A Risky Voyage. 153 



the sleety snow was driving very hard, and no one 

 yet knew where we were, some thinking one place 

 and others somewhere else. A light was seen often, 

 but none knew where or which it was. Conjectures 

 regarding it were all equally vague, and nothing 

 definite was ascertained till about four o'clock a.m., 

 when the snow cleared off, and when we found that 

 we were lying at the back of Farlane,* and the light 

 we had seen was the lamp on Millport Quay. We 

 now heaved anchor and were soon safely at Millport 

 Harbour, after sailing about and lying at anchor for 

 upwards of seven hours within ten minutes' sail of our 

 destination." 



Mrs. Robertson was carried ashore with as much 

 tenderness as circumstances permitted, and no evil 

 results followed from this alarming and dangerous 

 experience. The salutary air of C umbrae and the 

 pleasurable excitement of the new house both helped 

 to restore her to health. 



With his time now practically at his own disposal, 

 Mr. Robertson, with renewed ardour, indulged in 

 dredging and shore-hunting for the animals of the sea. 

 As already observed, on land also there was no want 

 of attractive material for him to work upon. The 

 carboniferous rocks round Glasgow were rich in 

 fossils ; and he found much to his liking in the 

 microzoa of the limestone series. 



Linnaeus, it will be remembered, had the mis- 

 fortune to marry a shrew, who, when her husband was 

 expecting a visit from the king, took the opportunity 

 to fling out of window all the choice specimens he had 



* This is the local name of Fairland Point. 



