[Works.]

Front matter

PR

V.I

%nvM UttitJmitg J

Chapter I

High up on one of tlie headlands of the Island of Lewis two young lads were idly seated on the grass, sometimes plucking a head of Dutch clover, sometimes turning their eyes to a group of small islands which lay far out at the horizon line, beyond the wide blue spaces of the Atlantic. It was a warm, still, beautiful day. The sea was calm ; those low-lying islands out there were faint and pale like clouds.

" Archie," said the elder (speaking in Gaelic, of which the following is a translation), " I saw one of the French smacks go by this morning."

" I saw her too," replied the younger lad, who was the schoolmaster's son.

There was nothing said for a time. The bees hummed amongst the clover ; the collie lying near sleepily winked his eyes' ; and Colin

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M'Calmont, the taller of the two lads, kept his gaze directed on the pale blue islands out at the horizon. At length he said, —

" Archie, my father is a hard-working man ; and it is not easy now to make the farms pay, with the rents high and sheep not selling well at the market. My father has not his troubles to seek, as the minister says. And to think that these Frenchmen should be allowed to go and kill a sheep, just as they want it, when they are going by Farriskeir or Eua ; that is what angers me."

" And me too," said Archie Livingston, " though it is not my father's sheep they kUl. It angers me because they are Frenchmen ; yes, and thieves beside. But what can you do, Colin % "

They were still regarding the far islands.

" If my father would let me," M'Calmont said, " I'd go out and live ;on iFarriskeir until all the French smacks had gone by to Iceland. If they knew any one was on Farriskeir or Eua, that would be enough. They would soon talk about it amongst themselves, and there would be no more stealing of my father's sheep. Do you think I would be afraid ? I would not be afraid.

AN ADVENTURE IN THULE. S

I would build myself a hut, for there is plenty of wood washed up since the big vessel went ashore on Eua."

" Colin," said the other, after a while, " I have somethirig to tell you. Do you know my horse-pistol 1 "

" Of course I know it."

" Would it not be a fine thing, now, if you and I were to go out to Farriskeir and hide behind the rocks, and when the Frenchmen were coming near we might have a shot at them ? "

"Yes, and maybe kill some one," said the other, scornfully. " That would be a fine thing. It would be a fine thing to be hanged."

" How could they hang you for that ? " said the schoolmaster's son. " If a man comes into your house to steal your money, you may shoot at h im ; and if he comes to your island to steal your sheep, why not the same ? Besides, he is a Frenchman. The sheriff at Stornoway would not say anything to you for shooting at a Frenchman."

" I don't know that. I am not going to try," said the elder lad, with a grim sort of smile. " But I wUl tell you now, Archie, what would be a fine thing. Do you think we could slip away to Farriskeir without being seen ? There is no one going down to the boat just now; they would not miss it at all. And if any one were asking for us, would they not think we had gone up to the shieling with bread for Mary and Ailasa and the rest of them ? Well, now, if we could slip away out to Farriskeir and lie behind the rocks, just as you were saying, and if one of the French boats was to come near, where would be the harm in giving a shot in the air ? Do you see that now ? For they would not dare to land ; and when they got up to Eeikjavik in Iceland they would tell all the other boats that they had been fired at, and that people lived on Farriskeir and Rua-veg now; and not another Frenchman would ever come near the place again. Do you see that now ? They would go away up to Eeikjavik, and they would say, ' There is to be no more stealing a sheep from Farriskeir and making a laugh over it. They have people on Farriskeir now.' And the Frenchmen can understand each other very well, though no one else can make out what they say."

" I will go with you, Colin ; we will try it ! "

said the other, eagerly. " My father will not be back from Stornoway till the Friday night. But about the powder, Colin; I have no powder, and you cannot fire the horse-pistol without powder."

However, there were a great many things to be thought of besides getting powder before this exploit could .be ventured upon ; and they set about completing these details according to their different temperaments ; the younger lad, who was a great reader of books, filled with an eager delight at the romance of the enterprise ; the elder animated chiefly by a sober determination that he would do what he could to prevent any more of his father's sheep being stolen. Indeed, it was not until late in the afternoon that Colin M'Calmont found time to make his way up Glen-Estera, to Sir Evan Eoy's shooting-box there, that he might beg some gunpowder of Dugald M'Lean, the gamekeeper.

