, 1881-11-05

said, too, that the machinery did not seem
to work very freely during our visit.
After inspecting the lantern and admiring
th- beauty and the spoiless purity OF every
part of the apparatus, W descended - the
kitchen, and there refreshed ourselves with
a draught Of =" the cup that cheers but nos
iLebtiates." We had a pleasant chat with one
or two of The Iigblhous-'krepeTs. Ihey
seemed to he much inter psted in their work,
and cont4nted with th-ic lot. They had thrill
ling s'orips to tell Of the storms which COCA
sinnalIy sweep over tho rock, the mountain
waves ct times rising to the very top OF the
tow-r, and dashing the nselv"s against tho
windows Of The lantern. The men are not
constant prisoners on he rock. The stan
consists Of four men, three Of whom, as l have
said, ara always on duty at the lighthouse,
willie the fourth takes duty at Erral', tbs
station alr+sdy referred to off the so nth West
coast of Null. This shore duty is taken In
turns, and lasts for IA days at a time. II
consists in attending to the stores kept there.
and in watching at a little observatory ABOVE
The village for signals FROM the lighthouse.
Each man is, therefore, on the rock for six
weeks at a lime, followed by o fortnight
ashore. An III ending lngger visits the
lighthouse from Erraid every fortnight tOs
taks out a supply of provisions and to relieve
one of the Iight-keepers. These periodical
fortnighls on shore are the only holidays
which the keepers enj ~ throughout the year ;
and, as thy have duties to perform willis
on shore, their relaxation consists rather In
oh lrge Of occupation than In its cessation.
Tle question of granting an entire holiday
10 each of the men ir rotation has, l believe,
been carefully considered by the Commission.
ers bat with every de>ira to indulge men
who make great sacrifices for the safety OF
their fellow creatures, they have come to ths
Conclusion that the proposal ia impraotlaableV
in view of the discipline reqnl Ell IN the
service. While this is to be regtetted, there
is no doubt that The privilrg- If spending a
fortnight on shore win .hrir wives and
families. or other relatives, at intervals OF six
weeks, is a ma erial compensation Tor the
p ioatIon5 watch the m-n have to endure.
A. The same time, everything seems to %
done that fore houghl aud kindness could
d wise for the mAteri1l comfort and the
intellectual refreshment of the men whils
they are on the rock and Of their families as
Erraid.
We paid a visit to Errai1 after leaving thu
lighthous., auA spent two or 'hree hours
there. A brighter, moro Compact, or mpre
oomf0rtADlelJJking village it would be dittisult
to find anywhere. 1t ia a pleasant End re-
fr4>hing oasis 10 the midst of the desert Of
rock aud monrlsnd that stretches away from
Ii on all sides, except on thAt Whl0h looks
out on ths waite OF waters. Vne substantial
air worn by the village is very striking. Tbs
pier, thu 5 orch ,uS -, the cottages, the %Ofi9s",
even the garden walls, ars all sO}id'y bulls
of granite from ths qlarry which supp is this
material Of the lighthouse. ThB qna'ry IL on
tbs hillside above The village, and there we're
lying in j., when WI visited th- place, blocks
If splendid granite which would be worth u
ransom In London or in Edinburgh. The
vegetation is p%rofuse and Iuxuriant. On ihs
bill above the quarry on whioh thu observatory
STAN Is We counted b+tw>en 20 and 80 species
Of Wild fl IwsfS. Every outage has its we'll
kept GARDEN, belcing flowers and fruits OF all
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., Eeraniums, ADD roS4s;
strawoerrirs, gooseberrias and o%urrants;
cabbages, lorks aud pl. atoes. The outside
neainess corr 'sponds wi h thu interior com
foLs. Dr4wing.r0Om u'nished in q style at
once elegant and sensible, with piano AMI
pictures, fl ,wets and cases Of stuffed sea-lowi ;
bedrooms o,mfDrtaby appointed kitchen
bright with san14d A>or aud trim rows of
crookery and culinary appliances; wives and
daughters full of hearty w-loOme and primitive
Misunderstanding besp ks comfort and
good taste. The view from the bill above
the village il enchanting. You Look down
on the sea, strewa with islels and bare rocks,
and you get a fAr-off glimpse of Dhuhe artach
rising amid white crested waves. Right
opposite you, AMI di.iant oaly two miles,
is Iona, on which the tower Of the church,
tho ruinS nf ihA cathadrat. and 1hA whik0