)ndsE
and, d! n the !oonshne, we co)ld see "ehnd )s se3eral spectral<loo1n* sals
threadn* ther slent wa# thro)*h the narrows, l1e twl*ht *hosts tra3ersn* so!e
ha)nted corrdor5
Comment: an$ 2ig!landers and 8slanders Cleared off t!eir ancestral lands !ad
been enco%rage# or gi"en no ot!er option# from abo%t t!e mid@*+
t!
Cent%r$ to make
an alternati"e li"ing on t!e coasts b%rning kelp for soap and glass@making. 8t
became a "ital ind%str$ wit! international markets# b%t s%ddenl$ collapsed w!en
import d%ties on 'panis! barilla were first c%t in *+GG t!en scrapped. T!is pl%nged
man$ comm%nities into abDect po"ert$# and speeded %p emigration as a res%lt.
'eaweed is still %sed as a fertiliser on t!e islands.
It was late ere we reached the openn* of Isle %rnsa#E and as t was stll a dead cal!,
we had to t)* n the Betse# to the anchorn* *ro)nd wth a par of lon* sweeps5 The
!nster ponted to a low<l#n* roc1 on the left< hand sde of the openn*, < a
fa3o)rte ha)nt of the seal5
Comment: <o!n 'wanson proceeds to tell a !air@raising stor$ (ps *11@E) of !ow# in
t!e pre"io%s winter# t!e $ac!t got st%ck fast on a skerr$ on a pitc!@dark nig!t# and
began to take in water. 2e got !is wife# da%g!ter and a maid as!ore. rs 'wanson
wa"ed a lamp towards t!e windows of t!eir nearb$ !o%se# b%t t!e relati"e at !ome
t!o%g!t it was a &ill o: t!e &isp# and ignored it. 'wanson and crew s%cceeded in
kedging t!e boat astern wit! a "iew to !er sinking rat!er t!an fo%ndering on t!e
rock. 0%t on going down into t!e cabin !e saw t!at t!e leak !ad m$sterio%sl$
stopped. T!e$ disco"ered t!at t!e elastic oak planks !ad $ielded to t!e press%re of
t!e rock# admitting t!e water into ;wide $awning seams.9 0%t no sooner !ad t!e
press%re stopped t!an t!e planks spr%ng back into t!eir places# and a carpenter
!ad no more to do t!an minor repairs. Anot!er trib%te to t!e boat:s b%ild# and its
skipper:s seamans!ip.
CHA8TER X
8 .F4
Ret)rn to 8a""a, then '#lea1n
Monda#, /
th
A)*)st
%n Monda# I spent se3eral ho)rs n re<e9plorn* the Las of L)c# Ba# and ts
ne*h"o)rhood, and then wal1ed on to '#le MA1n, where I parted fro! !# frend
Mr Swanson and too1 "oat for Loch Carron5
Comment: 5n t!is rat!er anti@climactic note# !a"ing paid one more trib%te to t!e
;sailor minister9 for a stirring sermon# iller takes !is lea"e of t!e re"erend and
t!e 8nner 2ebrides# to finis!ed t!e rest of !is !olida$ from t!e 6ditor:s C!air#
waking o"er !is old !a%nts on t!e east coast.
.or t!e p%rposes of t!e G3*( "o$age in t!e 0etse$:s wake# we m%st lea"e !im t!ere#
as fascinating as !is east coast exploits were# and reDoin !im# for t!e s%pplementar$
C!apter H888 in w!ic! !e re"isits 6igg a $ear later# in t!e s%mmer of *+(1# to find
t!e Blesiosa%r in its bedrock.
Chapter XIII
8 ,..
Isle %rnsa# anchora*e,
&ednesda#, ..h +)ne, .C/FN
&e fo)nd the Betse# rdn* n the anchorn* *ro)nd at Isle %rnsa#, n her fo)l<
weather dsha"lle, wth her top!ast str)c1 and n the #ard, and her corda*e and
sdes e9h"tn* n ther weathered aspect the nfl)ence of the "leachn* rans and
wnds of the pre3o)s wnter5 She was at once n an )ndress and *ettn* old G5555H &e
la# stor!<"o)nd for three da#s at Isle %rnsa#, watchn* fro! the wndows of Mr
Swanson:s dwelln* the ncessant showers sweepn* down the loch5
Sat)rda# .F
th
+)ne
%n the !ornn* of Sat)rda#, the *ale, tho)*h stll "lown* r*ht ahead, had
!oderated5
Comment: 7e" 'wanson and 2%g! were bot! anxio%s to reac! 6igg after t!e dela$#
and got %nder wa$ in spite of t!e gale.
