TOUR IN THE WESTERN ISLES. 99 



which, if you see my mother uneasy, you may tell 

 her is the plan resolved on) then our Continental 

 tour must occupy a longer time, as perhaps the 

 temptations of the season may draw us to Peters- 

 burgh. This, I confess, is my wish winter is the 

 time for Eussia and Lapland. So, good-night and a 

 merry Christmas ! I shall write a line from our next 

 point of appui. H. B. 



" Should you be from home when this arrives, I leave 

 you to judge whether it may not be proper to drop 

 James a few lines, informing him that I am well, &c. ; 

 but as you please. H. B." 



"STORNOWAY, August 14, 1799. 



" MY DEAR SIR, I am much afraid that you begin 

 to be tired of my letters, but I trust more to the in- 

 terest you were so good as to express for our success 

 than to any chance which my details can possibly 

 have of amusing you or giving any important in- 

 formation. My last was dated from St Kilda, but 

 you will not receive it for six or seven weeks. It 

 contained little or nothing, was written in a pelting 

 hurry, and more for the sake of the joke than any- 

 thing else. We had a most favourable run from 

 Islay. During two days and nights the wind was fair, 

 the sky clear, the sea calm ; but my enjoyments were 

 sadly damped by a very unwelcome guest a season- 

 ing sickness; it lasted all that time : and about fifty 

 hours after our departure from Islay we came in sight 



