building of 16–22, 31, 47
first passage 14, 24–7, 29–30, 33–4, 41–5
naming of 26, 31
sailing 22–3, 55, 127–8, 274, 338–9
sails 127
Gaelic 31–3, 72, 73, 136, 137, 245, 256
Galtas 29–30, 33, 41, 43, 74, 125–6, 130, 176, 276
formation of 85, 88
Galta Beag 130, 276
wrecks 100, 118, 121
Garbh Eilean 6, 44, 61, 108, 141
anchorage 45, 53–4
beach 62
birds 51, 144, 179, 181, 195, 200, 275
boat-shaped stone setting 173
clay 221, 245
farming 205–6, 218, 236
geology of 85–7, 89
hermitage site 167–8, 170
inhabitants 112, 315
kelp kiln 263
name of 170
natural arch 3, 73, 78, 79, 86, 205, 368
north face 78, 195
peat cutting 323
prehistoric sites 112–13, 115, 167
rock shelters 110–11
ruins 109–10
sheep 109, 287–9
soil 109
steps from beach 322
swimming pool 108
view from 74–6
water supply 109
geology 78, 80–93, 125, 191–2
ghosts 137–9, 272
Gibb, Dr Fergus 80–1, 83, 86, 90, 91, 149
Gibbon, Edward 157, 158
Grant, Miranda 96–7, 99
Harman, Mary 332
Harvie-Brown, John 91, 179, 190, 196–8, 323–8
Headrick, Rev James 280–1
Henderson, Mike 80, 83, 85, 86
hermits 133–6, 141–8, 153–70
Hiscock, Becky 256
Hogg, James 299–300, 301, 318
Holden, Patrick 256
Inishmurray, County Sligo 225, 151–2, 153
Iona 143, 147–8, 150, 152, 158, 160, 171, 225
Isbister, Orkneys 122, 195
islands: changing attitudes towards 344–5, 347
holiness of 134–6, 140–1, 164
Johnson, Dr Samuel 1, 225, 235, 261, 265, 353
kelp manufacture 262–9, 307
landowners 5–12, 304, 363–6
landscape history 204–5
language 31–3, 72, 129
Lawrence, D H: ‘The Man Who Loved Islands’ 343–5
Lemreway 332
boat loss 49–58, 325
Lethbridge. T C 39–40
The Power of the Pendulum 40
Leverhulme, Lord 8, 339–41
Limburský, Petr 145, 212
Lochs, Pairc 46, 49, 302
Parish 9, 228, 233, 234, 264
Luskentyre, Harris 60, 335
MacAulay, John 29, 117
birlinn 15–16
on Blue Men 40–1
builds Freyja 16–25, 26, 47, 127
MacCallum, Rev Donald 9–12, 363, 365
Macculloch, John 83, 89, 144, 170, 300, 308–9
MacDermaid, Donald 339
Macdonald, Aidan 169, 171
Maclver, Kenneth Angus ‘Toby’ 283–7, 290–4, 296
Mackenzie, Rev Collin 233–4
Mackenzie, Compton 65, 76, 140, 197, 340–6
article on Shiants 342
Lawrence’s attack on 343–5
The North Wind of Love 342–3
owner of Shiants 8, 11
radio broadcast 322–3, 324
renovations made by 64
Shiant Shield endowed by 362
Mackenzie, Dr John 261–2
Mackenzie, Kenneth 220, 228
Mackenzie, Kennie 113, 283–6, 289, 292, 294, 296
Mackenzie, Osgood 50–1
MacKinnon, Lachlan 301
Macleod, Alexander 240
Macleod, Dan 49, 53–4, 272–3, 279, 302
Macleod, Donald ‘D B’ 68, 281, 283, 306, 360, 361–3
Macleod, Iain Garbh 227
Macleod, Malcolm 104, 204, 329
MacLeod, Morag 74
Macleod, Murdoch (Tacksman) 270
Macleod, Nial 208
Macleod, Torquil Oighre 219
Macleod clan 8–9, 15, 209, 218–20
MacNeill, Donald 260
Macrae, Christopher 294
Macrae, Ruaraidh 294
Macrae, Tommy 197, 281, 331
MacSween, Donald 41, 93, 136, 339
on conditions in Minch 34–5, 47, 48, 130, 328
finds Shiant torc 95, 99, 116, 118
fishing 339
grazing tenancy 281–2
hospitality of 258
MacSween, Hughie (Uisdean) 49, 68, 283, 317, 352, 356
attitude to Shiants 140
on Campbell family 322
grazing tenancy 6–9, 34, 281–2, 304, 360–1
on Shiant Islanders 268
on Stewarts 302, 304–6
on wreck of Neda 121
MacSween, Iain 304–5, 362
MacSween, Joan 65
MacSween, Johnnie 281
MacSween, Joyce 304–6, 361
MacSween, Malcolm (Calum) 67, 68, 178, 268, 281, 286, 317, 323, 332, 340–1, 345–6, 351, 353–4, 360, 361
MacSween, Rachel 34–5, 258, 338
Maelrubha, St 153
magic 226–8, 291
Martin, Martin 75, 291
on famine 223
on Loch Siant 72
on sanctity of islands 135
on sea eagles 195, 198
on Siant chapel 144, 170
Martin, Roderick 52
Matheson, John Murdo 35, 61, 140, 143, 280, 282–9, 291–7, 360
Matheson, Mary Ann 35, 302
Maxwell, Gavin 279
Mealasta, Uig 272
Mianish, Eilean an Tighe 67, 70, 74, 121, 290
Minch 1, 14, 78, 90, 115, 135
crossing 24–5, 117, 127–30
current 116
dangers of 35–8
pollution 116, 198–199
tides 191
Molinginish, Harris 52, 316–17, 318, 325, 334–5
Monro, Donald, Archdeacon of the Isles 217–18
Moran, Stephen 153
