TOUR IN THE WESTERN ISLES. Ill 



after-cabin council i.e.,the captain and his mates. We 

 then put in to the Birken [Orkney?] Isles, and failing 

 to make anchorage from the running of ebb tide, we 

 stood out again and got north of the Pentland Firth, 

 into the much- wish ed-f or North Sea itself. In the 

 dead of night we were in a storm indeed. The sailors 

 all expecting to see Dairt in half a shake, and the 

 captain (who was twenty years a North Sea smuggler 

 and has been twelve times and a half wrecked) cry- 

 ing, ' I don't know what to do ! As damned a tool 

 this ship as ever dipp'd her gob in salt brine since 

 Adam wrought at hemp-picking in Chatham dock- 

 yard d n his soul ! ' So he applied to the 



Doctor, as the oldest man on board, for his advice but, 

 I before told you, a terrible muck (coward) ; and he 

 voted for instantly making nearest port. We were 

 still keeping to our course if possible, and if she 

 would not lie to it, we wished to run through the 

 Pentland anything, in short, rather than turn. But 

 the rest were of a different opinion, and the helm was 

 tried. Happily she did not miss her stays, but 

 obeyed rudder, and with a huge grin and volley of 

 oaths the word was given. Thither we came, and 

 here we have been again at the flesh-pots and shoot- 

 ing and drinking. Before departing, I beg to trouble 

 you with this request, ' that any letters not yet sent 

 for me, or any which you may procure previous to 

 the next Baltic or Elsinore ships, may be sent in a 

 small parcel to Ramsay and Williamson's at Leith, 

 where they will be called for by a northern friend of 



