THE ISLAND OF COLONSAY 27 



When we got back to London we at once clenched 

 the bargain, and began to count the days which 

 separated us from our holiday. A joyful party started 

 from Euston on the night of the 1st of August. We 

 had prevailed upon MacBrayne's firm to take our 

 party on to Colonsay in the regular Islay steamer, so 

 our voyage on the following morning was once more 

 in the familiar Columba as far as Tarbert, where we 

 left her, and drove over the narrow strip of land 

 across which Bruce dragged his bark on the famous 

 occasion described in the " Lord of the Isles" 



" Ever the breeze blows merrily, 

 But the galley ploughs no more the sea, 

 Lest, rounding wild Cantire, they meet 

 The southern foeman's watchful fleet, 



They held unwonted way : 

 Up Tarbat's western lake they bore, 

 Then dragg'd their bark the isthmus o'er, 

 As far as Kilmaconnel's shore, 



Upon the eastern bay. 

 It was a wondrous sight to see 

 Topmast and pennon glitter free, 

 High raised above the greenwood tree, 

 As on dry land the galley moves, 

 By cliff and copse and alder groves." 



Our course was in the reverse direction, as we 

 joined our steamer at the end of west Loch Tarbert, 

 and left Ardpatrick on our right, while on the left we 

 spied a flock of lazy seals on the rock, so accustomed 

 to the passage of the steamboat that they hardly 

 condescended to look up. Soon we emerged into the 

 Sound of Islay, and after landing passengers and 

 goods at Port Askaig, an hour and a half brought us 

 to our destination the little harbour of Scalasaig. 



