The highest hills are Càrnan (273 m or 896 ft), Hecla (Old Norse: "Hooded shroud") (219 m or 719 ft) and Macphee's Hill (224 m or 735 ft). The last was named when a relief ship was sent by MacNeil of Barra to discover why communications from the island had ceased. A crewman called Macphee was sent ashore and returned to report that the residents had all died of disease. Fearing the plague, his shipmates refused to allow him back on board. He survived for a year, and climbed the hill every day to look out for a rescue. When the island was re-settled the chief of the Clan MacNeil of Barra granted him land there.