Page images
PDF
EPUB

warning me to take care of the fairies which I should meet with there, telling me that he had charms against their power. Another fisherman who that morning had very civilly walked near two miles out of his way to shew me a road, pretended to laugh at his companion's tales; but, upon being questioned seriously upon the subject, he confessed his firm belief in the existence of these aerial beings. He said that his father once met with a flock of them, and he was not a man to tell a lie. They were invisible, but cackled like geese close to him, when there were no geese within sight.

Port Erin is the usual place for hiring boats for the Calf of Man. A small sailing vessel, or one manned with four rowers is most convenient, and, if the sea is calm, safe enough: if not, I recommend the traveller to stay on shore. The tide runs strong, and there are many rocks about this little island. The distance is three miles, and the demand for the boat is from seven shillings to half a guinea, according to the number of company, and the length of the intended visit. In the narrow channel which parts the island from the main land, are several little rocks, and one large one called Kitterland Isle, with herbage

and sheep upon it in summer.

The cliffs of

Spanish-head, though not very high, are bold, with the sea dashing against them.

When the tide is not too low the landing is easy, and is usually effected in a small creek on the northern side.

On the shore I met Mr. Gourlay, the farmer and tenant of the island, who received me very civilly, but was fearful that the accommodation which he could afford me for the night would not be very great, as the house in which he then resided was not yet finished. He and his wife had just been fishing, and, in the course of two hours, had caught one hundred fish, killack and coal-fish, the former weighing, upon an average, one pound each; and the latter, four ounces. The bait which they use is composed of the ends, one inch and a half long, of two or three white feathers from the wing of a goose or gull. These being placed in one direction are tied to a hook. While fishing, Mr. Gourlay is constantly rowed about, and the bait is taken at the surface of the water, often as quickly as he can throw in his line. His rod is rather long, but not very pliable. The bait he calls a fly, but believes the

[ocr errors]

fish take it for the under part of a small

herring.

The circumference of the island, on the accessible parts, is computed to be five miles, and the included area, six hundred acres. It is the property of the Duke of Athol; is tithe free; and one tenant rents the whole upon lease. The house in which he lives will be very commodious when finished. His late dwelling, a few hundred yards off, is now occupied by a labourer. These are the only inhabitants.

In this island are two fields of oats, one in very good condition, one field of grass, and a plot of potatoes. The remainder of the land consists of sheep walks, some very fine, and of heath. Thrift grows plentifully about the rocks, and frequently usurps the place of the grass. Except in the farmer's garden there is not a tree or shrub three feet high upon the island; even here not more than four exceeding six feet, and these few not ten. I observed, in the course of my walk, eight or ten head of cattle, as many horses, and a few score of sheep.

Rabbits every where abound, and are the farmer's chief source of profit. He takes about

two thousand annually, between the months of October and April. The common toothed rattrap, placed close to the boroughs, and catching them by the legs, is the most successful. Of this sort not less than one hundred are nightly set. He makes use also of a net with large meshes, two hundred yards or more in length, which, in the night time, he cautiously places in a perpendicular direction, supported by poles, and having three or four feet trailing upon the ground, between the boroughs and the place of pasture. Men are then sent round to frighten the rabbits. They immediately flee towards their homes, not seeing the net run against it, and are irrecoverably entangled by their legs. It is essential to the success of this stratagem, that the wind should not blow from the men who place the net towards the rabbits.

In the spring of the year this place is a great resort for sea-fowl, who come hither to lay their eggs and rear their young. They do not confine themselves to the inaccessible parts; and so numerous are they, that my conductor assured me that, in the course of an hour, he had been able to collect three hundred eggs. Woodcocks are the only usual game. The farmer once

וי

brought over a few hares, male and female, but having turned them loose never saw one of them again.

This island is said to bave been the retreat of two hermits; one of whom in the reign of Elizabeth murdered a beautiful woman in a sudden fit of jealousy, and spent the remainder of his life in solitude, penance, and the severest mortifications; the other, Thomas Bushell, in the reign of James, made it his abode for only a few years. A supposed letter of his, still extant, is to this effect:

*

"The embrions of my mines proving abortive by the fall and death of Lord Chancellor Bacon, were the motives which persuaded my pensive retirement to a three years solitude in the desolate isle, called the Calf of Man, where, in obedience to my dead Lord's philosophical advice, I resolved to make a perfect experiment upon myself, for the obtaining of a long and healthy life, most necessary for such a repentance as my former debauchedness required, by a parsimonious diet of herbs, oil, mustard, and honey, with water sufficient, most like to that of our longived fathers before the flood, as was conceived

The writer was a mineralogical projector.

« PreviousContinue »