142 THE CRUISE OF THE BETSEY j OR, 



the east through Kyle Rhea. The wind had freshened ; and 

 as it was now within two hours of full sea, the force of the 

 current had somewhat abated ; and so we kept on our course, 

 tacking in scant room, however, and making but little way. 

 A few vessels attempted following us, but, after an inefficient 

 tack or two, they fell back on the anchoring ground, leaving 

 the Betsey to buffet the currents alone. Tack followed tack 

 sharp and quick in the narrows, with an iron-bound coast on 

 either hand. We had frequent and delicate turning : now 

 we lost fifty yards, now we gained a hundred. John Stewart 

 held the helm ; and as none of us had ever sailed the way 

 before, I had the vessel's chart spread out on the companion- 

 head before me, and told him when to wear and when to 

 hold on his w-ay, at what places we might run up almost 

 to the rock edge, and at what places it was safest to give the 

 land a good offing. Hurrah for the Free Church yacht 

 Betsey ! and hurrah once more ! We cleared the Kyle, leav- 

 ing a whole fleet tide-bound behind us ; and, stretching out 

 at one long tack into the open sea, bore, at the next, right 

 into the bay at Broadford, where we cast anchor for the night, 

 within two hundred yards of the shore. Provisions were 

 running short ; and so I had to make a late dinner this even- 

 ing on some of the razor -fish of Bum, topped by a dish of tea. 

 But there is always rather more appetite than food in the 

 country ; such, at least, is the common result under the 

 present mode of distribution : the hunger overlaps and out- 

 stretches the provision ; and there was comfort in the reflec- 

 tion, that with the razor-fish on which to fall back, it over- 

 lapped it but by a very little on this occasion in the cabin of 

 the Betsey. The steam-boat passed southwards next morn- 

 ing, and I was joined by my friend the minister a little be- 

 fore breakfast 



The day was miserably bad : the rain continued pattering 

 on the skylight, now lighter, now heavier, till within an hour 



