<&toa v 3 FOREWORD HE first suggestion of this Record of a very charming trip came from Sir Doxald Currie, the genial and cour- teous 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. Lexxox Browne of London, and Miss Cecilia G. Blackwood, whose facile pencils have con- tributed to the work many clever and beautiful illustrations. I am indebted to Mr. T. Maclaren for the architectural drawings of the Cathedra and the Earl's Palace at Kirk- wall ; while a few of the pictures are taken from photo- graphs In Miss Mi w, another of our gifted passengers. vi FOREWORD The whole have been reproduced with great skill by the various engravers, with the assistance, and under the supervision, of Mr. Johx Gulich, who has also con- tributed 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 '11 prent it' W. SCOTT DALGLEISH. Edinburgh, October 1890. \..< -■ 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 ok 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, . . . 70 X. A Day of Rest, ..... S3 XI. Homeward Bound. . . .87 XII. In the Firth <>i Forth, .... 92 Epilogue, ..... 95 ILLUSTRATIONS R. M.S. 'Dunottar Castle" . Dunottar Castle from the Shore . The Music Saloon A Corner of the Ladies' Boudoir . The Smoking-room The Main Deck .... The Ship on the Stocks at Fairfield Arran — from the Firth of Clyde . Lamlash Bay and Holy Isle Scarba and the Isles — from Mull Loch Buy Head — from Carsaig . Outside of Kerrera — Ben Cruachan in the distance Dunolly Castle, Oban . The ' Iolanthe' off Oban — Rainy Weather do. Oban and the Bay Oban Pier ... The Mull Hills— from Kerrera Lismore Lighthouse . . . Castle Duart, Mull Calve Island, Tobermory . Ardnamurchan Point . Loch Sunart .... ARTIST ENGKAVtK Frontispiece. John Blair C. Hentschel Vignette Title I' AGE John Gnlich John Swain 18 do. do. IQ do. do. 20 M. Munn {Photo. ) do. 21 Lennox Browne do. 2 3 do. Hare and Co. . 27 do. John Swain 28 do. do. 3i do. do. 3i Cecilia G. Blackwood Hare and Co. . Lennox Browne John Swain 33 ther do. do. 33 (Fro m Photograph ) do. 34 Lennox Browne do. 34 ( '. < r. Blackwood Hare and Co. . 35 Lennox Browne John Swain 36 do. Hare at, i 37 dr. John Swain . 38 do. Hare ana 39 a . . 40 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE The Narrows — Loch Sunart Mist Rainbow on Ardnamurchan — off Tobermory Lighthouse Glengorm, Mull .... The Trishnish Islands . Distant View of Staffa . The Pilot and a Tobermory Lassie Ardtornish Castle The ' Iolanthe' off Eigg nd Rum Loch Scavaig .... Mountains in Mist— Skye . Detached Rocks — Coast of Skye . Near Strome Ferry Outside of Portree Bay — Sunrise Scalpa Island, Skye Whale blowing — off Skye Loch Carron — from Strome Ferry .... Head of Loch Carron — from Strome Ferry Misty Morning — Loch Carron The Coolins — the ' Dunottar Castle ' .... Kyle Akin Castle Maoil — r.ear Kyle Akin . In Loch Alsh— Skye in the Distance Eilean Donan Castle, Loch Duich Entrance to Loch Duich Head of Loch Duich . . The Coolins— from Loch Alsh . Sammy and the Piper Head of Loch Kishorn ARTIST ENGRAVER PAGE Lennox Br owne John Swain . 40 do. Hare and Co. . 41 do. do. 4i do. John Swain . 42 do. do. 43 do. do. 44 do. do. 45 do. do. 46 do. do. 47 do. do. 49 do. do. 50 C. G. Blackivood Hare and Co. . Si Lennox Browne John Swain 52 do. do. 53 M. Munn {Photo.) do. 53 Lennox Broivne do. 54 do. do. 54 C. G. Blackwood Hare and Co. 55 Lennox Browne John Swain . 55 do. Hare and Co. 56 do. John Swain . 57 C. G. Blackwood do. 57 Lennox Browne do. 58 do. do. 58 do. Hare and Co. 59 do do. 60 do. John Swain . 61 C. G. Blackwood Hare and Co. 62 ILL USTRA TIONS XI Rona Island— Lewis'^ and Harris in the distance Summer Sheen— in Skye Waters The Coolins— Blaven — Marsco Cape Wrath Thurso— from the Bay The Old Man of Hoy . Copinsay Island, Orkney Kirkwall — from the Bay The Earl's Palace, Kirkwall Gable of the Earl's Palace, Kirkwall West Door, Kirkwall Cathedral Dunottar Castle— from a Port-hole Dunottar Castle in the Olden Time Montrose — from the Sea Entrance to Loch Torridon The Bell Rock Lighthouse . May Island .... Tantallon Castle .... The Bass Rock . Inchkeith ..... Edinburgh — from Leith Roads . The Tug in Leith Roads Lennox Browne M. Mtinn (Photo.) Lennox Browne do. do, do. do. do. T. Maclaren do. do. Lennox Browne (From an old Print) Lennox Browne C. G. Blacktoood Le?i?iox Browne do. do. do. do. do. do. ENGRAVER John Swain do. Hare and Co. John Swain Hare and Co. John Swain Hare and Co. John Swain do. do. do. do. John Swain Hare and Co. John Swain do. do. do. do. Hare and Co. John Swain 63 64 65 66 67 68 70 71 72 73 75 77 79 82 86 87 88 88 90 9i 92 94 -- ■. • - '" ' — ■..,>, j, - - U'T" R^h 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 Ardnamur- chan, 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. (J. Saturday. — Sailed through l'entland Firtb, to Kirk- wall in the Orkneys. Anchored in Kirkwall Bay. Visited Kirkwall Cathedral, the Maeshowe, ami the Stones of Brogar and Stenness. Started at () feel it i8 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE deep. The hull is constructed entirely of steel, with a con- tinuous 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, 61 \ 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, eacli with six corrugated furnaces. 