Scotland/Scots > Reminiscences of a Highland parish

46
A HIGHLAND PARISH.
phoric light; until, at last, a grand haul of salmon-
trout, flounders, small cod, seath, and lythe, lay
walloping in the folds of the net upon the sandy
beach.
Those fishing excursions, full of incident as they
were, did not fully test or develop the powers of
the boys. But others were afforded capable of
doing so. It was their delight to accompany their
father on any boating journey which the discharge
of his pastoral duties required. In favourable
v/eather they had often to manage the boat
themselves without any assistance. When the
sky was gloomy, old Rory took the command.
Such of my readers as have had the happiness,
or the horror, as their respective tastes may de¬
termine, of sailing among the Hebrides in an
open boat, will be disposed to admit that it
is a rare school for disciplining its pupils to
habits of endurance, foresight, courage, decision,
and calm self-possession. The minister’s boat
' was about eighteen feet keel, undecked, and
rigged fore and aft. There were few days in
which the little Roe would not venture out,
with Rory at the hdm; and with no other per-