270 CRUISES. 



mounted a little staircase, entered a little bed-room with 

 a large fire, and two neat little box beds, very white and 

 clean. Into them we turned and fell asleep. In the 

 middle of the night I gave the board between me and Mr 



P 's head a violent kick, making him roar out, ' Halloo ! 



what's that ? ' I said nothing, as it could not be me, though 

 it might have been my heels ; and next morning, when I 

 asked him if he had heard a very curious noise in the 

 night-time, he said, No, and that he had never slept 

 sounder in his life. 



" We left Dalbeg at six in the morning of Wednesday 

 (Oct 2d), and took a stage to Loch Roag before break- 

 fast. We . there fared sumptuously, and starting again 

 over a v. lid country full of lochs, reached Stornoway 

 at noon. As had been agreed, a four-oared boat was 

 waiting for us ; the commander was on the look-out ; 

 and Mr Matheson came down to the quay to bid us 

 good-bye. We had posted nearly eighty miles since the 

 preceding morning, had been fed and housed, and had 

 nothing to pay for anything. It is a good country yon to 

 travel in. Just as we were taking our departure, Mrs 

 Matheson sent us a haunch of venison, four brace of 

 grouse, and as many vegetables as will serve ourselves 

 and the ship's company, about fifty in number, for several 

 days." 



