252 CRUISES. 



found myself there when I rose and looked around me 

 on the Sabbath morning. 



" I have here a curious kind of association with Thorny- 

 How, which I find arises from my having written a chapter 

 of some kind or other about Cromarty, while there in 1 842, 

 for ' The Voyage.' We went ashore on Sunday soon 

 after breakfast, Mr Primrose volunteering to go with me 

 to the Free Church. But, on making inquiry, we found 

 there was Gaelic only in the mornings; so we went, in the 

 first place, to the Established Church, and to the Free in 

 the afternoon. The latter has a very large conoreo-ation ; 

 in which, however, I was sorry to find there had recently 

 been a split — a minority, who were not ' edified ' by the 

 person called, having swarmed off and built a churchlet of 

 their own. 



" On making my way from the church to the Dasher, 

 who should I meet but Hugh Miller, who sidled up, and 

 stood talking on one leg till I was obliged to go on board. 

 He has discovered some peculiar fossil beast among the 

 crags lately, and was looking wonderfully fresh and hearty. 

 I should have liked a few hours' stroll with him here- 

 abouts very much ; but we have too many things on hand 

 at this advanced season, and — duty before pleasure. 



" On Monday morning, the 16th, we had to retrace our 

 course almost as far as Banff, where we had left off our 

 explorations on Saturday evening. (I may mention that 