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 CONCERNING THE GOOD SHIP 19 crew consists of 150 officers and men, commanded by Captain Webster, the senior Captain of the 'Castle'' Com- pany. 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 ^ £^c- in white and gold, and exquisitely furnished in toiVnIKfV, of jgJjOouo.Ov old-gold upholstery. Adjoining this, and separ- ated from it by a handsome screen of bevelled glass, is the la lies 1 boudoir, which is also most Luxuriously furnishedi 20 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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 b a r attached, which is much su- perior to the ordin- ary 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. This may be the proper place to mention that the ship's library, of nearly five hundred volumes, is exceedingly CONCERNING THE GOOD SHIP 21 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 ap- proved prind- The Main-Deck. pies. 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 22 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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 com- pressed 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 dav. 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 instru- ments is also an excellent institution, which does much to relieve the tedium of the voyage. The rapidity with which the ' Dunottar Castle 1 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 CONCERNING THE GOOD SHIP 23 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. Every- thing 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 17| knots on the measured mile, off" Skelmorlie, and both builders and owners were satisfied with the results, as they had good reason to be. Jj**jkiA* IBWuiiy : "- ■ »» - l7 "VF~ 1 The Ship on the Stocks— May 22, 1890. II IN THE FIRTH OF CLYDE p=S|jHE trial cruise will not soon be forgotten by =£p 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 Moating palace, replete with the comforts of advanced civili- sation, 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 24 IN THE FIRTH OF CIYDE 25 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 pre- cisely 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 appear- ance 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 26 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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 Hunters 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 light- house, past Castle Wemyss, and Wemyss Bay, and Skel- morlie, 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 pro- ceeded 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 IN THE FIRTH OF CIYDE 27 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' 1 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 Arran— from the birth 0/ Clyde- 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 his- torical, or at least of traditional, interest, for the King's Cave, near Black waterfoot, is said to have been the first resting-place of Robert the Bruce on his landing from Rathlin Island. 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 moun- tains in the north of Arran stands out boldly against the 28 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE northern skv, while southward we see Ailsa Craig and its pale grey rocks, with their myriads of gannets. By and by, in the gloaniin", 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 • f£&** * : Lamlash Bay and Holy Isle. and King's Cross Point (another landmark of the Bruce) into Lamlash Bay, where we drop anchor, and prepare to dine in peace. We then begin to realise the importance of the fact that our cruise is to be one of pleasure, as well as of prac- tical 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 arrange- ment 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 lav at our anchorage, we had an opportunity of realising what the electric light has done for navigation, not IN THE FIRTH OF CLYDE 29 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. Sonic 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. Ailsa Craig, Ill AMONG THE SOUTHERN HEBRIDES 'F the denizens of Lamlash were looking for- es ward to obtaining a good view of the ' Dun- ottar 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. 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 oo ; 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, ::<> AMONG THE SOUTHERN HEBRIDES 31 Scarba and the Isles— from Mull. reverently conducted by Captain Webster, Sir Donald Currie reading the lessons. Shortly afterwards we met, by V I . w 1 -•_2-»'-r-V'"* Loch Buy Head— from Car$aig % Mull. appointment, our host's large steam yacht, bhe 'Iolanthe, 1 32 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE Outside of Kerrera—Ben Cruachan in the distance. 