60 REMINISCENCES OP THE LEWS. 



and during the evening the mate came down to 

 say we were dragging our anchors. There was 

 no doubt of the fact. Chain cables and all sorts 

 of things were to be let go and hauled upon all 

 night, and I think that night was the origin of 

 a deafness that has been a great discomfort to 

 me since. But above the roaring of the wind, 

 the creaking of cables and chains, and steam 

 getting up and steam letting off, rose that httle 

 skipper's voice, and he outnoised everything. 

 I was glad when morning came ; and sure 

 enough we had dragged, for we were all but on 

 shore on the islands in the harbour. 



This skipper had heard of the strait in which 

 Fred and I were, and he sent us word that, if 

 we would be in readiness, he would bring his 

 cutter round into Loch Seaforth and take us 

 all over the Minch to the mainland ; and, in 

 due course of time, in came the cutter and 

 anchored opposite Aline — whether with the 

 intention of really taking us away, I never 

 could tell ; but he said so, and he was a British 

 seaman and a gentleman. The wind was awk- 

 ward at all times for getting out of Loch Sea- 

 forth, and it would not do, as he said, for the 

 week he passed there. And what a week ! 

 As for the band, it was always going, either on 

 board or on shore. We were startled from our 



