FOG AT SEA. 251 



TO MISS H. WILSON. 



" H.M.S. ' Dasher,' Bat of Cromarty, 

 Thursday Morning, \9th Sept. 1850. 



. , . . " Getting on board to dinner by half-past six on 



Saturday, we made such way as we could to Cromarty 



Bay for the night ; but were overtaken by so thick a mist 



that we could not see the light-houses for our guidance, 



and so had to slow our engines and proceed by soundings. 



When proceeding rather fast at one time, those on the 



look-out heard fearful howlings in the mist, and soon 



after a boat was seen just under our bows. A few seconds 



more would have run her down ; but the engine was 



stopped in time, and the boat was picked up. There 



were a couple of hands on board, and a passenger, whom 



they had been trying to take across the Moray Frith from 



Cromarty to Nairn, when the mist came on and they lost 



their reckoning, and they were going with wind and waves 



they knew not where. They had left the northern shore 



about seven in the evening, and it was about one in the 



morning when we picked them up. The passenger was 



half dead with cold and mist ; but rallied rapidly on being 



regaled in the gun-room. We did not see him ourselves, 



as it was dark when they were lugged on deck, and they 



were dropped again off shore by day-light. We got into 



Cromarty Bay in the course of the night — at least, I 