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. We were prepared for a toss at the Strait of Corrie- vreckan ; 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 Lome, 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. Toward evening, we reached our anchorage at the AMONG THE SOUTHERN HEBRIDES 33 WOT 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 Mac- dougalls. Evening service was Dunoiiy castu, oban. conducted by Sir Arthur Black- wood, Secretary of the General Post-Office, London ; and the earnestness and freshness of his address were highly appreciated. The weather changed in the night, and we awoke to find our- selves enveloped in mist and in drizzling rain. A projected trip up Loch Linnhe to Ballachulish was consequently ab- andoned ; and we spent the whole day at our anchorage, awaiting the arrival of expected guests at Oban, who were brought off in the * Eolanthe, 1 and thence in the steam The 1 lolanthc' offOban — Rainy II cather. 34 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE launch. Those of us who were so inclined had thus an oppor- tunity of seeing the capital of the Western Highlands, though not under the most favourable conditions ; of visiting its Vieiu of Oban and Bay. 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. Oban Pier. IV IN THE SOUND OF MULL [EXT morning (Tuesday) finds us in the Sound of Mull, one of the most beautiful and roman- tic 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 The Mull HUis-j, om Kerrera. collection of poems in Gaelic and English, well known as the ' Book of the Dean of Lismore." The picturesque ruin at 35 36 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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 Hock, -1 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 Lome, a sister of the Earl of Argyll. One of her brothers re- scued 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. 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 : — Lismore Lighthouse. 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.' IN THE SOUND OF MULL. 37 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. Presently we pass on the left the ruins of Aros Castle, another of those rock-built fort- resses 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 strong- hold of the Lords of the Isles, and woven with warp of treachery and woof of heroism into their adventurous story. 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 out- line of the mountains of Rum. The mists lift some- what, and give us a view of the north coast of Mull. Caslle Duart—Mull. IN THE SOUND OF MULL 39 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 High- lands, 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 oft' 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 Ardnamurchan Point. 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. 4° THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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, ' . . .— o Loch Sunart. 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 rain- bow rests one of its extremities on the massive hill of Ardna- murchan, and practically cuts it in two ; one half of it being melted away underthe chang- ing colours of the arch. It was during this trip that some members of the party developed extraordinary skill in the game of deck quoits, while others in- dulged in athletic sports of various kinds, terminating in a ' tug-of-war" 1 in which nearly every man and boy on board took part. It was alleged, however, with The Narrows— Loch Sunart. IN THE SOUND OF MULL 4i what truth I know not, that a majority of those on the winning side wore deck shoes with india-rubber soles. Mist Rainbow on Ardnamurchan- oJF Tobertno7'y Lighthouse. iJK> Nevertheless, they main- tained stoutly that ' it was weight that told. 1 The sail up Loch Sunart was very enjoyable. A fair breeze was blowing, and the sun, which had been con- cealed before, burst through the clouds, and shed beauty on the landscape. In the after- noon we em- barked on the 'Iolanthe 1 again, and sailed round the north coast of Mull in fairly good weather, past Ardmore Point, past Glengonn Castle (the pro- perty of Mr. James Cowan), past Caliach Point, and Calgary Castle with its marvellous silver strand, and past .-•w'^* Glettgorm — Mull. • • 42 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE Trishnish Point, in the direction of the Trishnish Islands. A farmliouse 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 !' The Trishnish Islands are covered with rich grass, which makes excellent pasture. The Laird of Calgary fattens his The Trishnish fslantfs. mutton there during the summer months, and sends out a IN THE SOUND OF MUII 43 yacht once a fortnight to capture two or three sheep for use. As the animals are as wild and as swift as deer, cap- turing 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 some- times over the heads of the drivers. This, however, is a digression. The rough sea, and con- sideration for the weaker vessels of the party, male and female, induced Sir Donald Currie to abandon the intention Distant I'ieiu ofStaffa. of visiting SI alia, 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 seasickness showed themselves. It may be added that the most serious ease 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 44 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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. 