ON THE COAST OF ARRAN 67 



photographed on the mind. For me this is one 

 of them. I shall always retain a vivid impres- 

 sion of the huge steamer bearing down, as it 

 seemed, mercilessly upon us ; and of the way in 

 which the boatmen looked at each other when it 

 became evident that ' someone had blundered ; ' 

 and of many eyes gazing at us with the anxiety 

 of distress from over the bulwarks of the vessel ; 

 and the expression that of silent and undemon- 

 strative terror which settled upon one dear face 

 which was opposite to me in the boat. 



The gale was blowing from the south-west, 

 and in passing by the north-east corner of the 

 island and along the Sound of Bute we were 

 surprised to find ourselves in comparatively 

 smooth water and in a warmer air. The circum- 

 navigation of an island either large or small is 

 always a fascinating thing. To-day the clouds 

 were too heavy to permit of our seeing far inland, 

 but the coast was plain enough. The twin 

 glens of Sannox were visible, and in part the 



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