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diff --git a/old/67928-0.txt b/old/67928-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 1a27e02..0000000 --- a/old/67928-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2329 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Cruise of the Royal Mail Steamer -Dunottar Castle Round Scotland on Her Trial Trip, by W. Scott Dalgleish - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Cruise of the Royal Mail Steamer Dunottar Castle Round - Scotland on Her Trial Trip - -Author: W. Scott Dalgleish - -Release Date: April 26, 2022 [eBook #67928] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Fay Dunn, Fiona Holmes and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The - Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CRUISE OF THE ROYAL MAIL -STEAMER DUNOTTAR CASTLE ROUND SCOTLAND ON HER TRIAL TRIP *** - - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes - - Hyphenation has been standardised. - - In the Illustration list the page number 32 was missing and - has been included. - - On Page v, the word Cathedra has been changed to Cathedral (drawings - of the Cathedral and the Earl’s Palace at Kirkwall). - - - - -_With Sir Donald Currie’s Compliments._ - - - - - THE CRUISE OF - - THE ROYAL MAIL STEAMER - - Dunottar Castle - - ROUND SCOTLAND ON HER TRIAL TRIP - - [Illustration: _Dunottar Castle_] - - - EDINBURGH - Printed by T. and A. CONSTABLE - Printers to Her Majesty - - 1890 - - -CRUISE OF THE ‘DUNOTTAR CASTLE’ - - -FOREWORD - - -The first suggestion of this Record of a very charming trip came from -SIR DONALD CURRIE, the genial and courteous Host of our palatial ‘House -Boat.’ Others pressed the task upon me; but no great pressure was -required for so congenial a work. Indeed, I need hardly say that the -preparation of the story of our Cruise has given me infinite pleasure. - -My efforts have been ably seconded by the artistic skill of my -fellow-guests, Dr. LENNOX BROWNE of London, and Miss CECILIA G. -BLACKWOOD, whose facile pencils have contributed to the work many -clever and beautiful illustrations. I am indebted to Mr. T. MACLAREN -for the architectural drawings of the Cathedral and the Earl’s Palace -at Kirkwall; while a few of the pictures are taken from photographs -by Miss MUNN, another of our gifted passengers. The whole have -been reproduced with great skill by the various engravers, with the -assistance, and under the supervision, of Mr. JOHN GULICH, who has also -contributed a few original drawings. - -It is perhaps fitting that I should offer an apology to the good folks -on board the ‘Dunottar Castle,’ who may not have been prepared for this -realisation of the words of the poet:— - - ‘A chiel’s amang ye takin’ notes, - And, faith, he’ll prent it.’ - - W. SCOTT DALGLEISH. - - EDINBURGH, _October 1890_. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - I. CONCERNING THE GOOD SHIP, 17 - - II. IN THE FIRTH OF CLYDE, 24 - - III. AMONG THE SOUTHERN HEBRIDES, 30 - - IV. IN THE SOUND OF MULL, 35 - - V. ROUND ABOUT SKYE, 46 - - VI. WILD LOCH ALSH AND DARK LOCH DUICH, 52 - - VII. ROUND CAPE WRATH, 63 - - VIII. A RAID ON ORKNEY, 70 - - IX. OUR SHIP’S NAME-MOTHER, 76 - - X. A DAY OF REST, 83 - - XI. HOMEWARD BOUND, 87 - - XII. IN THE FIRTH OF FORTH, 92 - - EPILOGUE, 95 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - ARTIST ENGRAVER - - R.M.S. ‘Dunottar Castle’ _Frontispiece_. - - Dunottar Castle from the - Shore _John Blair_ _C. Hentschel_ _Vignette - Title_. - - PAGE - - The Music Saloon _John Gulich_ _John Swain_ 18 - - A Corner of the Ladies’ - Boudoir _do._ _do._ 19 - - The Smoking-room _do._ _do._ 20 - - The Main-Deck _M. Munn_ (_Photo._) _do._ 21 - - The Ship on the Stocks at - Fairfield _Lennox Browne_ _do._ 23 - - Arran—from the Firth of Clyde _do._ _Hare and Co._ 27 - - Lamlash Bay and Holy Isle _do._ _John Swain_ 28 - - Scarba and the Isles - —from Mull _do._ _do._ 31 - - Loch Buy Head—from Carsaig _do._ _do._ 31 - - Outside of Kerrera—Ben - Cruachan in the distance _Cecelia G. Blackwood_ _Hare and Co._ 32 - - Dunolly Castle, Oban _Lennox Browne_ _John Swain_ 33 - - The ‘Iolanthe’ off Oban - —Rainy Weather _do._ _do._ 33 - - Oban and the Bay (_From Photograph_) _do._ 34 - - Oban Pier _Lennox Browne_ _do._ 34 - - The Mull Hills—from Kerrera _C. G. Blackwood_ _Hare and Co._ 35 - - Lismore Lighthouse _Lennox Browne_ _John Swain_ 36 - - Castle Duart, Mull _do._ _Hare and Co._ 37 - - Calve Island, Tobermory _do._ _John Swain_ 38 - - Ardnamurchan Point _do._ _Hare and Co._ 39 - - Loch Sunart _do._ _do._ 40 - - The Narrows—Loch Sunart _Lennox Browne_ _John Swain_ 40 - - Mist Rainbow on Ardnamurchan - —off Tobermory Lighthouse _do._ _Hare and Co._ 41 - - Glengorm, Mull _do._ _do._ 41 - - The Trishnish Islands _do._ _John Swain_ 42 - - Distant View of Staffa _do._ _do._ 43 - - The Pilot and a Tobermory _do._ _do._ 44 - Lassie - - Ardtornish Castle _do._ _do._ 45 - - The ‘Iolanthe’ off Eigg - and Rum _do._ _do._ 46 - - Loch Scavaig _do._ _do._ 47 - - Mountains in Mist—Skye _do._ _do._ 49 - - Detached Rocks—Coast of - Skye _do._ _do._ 50 - - Near Strome Ferry _C. G. Blackwood_ _Hare and Co._ 51 - - Outside of Portree Bay - —Sunrise _Lennox Browne_ _John Swain_ 52 - - Scalpa Island, Skye _do._ _do._ 53 - - Whale blowing—off Skye _M. Munn (Photo.)_ _do._ 53 - - Loch Carron—from Strome - Ferry _Lennox Browne_ _do._ 54 - - Head of Loch Carron—from - Strome Ferry _do._ _do._ 54 - - Misty Morning—Loch Carron _C. G. Blackwood_ _Hare and Co._ 55 - - The Coolins—the ‘Dunottar - Castle’ _Lennox Browne_ _John Swain_ 55 - - Kyle Akin _do._ _Hare and Co._ 56 - - Castle Maoil—near Kyle - Akin _do._ _John Swain_ 57 - - In Loch Alsh—Skye in the - Distance _C. G. Blackwood_ _do._ 57 - - Eilean Donan Castle, - Loch Duich _Lennox Browne_ _do._ 58 - - Entrance to Loch Duich _do._ _do._ 58 - - Head of Loch Duich _do._ _Hare and Co._ 59 - - The Coolins—from - Loch Alsh _do._ _do._ 60 - - Sammy and the Piper _do._ _John Swain_ 61 - - Head of Loch Kishorn _C. G. Blackwood_ _Hare and Co._ 62 - - Rona Island—Lewis and - Harris in the distance _Lennox Browne_ _John Swain_ 63 - - Summer Sheen—in Skye - Waters _M. Munn_ (_Photo._) _do._ 64 - - The Coolins—Blaven - —Marsco _Lennox Browne_ _Hare and Co._ 65 - - Cape Wrath _do._ _John Swain_ 66 - - Thurso—from the Bay _do._ _Hare and Co._ 67 - - The Old Man of Hoy _do._ _John Swain_ 68 - - Copinsay Island, Orkney _do._ _Hare and Co._ 70 - - Kirkwall—from the Bay _do._ _John Swain_ 71 - - The Earl’s Palace, Kirkwall _T. Maclaren_ _do._ 72 - - Gable of the Earl’s Palace, - Kirkwall _do._ _do._ 73 - - West Door, Kirkwall Cathedral _do._ _do._ 75 - - Dunottar Castle—from a - Port-hole _Lennox Browne_ _do._ 77 - - Dunottar Castle in the - Olden Time (_From an old Print_) . . . 79 - - Montrose—from the Sea _Lennox Browne_ _John Swain_ 82 - - Entrance to Loch Torridon _C. G. Blackwood_ _Hare and Co._ 86 - - The Bell Rock Lighthouse _Lennox Browne_ _John Swain_ 87 - - May Island _do._ _do._ 88 - - Tantallon Castle _do._ _do._ 88 - - The Bass Rock _do._ _do._ 90 - - Inchkeith _do._ _do._ 91 - - Edinburgh—from Leith - Roads _do._ _Hare and Co._ 92 - - The Tug in Leith Roads _do._ _John Swain_ 94 - - -[Illustration: FROM LEITH ROADS] - -[Illustration: _Dunottar Castle from the Shore_] - - - - -THE LOG - - -1890. - - _August 30. Saturday._—Sailed from Greenock, down the Firth of Clyde, - and round Arran. Anchored in Lamlash Bay. - - _31. Sunday._—Sailed round Mull of Cantire, and through the Sound of - Islay. Met the ‘Iolanthe.’ Anchored off north point of Kerrera. - -_Sept. 1. Monday._—Lay at anchor all day. Visited Oban. - - _2. Tuesday._—Sailed up Sound of Mull. Visited Ardnamurchan, Loch - Sunart, and Trishnish Islands in ‘Iolanthe.’ Anchored at Tobermory. - - _3. Wednesday._—Sailed between Eigg and Rum to Loch Scavaig. Visited - Loch Coruisk. Sailed round Skye. Anchored off Portree. - - _4. Thursday._—Visited Strome Ferry, Loch Alsh, and Loch Duich in - ‘Iolanthe.’ Anchored in Loch Kishorn. - - _5. Friday._—Sailed up west coast, round Cape Wrath, and along north - coast. Anchored in Scrabster Roads, Thurso. - - _6. Saturday._—Sailed through Pentland Firth, to Kirkwall in the - Orkneys. Anchored in Kirkwall Bay. Visited Kirkwall Cathedral, - the Maeshowe, and the Stones of Brogar and Stenness. Started at 6 - P.M. and sailed southward. - - _7. Sunday._—Sailed past Aberdeen, Stonehaven, Dunottar Castle, - Montrose, the Bass Rock, etc. Anchored at Leith. - - _8. Monday._—Visited the Forth Bridge in the ‘Iolanthe.’ Ship visited - by Corporations of Edinburgh and Leith, and by the public. Guests - debarked. Ship sailed for London in the evening. - - -[Illustration] - - - - -CRUISE OF THE ‘DUNOTTAR CASTLE’ - - - - -I - -CONCERNING THE GOOD SHIP - - -The ‘Dunottar Castle’ is the twenty-first ship built for the ‘Castle’ -Company, and is the largest, and in all respects the most perfect, of -all the vessels engaged in the South African Royal Mail Service. This -fine vessel was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering -Company of Govan, Glasgow, under the direction of Mr. Saxon White, the -Manager of that Company, and the supervision of Mr. John List and Mr. -George Scott of the ‘Castle’ Line. The fact that the ship was ordered -from the Fairfield Company without competing contracts being invited -from other firms, is a proof of the confidence which Sir Donald Currie -had in the builders. - -This is especially noteworthy when the dimensions and the capacity of -the ship are remembered. She exceeds the largest of her sister ships, -the ‘Roslin Castle’ by 1000 tons, the gross tonnage of the ‘Dunottar -Castle’ being nearly 5500 tons, and her net tonnage 3069. Her length -is 435 feet; the extreme breadth is 50 feet; and she is 36 feet deep. -The hull is constructed entirely of steel, with a continuous double -cellular bottom, and with eight vertical bulk-heads, which extend to -the upper deck, and divide the ship into nine water-tight compartments. -The engines are of the triple-expansion type, the cylinders being -respectively 38 inches, 61½ inches, and 100 inches in diameter, with -a stroke of 5 feet 6 inches. Between 6000 and 7000 horse-power can be -developed. Steam is supplied at a pressure of 160 lbs. to the square -inch, by four large steam boilers and a supplementary boiler, each with -six corrugated furnaces. - -[Illustration: THE MUSIC SALOON] - -The steamer has accommodation for 360 passengers—170 first class, 100 -second class, and 100 third class; but the last class is capable of -being increased by 150 at least. The crew consists of 150 officers -and men, commanded by Captain Webster, the senior Captain of the -‘Castle’ Company. Each of the dining saloons accommodates at one time -the whole complement of passengers assigned to it,—a point of no -small importance, as the trouble and worry of double meals are thereby -avoided. The ship is admirably equipped in every particular, and the -furnishings are of the most elegant character. The first-class dining -saloon is a very handsome apartment, with panelled walls and dado, and -is