Morison, John 208
Morrison, Allan 59
Morrison, D R 333
Morrison, Donald (of Scalpay) 329, 334
Morrison, Donald (of Tarbert) 335
Morrison, John 329
Morrison, Norman 362
Muir, T S 144–5, 315
Munro, Donald 308
Munro, Murdo 309
Neda 118–21, 323, 353
Nicolson, Adam: and conservationists 356
feelings for Shiants 3–4, 11, 103, 175. 371–2
fishing 277–8
ghostly experiences 136–9
as landowner 2, 5–8, 363–6
living conditions on Shiants 63–7, 232
mental processes 100–1
on Shiants 77–8, 94, 108, 316, 337–8, 366–71
snares puffin 186–8
and solitude 155–6
Nicolson, Ben (A N’s uncle) 2
Nicolson, Ben (A N’s son) 349
Nicolson, Harold 346, 349
Nicolson, Neil 73, 266
Nicolson, Nigel 2–3, 8, 10, 65, 188, 332, 346–52, 357–9, 371
Long Life 346–7
Nicolson, Tom 2, 4, 364, 366, 370–1
Norrie, William 197, 327–8, 329
Norse, see Vikings
O’Farrell, Thomas 30, 33–4, 125
Old Norse 31–3
O’Sullivan, Jerry 225
Pabbay 160, 269, 325
Pairc 35, 86, 198, 222
clearances 10, 46, 302–4
lessees 301
murders (1785) 271–3
views of 76, 110
Picts 100, 162, 170
pillow-stone, see cross stone
place names 73–4, 168–70
Icelandic Placenamebook 15
0
pollution 116, 198–200
ponies 221, 236, 238, 256
population 12, 112, 115, 234, 236, 269
abandonment 10, 210–11, 219–20, 224, 237, 266–9, 298–9
emigration 249, 266
eviction theory 270–1
pressures 237–8, 262
prehistoric sites
cairns 114–15
houses 105, 108, 109, 112–13
menhir 115
rock shelters 110–11
‘Prepared State’ document 229
Presbyterianism 252, 320–1
Quammen, David 69
rats 64, 353–5
Rona, North 160, 162
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques 344–5
Royal Commissions 9, 10, 22, 303–4, 323
RSPB 357–9
Rubh’ Uisenis, Lewis 38
Sackville-West, Vita 346, 349
St Kilda 25, 27, 28, 81, 160, 162, 179, 189, 278
Scaladale, Harris 6, 304–5
Scalpay 34, 59, 84, 176, 252, 329
clearances to 305, 325
Primary School 148
Scobie, Mitchell 317
Scott, Sir Walter 299
Scott, Walter (Shiant tenant) 318
Seaforth, Earls of 8, 220, 226, 228, 260, 264, 270
Seaforth, Loch 6, 35, 52, 274, 305, 318
seals 1, 14, 23, 73, 78, 175, 181, 340
Seann Chaisteal, Eilean Mhuire 70, 276
Sellar, Patrick 64, 323
Sgeir Mianish, Eilean an Tighe 70, 129, 276
sharks, basking 71, 277–9
Shaw, Margaret Fay 291, 329
sheep 63, 73, 131, 143, 240, 256, 257, 315
shepherd’s house 52–3, 311–12
stealing of 314, 317
Shiant, Sound of 34, 38, 40
Shiant Isles
church in 229, 233
climate 113–14, 123, 125, 163
formation of 81–9
isolation/remoteness of 103, 134, 155–7, 209–10, 234, 269, 299, 308, 309, 321, 346–7
location of 1
name of 44, 71–3, 136, 137
ownership of 5–12, 363–6
place names 73–4
sales of 2, 8, 220, 340–1, 358
see also Eilean an Tighe
Eilean Mhuire
Garbh Eilean
Shiant torc 96–100, 115–16, 118, 121–6
Sibbald, Sir Robert 195
Simson, Rev Alexander 92, 234, 271
Skye 8, 75, 84, 91, 119, 153, 167, 173, 207
Smith, Angus 301
Smith, Donald ‘Nona’ 53, 283–7, 291–4, 296
songs 59, 60, 128, 257, 272–3, 278, 330, 362
Stemreway, Lewis 73
Stewart, Robert 363–5
Stewart brothers 31, 301–8, 311–15
Stocanish, Garbh Eilean 6, 55–6, 74, 115, 276, 288, 306
Stornoway, Lewis 31, 76, 86, 116, 208
market 248, 280, 282
Museum nan Eilean 98–9
Receiver of Wreck 98, 118, 119
Taransay 160
Tarbert, Harris 6, 24, 31, 334
Teignmouth, Lord (Sir John Shore) 31, 195, 310–14
Thomson, Prof Derick: ‘The Scarecrow’ 229–30
Tobaichean Caola, Garbh Eilean 306, 309
torc, Celtic, see Shiant torc
Tozer, Adam 93
Triton, HMS 249–51, 252
Udal, The 171
Uig, Lewis 221–2
Valamus, Pairc 31, 264–5, 302, 304, 311, 314
Vikings 9, 27, 30, 31, 53, 74, 100, 129
graves 115, 173
houses 172–3
raids 171–2
ships 173, 175
tacksmen 253
Virgin, cult of 142–3
West Highland Free Press 5
whalebone 248–9
witchcraft 227
Woollard, Simon 92–3
wrecks 34, 98, 116–21, 323, 353
robbing of 261–2, 267, 271
Zarna 34, 353
Acknowledgements
