94 LOCH CRERAtf. 



shivering in the storm of hail at Cregan Ferry, where the 

 evidences of desolation are sufficiently distinct. Ere we 

 reach the ground one of the interesting strangers they 

 have been attracted by has disappeared towards the head 

 of the loch, but the other is still to be seen battling with 

 the waves in the teeth of the storm. Actually a little 

 stormy petrel at Cregan ! With what pluck the little 

 fellow fights his way down in the face of the gale, dodging 

 behind the waves, and taking advantage of every possible 

 shelter they could afford. He actually makes progress, 

 too, despite the fury of the blast that forces us all to leave 

 the unsheltered promontory, and turn homeward. 



Only once before has the old keeper seen this bird in 

 Loch Creran, even in a time of gales. We had a porpoise 

 in the loch on Saturday a rare visitor in our so concealed 

 loch. We were watching a little smack coming down the 

 loch in the gale of Saturday flying like a racer, with main- 

 sail and two jibs up, and every wave washing her from 

 stem to stern. Rather anxiously we noted her lower her 

 jib and reef her mainsail while she still staggered on, half 

 the time under water, when the " pellock," coming down 

 in the same course, but nearer us, met some of our marine 

 constructions, and went skipping over them in two great 

 leaps. It did not again show itself until it passed our 

 point of sight. 



We have crossed to the Ledaig shore. Carefully now ! 

 the breast wall opposite the smith's forge is away, and 

 the stiffest neck in Benderloch could not stand a drop 

 there. There is the famous rock of Ledaig still standing 

 at any rate, although seldom in its " career " could it have 

 looked out upon a wilder scene ; and here is the poet's 

 garden well ! at least half of it ! The hedge and the 

 other half 20 years of toil and care and affectionate 