8,.,
&hen we were nearl# a"reast of the roc1# pont of Sleat, and a"o)t half<wa#
ad3anced n o)r 3o#a*e, t had ded nto a cal!E and for f)ll twent# ho)rs thereafter
there was no !ore saln* for the Betse#5 &e saw the s)n set, and the clo)ds *ather,
and the peltn* ran co!e down, and n*ht fall, and !ornn* "rea1, and the noon<
tde ho)r pass "#, and stll were we floatn* dl# n the cal!5
Comment: iller passes t!e e"ening catc!ing and min%tel$ examining Dell$@fis!#
wit! t!eir ;long stinging tails# of w!ic! 8 !a"e sometimes borne from m$ swimming
exc%rsions t!e nettle@like smart for !o%rs.9 T$pical 2%g!4 As a bo$ !e !ad learnt at
!is Nncle 'and$:s elbow t!e !abits of anal$tical obser"ation on t!e Cromart$
seas!ore ? ;making a rig!t %se of !is e$es9 ? to /%ote !is own ad"ice to $o%ng
people %rging t!em to follow !is example.
8,./
8ont of Sleat
S)nda#, +)ne .;th
A lttle "efore noon we were s)rro)nded for !les "# an !!ense ")t thnl#<spread
shoal of porposes, passn* n pars to the so)th, to prosec)te G555H the herrn* fshn*
n Lochfne or the GarelochE and for a f)ll ho)r the whole sea, otherwse so slent,
"eca!e 3ocal wth lon*<"reathed "lown*s, as f all the stea!<tenders of all the
ralwa#s n Brtan were careern* ro)nd )sE and we co)ld see slender ?ets of spra#
rsn* n the ar on e3er# sde, and *loss# "lac1 "ac1s and ponted fns G555H wheeln*
hea3l# alon* the s)rface5
8,./<,.F
Ret)rn to E**
&e co)ld now hear n the stllness the !eas)red so)nd of oars, drawn 3*oro)sl#
a*anst the *)nwale n the drecton of E**, stll a"o)t f3e !les dstant, tho)*h the
"oat fro! whch the# rose had not #et co!e n s*ht5 6So!e of !# poor people,7 sad
the !nster, 6co!n* to t)* )s ashore57 &e were "oarded n rather !ore than half
an ho)r after G555H "# fo)r act3e #o)n* !en, who see!ed wonderf)ll# *lad to see
ther pastorE and then, a!d the thc1enn* showers G555H the# set the!sel3es to tow
)s nto the har"o)r5 The poor fellows had a lon* and fat*)n* p)ll, and were
thoro)*hl# drenched ere, a"o)t s9 o:cloc1 of the e3enn* we had *ot )p to o)r
anchorn* *ro)nd, and !oored, as )s)al, n the open tde<wa# "etween Elan
Chastel and the !an sland5 There was stll t!e eno)*h for an e3enn* dsco)rse,
and the !nster, *ettn* o)t of hs da!p clothes, went ashore and preached5
Comment: 8t was onl$ in G33( t!at a new pier enabled t!e 'mall 8sles ferries to
land on t!e island. Nntil t!en# all "essels of an$ si>e !ad to moor# like t!e 0etse$# in
t!e open water# and transfer t!eir passengers and cargo as!ore b$ ;flitboats#9 and
it co%ld be a perilo%s %ndertaking in bad weat!er.