I owe a great debt of thanks to many people in Lewis, Harris and Scalpay. They include: Bullet Cunningham; Neil Cunningham, who offered to shepherd me and Freyja out into the Minch in his launch on a threatening day out at sea; Rachel Cunningham; Cathy MacAulay; John MacAulay; Katie Mary Macdonald; Kenneth Angus ‘Toby’ McIver; Kennie Mackenzie, who has died since this book was written; Dan Macleod; Malcolm MacLeod, who brought many of the experts in this book out to the islands for me, in all sorts of weather, with unfailing courtesy and seamanship; Mary MacLeod; Sophie Macrae; Thomas Macrae; Angus MacSween; Aileen MacSween; Joan MacSween; Liza MacSween; D. R. Morrison; Donald Morrison; John Angus Morrison; Kenny Morrison; Margaret Morrison; Donald ‘Nona’ Smith; and all the children of Scalpay school who lay down on the hermit’s stone for me one afternoon as if they did that every Tuesday.
Above all, I am deeply indebted to three families who have looked after me and the islands over many years: Hugh and Joyce MacSween; Donald and Rachel MacSween; and now John Murdo and his mother Mary Ann Matheson. In many ways, those three families are the Shiants for me.
In writing this book I have called on the expertise of many disciplines and I gratefully acknowledge all the people who have willingly and enthusiastically given me information, guidance and ideas. They include: John Barber, AOC Scotland; David Barker, The Potteries Museum, Stoke-on-Trent; Guy de la Bedoyere; Keith Branigan, University of Sheffield; Mike Brooke, University of Cambridge; Jonathan Bulmer; Hugh Cheape, National Museums of Scotland; Linda Čihaková; Thomas Owen Clancy, University of Glasgow; Trevor Cowie, National Museums of Scotland; Ken Crocket, Scottish Mountaineering Council; David Daněček, Plzen University; Robert Dodgshon, University of Wales at Aberystwyth; Andy Douse, Scottish Natural Heritage; Gail Dundas, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich; Johanne Ferguson, Scottish Natural Heritage; Ian Fisher, Royal Commission for Ancient and Historic Monuments in Scotland; Judith Fisher; Patrick Foster, Czech Institute of Archaeology; David Fowler, Stornoway Library; Ian Fraser, School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh; Simon Fraser; Bob Furness, University of Glasgow; Miranda Grant; Veronica Guiry, Natural Environment Research Council; Mary Harman, Scottish Natural Heritage; Mark Haworth-Booth, Victoria and Albert Museum; Gillian Hughes; Fergus Gibb, University of Sheffield; Mike Harris, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; Susan Haysom, Scottish Natural Heritage; Michael Henderson, University of Manchester; Felicity Jones, University of Edinburgh; Bill Lawson, Co Leis Thu?; Commander John Lewis; Petr Limburský; Andro Linklater; Tim Lodge; David McCrone, University of Edinburgh; Maggie Macdonald, Clan Donald Library; Bob McGowan, National Museums of Scotland; Ian Mackenzie, School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh; David Maclennan, Scottish Natural Heritage; D J MacLeod; Mary MacLeod, Western Isles Council; Morag MacLeod, School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh; Andrew Martin, National Museums of Scotland; Donald Meek, University of Aberdeen; Ian Mitchell, Joint Nature Conservation Committee; Colin Moody; Stephen Moran, Inverness Musum; Donnie Morrison, Western Isles ICT Advisory Service; Luboš Novák, Plzen University; Nicholas Oppenheim; Steve Percival, Sunderland University; Rosemary Philip; Wanda Pryhouska, Prague Castle; John Randall, Registrar-General for Scotland; Alison Rothwell, RSPB; David Sanders; Angus Smith; Candy Sorrel, Natural Environment Research Council; Paul Stapp, University of York; Ian Stephen; Simon Stephens, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich; Robert Stewart, Scottish National Party; Jim Sutherland; Charles Thomas; Kate Thompson, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Seabirds and Cetaceans Branch; Derick Thomson; Paul Tyler, Western Isles Council; Robbie Watson; Patricia Weekes, Inverness Museum; Tara Wenger, University of Texas at Austin; Ruaraidh Wishart, National Archives of Scotland; John Wood, Highland Council; Jana Žeglitzová, Prague Castle.
