gb0551ms-33-13

Transcription

[Page] 13
[continued from page 12]

will save my time.

3rd. June 1914
The Ancient Monuments Commission
are by means of their officials conducting
the survey of Ancient remains in the
Western Isles. As I believe I could
render assistance, and as I also desired
to see some of the duns of the west I
determined, as a Commissioner thus free
of all expense, to join J. Graham Callander
for a week or ten days in the Isle of Skye.
Accordingly I left Edinburgh on 22nd. May
having completed the removal of the
contents of the Museum, and travelled
that afternoon to Fort William where I
stayed overnight at a comfortable little
hotel the "Alexandra." Next morning I
continued my journey by train over the
West Highland line to Mallaig, where I
joined the SS [Steam Ship] "Glencoe" one of the most
ancient steamers afloat, and reached
Portree at 6.30. The railway journey
is one of the most beautiful in the country
practically the whole way from Glasgow,
as it first skirts the Clyde, then in
turn the Gareloch & Loch-Lomond, thence
by mountain, moor & loch too numerous

to mention, till the sea is reached. It can
never be more beautiful than it is at this
season with the fresh foilage on the trees,
the hawthorn & rowan just coming into
blossom, and, in favoured places, a
blue shimmer of wild hyacinths about
the tree roots. The day was fine on
which I made the journey, but unseasonably
cold. H.M.S. [His Majesty's Ship] Commonwealth, a large
battleship, lay in Portree bay, and the tars
on shore gave a jaunty air to the sleepy
little Highland town. It was interesting to
hear on all hands the highest praise of the
men's conduct.

[Photograph inserted here]

As Portree was not a convenient centre
we left it on Monday 25th for Uig on the
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