The Island Nurse by Mary J. Macleod

Author:Mary J. Macleod [Mary J. MacLeod]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mainstream Publishing
Published: 2012-03-30T04:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-THREE

Andrew

BEING A YOUNG CHILD WHEN we went to Papavray, Andy was luckier than the other three, spending the best years of his childhood in the freedom of the island. Elizabeth and John enjoyed visiting, but the island could never really be home, as they had their own lives elsewhere. Nick had some good memories of his time there, but at 12 onwards boys are beginning to leave childhood behind, so he had missed the best years in which to be a part of such a wild, free environment.

I suppose it was inevitable that Andy’s best friend was Thomas the factor’s son, the only other stranger to the Gaelic tongue, and the two spent much time together and often stayed overnight in each other’s homes. Thomas was three years older than Andy and was therefore the leader in most of their exploits. The factor’s house was near a rocky bay not far from Dalhavaig, and Thomas and Andy spent many happy hours there with fairly primitive fishing rods. I don’t remember ever being asked to cook any fish, but they had fun!

One day in early spring, Big Craig was trudging along the road from Dalhavaig to Cill Donnan when he heard shouts and yells from the direction of the shore. At first he could see no one, but he turned off the road and down through the bushes towards the sea. Emerging from the cover, he looked down on the waters of the little bay with its multitude of tiny rocky islets. There, on the largest and farthest away, were two bedraggled figures surrounded by the swirling waters of the incoming tide! They were yelling their heads off in an attempt to call attention to their plight. Being so intent on their fishing, they had failed to notice that they had become marooned on their rock and that the smaller ones towards the shore had disappeared beneath the sucking water, leaving none of the footholds over which they had jumped so joyfully a few hours previously. Now they were terrified!

Big Craig shouted to the pair, ‘Stay where you are! You’re no to try to get back. The current’s too strong. I’ll be with you on yon rock in no time!’

Sturdy though he was, the waves and the suction of the swirling sea around the rocks buffeted him from side to side. Soon the water was above his wellies, so off they came. They floated away and then sank in the open sea. Soon he was up to his thighs and still he was not at the rock.

‘Take off your boots!’ he ordered. The water was now lapping at their ankles. Big Craig battled on, flinching as the sharp stones and shells on the seabed bit into his bare feet. He noticed the boys trying to hold on to their boots and fishing gear.

‘Leave all that,’ he shouted. ‘I canna take all yon!’

He arrived at the rock at last and, extending his massive arms, told the boys to catch hold of his hands.

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