CHAP. III.] THE CRUISES OF THE 'PORCUPINE.' 107 



with twelve blue-jacketed Shetlanders sitting like 

 statues, their white oars glittering in the sun. The 

 Governor looked with the critical eye of a sailor at 

 the two boats, — he still spoke lovingly of the ' Maid 

 of Fsferoe/ but I suppose he saw that, as Tennyson 

 says, ' we were all of us Danes ; ' and the question 

 of a trial of strength lapsed by mutual consent ! 



We were obliged to remain a few days at Thorshavn 

 replenishing in various ways, and while there we were 

 very anxious to have had an opportunity of seeing 

 Myling Head — a magnificent cliflF at the north-western 

 point of Stromde, which falls perpendicularly, even 

 slightly overhanging its base, from a height of upwards 

 of 2,000 feet into the sea. The tide rans among 

 and round these islands like a mill-race, and the 

 Governor told us that if we started with the morning 

 flood, and our vessel kept pace with the tide, we might 

 make the circuit of the island, passing under Myling, 

 and returning to Thorshavn in six hours. If we did 

 not carry the tide with us, it became a matter of dif- 

 ficulty only to be achieved at considerable expense 

 both of fuel and time. 



We found that high water would occur on the fol- 

 lowing Monday, Aug. 23, at 4 o'clock in the morning ; 

 and as the weather was brilliant xip to the evening 

 of Sunday — unusually brilliant for those regions — we 

 made all our arrangements in high hope of a pleasant 

 trip, as we h?.d persuaded our kind host and hostess 

 to accompany us. With the first dawn of Monday 

 morning it was blowing and pouring, and we were 

 obliged to defer our visit to the celebrated headland 

 to some possible future opportunity. 



The next morning was fine again, and we left 