He found M'Lean — ^who was the sole occupant of the lodge at this time of the year — seated on the bank of the stream that flowed past the house. He was contentedly smoking his pipe and regarding a noble salmon that lay on the grass, while his rod was not far off. Colin had to pull his wits together in addressing the keeper, who had not the best of tempers.

"Eh, but that's a fine fish, Mr. M'Lean!" said he — the rest of the people called the keeper plain Dugald, so this was a cunning compliment, " That is a fine fish indeed. I have heard them saying there was not a better salmon-fisher in the Lews than yourself. They were saying you could throw a fly eight-and-thirty yards. Some day I will be asking you to teach me how to throw a fly."

"You will be better minding your own business at the farm," said the keeper, rather gruffly (and also speaking in Gaelic). " What brings you to Grien-Estera 1 "

" There is not much doing at the farm at this time of the year. I was thinking, Mr. M'Lean, that perhaps you could spare me a little gunpowder."

" Gunpowder ! " the keeper exclaimed, angrily. "To vaskn pioyes* of and set your father's barn on fire ? It is a fool that you are, Colin, and

* The word fioyes is applied in Scotland to a small cone made of gunpowder kneaded with water until the powder forms a sort of paste. When the tip of the cone is lit it begins to splutter and hiss like a miniature Vesuvius.

more, to think that I will be giving you any gunpowder ! "

"Indeed, it's you who are wrong, then, Mr. M'Lean, to think that I was wanting gunpowder for pioyes" said Colin, sturdUy. " I am no longer at school ; it is not pioyes that I am thinking of." And then he cast about for an excuse. " I am sure there is no one who knows better than yourself of the mischief that the hoodies* make."

" Oh," continued the boy, " they are the mischievous birds ! The young grouse — the young black game — have no peace for them ; but worse than that is the time of the eggs in the springtime. Surely you will know, Mr. M'Lean, that when a young lad is looking after the sheep he has many chances of seeing the nests."

And here it seemed suddenly to strike the keeper that he was neglecting one of the chief elements of his business — ^which was to keep on friendly terms with the men and lads about the different farms.

" Now that is a good thing I am told about you, Colin, my lad," said he, in quite a different

* Hoodies are a species of crow held in much disfavour by the preservers of game in the Highlands.

10 AN ADVENTURE JN THULE.

tone ; " that you do not take tlie eggs for foolisliness or mischief, and that you do not let the dogs chase the young coveys or the hares ; and that you are a sensible' lad, and you may have a farm yourself some day from Sir Evan."

" It is not wrong what you have heard about the nests," said Colin, modestly. " And I keep in the dogs, too, though the young dogs are eager after the hares. And I was saying about the hoodies ; Archie Livingston has a pistol, and if you were to be giving me a little gunpowder from time to time, I think I could kill a hoodie or two when there was nothing doing but the minding of the sheep."

The keeper rose to his feet.

" There is a job for you, Colin, my lad. Bring the fish into the house, and I will give you some powder."

Very joyously did Colin obey ; for besides his immediate want being supplied, he had now before him the prospect of unlimited stalking expeditions — along the shore and up over the rocks after the detested hoodie-crows. And if he did not tell Dugald M'Lean for what immediate purpose he wanted some powder, it was because he knew very well that M'Lean would

AN ADVENTURE IN THULE. ii

instantly speak of tlie matter and compel him to abandon so dangerous an enterprise.

They went into the lodge, and the keeper, who was now quite friendly in his gruff way, gave him some powder in a small tin canister, and even offered him some percussion caps too ; but M'Calmont explained that the horse-pistol was fired by flint and steel. Then he set out on his way down Glen-Estera again.

When he got back to the coast and near to the headland which has been mentioned, instead of ascending the height, he went down and struck across some broad white sands which in former times were no doubt covered by the sea. Then he reached a belt of rock facing the Atlantic, and in a small sheltered creek discovered Archie Livingston busy at work overhauling the small sailing-boat that lay at its moorings there. Archie looked up startled, for he had not heard his friend's approach — the sands being soft to the foot.

