" Rowin Foula doon ! " refers to the fishermens ' practice of rowing their open fishing boat out to sea until the high cliffs of Foula were no longer visible . This entailed the boat being some 96 kilometres ( 60 mi ) west of Papa Stour . The ' tide @-@ lumps ' are increased swells of unusual size due to the combined action of wind against tide . The resonant final image of the piece is of the fishermen being led back home to Papa by the ' scent o flooers ' across the water . This is an example of Vagaland 's ability to create a vivid sensual impression of a situation . An extra layer of meaning is added by the knowledge that Da Horn o Papa collapsed in a storm around the time of this poem 's composition , so that it is a tribute not just to a lost way of life , but a noted geographical feature .