8,.F
Monda#, +)ne .Kth
The e3enn* of S)nda# closed n fo* and ran, and n fo* and ran the !ornn* of
Monda# arose5 The ceaseless patter !ade d)ll !)sc on dec1 and s1#l*ht a"o3e, and
the slower drp, drp, thro)*h the lea1# "ea!s, drearl# "eat t!e wthn G5555H I was
now a f)ll wee1 fro! Edn")r*h, and had seen and done nothn* G5555H In the co)rse
of the afternoon, howe3er, the weather )ne9pectedl# cleared )p, and we set o)t
so!ewhat !patentl# thro)*h the wet *rass G5555H
8,.;
Ca3e west of Ua!h (hran*
The ca3ern we had co!e to e9a!ne, we fo)nd to "e a no"le arched openn* n a
dn*#<colo)red precpce of a)*tc trap M a ca3e roo!# and loft# as a cathedral, and
e3er reso)ndn* to the dash of the seaL ")t tho)*h t co)ld ha3e acco!!odated a
con*re*aton of at least f3e h)ndred, we fo)nd the wa# far too lon* and dffc)lt for
at least the wea1 and the elderl#, and n so!e places naccess"le at f)ll flood5
Comment: 'wanson and iller were looking for an alternati"e site for wors!ip# in
case t!e minister and congregation were e"icted from t!e cottage t!en in %se. T!e$
passed on and !ad anot!er look at t!e ;bone@ca"e9 on t!eir wa$.
8,.;
Gal!sdale
%n o)r ret)rn to the Betse#, we passed thro)*h a stra**ln* *ro)p of cotta*es on the
hll<sde, one of whch, the !ost dlapdated and s!allest of the n)!"er, the !nster
entered, to 3st a poor old wo!an, who had "een "ed<rdden for ten #ears5 Scarce
e3er "efore ha3e I seen so !sera"le a ho3el5 It was hardl# lar*er than the ca"n of
the Betse#, and a tho)sand t!es less co!forta"le5 The walls and roof, for!ed of
da!p *rass<*rown t)rf, wth a few la#ers of )nconnected stone n the "ase!ent ters,
see!ed to constt)te one contn)o)s hlloc1 G5555H
8,.K
The low chn1# door opened drect nto one wretched apart!ent opf the ho3el, whch
we fo)nd l*hted chefl# fro! the holes n the roof5 The "ac1 of teh wo!an:s "ed G555H
now presented !erel# a na1ed rc1et# fra!e to the c)rrent of cold ar fro! wtho)t5
&thn a foot of the old wo!an:s "ed, whch was, we saw, )s)all# flled wth a ")ndle
of ra*s, ")t whch la# open as we entered, and whch f)rnshed a downward peep of
sea and shore, and the roc1# 6ilan C!asteil, wth the !nster:s #acht rdn* n the
channel hard "#5 The lttle hole n the wall had for!ed the poor creat)re:s onl#
co!!)ncaton wth the face of the e9ternal world for ten wear# #ears5 She la# )nder
a dn*# co3erlet, whch, whate3er s or*nal h)e, had co!e to dffer nothn* n colo)r
fro! the *ra3e#ard earth, whch !)st so soon s)ppl# ts place5 &hat perhaps frst
str)c1 the e#e was the stran*e flatness of the "ed clothes, consdern* that a h)!an
"od# la# "elowL there see!ed scarce ")l1 eno)*h )nder the! for a h)!an s1eleton5
The l*ht of the openn* fell on the corpse<l1e feat)res of the wo!an, < sallow, sharp,
"earn* at once the sta!p of dsease and of fa!neE and #et t was e3dent,
notwthstandn*, that the# had once "een a*reea"le, < not )nl1e those of her
da)*hter, a *ood<loo1n* *rl of e*hteen, who, as we wentered, was sttn* "esde the
fre5
Commentar$: A more !arrowing depiction of extreme po"ert$ and sickness can
!ardl$ be fo%nd an$w!ere else in literat%re. =i"en t!e girl:s age# t!e woman ma$
not !a"e been m%c! past (3. 'wanson pra$s beside !er and lea"es !er some alms.
