REMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 59 



trained certain of his sailors to play upon some 

 of the noisiest instruments, of all kinds, I ever 

 heard : there was not one, but several. Bones. 

 When in harbour, at Stornoway or elsewhere, 

 he was perpetually scaling his guns. Then he 

 never came ashore in his gig but accompanied 

 by his band, and he was perpetually scaring the 

 slumbers of the poor Stornowegians. A friend 

 of mine was once inveigled into going on board 

 the cutter to dine and sleep. He was nearly 

 deafened by the band during the dinner and 

 the evening ; and all night, whenever there 

 was the slightest chance of sleep, his host 

 jumped into the cabin to know how he was 

 getting on, or called out from his berth, with 

 his speaking-trumpet, to inquire after the com- 

 fort of his bed. It is odd that, after this slight 

 warning, my friend was rash enough to dine 

 with him again, and induce me to do so, one 

 Christmas Eve ; and I do not think we shall 

 either of us easily forget it. Of course the 

 usual noises went on ; but after dinner it came 

 on to blow, as it can in those latitudes — so hard 

 that, though we were in the harbour of Storno- 

 way and not far from the shore, our skipper 

 either would not or could not land us ; at least, 

 he said his boat could not get back, and he 

 would not risk it. The gale was really frightful, 



