LOCH AWE 133 



when, to our horror, Duncan started the launch and 

 steamed off down the wind to the pier. I could not 

 truthfully say that we were pleased that our strenuous 

 efforts should thus have been rendered futile. Nor 

 did we find the good Duncan in an enviable mood 

 when we arrived at the landing-stage ; — but then 

 he had just run the prow of his boat against the 

 woodwork of the pier! It transpired that he had 

 not yet taken in coal — which was certainly an 

 adequate reason for his visiting the pier. The 

 necessary operation of coaling completed, we made 

 ourselves comfortable in the cabin, and, having 

 attached our boat to the stern of the launch, ven- 

 tured forth. 



All went well until Innischonan was passed. 

 We then found ourselves in the full strength of 

 the wind blowing out of the Brander Pass, and the 

 sea was so heavy that we hardly thought it safe to 

 attempt the crossing, and suggested to Duncan that 

 it would be perhaps wiser to turn back. But indeed 

 he would not hear of such a proceeding. Being 

 forced to come out against his will, he had deter- 

 mined that we should face the storm, whether we 

 liked it or not. He also intimated, with much 

 directness of language, that we must find our 



