THE LONELIEST POSTMAN.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17610, 13 November 1922, Page 12

THE LONELIEST POSTMAN.

In the remote and wind-swept Hebxidean island' of. South Uist lives, a postman v whoße round is the most lonely, perhaps, of any .in the ' British Isles. '-.lt ; is a ''found''in name only. In reality it is a weary walk of five miles across an entirely uninhabited district. He starts from a. desolate sea loch, Loch Slcipport. by'name,' and reaches his journey's .' end at the lighthouso upon Usinish Point. Besides the. lighthouse keepers, there is but a single family—that of a shepherd—on' his beat, and with them ho is the one link of civilisation. This island postman knows little English— his native langunge is Gaelic, and he must ponder long before ho can reply to a question put to him in the language of the south. Three days a week, winter as in summer, he leaves Loch Skipport and, after a cup of tea at Usinish, sets out on his dreary homeward walk. It was on a summer's day that I walked back along his track, and even then it was hard to find. Across innumerable streams, across mossy v swamps, up precipitous rocks, the way led. ; ~At times, so high above the sea climbed the uncertain track, one entered the clouds, • wet, clammy, and hiding all view more than a few yards distant. I should have gone niore than once astray.had not the shepherd 's son accompanied me as.a guide. This walk gave me some insight as to what this postman's round must be in the heart of winter. At that season his outward journey would- be arduous -enough, with each stream, swollen by the tains and melting snows, a raging torrent, and with mist down to the track. But what must his homeward walk be like? It is often dusk before his letters are delivered and then, in the raging storm, and with, perhaps, blinding squalls of sleet and snow in his face, ne sets out on his five-miles struggle with the elements. No sign marks the track, no help can possibly be at hand if,' in the darkness, he misses his way. The track passes by many dark lochs; one raise step here - might have disastrous results. 'There are days when the wind blows so fiercely it is almost impossible to stand, yet -never once has this island poatman failed in hfq _