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 con- The Pilot. A Tobermory Lassie. fined to the saloon folks. Our stalwart pilot, relieved of his duties for the night, came out strong in the 'reels' 1 ; and, having shown his paces in a ' fling ' with our chief, he was in IN THE SOUND OF MULL 45 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, 1 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 1 and ' God save the Queen, 1 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. Ardtornish CastU. V ROUND ABOUT SKYE EDNESDAY 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 Scot- land, and to be unable to see a vestige of it, except occa- sionally a few outlying rocks, or a mountain- ous headland swept by the mist. Early in the day we cast anchor in the Sound of Soa, near the entrance to Loch Scavaig. The object of stopping at that point in the voyage was 40 Tlie ' lohxntli? ' oJTEigg and Kian. ROUND ABOUT SKYE 47 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 1 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 Loch Scavaig, 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 inten- sified the darkness of the lake. The rain, which had been falling for some time in sport, now began to come down in 4 S THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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 lias 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, Ne'er 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. ROUND ABOUT SKYE 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. 49 Mountains in Mist — Skye. The evening mists, witli 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. If the ruin 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. Hut tluir spirits were not damped, whatever their bodies were: i) 5° THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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. 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 Detached Rocks— Coast of Skye. 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 ROUND ABOUT SKYE 51 rocky coast were all that could be seen. ' M'LeocTs Maidens ' were ' children of the Mist. 1 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 per- formed by our own Wizard of the North, who proved, however, mere potter's clay in the cool hands of Captain Webster. Near Strom* Ferry, VI WILD LOCH ALSH AND DARK LOCH DUICH p^ iHE 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 Outside of Tortree Bay —Sunrise. 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. 52 LOCH ALSH AND LOCH DUICH 53 The sail across the Inner Sound was extremely pleasant Scalpa Island — Skye. and exhilarating. Loch Sligachan slept in peace na-gillean and Blaven still wore their night- caps. 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 setinabluesea. Broad- ford was a picture of self- contained repose. Off' Pabba, two large whales — probably truants from the a thousand strong, lately reported from the Shetland Scuir- school, seas — 54 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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. At the en- trance to Loch Carrori, the parallel beaches on opposite sides l.och Carron— from Strome Ferry. q£ +]]p locll Were mistaken by not a few on board for railway embankments. Like the parallel beaches of Glen Roy and the other valleys of y.»»v»5>v,» ¥ „^ _ ^o I 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 aggra- LOCH ALSH AND LOCH DU1CH 55 vating, 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 Bal- J Misty Mornivg—Locli Carroll. macarra, and to return in time for the two o'clock train. Loch Car- ron is a very beautiful sea. It cannot compare in grandeur or boldness with Loch Alsh or Locli Hourn. Its beauty is of a softer type, and a simpler character ; but its charms are not less narrow, owing to treacherous rocks ; and the tide fl o w s through the pas- sage with tre- mendous force and speed. We pass on the one shore the ruins of S t r o m e The navigable entrance to it is Castle, and The Cooliiis— The ' Diowttar Castle.' on the other the handsome residence of Duncraig, and the fishing 56 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE ■ ■' ; 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. Later in the day, and still on board the ' Iolanthe, 1 we steamed through the narrow passage of Kyle Akin (between Skye and the mainland) into Loch Alsh. The mouth of the loch is in- tersected 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 lloderick 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 con- tent ourselves with distant views, in the meantime at least. 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 Kyle A kin. LOCH ALSH AND LOCH DUICH 57 Castle Maoil—near Kyle Akin. In Loch Alsh—Skye in the distance. 58 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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 him- self to have been caught in one of his native fiords, so tortuous is the course and so difficult is the navigation. At the head of the loch, we approach the ruin of Eilean Donan Castle, which stands at the junction of three lochs — Eilean Donan Castle — Loch Dutch. Entrance to Loch Dutch. LOCH ALSH AND LOCH DU1CH 59 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 pyra- midal 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. The return voyage in the evening was very fine. As we emerged from Loch Alsh and crossed Loch Carron, we had Heart of Loch Duich. again a grand view of the Coolins, cloud-capped and solemn, and traversed by the axled rays of the sit- ting