172 STUDIES OF NATURE 



when he rolled back his white guernsey and 

 bent himself to the oar in the final race at 

 Brodick. Before we turned in, the wind had 

 got round to the north, and there was grand, 

 clear moonlight and a brilliant star, with a 

 measurable disk, rising over the sea. 



This morning we had to acknowledge to 

 ourselves, somewhat sadly, that our last day 

 had come. Sadness, however, was not long 

 compatible with such a scene as we had before 

 us. The wind was north-west, the sky gloriously 

 blue, and chequered with white clouds ; the sea 

 purple ; and the Lesser Cumbrae, which is far 

 away across the Firth of Clyde, so clear that its 

 curious terraces of trap-rock were as distinct 

 as if they had only been distant a mile or 

 two. Before breakfast we had our usual dip, 

 and enjoyed greatly the roughness of the water. 

 The wind was very high, and Master Fred's 

 shirt was blown into the sea. Outside there 

 would have been danger ; but within the creek 



