152 The Naturalist of Cumbrae. 



The frequent journeys between Glasgow and Mill- 

 port were, as a rule, so many additions to the 

 pleasures of life. Considering the charming character 

 of the route at almost every season of the year, they 

 could scarcely fail to be so to persons of intelligence 

 and taste. Before the days of steamboats it is said 

 that a sailing vessel sometimes occupied three weeks 

 in beating up the Clyde from Cumbrae to Glasgow, 

 but the railway and the steamer have now rather 

 united than separated the two places by the modest 

 limits of a two hours' journey. However, to this 

 happy state of things there may now and then be 

 exceptions, as will be seen by the following extract 

 from Mr. Robertson's diary, relating to the time when 

 he was removing his wife to Millport on account of 

 the extremely infirm state of her health : 



"Came down to Cumbrae on January 20, 1860. 

 Brought down Mrs. Robertson. When we left Fairlie 

 for Millport it came on a thick snow-storm. The 

 sailors lost sight of the lights, and in a few minutes 

 lost all knowledge where they were. On letting down 

 the plumb found we were in four and a half fathoms 

 of water. The vessel was put a little south-south- 

 west, when we were soon in upwards of fifty fathoms. 

 We were soon in sight of rocks ahead, but no one 

 could tell what they were. The wind was beginning 

 to rise, and it was proposed to cast anchor as soon as 

 water sufficiently shallow was found. They backed 

 out a few hundred feet from the rocks, and we found 

 ourselves in seven and a half fathoms water at the 

 bow and nine and a half at the stern. We then cast 

 anchor. This was about half-past nine. At this time 



