A RESCUE. 255 



approaching a schooner which was making for Nairn 

 harbour, off which the Dasher had heaved-to. By some 

 accident the main-boom of the schooner struck the mast 

 of the pilot-boat, and upset her, throwing the three men 

 into the water. Two of them caught a rope thrown from 

 the schooner, and got into her; but the third drifted away 

 with the boat, of the keel of which he contrived to get 

 hold. But his position was most precarious; and had 

 our gig not instantly shot out like an arrow, there is no 

 doubt he would have been drowned. They were just in 

 time to get hold of him. They were unable to right the 

 boat, but took the exhausted man to the schooner, and 

 then carried us to our- breakwater." .... 



TO MISS H. WILSON. 



"H.MS. Dasher, Scrabster Roads, Thurso, 

 Thursday Morning, 2§th Sept. 1850. 



" On Monday we made a good run to Wick. Foreseeing 

 that business might detain us there possibly for more 

 than a day, we started off a man to Thurso to pick up 

 our letters and papers there. With these he returned to 

 us at Wick early on Tuesday morning, after walking to 



and fro his forty miles and upwards. M 's notes are a 



great treat, and last an enormoiis time. I take them out 

 constantly when I have nothing else to do, and find a new 



