me　hereditary；　being　replaced　in　the　next　generation　by　a　ducal　coronet；　itself　to　be　regilt　in　its　turn　with　a　less　sinister　lustre　by　him
  〃The　State's　whole　thunder　born　to　wield；　　　　　　And　shake　alike　the　senate　and　the　field；〃
  who　baffled　Walpole　in　the　cabinet；　and　conquered　with　Marlborough　at　Ramilies；　Oudenarde；　and　Malplaquet；　and；　last；how　at　that　present　moment；　even　while　we　were　speaking；　the　heir　to　all　these　noble　reminiscences；　the　young　chief　of　this　princely　line；　had　already　won；　at　the　age　of　twenty…nine；　by　the　manly　vigour　of　his　intellect　and　his　hereditary　independence　of　character；　the　confidence　of　his　fellow…countrymen；　and　a　seat　at　the　council　board　of　his　sovereign。
  Having　thus　duly　indoctrinated　Sigurdr　with　the　Sagas　of　the　family；　as　soon　as　we　had　crossed　the　lake　I　took　him　up　to　the　Castle；　and　acted　cicerone　to　its　pictures　and　heirlooms；the　gleaming　stands　of　muskets；　whose　fire　wrought　such　fatal　ruin　at　Culloden；the　portrait　of　the　beautiful　Irish　girl；　twice　a　Duchess；　whom　the　cunning　artist　has　painted　with　a　sunflower　that　turns　FROM　the　sun　to　look　at　her；Gillespie　Grumach　himself；　as　grim　and　sinister…looking　as　in　life。the　trumpets　to　carry　the　voice　from　the　hall　door　to　Dunnaquaich；the　fair　beech　avenues；　planted　by　the　old　Marquis；　now　looking　with　their　smooth　grey　boles；　and　overhanging　branches；　like　the　cloisters　of　an　abbey　the　vale　of　Esechasan；　to　which；　on　the　evening　before　his　execution；　the　Earl　wrote　such　touching　verses；　the　quaint　old　kitchen…garden；　the　ruins　of　the　ancient　Castle；　where　worthy　Major　Dalgetty　is　said　to　have　passed　such　uncom…　fortable　moments；the　Celtic　cross　from　lone　Iona：all　and　everything　I　showed　off　with　as　much　pride　and　pleasure；　I　think；　as　if　they　had　been　my　own　possessions；　and　the　more　so　as　the　Icelander　himself　evidently　sympathised　with　such　Scald…like　gossip。
  Having　thoroughly　overrun　the　woods　and　lawns　of　Inverary；　we　had　a　game　of　chess；　and　went　to　bed　pretty　well　tired。
  The　next　morning；　before　breakfast；　I　went　off　in　a　boat　to　Ardkinglass　to　see　my　little　cousins；　and　then　returning　about　twelve；　we　got　a　post…chaise；　and　crossing　the　boastful　Loch　Awe　in　a　ferry…boat；　reached　Oban　at　nightfall。　Here　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　finding　the　schooner　already　arrived；　and　of　being　joined　by　the　Doctor；　just　returned　from　his　fruitless　expedition　to　Holyhead。
  LETTER　IV。
  THROUGH　THE　SOUNDSSTORNAWAYTHE　SETTING　UP　OF　THE　FIGURE…HEADFITZ'S　FORAYOH　WEEL　MAY　THE　BOATIE　ROW；　THAT　WINS　THE　BAIRNS'S　BREADSIR　PATRICK　SPENS　JOINSUP　ANCHOR。
  Stornaway；　Island　of　Lewis；　Hebrides；　June　9；　1856。
  We　reached　these　Islands　of　the　West　the　day　before　yesterday；　after　a　fine　run　from　Oban。
  I　had　intended　taking　Staffa　and　Iona　on　my　way；　but　it　came　on　so　thick　with　heavy　weather　from　the　south…west；　that　to　have　landed　on　either　island　would　have　been　out　of　the　question。　So　we　bore　up　under　Mull　at　one　in　the　morning；　tore　through　the　Sound　at　daylight；　rounded　Ardnamurchan　under　a　double…reefed　mainsail　at　two　P。M。；　and　shot　into　the　Sound　of　Skye　the　same　evening；　leaving　the　hills　of　Moidart　（one　of　whose　〃seven　naen〃　was　an　ancestor　of　your　own）；　and　the　jaws　of　the　hospitable　Loch　Hourn；　reddening　in　the　stormy　sunset。
  At　Kylakin　we　were　obliged　to　bring　up　for　the　night；　but　getting　under　weigh　again　at　daylight；　we　took　a　fair　wind　with　us　along　the　east　coast　of　Skye；　passed　Raasa　and　Rona；　and　so　across　the　Minch　to　Stornaway。
  Stornaway　is　a　little　fishing…town　with　a　beautiful　harbour；　from　out　of　which　was　sailing；　as　we　entered；　a　fleet　of　herring…boats；　their　brown　sails　gleaming　like　gold　against　the　dark　angry　water　as　they　fluttered　out　to　sea；　unmindful　of　the　leaden　clouds　banked　up　along　the　west；　and　all　the　symptoms　of　an　approaching　gale。　The　next　morning　it　was　upon　us；　but　brought　up　as　we　were　under　the　lea　of　a　high　rock；　the　tempest　tore　harmlessly　over　our　heads；　and　left　us　at　liberty　to　make　the　final　preparations　for　departure。