" They are often saying that Dugald M'Lean is an uncivil man," Colin M'Calmont remarked, as he stepped into the boat that his companion had now shoved alongside the rock, " but he is not that. He has given me a good deal of powder, and I am to have more, too, for shooting the hoodies ; and I think you and I, Archie, will have many a good day after the hoodies. They do not fly so quick as the birds the gentlemen go after ; but they are a great deal more cunning, and it is not easy to get at them. He is not an uncivU man at all, but a very civil man ; and he knows that we do not let the dogs chase the young birds. Did you bring down the bottle of water, Archie ? "

" Oh yes, I brought down the bottle of water, and it's in the locker. Aud I have gone all over the boat, Colin, and tried the sheets ; and if I were you, it is a new topping-lift I would be having."

But Colin did not seem quite reassured by the fact that his younger companion had inspected the vessel that was to carry them away from the land in the morning ; so now, in the gathering dusk, he set to work himself and had a thorough investigation.

" The topping-lift will do very well," said he, " for it is not in any gale that we are going. With a north wind or a south wind I will go ; with an east wind or a west wind I wUl not go. If we were to be beating against a wind either going or coming, would not some one see us, sooner or later ? And you know very well, ArcMe, that it is not a sure thing that we may see any French smack come near, though now is the time of their passing ; and that would be a fine thing to have all the people making a joke of us, and saying, — ' Look at the boys that went out to frighten the Frenchmen and came running back without seeing any.' I would not like that, neither would you ; but it is I that would have to do the quarrelling, if there was any quarrelling. But now, if there is a nice steady wind from either north or south in the morning, then we will run away out in a short time and get the boat hidden in a creek at Farriskeir ; and the topping-lift will do very well ; " and with that he gave another haul at it, swinging the end of the boom up into the air.

Now when everything had been made fast and secure for their voyage on the morrow — the mainsail having been lowered and stowed — Archie was called upon to produce the weapon which was to give a wholesome warning to the French fishermen to avoid for the future the shores of Farriskeir and its adjacent islands. It was a large cavalry pistol, somewhat dilapidated, but showing traces of ancient adornment. Archie had freshly oiled and polished it ; he had put a newly-chipped flint in the hammer, and when his companion struck the flint on the empty pan (the sparks shone with a sudden brilliancy in the gathering dusk) the lock worked easily.

" I would try a little powder in it, Colin," suggested the younger lad.

" The night is so still they would hear it up at Dunvorgan," said the elder lad, who was the more prudent of the two.

" It will be giving no sound at all, Colin, if there is no wadding in the barrel. You will put a little powder in the barrel and a little powder in the pan, and then you will see if the little hole is all clear."

Well, there could be no objection to that, and so Colin produced his precious canister and very grudgingly measured out a few grains for the experiment. The result was quite satisfactory. There was a sharp click of the descending flint, and almost at the same moment a flash of red flame in the d;irkness. So the pistol was carefully wrapped up in the old stocking that

4N ADVENTURE IN THULE. 15

was its customary case, and deposited in the locker along with the bottle of water and the oatmeal cakes which were their stores for the forthcoming voyage. Then the two lads got ashore again, and in the dusk made their way across the white sands and away up towards Dunvorgan farm.

For a time they were silent.

" I have been thinking, Archie," said the elder of the two, at last, " that it would not be a nice thing if the crew of the smack were to land and hunt us out. What would we do then ? "

The other made no reply.

" There would be five or six of them, Archie, and if they were to land, they would catch us, even if we were to go into the cave at the point opposite Rua. And if they were to catch us, Archie, it is not you and I that would be able to fight six of them."

And again, " I was thinking, Archie, that it would be better if I was to go by myself. It is not right that you should go into a risk for the sake of my father's sheep ; that is foolishness. I can manage the boat very well by myself."

" Then you can give me back my pistol,"

i6 AN ADVENTURE IN THULE.

said the other, who was evidently deeply hurt. " If you think I am afraid, you can give me hack my pistol."

