Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

380 U(>N.\.
RON A. SKY. LOCH STAFFI.V. TRODDA. DUIN.
BROADFORD. PABBA. SCALPA.
In a former expedition to Rona, I had discovered the
insufficiency of Blue Bay, and Mackenzie's chart seemed
to promise little resource in the other three harbours laid
down on the west side of this island. But, with all his
merits, I had long discovered that he was not to be de-
pended on as a guide for all the Western Isles: either for
good or evil. His survey of Orkney is excellent ; but it is
abundantly plain that he had taken a very large part of the
western coast,and of the islands also, on trust or report. A
glaring instance of this occurs near Rasay, where he has
omitted a most dangerous sunk rock, lying exactly in
the middle of this frequented passage, and not much
more than a mile from the very house in which he resided
three weeks. The excellence of some parts of his work,
and the deserved weight of his general character as a
surveyor, thus become, in themselves, an evil, and a trap
for the unwary. Were it the fashion to care as much
about the hydrography of our own coasts, as about those
of New South Shetland, I know not that a much better
thing could be done in this department, than to revise
Mackenzie's work ; while two or three summers well em-
ployed, would amend what is erroneous, and supply what
is wanting. Having navigated every coast, and entered
every harbour laid down in it, chart in hand, you see I
claim the privilege of speaking " ex cathedra" on this
pilotage.