8,.C
I learned that not d)rn* the ten #ears n whch she had "een "ed<rdden had she
rece3ed a sn*le farthn* fro! the propretor, nor, ndeed, had an# of the poor of the
sland, and that the parsh had no sesson<f)nds5 I saw her h)s"and a few da#s after,
< an old worn<o)t !an, wth fa!ne wrtten le*"l# n hs hollow chee1 and e#e, and
on the shr3elled fra!e, that see!ed lost n hs tattered dress G5555H He had once G555H
two fne "o#s, "oth salors, who had helped the!E ")t the one had pershed n a
stor! off the M)ll of Cant#re ='nt#re>, and the other had ded of fe3er when on a
&est Inda 3o#a*eE and tho)*h ther poor *rl was 3er# d)tf)l and stad =sta#ed> n
ther craJ# h)t to ta1e care of the!, what else co)ld she do n a place l1e E** than
?)st share wth the! ther s)ffern*sN
Comment: T!%s t!e tale gets e"er sadder. iller# !a"ing demonstrated t!e laird:s
gross neglect# goes on to protest t!at t!e F0ritis! Barliament: !ad D%st legislated to
excl%de pa%pers from t!e co%rts w!ere t!e$ co%ld claim a pittance for s%pport. -r
Ta$lor notes t!ere was a lot of contro"ers$ aro%nd poor relief at t!e timeA
Bresb$terians regarded stat%tor$ relief as a moral e"il# preferring "ol%ntar$
c!arit$ organised at paris! le"el for t!e (morall$) ;deser"ing.9 '%c! c!arit$ was
often "er$ %ne"enl$ offered. A Boor Law s$stem was set %p in 'cotland in *+(1# b%t
t!at too pro"ed "er$ %ne"en in dispensing relief.
8,.4
T)esda#, ,/
th
+)neN
After a wee1:s wear# watn*, settled weather ca!e at lastE and the !ornn* of
T)esda# rose "r*ht and far5
Commentar$: iller sets o%t alone to retrace !is steps along t!e east coast#
'wanson being awa$ at t!e .ree C!%rc! =eneral Assembl$# and <o!n 'tewart ;still
engaged wit! !is potato crop.9
8 ,.4<,,-
$orth of 'ldonan
I descended to the "otto! of the clffs, alon* the pathwa# whch r)ns "etween 'ell
and the soltar# !dwa# sheln* for!erl# descr"ed =see Chapter A, ps K4<C@>, and
fo)nd that the "asaltc col)!ns o3erhead, whch had see!ed so pct)res2)e n the
twl*ht, lost none of ther "ea)t# when 3ewed "# da#5 The# occ)r n for!s the !ost
"ea)tf)l and fantastcE here *ro)ped "esde so!e "lnd openn* n the precpce, l1e
pllars c)t ro)nd the openn* of a to!", on so!e roc1<front n 8etraeaE there r)nnn*
nto lon* colonnades, or rsn* nto tall portcosE #onder radatn* n stra*ht lnes
fro! so!e co!!on centre, rese!"ln* h)*e peces of fan<wor1,, or "endn* o)t n
"old c)r3es o3er so!e shaded chas!, l1e rows of croo1ed oa1s pro?ectn* fro! the
steep sdes of so!e dar1 ra3ne5
8,,- <,,.
I now G555H reached a part of the "each where the %oltc "eds are lad "are n thn
part#<colo)red strata, and at once fo)nd so!ethn* to en*a*e !e5 %r*ans!s n 3ast
a")ndance, chefl# shells and fra*!entar# portons of fshed, le closel# pac1ed n
ther folds5 %ne l!estone "ed, occ)rrn* n a dar1 shale, see!s al!ost entrel#
co!posed of a speces of s!all o#sterE and so!e two or three other thn "eds, of what
appears to "e ether a speces of M#tl)s =!)ssel> or A3c)la ="3al3e>, !9ed )p wth
a few shells rese!"ln* lar*e 8al)dna =freshwater snal>, and a few !ore of the *aper
fa!l#, so closel# rese!"ln* e9stn* speces, that +ohn Stewart and Alster at once
challen*ed the! as sm%rslin, the He"rdean na!e for a well<1now shell n these
parts, < the $a tr%ncata (the Bl)nt Gaper, a cla!l1e !oll)sc>. The re!ans of
fshes, < chefl# Ganod scales and the teeth of 8lacods, < le scattered a!on* the
shells n a!aJn* a")ndance5
Comment: 8t is interesting t!at t!e islanders ;c!allenge9 t!e fossils as if t!e$ were
not real fossils# D%st as <o!n 'tewart !ad fo%nd t!e reptilian remains at 7% 'toir
almost incredible. T!e$ !ad come face to face wit! t!e new science. -r Ta$lor
explains t!at =anoid and Blacoid are classifications t!at were soon s%perseded.
