Robert Moray

“ But if he misseth that Footstep, (as oftentimes they do) he falls into the Sea, and the Company takes him in by the small Cord, and sits still until he be a little refreshed, and then he tries it again; for every one there is not able for that sport. ”

“ Hirta Island is two Miles in length, accounted Five-peny-Land. In it there are Ten Families. The Men seldom grow old; and seldom was it ever known, that any man died in his Bed there, but was either drowned or broke his neck. The Men are strong, big, and well skinned. Their Food is only young Fowls and Eggs ”

“ The way of their Climbing, when they kill their Fowls, is thus; They go two and two with a long Rope, not made of Hemp, but of Cow-Hides salted, and the Thongs cut round about, and plaited six or nine fold. Each end of the Rope is tyed about each one of their Middle, and he that is foremost goes till he comes to a safe standing, the other standing firm all that time to keep him up, in case his foot should have slip'd: When the foremost is come to a safe standing ”

“ And there is a kind of Officer left by the Master of the Island, who governs in his absence, and so regulates, that the best Climbers and the worst are mixed together, that so none of the Land be unlaboured ”

“ In the Western Islands of Scotland much of the Timber, wherewith the Common people build their Houses, is such as the West-Ocean throws upon their Shores. The most ordinary Trees are Firr and Ash. They are usually very large, and without branches ”

“ Of the colour and consistence of Muscle-Shells, and the sides or joyn's of them joyned with such a kind of film as Muscle-Shells are; which serves them for a Hing to move upon, when they open and shut. * See Fig. 3. The Figure of the Barnacle-Shell is here represented *. 'Tis thin about the edges, and about half as thick as broad. Every one of the Shells hath some cross Seams or Sutures, which, as I remember, divide it into five parts, near about the manner as in the Figure. These parts are fastened one to another, with such a film as Muscle-Shells are. ”