sun. We steamed in the direction of Loch Kishorn, 60 TEE DUNOTTAR CASTLE a northerly arm of Loch Carron, where the ' Dunottar Castle ' awaited us, and where we anchored for the night. ■ - *%£ i ' The Coolins—from Loch Alsh. That night was made memorable by several incidents. In the first place, the electric search-light was got into work- ing 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 com- pleted 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 he." LOCH ALSH AND LOCH DULCH 61 Most memorable of all, the Captain's boy astonished every one by volunteering a hornpipe, while dancing was in pro- gress 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 iranii'w ay, The Piper. calling, ' Sam my, you 5A.MHY- rascal, what are you doing there ? ' Sir Donald, fancying for the moment that the Captain was in earnest, rushed forward to pro- pitiate his wrath. It was as good as a play. If the scene had been preconcerted, it could Dot have been more effective. But Sam was not in the hast perturbed. lie continued his performance amid the 62 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE applause of the whole company, until he was tired out. It afterwards transpired that the boy had been 'on the boards' 1 before, probably in the part of the ' Midshipmite 1 in the Children's ' Pinafore."' Head of Loch Kishorn. VII ROUND CAPE WRATH RIDAY, 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 Itaasay and Ilona on the one hand, and the rugged ~ >*•*'"%"; Rona Island— Lewis and Harris in the distance. coast of Applecross on the other. We crossed Loch Tor- ridon, 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 rueered background the rocky ridge extended northward by the Storr rocks and the Quiraing to the extremity of the c,:; 64 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE island. Toward the west, the misty outline of Lewis and Harris broke, but scarcely broke, the regularity of the horizon. 1 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 ROUND CAPE WRATH 65 Sutherlandshire mountains. They rise abruptly to a con- siderable 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. 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 north- ward, conspicuously ' The Shepherd ' between Loch Inchard and Cape Wrath. As we approach- ed the latter, we felt once more the Atlantic swell, and the ship pitched and rolled somewhat, though she was as a rock in com- parison 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. Cape Wrath, now seen by many of us for the first time, is really a splendid headland. The name in its modern inter- pretation 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 ' Ilvarf, 1 which meant * the turning-point of the land, 1 and might have been more cor- E The Coolins — Blaven Afarsco. I ■- 1 <> — j. 5 6 ROUND CAPE WRATH 67 rectly Englished ' Cape Warp. 1 The lighthouse stands on a cliff 370 feet ahove the sea, beneath which there is a suc- cession 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, 1 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 pro- minent peaks that stand out from the undulating plain. Beyond Strathv Point, we reach the lowlands of Caith- »U i \A Hi 1 *-* ■ '• **%Ftlti lr Thurso— from the Ba \ ness. Green meadows and yellow corn-fields sloping down to the golden sands become 68 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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 ROUND CAPE WRATH 69 clouds cleared off toward evening, and revealed a beautiful sunset. At Thurso (which is Thors Town, another Norse land- mark) we were in touch once more with the British railway and postal systems. The most prominent object on the main- land 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, 1 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-d welling.' — Professor Blackie. VIII A RAID ON ORKNEY URING 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 pas- sage, and then northward past the rugged islet of Copinsay, with its myriads of sea birds, into Shapinsay Sound. Balfour Castle, on the the most prominent One is apt to massive bu ild- ~ j" island of Shapinsay, was object in the landscape. wonder how the ing came there, so Copinsay Island— Orkney. inconsis- tent is its pretenti- ous appearance with its bare and cheerless surroundings. By-and-by we anchored in Kirkwall Roads, and every one, as quickly as possible, was 70 IN THE ORKNEYS 7i transferred to land in the ' Iolanthe," 1 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 -J3adrtk_ Kirkiotxll—from the Bay. 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. 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 Roenvald in 1187, in memory of his uncle, St. Maiii ft *£*?&& ^ . T * Dunottar Castle. 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 wire soon busily at work, all eager to catch the fleeting beauty. 7 8 THE 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 con- tinuous series of cliffs, which are frequented by numerous sea-birds : hence the popular name given to the coast, of the ' Fowlesheugh. 1 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. 1 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.u.). 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 4| acres in extent. 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 in. 