=anoid scales were often large# bon$# often interlocking# enamelled and s!in$#
Blacoid scales were plate@like# detac!ed from eac! ot!er# and commonl$ bearing
t%bercles on t!eir skin.
8,,,
(ollown* the "eds downward alon* the "each, I fo)nd that one of the lowest whch
the tde per!tted !e to e9a!ne, < a "ed colo)red wth a tn*e of red, was for!ed of
a denser l!estone than an# of the others, and co!posed chefl# of 3ast n)!"ers of
s!all )n3al3es rese!"ln* $ertae =*astropods>5 It was n e9actl# s)ch a roc1 I had
fo)nd, n the pre3o)s #ear, the reptle re!ansE and I now set !#self wth no lttle
ea*erness to e9a!ne t5 %ne of the frst peces I tore )p contaned a well<preser3ed
8lesosa)ran 3erte"raE a second contaned a 3erte"ra and a r"E and, shortl# after, I
dsnterred a lar*e porton of a pel3s5 I had at len*th fo)nd, "e#ond do)"t, the
reptle re!ans in sit%5 The "ed n whch the# occ)r s lad "are for se3eral h)ndred
feet alon* the "each, ?)ttn* o)t at a low an*le a!on* "o)lders and *ra3el, and the
retptle re!ans we fnd e!"edded chefl# n ts )ndersde5 It les low n the %olte
G5555H The reptle<"ed occ)rs deep n the "ase of the =Lower %olte> s#ste! G5555H I
fo)nd t nowhere rsn* to the le3el of the h*h<water !ar15 It for!s one of the
fo)ndaton ters of the sland G5555H E3en at the close of the %oltc perod =Mddle and
Upper +)rassc, c.;; M ./F !#a> ths sep)lchral strat)! !)st ha3e "een a
profo)ndl# ancent one5
Comment: Little wonder t!at t!e Blesiosa%r remains were# and remain# !ard to
find# in t!is "er$ remote location# and generall$ accessible onl$ at t!e lowest tides.
7egarding t!eir age# iller remarked t!at none of c!aracteristic s!ells of
t!e<%rassic s$stem# ammonites# belemnites# o$sters or na%tili# were present in t!e
deposit.
8,,@
I e9plored the shores of the sland on the 7% 'toir# and thence to the Ba# of La*5
Comment: 2e again fo%nd reptile remains occ%rring in ab%ndance at 7%@stoir# b%t
not t!e bedrock. 2e again experimented wit! t!e m%sical sands at Laig# b%t still
co%ld not identif$ t!e ca%se of t!e so%nd.
8,,/
&ednesda#, ,F
t
+)ne, .C/F
I re!aned ten da#s n the sland, ")t s)cceeded n !a1n* no f)rther dsco3eres5
%n the !ornn* of &ednesda#, we set sal for Isle %rnsa#, wth a s!art "reeJe fro!
the north<west5
Comment: iller now remarked on ;parasitic9 stationar$ clo%ds on t!e mo%ntain
tops# w!ile all t!e ot!er clo%ds sped before t!e wind.
8,,/ < ,,F
Ma1n* north for Isle %rnsa# n a *ale5
The *ale !eanwhle freshened and freshened #et !oreE and the Betse# leaned o3er
)ntl her lee chan<plate la# alon* the water5 There was the )s)al co!"naton of
so)nds "eneath !e, < the !9t)re of *)**le, cl)n1, and splash, < of low, contn)o)s
r)sh, and "l)ff, lo)d "low, whch for!s n s)ch crc)!stances the 3o#a*er:s concert5
8,,F
I soon "eca!e aware, howe3er, of #et another speces of so)nd, whch I dd not l1e
half so well, < a so)nd as of the washn* of a shallow c)rrent o3er a ro)*h s)rfaceE
and, on the !nster co!n* "elow, I as1ed h!, tolera"l# well prepared for hs
answer, what t !*ht !ean5 6It !eans,7 he sad, 6that we ha3e spr)n* a lea1, and
rather a "ad oneE ")t we are onl# so!e s9 or e*ht !les fro! the 8ont of Sleat, and
!)st soon catch the land57 G5555H 8resentl#, howe3er, the r)sh "eca!e *reatl# lo)derE
so!e other wea1 patch n the Betse#:s )pper wor1s had *3en wa#, and anon the
water ca!e washn* )p fro! the lee sde alon* the ed*e of the ca"n floor G5555H B)t
the *ale had so ncreased, that, notwthstandn* o)r d!nshed "readth of sal, the
Betse#, strann* hard n the ro)*h sea, stll la# nto the *)nwaleE and the water,
po)rn* n thro)*h a h)ndred openn* chn1s n the )pper wor1s, rose G555H h*h o3er
plan1, and "ea!, and ca"n<floor, and went dashn* a*anst "eds and loc1ers5 She
was e3dentl# flln*, and "ade far to ter!nate all her 3o#a*n* "# a short trp to the
"otto!5
8,,;
Comment: 8t is at t!is point t!at old seaman Alister related t!e tale of a sloop w!ic!
