Lady Victoria Campbell

"THE FAIR HAVENS" 231
the ground, and it has split right up. I managed
to walk a little later on to the Baptist Church,
where Mr. Macfarlane preached at some length in
English as well as in Gaelic, for the benefit of myself
and of Miss Martin from the lighthouse.
To-day I started in Mr. Macdiarmid's gig, as the
Buckboard was under repair. Then to see the
school people. Then tea at Margaret Maclean's,
and the opening meeting in young Mrs. McKinnon's
house, where ten girls were assembled. I got back
here 5.45. It was a dreich night, and as we came
across the reef in the dusk it seemed like a kind
of Sahara.
The larks keep up a kind of song here all the
winter. I saw some ringed dotterels, and heaps of
curlews. The golden plovers are in quantities,
and great flocks of starlings.
Dec. 1st.
Raining and blowing hard from the south. No
mail-boat again. Only as far as Island House.
Began " Life of Carstares."
Dec. 2nd.
Sent Knowles in Buckboard with messages to
brush off some " Martha " cobwebs. She is working
beautifully, and behaving generally like an old
brick. I stayed quiet till the second sewing-class
at Mannal. About twenty-five present. Very
late ; seemed to think it a matter of no consequence
if they were at least half an hour late ; but I pro-