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 1 See Sir Donald ( lurrie's Book of Garth and Fortingall, page 83. OUR SHIP'S NAME-MOTHER 79 Scotland, 1 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, '&htv Tjatf gain : SDuljat sap tfiep f JLat tljame gap ! ' When the ship received the name of the Castle, these words also were adopted as its motto. DllHOttiir t. 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 So THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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. There- upon 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 notwith- standing 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 n. visited Scotland in 1650, he was enter- tained 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 arid 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 n. OUR SHIP'S NAME-MOTHER 81 by the same George Ogilvy who had formerly been Com- mander 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 n. and the Duke of York. One hundred and sixty-seven men and women were imprisoned at one time in its ' Whig's Vault, 1 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; F 82 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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. Montrose— from the Sea. X A DAY OF REST ^T 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 he 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." S3 8 4 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE '"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 A DA Y OF REST 85 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 Com- munity of the Saved. 1 " 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 lijrht 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. 86 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE " 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." Entrance to Loch Torridon. XI HOMEWARD BOUND HEN we returned to the deck we found our- selves 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 endur- ing form the humane intentions of "The pious Abbot of Aberbrothoek." A heavy haze now be- gan 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 ('rail on the other, was only dimly visible. Steaming close to the Isle of May. we saw very plainly its lighthouses, its store - 87 - W^- ,:y^^ Sp:-2; " Koii: Lighthouse. \ 'A 88 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE houses, and its ruined chapel of St. Adrian. We were re- minded, in view of recent events, that this island is nearly of the same size as Heligoland ; and one wonders that it lias May Is la nd. 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. Tantallon Castle, like Dunottar, stands on a detached Tantallon Castle. rock, and is accessible from the mainland only at one point. It is famous in the history of Scottish wars, and especially HOMEWARD BOUND 89 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 lie broke forth, — "And darest thou then To heard 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 Hock (813 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 arc 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 9° THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE The Bass Rock. 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. This fortress, as has been men- tioned, was used as a State prison in the times of Charles n. and his brother James vu. 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 vil, 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 conse- quence of the changed atmospheric conditions was that a projected visit to the Forth Bridge had to be postponed ; HOMEWARD BOUND 9i 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 (flames 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. hichktilh. XII JN THE FIRTH OF FORTH EXT morning the mist had risen sufficiently to show dimly, but yet with a certain poetic- mystery, the beauties of the unrivalled posi- tion 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 "•?*WrMi iJTBUPI y.,ls. rr m i.Mi^ jba Tfcc.*t k'T" R^j,,. 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 Hock, which stood out like an aerial island from a sea of haze. 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 wonder- 92 IN THE FIRTH OF FORTH 93 ful 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 connect- ing 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 inhabi- tants 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 pro- miscuously to the Fast and the West, the North and the 94 THE DUNOTTAR CASTLE 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.' ■ ! -'' ' 1 The Thq in Lciik Roads. EPILOG UE 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 ('astir' has 'beaten the record 'on her first Cape voyage in both direction*. She made the outward passage in 16 days, 11 hoars, .54 annates, and completed the homeward ran 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, 'Xy minutes. -The Dunottar Castle' has thus short- ened the passage between England and the Cape by nearly a whole day. W. S. I ). EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY PRESS T. and A. CONSTABLE Printers to Her Majesty MDCCCXC THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW. Series 9482