SEAWEEDS. 155 



wind took the trouble to sweep round them, and bring 

 rain enough to drench us in a quarter of an hour. We 

 were thoroughly beaten, and obliged to drag our dripping 

 persons home, where we were met by our kind helpful 

 hostess with much friendly sympathy. In answer to 

 my explanation of " we staid awhile hoping the rain 

 would cease," she replied with the usual Arran rejoinder, 

 " Just that, Mem," and then assured us that we must 

 make up our mind to stay within doors, for that when once 

 it began to rain in Arran, it seldomed " faired n that day. 

 So we were compelled to resign ourselves to our fate, 

 and after exchanging the wet suit on our backs for the 

 dry suit in our carpet bags, we applied ourselves to 

 spreading and arranging the weeds in our possession. 

 Alas, the morrow was little more promising, but in the 

 afternoon we made another attempt to get to the rocks. 

 The rain had almost ceased, and the high wind was fast 

 drying the roads. This time we turned southwards, taking 

 the coast towards Lamlash. We each devoted ourselves to 

 favourite pools, and were far separated, when a sudden gust 

 whisked off my hat, at the same moment tearing away 

 the comb round which my hair was coiled, and blinding 

 me with my own mermaid locks ; before I could even 

 call to my companions, my confusion was augmented by 

 another freak of the wind, which lifted up my cloak, and 

 wrapped it round my head, blowing hard enough the 

 while to threaten me with an entire overturn. As a 

 caution against this impending danger, I sat down, then 

 unfolded the head, imprisoning my hair under the hood 

 of my cloak ; after a long search I found that my comb 

 had returned to its native element, and was nestliDg 



