Page:The Celtic Review volume 3.djvu/195

180 The Each-Uisge was not the only enemy that disturbed the peace of the Heiskeir people. At times they found enemies, and cruel enemies enough too, amongst their own species. Remote from any friendly aid, unaccustomed to warlike exercises, and possessing some worldly substance in the shape of sheep, cattle, etc., they offered a tempting bait to the rapacity of some of their more powerful neighbours. Upon one occasion a party of Lewismen organised an expedition against them. After due preparation these marauders launched upon the deep in a large galley, and sailed along the west coast of Harris and North Uist, with the view of ravaging Heiskeir, and despoiling it of everything they could carry away, their destination being, of course, unknown to all who observed their progress. The weather turning out less favourable to their undertaking than they had calculated upon, it was anything but agreeable to them to recollect that they had no efficient pilot, particularly since they were well aware of the extremely dangerous character of the coast all around Heiskeir, and that there were no harbours. Portroy is the only place (except in the finest summer weather) where a boat can land with any degree of safety. Even this is inaccessible except in tolerably fair weather, and whatever the state of the weather may be, the precaution is invariably taken of hauling up boats above high-water mark, as they cannot ride at anchor without constant risk. Under the circumstances the Lewismen were obliged to land in North Uist, in order to procure a pilot. They were fully alive to the great difficulty and risk of securing such a convenience, since the object of their cruise could not but be too clear to any one they might come in contact with, wherefore they resolved upon kidnapping the first likely individual they met. A short distance from the place where they landed—Portscolpeg on the shores of Balranald—they noticed a lonely, miserable hut, which had the appearance of being inhabited, and towards it they directed their steps in the first place. On entering this humble domicile they found it contained but one solitary inhabitant, and such a