Boat Language.—When in a boat at sea, sailing or fishing, it was forbidden to call things by the names by which they were known on land. The boat-hook should not be calledcroman, buta chliob; a knife, notsgian, buta ghiar(the sharp one); the baling dish, nottaoman, butspùidseir; a seal, notròn, butbéisd mhaol(the bald beast); a fox, notsionnach, butmadadh ruadh(the red dog); the stone for anchoring the boat was notclach, butcruaidh(hardness). This practice prevails much more on the east coast than on the west, where it may be said to be generally extinct. It is said to be carefully observed among the fishermen about the Cromarty Firth. It was deemed unlucky by east coast fishermen coming to Tiree (as several boats used to do annually to prosecute the cod and lingfishing), to speak in a boat of a minister or a rat. Everywhere it was deemed unlucky among seafaring men to whistle in case a storm should arise. In Tiree, Heynish Hill (the highest in the island) was known at sea asa Bhraonach;HoghHill (the next highest) asBheinn Bhearnach no Sgoillte(the Notched or Cloven Hill), and a species of whale ascas na poite(the leg of a pot). It should not be said “He was drowned” (bhàthadh e) but “he journeyed” (shiubhail e); not “tie a rope” (ceangail ròp), but “make it” (dean e). In the north it was held that an otter, while in its den, should not be calledbéisd du(the black beast, its common name), butCarnag. It would otherwise be impossible for the terriers to drive it from its refuge.
Boat Language.—When in a boat at sea, sailing or fishing, it was forbidden to call things by the names by which they were known on land. The boat-hook should not be calledcroman, buta chliob; a knife, notsgian, buta ghiar(the sharp one); the baling dish, nottaoman, butspùidseir; a seal, notròn, butbéisd mhaol(the bald beast); a fox, notsionnach, butmadadh ruadh(the red dog); the stone for anchoring the boat was notclach, butcruaidh(hardness). This practice prevails much more on the east coast than on the west, where it may be said to be generally extinct. It is said to be carefully observed among the fishermen about the Cromarty Firth. It was deemed unlucky by east coast fishermen coming to Tiree (as several boats used to do annually to prosecute the cod and lingfishing), to speak in a boat of a minister or a rat. Everywhere it was deemed unlucky among seafaring men to whistle in case a storm should arise. In Tiree, Heynish Hill (the highest in the island) was known at sea asa Bhraonach;HoghHill (the next highest) asBheinn Bhearnach no Sgoillte(the Notched or Cloven Hill), and a species of whale ascas na poite(the leg of a pot). It should not be said “He was drowned” (bhàthadh e) but “he journeyed” (shiubhail e); not “tie a rope” (ceangail ròp), but “make it” (dean e). In the north it was held that an otter, while in its den, should not be calledbéisd du(the black beast, its common name), butCarnag. It would otherwise be impossible for the terriers to drive it from its refuge.