" I did not say you were afraid. I said there was a reason for my going, and there was no reason for your going. If there was to be a fight, what would you do ? "

" What would you ? Do you think that I am more afraid of the French fishermen than you ? Very well, then, I will take back my pistoL"

Colin very soon perceived that his companion was bent on sharing this enterprise, whatever peril it might involve, and at last a compromise was effected ; Archie Livingston agreeing that in the event of the French fishermen venturing to land to discover who had fired at them, he should be the first to make for the little natural cave in the rocks that both the lads knew well, and that Colin should be allowed to look about a little and see what was likely to happen before seeking the same place of refuge.

It may be presumed that neither of the lads slept very much that night; for besides the excitement of the enterprise, they had agreed to meet down at the little creek not later than half-past four in the morning. And as each went stealthily his own way to the place of rendezvous, a fair still dawn was breaking over land and sea, and everything gave promise of a beautiful day. Moreover, the slight cool wind of the morning was blowing up from the south ; it was a fair wind to carry them out to the islands, where they were to lie in wait for the Frenchmen.

iS AN ADVENTURE IN THULE.

CHAPTER n.

The setting forth of the two lads on their voyage to the far islands on the horizon was managed with all due secrecy and despatch, for both of them were well aware that if the people at the farm got to know on what mission they were bent they would immediately be stopped. But once away from the shore they grew more confident ; and they could call to each other freely — ^Archie Livingston having been sent to the bow as a sort of look-out.

" Archie," called out the elder lad, who was at the stern, with the sheet of the mainsail in his hand and his elbow on the tiller, " they cannot stop us now."

" That they cannot, Colin."

" And do you think that Ailasa and Mary and the rest of them up at the shieling will be awake and out yet ? "

"No doubt they will be awake and out," said the younger lad — both of them speaking in Gaelic.

" For if any one is to see us they will be the first to see us, from the hillside. Yes, and maybe they are saying now, ' There is the boat going out; and who can be in the boat? and what does any one want to go to Farriskeir for?' Well, they will not be guessing that easily."

" Colin," said the younger lad, " it will be a hard thing if we have taken all this trouble and find none of the French fishermen coming near. I suppose you have heard that the French ships were always running away when they were told that Nelson was coming after them ; and that it was not easy for him to fight them because he could not tell where they were ? Well, they are not running away from us ; but it will be just as bad if we do not find any of the smacks coming near Farriskeir or Eua-veg. And then what will you say when you go back ? "

" You are afraid of being laughed at," said the elder lad, " that is what I am thinking. You are afraid they will say, ' There are the boys who went out to frighten the Frenchmen and could not find them.' But answer me this,

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Archie ; if we do not tell them why we went out, how will they know ? "

" If they have seen us from the shieling, Ailasa, or Eed-haired Maggie, or one of them will be asking," said the other, diffidently,

" Yes, they will be asking ; it is the way of girls. • But that is no need why we should tell. And this is what I am thinking of, Archie ; if there is not any French smack coming- near the islands, well, we will go to the wreck, and there are many things that we can pick up ; and why should we not bring away a boatful of the spars and planks that my father drew above the water-mark at Eua ? It is very useful these things are at the farm ; and the last time we were out we had not an inch of spare room in the boat when we were coming back, such a load we had ; and if the girls at the shieling hear that we have brought back a cargo of wood from Kua-veg, what then ? Where will be their questions then ? "

They were now well away from the land ; and so steady was this light breeze from the south that the navigation of the boat involved no great care. The helmsman could with sufficient security turn from time to time to regard the familiar landmarks they were leaving behind — the wide white sands, the masses of rock, and far beyond and above these the giant peaks of Mealasabhal and Suainabhal all faintly coloured by the morning sun. Or again, he would stand up in the boat to get a better look at the islands ahead ; and these, as the distance gradually grew less, were beginning to show distinctive features along their shores. But of any French smack or other vessel they could find no sign whatever. As far as their eyes could reach, this wide circle of the blue Atlantic seemed to belong to them selves. Once, indeed, they caught sight of the topsails of a brigantine, the rest of the vessel being below the horizon ; but apparently she was beating down against the southerly breeze, and, having put about, was soon lost to view.

" It will be no harm if we get out to the islands without any one seeing us," said Colin M'Calmont. " It will be a great deal better. For if one of the smacks was to see us going out, and if another smack was to take the word to Reikjavik that there were people now on Farriskeiu and that they had guns, then there would be a great laughing, and some of them would be for saying, ' Why, are you frightened ?