The following people and institutions have kindly lent, given, drawn or made
accessible the photographs, maps and illustrations in this book: Clare Arron (dedication page, p373); Robert Atkinson/School of Scottish Studies (pp12, 312); Charlie Boxer (p24); Linda Čhaková (p43); the shade of William Daniell (p79); Patrick Foster (pp127, 172, 189, 232, 248, 264); John Gilkes (pp36–7, 106–7, 237, 290); Aileen MacSween (p149); National Museums of Scotland (p95); Rex Nicholls (pp1, 14, 155, 177, 214–15); Royal Commission for Ancient and Historic Monuments in Scotland (title page); Olivia Sanders (pp7, 52, 182, 292, 295); Mischa Scorer (p337); Douglas Scott (pp46, 277); James Smith (p50); Stornoway Gazette (p19); Chris Tyler, West Highland Free Press (p5); Patrick Ward (pp64, 203, 374). Other photographs are by the author.
The author and publishers are grateful for permission to use quotations from the following works:
p60 ‘Brown-haired Allan …’, from Margaret Fay Shaw, Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist, 3rd ed., Aberdeen UP, 1986, pp259–60
p101 ‘Let’s go much as that dog goes …’ from Denise Levertov, ‘Overland to the Islands’ in Selected Poems of Denise Levertov, Bloodaxe Books
p165–6 ‘He brings northward to meet the Lord…’ from Thomas Owen Clancy and Gilbert Markus, Iona: The Earliest Poetry of a Celtic Monastery, Edinburgh UP, 1995, p147
p166 ‘He left Ireland, entered a pact …’ from Thomas Owen Clancy and Gilbert Markus, Iona: The Earliest Poetry of a Celtic Monastery, Edinburgh UP, 1995, p139
pp230 ‘That night/the scarecrow came …’ from Derick Thomson, ‘Am Bodach-ròcais’, ‘The Scarecrow’ in Black, RIM (ed.), An Tuil: Anthology of 20th Century Scottish Gaelic Verse, Edinburgh UP/Polygon, 1999, pp455–6
pp258–60 ‘The house of the story-teller …’ from Alexander Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica, Scottish Academic Press, 1983, ppxxviii-xxx
p272–3 ‘The girl of my love …’ from Donald Macdonald, Lewis: A History of the Island, Gordon Wright Publishing, 1990, p71
p330 ‘Brown John, catch me …’ from Margaret Fay Shaw, Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist, 3rd ed., Aberdeen, 1986, p121; and ‘Did you see the modest maiden’ from Margaret Fay Shaw, Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist, 3rd ed., Aberdeen, 1986, p225
p363 ‘Who possesses this landscape?…’ from Norman MacCaig, ‘A Man in Assynt’, in Collected Poems, Chatto and Windus, 1990, pp224–31, used by permission of The Random House Group Limited
p373 ‘Look, stranger, at this island now …’ from W H Auden, ‘XXV’, in Edward Mendelson, The English Auden, Faber, 1977, p157
My agent, Caroline Dawnay, continues to be the guide and inspiration to me that she has been for many years. At HarperCollins, Susan Watt has overseen this book with a masterly understanding of what it needed to be, for which I am deeply grateful. Vera Brice, who designed the book, gracefully tolerated an author who failed to make up his mind and both Antonia Loudon and Katie Espiner made life with HarperCollins a great pleasure.