The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-09

From the Works of Fiona Macleod" 1 IN the sea madness I have told of a mana quiet, dull man. a chandler | of a little Argyll loch town-who, at times, left his counter, and small, canny ways and went out into rocky wilderness and became mad with the sea. I have heard of many afflicted in some such wise and have known one or two. | In a tale written few years ago, "The Ninth Wave" I wrote" of one whom l knew, one Ivor MacNeill, or "Carmin- ish," so called because of his farm be- tween the hills Strondeval and Rondeval, near the Obb, of. Harris in the Outer Hebrides. This man heard the secret calling of the ninth wave. None may hear that when there is no wave on the sea. or when perhaps he is inland, and not follow. The following is always to the ending of all following.
 For a long while Carminish put his | fate from him. He went to other isles; wherever he went he heard the call of the sea Come" 1t cried. 'come away" He passed at last to a kinsman's craft on Aird-vanish in the island of Taran- say He was not free there. He stopped | at place where he had no kin and no memories, and at a hidden, quiet farm. His nights were sleepless dread. He went to other places. The sea called. l He went at last to his cousin Eachinn' 8 bothy, near Callernish in the Lews, where the Druid stones stand by the shore and hear nothing forever but the noise of the waves and the cry of the sea wind. | There, weary in hope, he found peace at last. He slept and none called upon him. He began to smile and to hope. One night the two were at the porridge and Eachinn was muttertng his Thanks to the Being" when Carminish leaped to his feet and with a white face stood shaking like rope in the wind
 In the gray dawn they found his body, stiff and salt with the ooze.
 1 did not know. but I have heard of another who had like tragic end. Some say he was witless Others that he had | the Friday fate upon him. do not know what evil he had done, but someone had met him and said to him: "The Fri day fate will follow you forever" So it was said. But was told this of him: That he had been well and strong and | happy, and did not know he had a terrible gift, that some have who are born by | the sea.
 l It is not well to be born on a Friday night, within sound of the sea, or on cer- He who has. this gift must not look upon any other while bathing; if he does. that swimmer must drown. This man, whom I will call, Finlay. had this spell. Three times the evil happened. But the third time he knew what he did, the man who swan in the sunlight loved the same woman as Finlay loved; so he stood on the shore and looked and laughed.
 When the body was brought home the woman struck Finlay in the face. He grew strange after time, and at last witless. A year later it was cold Feb ruary. Finlay went to and fro singing an old February rhyme. He was watch ing a man blowing Suddenly he threw down his cromak. He leaped over dyke and ran to the shore, calling, I'm com- ing! I'm coming! Don't pull mel I'm coming!" He fell upon the rocks, which had blue bloom upon them like fruit, for they were covered with mussels; and he was torn, so that his face and hands were streaming red.
 "I am your red, red love-" he cried; sweetheart, my love-" and with that he threw himself into the sea.
 More often the sea call is not mad ness, but an inward voice. have been told of a man who was farmer in Car
 rick of Ayr. He left wife and home be-
 cause of the calling of the sea. But
 when he was again in the far isles, where he had lived formerly, he was well once more. Another man heard the sobbins of the tide among seaweed whenever he dug in his garden; and gave up all. and
 even the woman he loved, and left. She
 won him back, by her love; but on the , night before their marriage. in that in-
 land place where her farm was. he slipped
 away and was not seen again.
 Again. there was the man of whom