It is no one but two boys who are on Farriskeir, for we saw them going out. And are you frightened because you heard the boys shooting at the curlews ? '"

" That is true what you say, Colin ; and anyway we will take back a load of wood with us," said the younger lad, who was very clearly anxious that the girls at the shieling should have no cause to jeer at them.

And now the islands grew more and more distinct ; and as they drew nearer and nearer, the lads could see and hear that their appearance was causing a vast commotion among the innumerable wild-fowl that filled the air with their cries. The curlews uttered their warning whistle as they wheeled high in the air ; the sea-pyots whirred along close to the water ; the terns came flying overhead, screaming angrily as they dipped and rose again. And what was that great shapeless black thing, that lay on a spur of rock not nearly as large as itself ?

" Colin," the younger lad cried, " look at that now ! The wreck is not all gone away yet ; and they were saying she would go to pieces before two days or three days were over, and not an inch would be left of her."

" There is not more than a third of her left now," Colia M'Calmont said ; " and it is nothing but a lump of old iron she is. But we will go round the point of Eua and look at her. Slack the lee jib-sheet a bit, Archie ; maybe we will get something out of her that may be of use at the farm."

" I would not go too near, Colin," said the younger of the two, " for she might tumble over on us."

" Tumble over on us ! " said the other, with a laugh of derision. " When she has stood out two gales ! "

But indeed when they rounded the point of one of the small islands and drew nearer to this great broken mass of iron perched high on a narrow ledge of rock, it was a gruesome sight, and they approached with caution. For one thing they had lowered their mainsail, and had taken to the oars, backing the stern of the boat towards the wreck (which towered high above them) so that they could see how near they could go in safety.

Huge as this rent and shattered fragment of a vessel seemed, the steamer had been of no great size ; but when, on a pitch-dark night, and the captain having made some mistake about the lights along the coast, her stem was suddenly jammed on to this rock, her impetus was great enough to lift her up the shelving ledge, so that at low water her keel forward was high and dry. But her back was broken ; and the first heavysea that came rolling in from the west knocked her boilers out and tore down her stern into deep water ; leaving nothing standing but the bow, which now presented an extraordinary appearance. Outside the hull was black, but inside everything was rgd with rust ; and as the two lads backed their boat until this riven mass of confusion seemed almost over their heads, there was something awful in the evidence everywhere around of the tremendous force of the sea. The twisted girders, the thick iron plates, torn from their rivets and bent about as if they had been made of pasteboard, the iron cables snapped as if they had been so many watch-chains — all this spoke of a frightful combat ; and seemed so strange, now, with this placid blue sea all around, and all around, too, a silence broken only by the distant calling of the curlews.

The two lads regarded this picture of ruin and desolation without uttering a word, apparently overawed by it; but at last Colin M'Calmont said, —

" Archie, do you not think I could climb up inside of her ? There might be something that one could find."

" Indeed you will get nothing but cut fingers with the broken iron," said Archie Livingston, with decision, " Did they not take everything out of her ? And what would you say now if one of the plates of iron were to fall on you ? "

The elder lad was still looking up, however, at the shattered remnant of the vessel.

"Archie, back her in a bit more ;and I will see if I can get up to the lower deck there."

The younger boy did as he was bid, though rather reluctantly ; and it was with a trifle of dismay that he beheld his companion clamber on to the wreck and begin to work his way up among the rusty iron. Then he saw him reach what remained of the lower deck, where there was stUl some woodwork ; and after searching about for a while he picked up something.

" Look there, Archie," he called out {his voice sounding hollow in the shell of the wreck), "I have found a pair of deer's horns, Take care, now, and I will throw them down to

you."

The next moment the horns fell on the lowered mainsail and rebounded into the bottom of the boat.

" What is the use of them 1 " the younger lad cried — for he did not like the look of his companion clambering about up there. " If you want deer's horns, you will find them along the shore. It was part of her cargo. What is the use of deer's horns ? "

However, something now happened that brought back Colin M'Calmont speedily enough into the boat, without any further remonstrance. In crossing over to the other side of this lower deck he found a place where he could look out to sea ; and of course at this height his view was far more extensive than that obtainable from the little sailing-boat below.