From the Hebrides to the Himalayas

Constance F. Gordon Cumming's travel narrative moves with ease from the Hebrides to India, gathering scenery, history, and folklore into a single vivid journey. In Scotland, she travels from the Mull of Cantyre through Skye, Campbeltown, Saddell, St. Kilda, and the Outer Hebrides, treating ruined churches, ancient stones, kirkyards, and coastal villages as living records of memory and identity. She lingers over whisky smugglers, Dalriadic kings, St. Kieran's shrine, Norman Macleod's legacy, and the burial places of warriors and lords, while also condemning the destruction of monasteries and tombs. At the heart of the book is a rich exploration of Highland belief: witchcraft, the evil eye, milk-stealing charms, Beltane rites, fire festivals, well worship, sun and moon observances, and protective counter-spells such as the sacred Eolan an Torranain. Folklore, she suggests, preserves older truths, linking Scottish superstition to wider traditions from India, Spain, and Italy. When the narrative shifts eastward, the tone becomes one of delighted discovery, presenting India not as hardship but as a year of comfort, variety, and unforgettable impressions. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.