42 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CII, III. 



held three people comfortably, when a squall of wind 

 came on, blowing down the side of Ben Loyal in a 

 perfect hurricane right from the shore which we had 

 just left. Short as the distance was, we could not 

 row back against it, and had nothing left for it 

 but to go before the wind right across the large 

 loch, fully a mile and a half in width at that part. 

 At the same time, owing to the lowness of the 

 stem, our only chance of safety was to keep the 

 head of the boat to windward, a matter of no small 

 difficulty, as the wind blew in the most violent gusts 

 and increased every moment. The slightest turn 

 of the boat, which would bring her at all broadside 

 to the wind, must have instantly swamped her, and 

 with this pleasant prospect before us we went with 

 fearful speed across the loch. The only thing I 

 dreaded was, that anything should give way about 

 the oars, or the pins that they worked upon, as 

 nothing could then have saved us. However, Diis 

 aliter visum, and we landed safely, but wet enough, 

 on tne opposite shore, and right glad we both were 

 when we looked back at the water, which was per- 

 fectly white with foam, to feel our feet once more 

 on terra firma. I mention this incident as a warning 

 to any person who may fish or sail on any of these 

 fresh-water lakes surrounded by mountains, to be- 

 ware of sudden squalls of this kind ; for in this 



