"You mean Scotland--the mainland of Scotland?" said the captain,
not seeming to understand the meaning of the "Mainland," which I
may here explain is our local name for Pomona island--the largest
of the Orkneys.

"No, I didna mean Scotland, skipper--though, to be sure, I hae been
over there many a time. We call this the Mainland, where we are
just now. Many folks make the same mistake about that. I mind of a
skipper named Jock Abernethy. Jock had a brig o' his ain, though he
kent naething aboot navigation, whatever. Weel, a lang while past
it is noo, he was takin' his brig frae Portree, in Skye, across to
the West Indies. His crew was nae better nor himsel'. Weel, when
they had been at sea twa or three months, Jock cam on deck ae
mornin', and, 'Donald,' says he to his mate, 'd'ye not see land
yonder to starboard?'

"'Ay, sir,' says Donald; 'I'm just thinkin' it will be the West
Indies.'

"'You're right there, Donald, the West Indies it is,' says Jock.
'See, yonder's the black folk sittin' waitin' for us!' and he
pointed to the cormorants perched on the rocks.

"So the brig was hauled round, and when she was near inshore a
pilot boat cam oot to them. Jock hailed the pilot: 'What land is
that?' he cried.

"'It's the Mainland!' sings out the pilot.

"'What! the mainland o' America?' asks Jock, thinkin' he had missed