furnished throughout with refined taste. Abaft of this saloon, there -is a supplementary saloon for children and nurses. Forming a spacious -gallery above the dining saloon is the music-room, which is beautifully -decorated in white and gold, and exquisitely furnished in old-gold -upholstery. Adjoining this, and separated from it by a handsome -screen of bevelled glass, is the ladies’ boudoir, which is also most -luxuriously furnished. - -[Illustration: - - A CORNER OF - THE LADIES’ - BOUDOIR] - -A notable feature of this part of the ship is the spacious double -staircase, leading from the saloon to the main and upper decks. Like -the saloon itself, it is handsomely decorated with solid panels, -and every detail is conceived and executed in good taste. Abaft the -main deck state-rooms, there is a handsome and very comfortable -smoking-room, with bar attached, which is much superior to the -ordinary smoking-rooms of ocean-going steamers, in respect both of -size and of furnishings. Behind the staircase on the upper deck is the -reading-room, which contains writing-tables, book-shelves, and lounges. - -[Illustration: - - THE - SMOKING - ROOM] - -This may be the proper place to mention that the ship’s library, of -nearly five hundred volumes, is exceedingly attractive and well -selected. It contains many standard works in history, travels, and -fiction, including some of the most recent publications. It also -contains valuable books of reference, in the shape of atlases and -gazetteers, and a representative selection of music, including -Scottish, English, and Irish songs and glees. The man or the woman -would be very difficult to please who could not find within the ship -itself, with its pianos, organ, and library, ample resources for -spending pleasantly and profitably three or four weeks at sea. - -The promenade deck is exceptionally spacious, and affords ample -room for those recreations with which time is wont to be beguiled -in tropical seas. The first-class state-rooms are fitted up in a -very handsome, luxurious style, with iron spring-beds, sofas, and -lavatories, all constructed on the most approved principles. - -[Illustration: _The Main-Deck._] - -The intermediate sleeping-berths differ but little, in point of comfort -and convenience, from those assigned to first-class passengers; and -the dining-saloon, which has its own piano and organ, is infinitely -superior to what we were accustomed to in old-fashioned steamers. The -third-class accommodation is altogether superior to that provided in -the general run of ocean-going steamers. - -The sanitary arrangements include some special features, one of which -is an improved system of ventilation with compressed air. Marble -baths, and all the most approved lavatory appliances, are provided in -sumptuous fashion. A novel luxury in the ‘Castle’ liners is a barber’s -shop, with a rotatory hair-brushing machine worked by an electric -motor. Indeed, scarcely anything is lacking which could be desired by -the most fastidious traveller on shore. - -One of the greatest charms of the ship is the electric lighting, which -is carried out on a perfect scale. Nothing has done so much as the -introduction of the electric light to make ocean-travelling comfortable -and safe. It is bright and cleanly, and it is always available. It -is an immense advantage to be able to turn on a bright light in your -state-room at any moment. The evening hours in the saloon, instead of -being dreary, are looked forward to with pleasure, and are thoroughly -enjoyed. In point of fact, the saloon is quite as brilliant at night as -during the day. - -The decks also are brightly lighted up at night with electric cluster -lights, as well as with single lamps, so that dancing and other -recreations can be carried on with the greatest comfort. The ship’s -band of ten or twelve instruments is also an excellent institution, -which does much to relieve the tedium of the voyage. - -The rapidity with which the ‘Dunottar Castle’ was got into working -order speaks well for the resources and the organising power of the -Clyde shipbuilders. When the ship was launched at Govan, on May 22d, -she was a mere hulk—a huge steel case intersected with a few floors -and partitions. When the trial trip took place on August 28th, exactly -fourteen weeks later, she was completely finished, furnished, and -manned, and was ready in every particular to undertake a long voyage. -Those who saw her at the Tail of the Bank, off Greenock, at the latter -date, had some difficulty in believing that she was the same vessel. -Everything was in its place, down to the minutest curtain-ring and the -smallest carpet-tack; and every man was at his post, from the Captain -to the cabin-boy. - -The behaviour of the ship on the trial trip was admirable, and left -nothing to be desired. The day was splendid, and everything went -well. The ship attained a speed of 17½ knots on the measured mile, -off Skelmorlie, and both builders and owners were satisfied with the -results, as they had good reason to be. - -[Illustration: _The Ship on the Stocks—May 22, 1890._] - - - - -II - -IN THE FIRTH OF CLYDE - - -The trial cruise will not soon be forgotten by those who were -privileged to take part in it. The trip was worthy of the great ship, -and worthy of the famous ‘Castle’ Line. The strangers and foreigners, -the Englishmen and the colonists, who were of the party, had an -opportunity of seeing all that is grandest in Scottish coast-scenery, -such as is enjoyed by few natives; and every Scotsman on board must -have felt proud of his country. - -The course taken was the converse of that of Agricola, when his galleys -sailed round Scotland, and proved for the first time that Britain was -an island. While the Romans sailed, or rather rowed in open galleys, -from the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Clyde, the ‘Dunottar Castle’ -pleasure-party steamed from the Clyde to the Forth in a veritable -floating palace, replete with the comforts of advanced civilisation, -and embodying the most recent developments of science in the -applications of steam and of electricity. The contrast is almost too -great to be appreciated even by the most imaginative modern mind. It is -difficult to realise what the feelings of James Watt, or of Henry Bell, -would be were they permitted to see to what perfection the results of -their inventive genius have been brought by their successors. - -Perhaps few of those who entered on the expedition realised the useful -purposes which it served. They thought only of the pleasant holiday -provided for them; but in truth it answered a more practical and more -important end. It was, in fact, a preliminary trial, in which the crew -and all the officers, including the stewards, were put through their -facings, and in which the commissariat and other resources of the -management were subjected to a pretty severe test. The whole routine of -the daily life was precisely similar to that which will prevail in the -regular voyages of the ship from London to the Cape, and it is but just -to say that the results were entirely satisfactory. - -The ‘Dunottar Castle’ presented a splendid appearance as she rode at -anchor at the Tail of the Bank, off Greenock, on Saturday, August 30th, -awaiting the arrival of the invited guests of Sir Donald Currie. Being -light of draught, she lay high in the water, and made everything else -in the neighbourhood, even an American liner, look small in comparison, -while her beautiful lines were seen to the greatest advantage. On -board, everything was ship-shape and in good order; and when Sir Donald -Currie, on his arrival from Garth, was received on the main deck about -noon, by Captain Webster and his officers, it might have been supposed -that the steamer had been in commission for years, and was undergoing -an inspection on her return from one of her ocean voyages. - -The view from the upper deck was magnificent. Few scenes in the British -Isles can compare in beauty and variety with the estuary of the Clyde -opposite Greenock. We stood in the centre of a wide cyclorama, nearly -every point in which glowed in brilliant sunshine. Greenock alone was -dark and murky, as is its wont. Even Gourock gleamed in colour, as it -caught the sun’s rays emerging from the mists. Dumbarton Castle loomed -large in the warm haze to the eastward. Helensburgh basked peacefully -on its wooded slopes. Kilcreggan and Cove smiled in their leafy bowers, -while beyond them Ben Lomond raised on high its massive head. Westward, -the rugged ridge of the Arrochar Hills and Argyll’s Bowling Green -filled up the distance. Then the line of view descended again at Strone -Point, and the placid Holy Loch, and the bright villas of Hunter’s -Quay, and so the circuit was complete. - -When the last tug-load of passengers and luggage had been received on -board, the anchor was weighed, and the majestic ship steamed down the -Firth past the Cloch lighthouse, past Castle Wemyss, and Wemyss Bay, -and Skelmorlie, on the one side, and past Dunoon and Inellan on the -other. Off the Greater Cumbrae we lay-to, in order to receive on board -Lord Provost Muir of Glasgow, who, with his brother Commissioners of -the Clyde Trust, had been engaged in an inspection of the lighthouses -on these coasts. Their little steamer drew up alongside, and the -Commissioners were courteously received on board and were shown over -the ship. The Commissioners, _minus_ the Lord Provost, were dismissed -with a cheer, and we proceeded on our way. - -Passing Rothesay Bay and Mount Stuart House, one of the Marquis of -Bute’s residences, we enter a wider sea, and get a fine view of -Goatfell and the rugged peaks of Arran which surround Glen Sannox. -Opposite that weird glen, of evil omen, we turn northward, and steam -past the Fallen Rocks, and round the north point of Arran into -Kilbrannan Sound, our purpose being to sail round Arran and to anchor -for the night in Lamlash Bay. We have a pleasant glimpse, in passing, -of Loch Ranza and its rugged keep, and of the valleys and ‘cols’ that -lead over to Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa. The west coast of Arran, -however, is distinctly tame, and gives few tokens of cultivation and -industry, until we approach the south end of the island. There are, -indeed, more signs of an active population on the peninsula of Cantire, -on our right. Arran, however, can boast of historical, or at least of -traditional, interest, for the King’s Cave, near Blackwaterfoot, is -said to have been the first resting-place of Robert the Bruce on his -landing from Rathlin Island. - -[Illustration: _Arran—from the Firth of Clyde._] - -As we steam southward, that island and the Irish coast are clearly -visible beyond the Mull of Cantire. Looking back from this point, the -picturesque outline of the mountains in the north of Arran stands out -boldly against the northern sky, while southward we see Ailsa Craig -and its pale grey rocks, with their myriads of gannets. By-and-by, in -the gloamin’, we pass Whiting Bay, in which at least half a hundred -small boats are busily engaged in deep-sea fishing. Then we steam -cautiously between Holy Island and King’s Cross Point (another landmark -of the Bruce) into Lamlash Bay, where we drop anchor, and prepare to -dine in peace. - -[Illustration: _Lamlash Bay and Holy Isle._] - -We then begin to realise the importance of the fact that our cruise -is to be one of pleasure, as well as of practical use, in a sense -not previously thought of. We are to steam ahead during daylight, -and our nights are to be spent peacefully at anchor in quiet waters. -The arrangement is not only comfortable on that account, but is -also convenient, inasmuch as we shall miss very little of the -coast-scenery—none of it, indeed, if we are careful to rise betimes. - -As we lay at our anchorage, we had an opportunity of realising what the -electric light has done for navigation, not merely in the brilliant -lighting of our own ship, but in that of several of the Clyde steamers. -When the ‘Duchess of Hamilton,’ a coasting steamer, passed through the -bay with her lights gleaming, she might have been a floating firework -displayed for our special gratification. - -Calmly and peacefully the night was passed. Some spent an hour -pleasantly in the Music Saloon, under the spell of music and song. -Others found more congenial occupation in the Smoking-room. Not a few -lingered on deck till a late hour, bewitched by the galaxy of stars, -or watching the glimmering lights of the Lamlash cottages, as, one by -one, they succumbed to the demands of repose, and bade us a silent -‘good-night.’ One or two adventurous rowing boats came out at a late -hour to inspect the monster of the deep that had suddenly disturbed the -quiet of the bay; but the plash of their oars soon died away, and our -little world was left in a silence that was felt. - -[Illustration: _Ailsa Craig._] - - - - -III - -AMONG THE SOUTHERN HEBRIDES - - -If the denizens of Lamlash were looking forward to obtaining a good -view of the ‘Dunottar Castle’ next day (Sunday), they must have been -grievously disappointed, for we made an early start, and were out of -the bay before the majority of them were out of their beds. By seven -o’clock, we had rounded the Mull of Cantire, and were beginning to feel -the swell of the Atlantic. The morning was clear and crisp, and both -sea and sky seemed joyous in the sunshine. Nearly every one was on deck -for an hour before breakfast, and the sharp air was most exhilarating. - -[Illustration: _Scarba and the Isles—from Mull._] - -[Illustration: _Loch Buy Head—from Carsaig, Mull._] - -The Irish coast remained in sight for several hours; but still more -attractive was the view of the west coast of Cantire. Machrihanish -Bay awakened pleasant memories in the golfers on board. They had been -there, and still would go; and very tempting the bay looked with its -gleaming sands and sparkling wavelets. Our course now lay through the -Sound of Islay, which runs between that island and its sister Jura. -Long before we reached the Sound, we were once more in quiet water -under the lee of Islay, and with the well-marked Paps of Jura right -ahead. In the Sound, the sea was absolutely still, and there we had -morning service, reverently conducted by Captain Webster, Sir Donald -Currie reading the lessons. Shortly afterwards we met, by appointment, -our host’s large steam yacht, the ‘Iolanthe,’ which attended us -during the remainder of our cruise, and added greatly to our enjoyment -by taking us into narrow and shallow lochs and sounds into which the -great ship could not have ventured. Mr. James Currie, of Leith, with -his family, was on board, and did all in his power to render our -voyage an agreeable one. The interest of the sail increased as we -passed northward between Jura and Colonsay. The weather was superb. -The Sabbath calm seemed to have settled down on hill and sea. It was a -day for lounging on deck, and for gazing at the summer sky, or on the -Islands of the Blest which surrounded us. - -[Illustration: _Outside of Kerrera—Ben Cruachan in the distance._] - -We were prepared for a toss at the Strait of Corrievreckan; but -though the boiling of the tide was perceptible to the eye, it was -unappreciable by any other sense, at least to those in the massive -‘Dunottar Castle.’ As we crossed the Firth of Lorne, the mountains of -Argyllshire came into full view, Ben Cruachan and Ben More of Mull -being specially conspicuous. Off Scarba, we made a wide detour westward -in the direction of the Ross of Mull, so that we might see its cliffs -and caves and the shores of dark Loch Buy. - -[Illustration: _Dunolly Castle, Oban._] - -Toward evening, we reached our anchorage at the northern point of -Kerrera, but outside of Oban Bay, which is crowded at this season with -yachts and other small craft. We were opposite to David Hutchison’s -monument, set up near the scene of his labours, to remind travellers of -the great things which he did for them, and for Scotland, in opening up -the Western Highlands to swift steamer traffic. We had also a distant -view of Dunolly Castle, the ancestral home of the Macdougalls. Evening -service was conducted by Sir Arthur Blackwood, Secretary of the General -Post-Office, London; and the earnestness and freshness of his address -were highly appreciated. - -[Illustration: _The ‘Iolanthe’ off Oban—Rainy Weather._] - -The weather changed in the night, and we awoke to find ourselves -enveloped in mist and in drizzling rain. A projected trip up Loch -Linnhe to Ballachulish was consequently abandoned; and we spent the -whole day at our anchorage, awaiting the arrival of expected guests -at Oban, who were brought off in the ‘Iolanthe,’ and thence in the -steam launch. Those of us who were so inclined had thus an opportunity -of seeing the capital of the Western Highlands, though not under the -most favourable conditions; of visiting its attractive shops, and -of admiring, though at a safe distance, its numerous or innumerable -hotels. When it rains on this coast it does so with a vengeance. In -fine weather Oban is one of the most beautiful places in Scotland; on a -wet day it is one of the most disagreeable under heaven. - -[Illustration: _View of Oban and Bay._] - -[Illustration: _Oban Pier._] - - - - -IV - -IN THE SOUND OF MULL - - -[Illustration: _The Mull Hills—from Kerrera._] - -Next morning (Tuesday) finds us in the Sound of Mull, one of the most -beautiful and romantic of Highland seas. The lighthouse full astern -stands on the point of the island of Lismore, anciently the seat of the -Bishops of Argyll, and still more famous as the home of its Dean, James -Macgregor, who, in the sixteenth century, made a valuable collection -of poems in Gaelic and English, well known as the ‘Book of the Dean -of Lismore.’ The picturesque ruin at the entrance to the Sound, on -the eastmost point of Mull, is Duart Castle, the home of the Macleans. -Not far off is the ‘Lady Rock,’ which disappears at high-water, and -on which one of the Macleans once left his wife, intending that she -should perish when the tide rose and covered the rock. She was Ellen of -Lorne, a sister of the Earl of Argyll. One of her brothers rescued her, -and afterwards slew Maclean. Such stories are common in these regions: -they cling, like the ivy, to every ruined tower. These traditions of -lawlessness and vengeance formed the greater part of the education of -the people. - -[Illustration: _Lismore Lighthouse._] - -By and by we pass on the right Ardtornish Castle, a stronghold of the -Lords of the Isles, and memorable as the site of the opening of Scott’s -poem:— - - ‘Thy rugged halls, Ardtornish! rung, - And the dark seas, thy towers that lave, - Heaved on the beach a softer wave, - As ’mid the tuneful choir to keep - The diapason of the Deep. - Lulled were the winds on Inninmore, - And green Loch Aline’s woodland shore, - As if wild woods and waves had pleasure - In listing to the lovely measure.’ - -The ruins of Ardtornish are near the entrance to Loch Aline, and under -the shadow of the massive and bare hills of Morven. These hills had -a never-ending charm for Dr. Norman M‘Leod, whose native village of -Morven lies on the east coast of the Sound, nearly opposite Tobermory. -The Sound to-day is in one of its angry moods: clouds obscure the sun; -mists cling to the mountains, and the sullen sky is reflected in the -fretful sea. - -[Illustration: _Castle Duart—Mull._] - -Presently we pass on the left the ruins of Aros Castle, another of -those rock-built fortresses which are so numerous on these coasts. The -stupendous mountain-wall which appears to close up the Sound at the -north end is the rocky peninsula of Ardnamurchan, the most westerly -point on the British mainland. At its base stands yet another ruined -castle, that of Mingarry, also a stronghold of the Lords of the Isles, -and woven with warp of treachery and woof of heroism into their -adventurous story. - -[Illustration: Calve Isl^d. Tobermory] - -Passing Tobermory Bay, to which we shall return by-and-by, we sail -beyond Ardnamurchan Point, and have a distant view of the Scuir of -Eigg and the graceful outline of the mountains of Rum. The mists lift -somewhat, and give us a view of the north coast of Mull, and of the -bold beetling headland of Ardnamurchan, with its tall lighthouse thrust -out into the sea. Then we return to Tobermory, the quaint and primitive -capital of Mull, and anchor in its lovely Bay. - -The village, which, like a few other places in the Highlands, looks -best at a distance, skirts two sides of the Bay. The western banks are -steep and richly wooded. On the east, the Bay is cut off from the sea -by the small island of Calve, which forms a natural breakwater, thus -producing a spacious and very safe anchorage. Aros House, imbedded in -woods, stands on the south side of the Bay, and near it there is a very -fine waterfall on the stream which emerges from the Mishnish Lochs—a -favourite resort of anglers. From the deck, a lovely view of the Sound -of Mull is seen over the crest of Calve. The hills in the distance are -dark, but the east shores of the Sound are lighted up with gleams of -sunshine, developing marvellous combinations of colour. - -[Illustration: _Ardnamurchan Point._] - -The day being still young, the ‘Iolanthe’ is brought into requisition, -and a delightful trip is made up Loch Sunart, a veritable fiord in its -windings, and its narrowness, and its flanking mountains. As we enter -the Loch, we catch one of those occasional and transient effects which -delight artists, but which it is hazardous to paint, and still more -difficult to reproduce without colour. A brilliant rainbow rests one of -its extremities on the massive hill of Ardnamurchan, and practically -cuts it in two; one half of it being melted away under the changing -colours of the arch. - -[Illustration: _Loch Sunart._] - -[Illustration: _The Narrows—Loch Sunart._] - -It was during this trip that some members of the party developed -extraordinary skill in the game of deck quoits, while others indulged -in athletic sports of various kinds, terminating in a ‘tug-of-war’ in -which nearly every man and boy on board took part. It was alleged, -however, with what truth I know not, that a majority of those on the -winning side wore deck shoes with india-rubber soles. Nevertheless, -they maintained stoutly that ‘it was weight that told.’ The sail up -Loch Sunart was very enjoyable. A fair breeze was blowing, and the sun, -which had been concealed before, burst through the clouds, and shed -beauty on the landscape. - -[Illustration: - - _Mist Rainbow on Ardnamurchan—off Tobermory Lighthouse._] - -[Illustration: _Glengorm—Mull._] - -In the afternoon we embarked on the ‘Iolanthe’ again, and sailed round -the north coast of Mull in fairly good weather, past Ardmore Point, -past Glengorm Castle (the property of Mr. James Cowan), past Caliach -Point, and Calgary Castle with its marvellous silver strand, and past -Trishnish Point, in the direction of the Trishnish Islands. A farmhouse -near Caliach Point has an interest for literary men. Thomas Campbell -the poet spent five months there as tutor when a young man; and there -he first conceived the theme of _The Pleasures of Hope_. Another poet -has revelled in this region; for the Trishnish Islands belong to the -group described by Scott:— - - ‘The shores of Mull on the eastward lay, - And Ulva dark, and Colonsay, - And all the group of islets gay - That guard famed Staffa round. - Then all unknown its columns rose, - Where dark and undisturbed repose - The cormorant had found, - And the shy seal had quiet home, - And weltered in that wondrous dome, - Where, as to shame the temples decked - By skill of earthly architect, - Nature herself, it seemed, would raise - A Minster to her Maker’s praise!’ - -[Illustration: _The Trishnish Islands._] - -The Trishnish Islands are covered with rich grass, which makes -excellent pasture. The Laird of Calgary fattens his mutton there during -the summer months, and sends out a yacht once a fortnight to capture -two or three sheep for use. As the animals are as wild and as swift -as deer, capturing them is no easy task. They are generally driven by -a contracting line of men and boys into a trap made with spars and a -sail between two rocks on the shore; but they often break through the -cordon, and even leap sometimes over the heads of the drivers. - -[Illustration: _Distant View of Staffa._] - -This, however, is a digression. The rough sea, and consideration for -the weaker vessels of the party, male and female, induced Sir Donald -Currie to abandon the intention of visiting Staffa, with a distant view -of which the guests had to be satisfied. It is noteworthy that this -yachting cruise was the only occasion, during the whole trip, on which -symptoms of sea-sickness showed themselves. It may be added that the -most serious case was that of Sir Donald’s young piper, who had never -been on the sea before; but scarcely had the yacht been put about when -a few blasts of a pibroch, recalling memories of the braes of Garth -and Glenlyon, gave audible proofs of his convalescence, and indeed -completed the cure. On returning to Tobermory we landed, and enjoyed a -refreshing walk on the shore before dinner: some exploring the woods -about Aros House, and others climbing to the heights that surround the -town, whence a wider view was obtained. - -[Illustration: - - _The Pilot._—— _A Tobermory Lassie._] - - -The evening was given up to recreation, including dancing to the music -of the ship’s band, under the awning on the promenade deck, which, -lighted up with electric lamps, made a spacious and brilliant ballroom. -This was carried on in presence of nearly the whole population of -Tobermory, which had come out, on Sir Donald’s invitation, to see -the stately ship. The performances were not by any means confined to -the saloon folks. Our stalwart pilot, relieved of his duties for the -night, came out strong in the ‘reels’; and, having shown his paces in -a ‘fling’ with our chief, he was in great request with the Tobermory -lassies, with one of whom he engaged in a kind of terpsichorean duel, -which reminded the spectators of - - ‘The dancing pair that, simply, sought renown - By holding out to tire each other down.’ - -Another hero of the dance was one of the quartermasters, who was a -match for any of the natives, or, for that matter, for any of the crew, -engineers or seamen. It was a case of ‘one down, another come on,’ -and the contest might have lasted till break of day. Unfortunately, -however, the festivities were marred by a heavy downpour of rain; but -that did not prevent the singing of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and ‘God save the -Queen,’ or hearty cheers for our host, before the party broke up. One -could not but feel sorry for the poor people who had to find their way -to the shore in the dark, and through the pelting, pitiless rain. - -[Illustration: _Ardtornish Castle._] - - - - -V - -ROUND ABOUT SKYE - - -Wednesday morning was dull and misty. We had to feel our way cautiously -between Eigg and Rum in the direction of Skye. No view could be -obtained either of the Coolins or of the mountains of the mainland. -It was indeed tantalising to know that we were in the neighbourhood -of some of the grandest scenery in Scotland, and to be unable to -see a vestige of it, except occasionally a few outlying rocks, or a -mountainous headland swept by the mist. Early in the day we cast anchor -in the Sound of Soa, near the entrance to Loch Scavaig. - -[Illustration: _The ‘Iolanthe’ off Eigg and Rum._] - -[Illustration: _Loch Scavaig._] - -The object of stopping at that point in the voyage was to visit Loch -Coruisk, the wildest and most desolate of Highland lochs, imbedded in -the heart of the Coolins. In spite of the mist and the threatening -rain, nearly the whole party started in the ‘Iolanthe’ for the head -of Loch Scavaig. Scavaig itself is a very grand loch, partaking of -the gloom of the mountains that surround it,—a gloom relieved only -by the breakers on the rocky coast, and the glint of the wings of -sea-birds. The landing, at all times difficult, was rendered more -so by the slippery state of the rocks: but it was effected without -serious mishap. After a rough walk of half a mile, over boulders and -broken rocks, the south end of the dark lake was reached. No one had -any reason to regret the toils or the risks of the expedition. Though -the mists concealed the mountain tops, they intensified the darkness -of the lake. The rain, which had been falling for some time in sport, -now began to come down in earnest, and it quickly swelled the thousand -streams that covered the hillsides. The silver streaks had become -roaring cataracts. The loneliness of the scene was oppressive. The -lines in which Scott has described the silent lake, whose name is a -synonym for desolation, occurred to many. It is the Bruce that speaks:— - - ‘Saint Mary! what a scene is here! - I’ve traversed many a mountain-strand, - Abroad, and in my native land, - And it has been my lot to tread - Where safety more than pleasure led; - Thus, many a waste I’ve wandered o’er, - Clombe many a crag, crossed many a moor; - But, by my halidome, - A scene so rude, so wild as this, - Yet so sublime in barrenness, - Never did my wandering footsteps press, - Where’er I happed to roam.’ - - No marvel thus the Monarch spake; - For rarely human eye has known - A scene so stern as that dread lake, - With its dark ledge of barren stone. - Seems that primeval earthquake’s sway - Hath rent a strange and shattered way - Through the rude bosom of the hill; - And that each naked precipice, - Sable ravine, and dark abyss, - Tells of the outrage still. - The wildest glen but this can show - Some touch of Nature’s genial glow; - On high Benmore green mosses grow, - And heath-bells bud in deep Glencroe, - And copse on Cruchan-Ben; - But here,—above, around, below, - On mountain or in glen,— - Nor tree, nor shrub, nor plant, nor flower, - Nor ought of vegetative power, - The weary eye may ken. - For all is rocks at random thrown, - Black waves, bare crags, and banks of stone, - As if were here denied - The summer sun, the spring’s sweet dew, - That clothe with many a varied hue - The bleakest mountain-side. - - The evening mists, with ceaseless change, - Now clothed the mountains’ lofty range, - Now left their foreheads bare, - And round the skirts their mantle furled, - Or on the sable waters curled, - Or on the eddying breezes whirled, - Dispersed in middle air. - And oft, condensed, at once they lower, - When, brief and fierce, the mountain shower - Pours like a torrent down. - -[Illustration: _Mountains in Mist—Skye._] - -If the rain added to the picturesqueness of the scene, it did not add -to the comfort of the visitors, most of whom returned to the ship -drenched from head to foot. But their spirits were not damped, whatever -their bodies were: for all were in the greatest good humour. Some -one, probably a man, expressed the wish that the mist were away. Some -one else, probably a woman, suggested that it would not be _missed_ -if it were away. Such ‘Coruiskations’ of wit were not inappropriate -to the occasion, though they may have been to the scene. They helped -at all events to keep up the spirits of the party. The refreshments -distributed on the return to the ‘Dunottar Castle’ had a similar effect. - -[Illustration: - - _Detached Rocks—Coast of Skye._] - -The anchor was then weighed, and we steamed round the west and north -coasts of Skye, the ‘Iolanthe’ going in the opposite direction through -the Sound of Sleat to Portree, where we were to meet, and to anchor for -the night. The effects of the rain were seen in a tremendous increase -in the waterfalls that precipitate themselves into the Sound of Soa -from the steep sides of the mountains. The cataracts were indeed -magnificent, and every one felt that the wild weather had not been -without its compensations. - -To tell the truth, however, the scenery had to be taken very much for -granted. One or two picturesque bits of rocky coast were all that -could be seen. ‘M‘Leod’s Maidens’ were ‘children of the Mist.’ Dunvegan -Castle was nowhere. Duntulm was invisible. The bold Quiraing, and -the Old Man of Storr, and Prince Charlie’s Cave, were held as seen; -and when we anchored in the evening in the Sound of Raasay, opposite -Portree, we might have been anywhere. - -These untoward conditions, however, did not interfere with our -enjoyment of the good things provided for us on board, or of the -adjournment to the smoking-room at a later hour, when bad jokes and -good stories were equally enjoyed, and when some wonderful card tricks -were performed by our own Wizard of the North, who proved, however, -mere potter’s clay in the cool hands of Captain Webster. - -[Illustration: _Near Strome Ferry._] - - - - -VI - -WILD LOCH ALSH AND DARK LOCH DUICH - - -[Illustration: _Outside of Portree Bay—Sunrise._] - -The morning of Thursday brought a welcome change. The day opened -grandly, and the good weather which then set in blessed us during the -remainder of the cruise. Those who rose early, of whom our Special -Artist was one, were rewarded with a splendid view of the hills behind -Portree, and of the bay and harbour. We started soon after breakfast -in the ‘Iolanthe’ for Strome Ferry, where several members of the party -were to leave us, and where others were to take their places, while all -eagerly awaited letters and telegrams. - -[Illustration: _Scalpa Island—Skye._] - -[Illustration: _Whale blowing—off Skye._] - -The sail across the Inner Sound was extremely pleasant and -exhilarating. Loch Sligachan slept in peace. Scuirna-gillean and Blaven -still wore their nightcaps. The island of Scalpa was a blaze of rich -colour, heightened by the white sails of a passing yacht. The Islands -of Longa and Pabba were emeralds set in a blue sea. Broadford was a -picture of self-contained repose. Off Pabba, two large whales—probably -truants from the school, a thousand strong, lately reported from the -Shetland seas—appeared ever and anon to plough the surface of the -water, and one of our photographers succeeded in catching them (in her -camera) in the very act of blowing clouds of spray into the air. - -[Illustration: _Loch Carron—from Strome Ferry._] - -[Illustration: _Head of Loch Carron—from Strome Ferry._] - -At the entrance to Loch Carron, the parallel beaches on opposite -sides of the loch were mistaken by not a few on board for railway -embankments. Like the parallel beaches of Glen Roy and the other -valleys of Lochaber, they are obviously old moraines, but that does not -make them less interesting; rather more so. Unfortunately, we reached -Strome Ferry pier just in time to see the eleven o’clock train steam -out of the station, and meander along the coast of the Loch. It was -rather aggravating, no doubt; but everything comes to him who waits; -and our disappointed friends, who wished to go southward, were able to -enjoy a drive over the crest of the promontory to Balmacarra, and to -return in time for the two o’clock train. - -[Illustration: _Misty Morning—Loch Carron._] - -[Illustration: _The Coolins—The ‘Dunottar Castle.’_] - -Loch Carron is a very beautiful sea. It cannot compare in grandeur -or boldness with Loch Alsh or Loch Hourn. Its beauty is of a softer -type, and a simpler character; but its charms are not less. The -navigable entrance to it is narrow, owing to treacherous rocks; and -the tide flows through the passage with tremendous force and speed. -We pass on the one shore the ruins of Strome Castle, and on the other -the handsome residence of Duncraig, and the fishing village of -Plockton—a collection of weatherbeaten huts, but prettily situated on -an outstanding promontory. As we emerge from the Loch, we have a very -grand view of the Coolins, with the ‘Dunottar Castle’ lying under their -shadow, and of the islands of Scalpa and Raasay—the latter crowned -with a curious little table-mountain over which the Old Man of Storr is -distinctly visible. - -[Illustration: _Kyle Akin._] - -Later in the day, and still on board the ‘Iolanthe,’ we steamed through -the narrow passage of Kyle Akin (between Skye and the mainland) into -Loch Alsh. The mouth of the loch is intersected by reefs and rocks, -on the crest of one of which is the ruin of Castle Maoil. Near it, -on the right hand, is the pretty village of Kyle Akin, built round a -crescent-shaped bay with lovely sands. One would like to pause at such -a charming spot, or to visit Balmacarra, peaceful and sweet-looking, -or to inspect more closely the monument, not far off, erected by Sir -Roderick Murchison to the memory of one of his ancestors who heroically -collected the rents of the proscribed Earl of Seaforth after the ’45; -but we have to content ourselves with distant views, in the meantime at -least. - -[Illustration: _Castle Maoil—near Kyle Akin._] - -[Illustration: _In Loch Alsh—Skye in the distance._] - -The constant changes in the character of the scenery of Loch Alsh -are perplexing. We think we have reached the head of the loch, when, -suddenly, a new channel opens up in the apparently landlocked course. -When King Haco of Norway found his way into this inland loch, as he did -on his northward voyage after his defeat at Largs, he might very well -have imagined himself to have been caught in one of his native fiords, -so tortuous is the course and so difficult is the navigation. - -[Illustration: _Eilean Donan Castle—Loch Duich._] - -[Illustration: _Entrance to Loch Duich._] - -At the head of the loch, we approach the ruin of Eilean Donan Castle, -which stands at the junction of three lochs—Loch Alsh, Loch Long, -and Loch Duich. The castle, built on a detached island, must in olden -times have been a place of strength; but the story goes that it was -demolished by the guns of Cromwell. Passing the Castle on the left, -we enter Loch Duich, which, though an arm of the sea, has all the -appearance of a fresh-water lake, so smooth is its surface, and so soft -and fertile are its banks. It attains its greatest beauty near the -mansion-house of Inverinate and the village of Kintail, in the midst of -rich woods on its northern shore. The prevailing green tints gleam out -in the fitful sunshine with a richness and variety that are enchanting. -At its head, the loch is closed in by a magnificent group of pyramidal -mountains—Ben Attow, Scour Ouran, Ben Mhor, and the Saddle—all rising -to a height of upwards of 3300 feet, and separated by well-defined and -gloomy valleys. - -[Illustration: _Head of Loch Duich._] - -The return voyage in the evening was very fine. As we emerged from Loch -Alsh and crossed Loch Carron, we had again a grand view of the Coolins, -cloud-capped and solemn, and traversed by the axled rays of the setting -sun. We steamed in the direction of Loch Kishorn, a northerly arm -of Loch Carron, where the ‘Dunottar Castle’ awaited us, and where we -anchored for the night. - -[Illustration: _The Coolins—from Loch Alsh._] - -That night was made memorable by several incidents. In the first place, -the electric search-light was got into working order, and we astonished -the natives of Courthill and other solitary houses by flashing the -light of day in upon them at midnight. The ship’s pinnace and other -small craft on the loch appeared like lime-light pictures thrown on -a screen. The submarine electric tackle, which is used in cases of -accident to the screw, or to the bottom of the vessel, was also got -into play; and a very striking and novel effect it produced. A number -of small fishes were attracted by the light, and swam about within the -halo it formed. The scene recalled forcibly the stanza which Byron -completed by adding the last two lines:— - - “The sun’s perpendicular ray - Illumined the depths of the sea; - And the fishes, beginning to sweat, - Cried (something) how hot we shall be.” - -[Illustration: _The Piper._] - -[Illustration: SAMMY.] - -Most memorable of all, the Captain’s boy astonished every one by -volunteering a hornpipe, while dancing was in progress on the -promenade deck. Sir Donald summoned his piper to play the necessary -accompaniment; but that did not suit Sammy’s steps. He required the -whole orchestra of the ship’s band; and he gave them his instructions -with the cool confidence of a professional performer. While he was in -the very midst of his double-shuffle, Captain Webster appeared on the -gangway, calling, ‘Sammy, you rascal, what are you doing there?’ Sir -Donald, fancying for the moment that the Captain was in earnest, rushed -forward to propitiate his wrath. It was as good as a play. If the scene -had been preconcerted, it could not have been more effective. But Sam -was not in the least perturbed. He continued his performance amid the -applause of the whole company, until he was tired out. It afterwards -transpired that the boy had been ‘on the boards’ before, probably in -the part of the ‘Midshipmite’ in the Children’s ‘Pinafore.’ - -[Illustration: _Head of Loch Kishorn._] - - - - -VII - -ROUND CAPE WRATH - - -[Illustration: _Rona Island—Lewis and Harris in the distance._] - -Friday, September 5th, was perhaps the most enjoyable day of the whole -cruise. We started, in magnificent weather, with the intention of -steaming up the west coast to Cape Wrath, and thence eastward along the -north coast to Thurso. We steered up the Inner Sound, between Raasay -and Rona on the one hand, and the rugged coast of Applecross on the -other. We crossed Loch Torridon, at the head of which Ben Liugach rose -in calm and majestic splendour. Opposite Gairloch, we had a fine view -of Ben Slioch, which overlooks Loch Maree. Still finer, however, was -the view backward, where the Coolins frowned even in the sunshine—the -solemn pyramid of Blaven asserting itself in presence of loftier peaks. -From this rugged background the rocky ridge extended northward by the -Storr rocks and the Quiraing to the extremity of the island. Toward -the west, the misty outline of Lewis and Harris broke, but scarcely -broke, the regularity of the horizon. - -[Illustration: _Summer Sheen—in Skye Waters._] - -Then we crossed Loch Broom, with its Summer Isles, and the point of -Rhu-Coigach, and Enard Bay, and Loch Inver, and we began to recognise -the peculiar character of the Sutherlandshire mountains. They rise -abruptly to a considerable height from wide intervening valleys, and -they frequently assume the sugar-loaf shape. That is the case with -Suilven, ‘the sugar-loaf’ _par excellence_, and also with Canisp, and -Ben Stack, and Foinaven near Loch Laxford. - -[Illustration: _The Coolins—Blaven—Marsco._] - -The whole coast is rugged and forbidding. Close to the Point of Stoer -is the Rhu-Stoer, a detached columnar rock resembling the Old Man of -Hoy in Orkney. Several other stacks of similar formation were seen as -we passed northward, conspicuously ‘The Shepherd’ between Loch Inchard -and Cape Wrath. As we approached the latter, we felt once more the -Atlantic swell, and the ship pitched and rolled somewhat, though she -was as a rock in comparison with the smaller coasting steamers that ply -habitually in these waters, two of which we saw labouring heavily; and -some of us, at least, felt thankful that we were not as they. - -[Illustration: Cape Wrath - -—Lennox Browne] - -Cape Wrath, now seen by many of us for the first time, is really -a splendid headland. The name in its modern interpretation may be -appropriate enough, considering the wild seas that roar and bluster -around it; but in point of fact it has no connection with the English -word ‘wrath.’ It is a corruption of the Norse ‘Hvarf,’ which meant -‘the turning-point of the land,’ and might have been more correctly -Englished ‘Cape Warp.’ The lighthouse stands on a cliff 370 feet -above the sea, beneath which there is a succession of jagged points, -or needle-rocks, stretching seaward, perforated at their bases with -several openings, through which the surf breaks and spends itself in -spray. A more perilous point for shipping in a dark night it would -be hard to conceive. As we passed the Cape, the cold, rainy squalls -which had followed us for some time cleared off, leaving behind them, -however, very striking effects of sea and sky. - -The north coast, east of Cape Wrath, partakes of the same rugged -character as the promontory. There are castle rocks, and detached -rocks, and dark ‘cletts,’ too numerous to mention. There are isolated -mountains of considerable height about the dark Kyle of Durness, and -Loch Erribol, and the Kyle of Tongue. The coast-scenery, however, -becomes rapidly tamer. Ben Hope and Ben Loyal are the last prominent -peaks that stand out from the undulating plain. - -[Illustration: - - _Thurso—from the Bay._] - -Beyond Strathy Point, we reach the lowlands of Caithness. Green meadows -and yellow corn-fields sloping down to the golden sands become common. -Around Brims Ness and Holburn Head, the coast is as flat and level as -the shores of Fife and the Lothians. Near Holburn Head, however, there -is another huge detached rock, 200 feet high, called the Clett, around -which the ocean surges and swells night and day in most weathers. -Passing this rock at a safe distance, we entered Thurso Bay, and -anchored securely in Scrabster Roads. The rain clouds cleared off -toward evening, and revealed a beautiful sunset. - -[Illustration: - - _The Old Man of Hoy._] - -At Thurso (which is Thor’s Town, another Norse landmark) we were in -touch once more with the British railway and postal systems. The -most prominent object on the mainland was the castle lately rebuilt -by Sir J. G. Tollemache Sinclair—a cold-looking mansion, rendered -more forbidding by the absence of trees. The town itself looked very -picturesque, with its spires and chimneys breaking the coast-line, -while the fields of golden grain that surrounded it bespoke fertility -and prosperity. Other noteworthy features of the neighbourhood were -Harold’s Tower, the Bishop’s Castle, and the bold bluffs of Dunnet -Head, the most northerly point of the mainland. The northward view -included the Orkney Islands, and Hoy Head, with the Old Man of Hoy at -its base, which, at a later hour, and in the ‘witching time of night,’ -stood out grandly in the moonlight. - - ‘The Old Man of Hoy - Looks out on the sea, - Where the tide runs strong, and the wave rides free: - He looks on the broad Atlantic sea, - And the Old Man of Hoy - Hath this great joy, - To hear the deep roar of the wide blue ocean, - And to stand unmoved ’mid the sleepless motion, - And to feel o’er his head - The white foam spread - From the wild wave proudly swelling, - And to care no whit - For the storm’s rude fit, - Where he stands on his old rock-dwelling.’ - - —PROFESSOR BLACKIE. - - - - -VIII - -A RAID ON ORKNEY - - -[Illustration: _Copinsay Island—Orkney._] - -During the night we were rocked in the cradle of the deep, even at -our anchorage, by the north-west wind, which blew strongly; and at -an early hour in the morning, the anchor was weighed, and we steamed -steadily through the Pentland Firth, generally a tempestuous passage, -and then northward past the rugged islet of Copinsay, with its myriads -of sea-birds, into Shapinsay Sound. Balfour Castle, on the island of -Shapinsay, was the most prominent object in the landscape. One is apt -to wonder how the massive building came there, so inconsistent is -its pretentious appearance with its bare and cheerless surroundings. -By-and-by we anchored in Kirkwall Roads, and every one, as quickly as -possible, was transferred to land in the ‘Iolanthe,’ and the steam -launch, or the attendant gigs. - -Kirkwall is not a very stirring or lively place, but it has an -old-world flavour, which makes a visit to it pleasant and memorable. -Its narrow and tortuous streets, paved with flags, its old-fashioned -houses, many of them with secluded courts, and presenting their gables -to the sea, and most of all its ancient Cathedral, invest it with a -peculiar interest. - -[Illustration: _Kirkwall—from the Bay._] - -The Cathedral forms, of course, its chief attraction. This building, -which is the most conspicuous object in the town, as seen either from -the sea or from the land, dates from the twelfth century, having -been founded by Jarl Rognvald in 1137, in memory of his uncle, St. -Magnus. Its style is chiefly Norman, but it contains many features of -the Pointed Gothic or Early English style, which makes it extremely -interesting to the antiquary and the architect, resembling in that -respect the famous Cathedral of Trondhjem, which belongs to the same -period. Outwardly, it is wonderfully well preserved. Though really a -very small building of its kind—a cathedral in miniature,—its parts -are so well proportioned that it has almost an imposing appearance. -Worthy of special notice are the great east window, which Sir Henry -Dryden believed to be unique; the circular window in the south -transept; and the carving of the west door, which Dryden refers to as -probably the finest example in the British Islands of the effective -combination of particoloured stones. But the delicate floral work in -the arch of the doorway is now much weather-worn, and the fine pillars -are wasted to skeletons. The tower, to which we mounted, commands a -splendid view of the town and bay and the surrounding islands. - -[Illustration: _The Earl’s Palace—Kirkwall._] - -From the Cathedral we passed to the Bishop’s Palace, part of which is -probably as old as the Cathedral itself, though the greater part is -known to have been built in the sixteenth century by Bishop Reid, who -made additions to the Cathedral also. In the older part of this palace -King Haco died on his return from Largs, and his remains lay for a time -within the Cathedral. - -Still more interesting are the remains of the Earl’s Palace, which -stands to the east of the last-named building. It was erected by the -notorious Earl Patrick Stewart—“Black Pate”—about 1590. He was the -son of Lord Robert Stewart (a natural son of James V.), Earl of Orkney. -Black Pate also built Scalloway Castle in Shetland; and in the erection -of both he levied contributions from his vassals and retainers without -stint, requiring them not only to furnish the materials in stone, lime -and eggs, with which the mortar was mixed, but also to work like slaves -under his command: hence his by-name, “The Scourge of the Islands.” -By-and-by his notorious deeds became known in Edinburgh, and he was -captured, and ended his career on the gallows. - -[Illustration: - - _The Earl’s Palace—Kirkwall._] - -He must, however, have been a man of fine taste and grand notions, if -we are to judge by the architectural features of his palace. It is -really a fine specimen of the Scottish baronial style, many of the -details of ornament—in round turrets, quaint gables, and projecting -windows—being beautiful, especially as seen through the grove of -sycamore-trees which surrounds the building. A remarkable feature is a -level arch over one of the great fireplaces in the banqueting hall, on -either side of which the initials “P.E.O.” (Patrick, Earl of Orkney) -may still be seen. This is one of the best examples of the straight -arch in Scotland. - -The day being exceedingly fine, a large contingent enjoyed a drive -along the Stromness road to Maeshowe and the Stones of Brogar and -Stenness. - -Maeshowe is an unique chambered mound, and is one of the most -interesting of the many interesting antiquities of Orkney. The mound -is 36 feet high and 300 feet in circumference. The central chamber (15 -feet square) is built of solid blocks of stone. The roof is of bee-hive -shape, and in the walls there are on three sides deep cells or shelves -5 or 6 feet long. It is reached by a long and narrow passage, and as -the whole is underground, it has to be explored by candle-light. The -position and the dimensions of the cells suggest a place of burial, -such as the early Britons used; but the numerous inscriptions on the -walls are Runic and Norse. There has therefore been a great deal of -discussion as to the purpose of the building; but the general belief -now is that it was originally a Pictish sepulchre, and that it was -broken into by the Norsemen after the ninth century, and was used by -them as a place of refuge, and for the concealment of treasure. - -A mile and a half farther on are the two celebrated stone circles, -called respectively the Ring of Brogar and the Ring of Stenness. The -latter is the smaller, though it has given its name to the whole. -According to our own Antiquary, who accompanied the party, that circle -was 104 feet in diameter, and consisted originally of twelve stones, of -which only two are standing. The Ring of Brogar, according to the same -authority, was 340 feet in diameter, and comprised sixty stones, of -which thirteen are standing, while ten others, though they have fallen, -are still entire. We were assured that these are the finest stone -circles in Scotland, far surpassing in extent the Stones of Callernish -in Lewis, and comparing favourably with the more famous remains of -Stonehenge. As to the purpose of these circles, we were left to solve -the mystery for ourselves, being warned, however, that their connection -with Druidical worship is now discredited. - -One of the most famous of these monoliths was the Stone of Odin in -the Stenness circle, now no longer erect. It was perforated by a -hole, about five feet from the ground, and was regarded with the -utmost veneration, being used (as the readers of Scott’s _Pirate_ will -remember) as the place where lovers plighted their troth by clasping -hands through the aperture. The stones in the case of both circles are -of the Old Red Sandstone formation. - -[Illustration: - - WEST DOORWAY - KIRKWALL - CATHEDRAL] - - - - -IX - -OUR SHIP’S NAME-MOTHER - - -The whole party returned to the ‘Dunottar Castle’ about five o’clock, -and soon afterwards the anchor was weighed and we started on our -homeward voyage. The wind, which had been blowing fresh from the -north-west all day, fell away toward sunset, and during the night—the -only night spent in sailing—we had a wonderfully quiet passage. - -About five o’clock in the morning, those who were fortunate enough to -occupy berths on the port side of the ship saw a magnificent sunrise. -The sky was clear overhead, but there was a dense bank of clouds on -the eastern horizon. Presently, in the midst of the dark mass, a -ruddy longitudinal streak appeared. Then the streak was doubled and -multiplied. The upper air glowed with opalescent tints. The clouds -melted away, and the ruddy orb of the sun appeared on the verge of the -ocean. The sea around us, and for miles away, was calm as a mirror, and -reflected the gradations of light and the fiery hues of the eastern -sky. It was an enchanting scene, such as could be witnessed only once -or twice in a lifetime. - -We passed Aberdeen about six o’clock, but at too great a distance to -obtain a definite view. About breakfast-time we were off Stonehaven, -which threw back from its windows the rays of the morning sun. It -was a glorious day. Not a cloud darkened the sky, not a ripple broke -the surface of the sea except in the track of the ship. Presently we -were abreast of the ruins of Dunottar Castle, perched on its rocky -pedestal—the veritable name-mother of our ship. The breakfast-bell -was ringing (a welcome sound in ordinary circumstances), but every one -was loath to leave the deck. The order was therefore given to lie-to -until that necessary rite had been performed. Then we returned to the -deck with satisfied spirits, and gazed for half an hour or more on the -beautiful scene. Artists, photographers, and scribes were soon busily -at work, all eager to catch the fleeting beauty. - -[Illustration: _Dunottar Castle._] - -The detached, or semi-detached, rock on which the ruins of the Castle -stand is about two miles south of Stonehaven. It is 160 feet high, -and a deep chasm separates it, all but completely, from the mainland, -which at this point is wild and precipitous. The neighbourhood, -indeed, is a continuous series of cliffs, which are frequented by -numerous sea-birds: hence the popular name given to the coast, of the -‘Fowlesheugh.’ - -Here again the resources of our own Antiquary were called into -requisition, and he assured us, with the unblushing confidence of an -expert, that the name of the Castle meant in Gaelic ‘the fort of the -low promontory.’ It is easy to believe that the rock was the site of a -castle from very early times, a siege of ‘Dunfoither’ (as it was then -called) by a king of the Picts in the seventh century being on record -(681 A.D.).[1] The Castle the ruins of which remain is of course of -much later date, though its buildings belong to different ages. It -appears, from evident signs, to have covered the greater part of the -surface of the rock, which is 4½ acres in extent. - -[1] See Sir Donald Currie’s _Book of Garth and Fortingall_, page 83. - -Its position resembles very closely that of Tantallon Castle in the -Firth of Forth, and before the days of artillery it must have been -almost impregnable. Nevertheless, Blind Harry describes a capture of -Dunottar by William Wallace, when four thousand Englishmen were burned -in the Castle. It was re-fortified by Edward III. in 1336; but these -incidents relate to an older castle than that of which the remains -survive. - -The present Castle, as far as can be ascertained, was begun by Sir -William Keith, the ‘Great Marischal of Scotland,’ towards the close of -the fourteenth century, and the lands and castle remained in the hands -of the Keith family till the Rebellion of 1715, when the owner threw -in his lot with the Pretender, and forfeited his estates. One of the -mottoes of the family was couched in the quaint and defiant words, - - ‘They haif said: - Quhat say they: - Lat thame say!’ - -When the ship received the name of the Castle, these words also were -adopted as its motto. - -[Illustration: _Dunottar Castle in olden time—from an old print._] - -Dunottar was besieged by the gallant Marquis of Montrose during -the great Rebellion, the Earl Marischal of that time having been -a Covenanter (1645). Montrose offered him fair terms if he would -capitulate, but the Covenanting clergymen who had taken refuge within -the Castle overruled him, as their kind overruled David Leslie at -Dunbar; and he was not allowed to surrender. Thereupon the Marquis -subjected the surrounding property to military execution, to the great -dismay of the Earl, when he saw flames and smoke rising from his -houses, and notwithstanding the assurance of Andrew Cant (ominous name) -‘that the reek would be a sweet-smelling incense in the nostrils of the -Lord.’ Evacuation followed as a matter of course. - -When Charles II. visited Scotland in 1650, he was entertained in -Dunottar Castle by the seventh Earl Marischal. In the following year, -when the English Parliamentary army overran Scotland, the Scottish -Estates deposited the Regalia in Dunottar Castle, then deemed the -strongest place in the kingdom, and George Ogilvy of Barras was -appointed Lieutenant-Governor. It was besieged by Cromwell’s army, and -Ogilvy held out until famine rendered his troops mutinous, whereupon he -surrendered. Before he did so, however, the Regalia had been cleverly -removed by Mrs. Granger, the wife of the minister of Kinneff—a village -on the coast, four miles farther south. Having obtained the permission -of the English commandant to visit her friend Mrs. Ogilvy, the -Lieutenant-Governor’s wife, Mrs. Granger, carried with her, on leaving -the Castle, a bundle of clothes, in which the Crown was imbedded, and -also a huge distaff covered with lint, which was in fact formed of the -Sceptre and the Sword of State. - -The same night, the precious treasures were buried by the minister -himself under the flags of his church at Kinneff; and there they -remained till after the Restoration of 1660, when they were unearthed, -and were presented to Charles II. by the same George Ogilvy who had -formerly been Commander of the Castle. Ogilvy’s only reward was the -title of Baronet, and a new coat of arms. The minister and his wife -received no reward—not even thanks. Sir John Keith, the brother of the -Earl Marischal, was made Earl of Kintore in 1677, and was the ancestor -of the present Earl, who is the tenth to hold the dignity. - -After its surrender to Cromwell, the Castle was partially dismantled -and reduced to ruins. What remained of it was, like the Bass Rock, -used as a State prison for the Covenanters during the persecutions -under Charles II. and the Duke of York. One hundred and sixty-seven -men and women were imprisoned at one time in its ‘Whig’s Vault,’ or -Black Hole, and nine of them speedily died of suffocation. Driven to -despair, some twenty-five of them one night crept out of a window and -along the face of the cliff, in the hope of effecting their escape. Two -of these daring men fell over the rock and were killed. The others were -captured, and were subjected to terrible cruelties. - -A few years after the forfeiture already referred to, the Castle was -sold, and was completely dismantled. It was subsequently repurchased by -the Keith family; and it passed finally into the hands of Sir Alexander -Keith, Writer, Edinburgh, whose grandson, Sir Patrick Keith Murray of -Ochtertyre, sold it in 1875 to Mr. Innes of Cowie, near Stonehaven. - -Having studied the Castle and its surroundings long enough to deepen -our impressions of it, we got up steam again, and went on our way past -Bervie, with its outstanding Craig-David; past Montrose, stretched -over a level site; past Arbroath, with its tall chimneys, its spires, -and its ancient Abbey,—all seen in the dim distance, and reposing -peacefully in the Sabbath calm. - -[Illustration: _Montrose—from the Sea._] - - - - -X - -A DAY OF REST - - -At the morning service, which was held as usual in the saloon, Dr. -Cameron of Cape Town preached an eloquent and suggestive sermon from -Luke xiii. 29, ‘They shall come from the east, and from the west, and -from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom -of God.’ The words, he thought, were not inappropriate to the occasion; -for the company was gathered from many parts of this country, and some -of its members from distant lands. It might be said, indeed, that we -had come from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from -the south. After pointing out that the words were Christ’s real answer -to the question, ‘Are there few that be saved?’ and showing that His -restrictions applied to those who sought to enter the kingdom of God in -other ways than by the strait gate, the preacher continued:— - - ‘My text gives us the vision of a great commonwealth or society, - into which all worthy elements of human character are gathered up—a - kingdom of God which is at the same time a kingdom of man. And they - form a great multitude which no man can number, because fresh crowds - are ever gathering into it. “The nations of them that are saved shall - walk in the light of it.” - -‘“They shall come from the East”—the land of immemorial traditions and -gorgeous imaginations, of Oriental splendour and barbaric gold: the -cradle of civilisation, and philosophy, and religion: where, a thousand -years before Christ, mystics dreamed of a blessedness which could be -reached only by those who mortified the flesh, and contemplated the -unseen glories of the spiritual world;—the East, with its patient -millions who have borne without complaint the yoke of a cruel bondage: -with its frankincense and myrrh, once laid in homage at the cradle of a -little child: with its jewelled temples raised in honour of gods many -and lords many, and its holy plains, - - “Over whose acres walked those blessed feet - Which, eighteen hundred years ago, were nailed, - For our advantage, to the bitter cross.” - -‘None of that splendour shall be lost: it shall receive a new -consecration. That devotion shall find its true object: those dusky -brows shall be decked by the hand of Him who hath made us kings and -priests unto God. “They shall come from the east,” and sit down with -prophets and patriarchs in the kingdom of God. - -‘“They shall come from the West.” The kingdom of God is no palace of -luxury, no paradise of passive repose, where kings sit in solemn state, -and mystics dream away their days in fruitless visions. It is the -commonwealth of those banded together to do the work of the Lord, and -there must be place in it for the practical vigour and the restless -energy of the Western mind. The subtle Greek, who sent the arrows of -his thought quivering into the heart of Europe: the practical Roman, -fulfilling his great part in the commission to replenish and subdue the -earth: the nations of modern Europe, with their culture, and power, -and ambitions: the great Republic of the West, where the banner of -religious freedom was unfurled, and great problems in politics and -religion are being worked out—not one of these can be spared from -the final association of men in the kingdom of God. Each has its -contribution to bring. We are debtors to the Greek and the barbarian, -to the wise and the unwise: and they in their turn are debtors to the -great world of which they form a part, and are to bring their glory and -honour, their worth and their wisdom, into the Community of the Saved. - -‘“They shall come from the North.” They came from the north in mighty -hordes—those fierce barbarians who swept down upon the tottering -Roman Empire, and crushed out what remained to it of life. Province -after province was invaded by these terrible men, the fairest tracts -of Southern Europe were occupied by them, and are still held by their -descendants. They shall come again, Christ says, from the north: not -for destruction, but for help and blessing: not to ravage the provinces -of a decaying earthly empire, but to swell the population and to add -to the wealth of the city of God: from the far north, the land of the -midnight sun, and the noonday darkness, into the city of which the Lord -is the everlasting light, and whose sun shall no more go down for ever. - -‘“They shall come from the South”: where palm-trees cast their grateful -shadows on the earth, and temples lift their stately heads to heaven. -We read and speak of the luxury and ease of the South, where life is -free from care, and its burdens rest very lightly on men whose hearts -are bright and gay. But there is a place even for something of this -kind in the final home. There must be rest and peace, as well as toil -and energy: enjoyment, as well as action. So the men of the South come -trooping in at the call of Christ, even as the Queen of the South once -came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. From the banks of the river of -Egypt, with its mighty pyramids and mystic learning: from the central -plains and southern shores of the dark continent of Africa, which shall -one day be light in the Lord: from the new world of the Southern Seas -with their multitude of islands, and from that greater Britain which is -throbbing with the vigorous life of what they love to call the Mother -Country—from each and all of these they shall come, a goodly host, -each under its own standard, but high over all the blood-red banner of -the Captain of our Salvation. They shall come, a great multitude which -no man can number, “from the east, and from the west, from the north, -and from the south”: and this is the processional hymn to the music of -which they march through the gates into the city— - - “Unto Him that loved us, and washed - us from our sins in His own blood, - And hath made us kings and - priests unto God and His Father; - To Him be glory and dominion - for ever and ever. Amen.”’ - -[Illustration: _Entrance to Loch Torridon._] - - - - -XI - -HOMEWARD BOUND - - -When we returned to the deck we found ourselves within sight of the -Bell Rock, off the Firth of Tay, and the old stories were retold of the -fate of Ralph the Rover, and of the trials and hair-breadth ’scapes -of Robert Stevenson and the heroes who helped him to build the famous -lighthouse, and to carry out in an enduring form the humane intentions -of - - “The pious Abbot of Aberbrothock.” - -[Illustration: _The Bell Rock Lighthouse._] - -A heavy haze now began to gather on the shore. No trace of St. -Andrews could be seen. The East Neuk of Fife, with King’s Barns on -the one side and Crail on the other, was only dimly visible. Steaming -close to the Isle of May, we saw very plainly its lighthouses, its -store-houses, and its ruined chapel of St. Adrian. We were reminded, -in view of recent events, that this island is nearly of the same size -as Heligoland; and one wonders that it has not been turned to as good -account as the latter. Late in the evening we entered the Firth of -Forth by the passage between Tantallon Castle and the Bass Rock, in -order to obtain a view of these famous fortresses. - -[Illustration: _May Island._] - -[Illustration: _Tantallon Castle._] - -Tantallon Castle, like Dunottar, stands on a detached rock, and is -accessible from the mainland only at one point. It is famous in the -history of Scottish wars, and especially in that of the house of -Douglas. Every one is familiar with Scott’s graphic description of it, -and of the parting scene of Marmion and Douglas at its gate:— - - ‘On the Earl’s cheek the flush of rage - O’ercame the ashen hue of age: - Fierce he broke forth,—“And darest thou then - To beard the lion in his den, - The Douglas in his hall? - And hopest thou hence unscathed to go?— - No, by Saint Bride of Bothwell, no!— - Up drawbridge, grooms!—what, warder, ho! - Let the portcullis fall.”— - - Lord Marmion turned—well was his need— - And dashed the rowels in his steed, - Like arrow through the archway sprung; - The ponderous gate behind him rung: - To pass there was such scanty room, - The bars, descending, razed his plume.’ - -The buildings and the surrounding walls cover the entire surface of -the rock. Its strength in olden times was proverbial, and led to the -saying— - - ‘Ding doon Tantallon, - Mak’ a brig to the Bass,’ - -the one achievement being deemed about as easy as the other. The ruins -as seen from the sea do not present any picturesque features, but -they give the impression of a place of great size, and practically -impregnable. - -The Bass Rock (313 feet high) is the counterpart in the Firth of Forth -of Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde; and it is remarkable that these -two rocks are the only ones in Scotland that are frequented by the -gannet, or solan goose. The Bass presents a very bold outline, from -whatever point it may be seen. Its summit slopes from north to south, -and it is surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs, rising sheer out of -the sea. The only possible landing-place is on a shelf of rock on the -south side, above which are the ruins of a fortress, which stretched -across the island from east to west. - -[Illustration: _The Bass Rock._] - -This fortress, as has been mentioned, was used as a State prison in -the times of Charles II. and his brother James VII. Many Covenanters -were immured there, including stout old John Blackadder, who died on -the island after a long imprisonment. The Bass was the last stronghold -in Britain that held out for James VII., and after its surrender its -castle was demolished. - -As we passed close to the rock the steam-whistle was sounded, and -at once great numbers of solan geese rushed forth like a living -whirlwind, darting and wheeling in the air, and filling it with -their hoarse cries. The noise had scarce died away when we passed -North Berwick—sentinelled by its Law, and guarded by its outposts, -Craigleith and Fidra. The haze grew denser and denser as we sailed up -the Firth of Forth, so much so that it was thought advisable to go at -half-speed. Inchkeith was not visible until we were within less than -a mile of it. One consequence of the changed atmospheric conditions -was that a projected visit to the Forth Bridge had to be postponed; -another was, that we failed to obtain the view of Edinburgh from the -sea, which is considered one of the finest. - -Above Inchkeith, we were met by a tug from the shore, which brought out -some of the representatives of the Leith house (James Currie and Co.) -and other friends. The tug marshalled us the way to our anchorage; and -about six o’clock we dropped anchor in Leith Roads, not without regret -that the act signalised the practical termination of our delightful -cruise. - -After dinner that evening, Sir Arthur Blackwood and Lord Provost Muir -expressed to Sir Donald Currie, in the name of the guests, their hearty -thanks for his splendid hospitality, and for the pleasure which the -trip had afforded them in many ways. Captain Webster, his officers and -men, were not forgotten in this thanksgiving service; and well they -deserved this recognition, for what was a pleasure-trip to the guests -involved no little hard work for them. Indeed the Captain declared that -his anxieties had turned his hair white, but he added that the many -kind things said of him had restored its natural colour—a kind of -capillary blush after the blanching of care. - -[Illustration: _Inchkeith._] - - - - -XII - -IN THE FIRTH OF FORTH - - -Next morning the mist had risen sufficiently to show dimly, but -yet with a certain poetic mystery, the beauties of the unrivalled -position of ‘the grey Metropolis of the North’ within her cincture -of hills—Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat, Blackford Hill and the -Braids, Corstorphine Hill and the wooded heights of Dalmeny and -Hopetoun. In the midst, there was a dreamy indication of the city, with -its masses of buildings following the contours of the undulating site, -and relieved by outstanding spires, monuments, and tall chimneys—the -whole culminating in the Castle Rock, which stood out like an aerial -island from a sea of haze. - -[Illustration: From Leith Roads] - -In the forenoon, a delightful trip was made in the ‘Iolanthe’ up to -and under the Forth Bridge; and those who made it were rewarded with -a splendid view of that wonderful structure. As every one knows, the -view of the Bridge from the sea is the finest that can be obtained. You -see it as a whole. You take in at a glance all its details. You see -each of the cantilevers separately, as well as the connecting girders. -You see the width of the great spans and the height of the ‘fair-way’; -and you understand why such vast superstructures were necessary in -order to secure the stability of the intermediate railway line. All -this is missed by one who crosses the Bridge in a railway carriage, -unless, as occurred once in the experience of the writer, the western -sun casts a perfect shadow of the Bridge on the placid bosom of the -Firth below. - -In the course of the day, several thousands of the inhabitants of -Edinburgh and Leith visited the ‘Dunottar Castle,’ on the general -invitation of the Castle Company, and in steamers provided for their -accommodation. The extent to which the privilege was taken advantage of -showed how highly it was appreciated. - -In response to special invitations, the Corporations of Edinburgh and -Leith, the Merchant Company, the Chambers of Commerce, and other public -bodies, paid a visit to the ship about noon, and were entertained to -luncheon, to the number of 150, Sir Donald Currie presiding. The manner -in which the extempore function was carried through showed that the -resources of the ship, without extraneous aid, were quite equal to such -an emergency. It is needless to do more than refer to the eloquent -speeches in which the beauty of the ship and the enterprise of its -owners were acknowledged. - -Then, at length, the harmonious party, which for ten days had been at -home in the great ship, was scattered promiscuously to the East and -the West, the North and the South, to resume old ties of love and -friendship, but not to forget the new ties that had been formed. - -In the evening of the same day, the great ship left her moorings and -sailed for London, there to take her appointed place in the Cape and -Natal Mail Service; and no vessel ever entered on her career with more -cordial good wishes from troops of friends than - - ‘THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE.’ - -[Illustration: _The Tug in Leith Roads._] - - - - -_EPILOGUE_ - - -_History, in these days, is made more rapidly than it is written. -Before these sheets have left the Press, there comes the news that ‘The -Dunottar Castle’ has ‘beaten the record’ on her first Cape voyage in -both directions._ - -_She made the outward passage in 16 days, 11 hours, 54 minutes, and -completed the homeward run to Plymouth in 16 days, 6 hours, net -steaming time. The fastest passages previously recorded were made by -‘The Roslin Castle’: outward in 17 days, 10 hours, 15 minutes, and -homeward in 16 days, 16 hours, 35 minutes. ‘The Dunottar Castle’ has -thus shortened the passage between England and the Cape by nearly a -whole day._ - - W. S. D. - - - - -EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY PRESS - -[Illustration] - - T. AND A. CONSTABLE - _Printers to Her Majesty_ - - MDCCCXC - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CRUISE OF THE ROYAL MAIL -STEAMER DUNOTTAR CASTLE ROUND SCOTLAND ON HER TRIAL TRIP *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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