!ad ;instantaneo%sl$9 flo%ndered at t!e same spot t!irt$ $ears before4
8 ,,;
There are, I a! con3nced, few deaths less panf)l than so!e of those )nt!el# and
3olent ones at whch we are !ost dsposed to sh)dder5 &e wro)*ht so hard at pal
and p)!p G555H that I was consco)s, d)rn* the whole t!e, of an e9hlaraton of
sprts rather pleas)ra"le than otherwse G5555H &hen !atters were at ther worst wth
)s, we *ot )nder the lee of the pont of Sleat5
8,,;<,,K
8ont of Sleat
The pro!ontor# nterposed "etween )s and the roll of the seaE the wnd *rad)all#
too1 offE and after ha3n* seen the water *ann* fast and steadl# on )s for
consdera"l# !ore than an ho)r, we, n t)rn, "e*an to *an on the water5 It ca!e
e""n* o)t of drawers and "eds, and s)n1 downwards alon* panels and ta"le<le*s M a
second retrn* del)*eE and we entered Isle %rnsa# wth the ca"n<floor all 3s"le,
and less than two feet water n the hold5
(rda# ,K
th
+)ne M Sat)rda# ,C
th
+)ne
%n the follown* !ornn*, ta1n* lea3e of !# frend the !nster, I set off, on !#
ret)rn ho!ewards, "# the S1#e stea!er, and reached Edn")r*h on the e3enn* of
Sat)rda#5
Concl%sion: A near@drowning was s%rel$ a s%itabl$ dramatic climax to t!is
tremendo%s classic of 'cottis! tra"el literat%re. T!e gallant 0etse$# in s%c! poor
s!ape# did not long s%r"i"e in t!e .ree C!%rc!:s ser"ice# and was s%cceeded b$
anot!er "essel# t!e 0readalbane. <o!n 'wanson:s !ealt! was also failing (!e is said
to !a"e s%ffered migraines on top of all t!e ot!er !ards!ips)# and two $ears later !e
took %p t!e ministr$ at Nigg# as earlier explained. T!e &itness articles# p%blis!ed
between *+(1 and *+(J# did not appear in book form %ntil *+1+# two $ears after
2%g!:s deat! in *+1E. 2is widow# L$dia .raser. collated t!e texts# and an Anglican
rector and amate%r geologist# 7e" &illiam '$monds# edited t!em for p%blication.
8t remains onl$ to mar"el somew!at at t!e extent of iller:s o%tp%t for The
&tness. 6ac! c!apter in t!is book# originall$ p%blis!ed as a single article# works
o%t at well o"er 1#333 words# t!e w!ole amo%nting to abo%t )3#333 in total# all of
co%rse !and@written. T!e$ were p%t toget!er amidst t!e prod%ction of a twice@
weekl$ national newspaper. And t!e Cr)se of the Betse# was followed b$ anot!er
book of ro%g!l$ t!e same si>e# Ra!"les of a Geolo*st, or Ten Tho)sand Mles o3er
the (osslfero)s 0eposts of Scotland, t!e two "ol%mes alwa$s being p%blis!ed
%nder one co"er# as t!e$ are in -r Ta$lor:s a%t!oritati"e G33, edition. 8t s%rel$
deser"es a reprint.