CRUISE OF THE STEAM LAUNCH 175 



climate of Scotland had not done with them yet : 

 for three days they lay storm-stayed in Poolewe, 

 and when they put to sea on the morning of the 

 fourth, the sailors prayed them for God's sake 

 not to attempt the passage. Their setting out 

 was indeed merely tentative ; but presently they 

 had gone too far to return, and found themselves 

 committed to double Rhu Reay with a foul wind 

 and a cross sea. From half-past eleven in the 

 morning, until half-past five at night, they were 

 in immediate and unceasing danger. Upon the 

 least mishap, the Purgle must either have been 

 swamped by the seas or bulged upon the cliffs 

 of that rude headland. Fleeming and Robertson 

 took turns baling and steering ; Mrs. Jenkin, so 

 violent was the commotion of the boat, held on 

 with both hands ; Frewen, by Robertson's direc- 

 tion, ran the engine, slacking and pressing her to 

 meet the seas ; and Bernard, only twelve years 

 old, deadly sea-sick, and continually thrown 

 against the boiler, so that he was found next day 

 to be covered with burns, yet kept an even fire. 

 It was a very thankful party that sat down that 

 evening to meat in the Hotel at Gairloch. And 

 perhaps, although the thing was new in the family, 

 no one was much surprised when Fleeming said 

 grace over that meal. Thenceforward he con- 

 tinued to observe the form, so that there was 

 kept alive in his house a grateful memory of peril 