  Fitz；　whose　talents　for　discerning　where　the　vegetables；　fowls；　and　pretty　ladies　of　a　place　were　to　be　found；　I　had　already　had　occasion　to　admire；　went　ashore　to　forage；　while　I　remained　on　board　to　superintend　the　fixing　of　our　sacred　figure…headexecuted　in　bronze　by　Marochetti　and　brought　along　with　me　by　rail；　still　warm　from　the　furnace。
  For　the　performance　of　this　solemnity　I　luckily　possessed　a　functionary　equal　to　the　occasion；　in　the　shape　of　the　second　cook。　Originally　a　guardsman；　he　had　beaten　his　sword　into　a　chisel；　and　become　carpenter；　subsequently　conceiving　a　passion　for　the　sea；　he　turned　his　attention　to　the　mysteries　of　the　kitchen；　and　now　sails　with　me　in　the　alternate　exercise　of　his　two　last　professions。　This　individual；　thus　happily　combining　the　chivalry　inherent　in　the　profession　of　arms　with　the　skill　of　the　craftsman　and　the　refinement　of　the　artistto　whose　person；　moreover；　a　paper　cap；　white　vestments；　and　the　sacrificial　knife　at　his　girdle；　gave　something　of　a　sacerdotal　characterI　did　not　consider　unfit　to　raise　the　ship's　guardian　image　to　its　appointed　place；　and　after　two　hours'　reverential　handiwork；　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　well…known　lovely　face；　with　its　golden　hair；　and　smile　that　might　charm　all　malice　from　the　elements；　beaming　like　a　happy　omen　above　our　bows。
  Shortly　afterwards　Fitz　came　alongside；　after　a　most　successful　foray　among　the　fish…wives。　He　was　sitting　in　the　stern…sheets；　up　to　his　knees　in　vegetables；　with　seven　elderly　hens　beside　him；　and　a　dissipated…looking　cock　under　his　arm；　with　regard　to　whose　qualifications　its　late　proprietor　had　volunteered　the　most　satisfactory　assurances。　　I　am　also　bound　to　mention；　that　protruding　from　his　coat…pocket　were　certain　sheets　of　music；　with　the　name　of　〃Alice　Louisa；〃　written　therein　in　a　remarkably　pretty　hand；　which　led　me　to　believe　that　the　Doctor　had　not　entirely　confined　his　energies　to　the　acquisition　of　hens　and　vegetables。　　The　rest　of　the　day　was　spent　in　packing　away　our　newly…purchased　stores；　and　making　the　ship　as　tidy　as　circumstances　would　admit。　I　am　afraid；　however；　many　a　smart　yachtsman　would　have　been　scandalized　at　our　decks；　lumbered　up　with　hen…coops；　sacks　of　coal；　and　other　necessaries；　which；　like　the　Queen　of　Spain's　legs；　not　only　ought　never　to　be　seen；　but　must　not　be　supposed　even　to　exist；　on　board　a　tip…top　craft。
  By　the　evening；　the　gale；　which　had　been　blowing　all　day；　had　increased　to　a　perfect　hurricane。　At　nine　o'clock　we　let　go　a　second　anchor；　and　I　confess；　as　we　sat　comfortably　round　the　fire　in　the　bright　cheerful　little　cabin；　and　listened　to　the　wind　whistling　and　shrieking　through　the　cordage；　that　none　of　us　were　sorry　to　find　ourselves　in　port　on　such　a　night；　instead　of　tossing　on　the　wild　Atlanticthough　we　little　knew　that　even　then　the　destroying　angel　was　busy　with　the　fleet　of　fishing…boats　which　had　put　to　sea　so　gallantly　on　the　evening　of　our　arrival。　By　morning　the　neck　of　the　gale　was　broken；　and　the　sun　shone　brightly　on　the　white　rollers　as　they　chased　each　other　to　the　shore；　but　a　Queen's　ship　was　steaming　into　the　bay；　with　sad　news　of　ruin　out　to　seaward；towing　behind　her；　boats；　water…logged；　or　bottom　upwards；while　a　silent　crowd　of　women　on　the　quay　were　waiting　to　learn　on　what　homes　among　them　the　bolt　had　fallen。
  About　twelve　o'clock　the　Glasgow　packet　came　in；　and　a　few　minutes　afterwards　I　had　the　honour　of　receiving　on　my　quarter…deck　a　gentleman　who　seemed　a　cross　between　the　German　student　and　swell　commercial　gent。　On　his　head　he　wore　a　queer　kind　of　smoking…cap；　with　the　peak　cocked　over　his　left　ear；　then　came　a　green　shooting…jacket；　and　flashy　silk　tartan　waistcoat；　set　off　by　a　gold　chain；　hung　about　in　innumerable　festoons；while　light　trousers　and　knotty　Wellington　boots　completed　his　costume；　and　made　the　wearer　look　as　little　like　a　seaman　as　need　be。　It　appeared；　nevertheless；　that　the　individual　in　question　was　Mr。　Ebenezer　Wyse；　my　new　sailing…master；　so　I　accepted　Captain　C。's　strong　recommendation　as　a　set…off　against　the　silk　tartan；　explained　to　the　new　comer　the　position　he　was　to　occupy　on　board；　and　gave　orders　for　sailing　in　an　hour。　　The　multitudinous　chain；　moreover；　so　lavishly　displayed；　turned　out　to　be　an　ornament　of　which　Mr。　Wyse　might　well　be　proud；　and　the　following　history　of　its　acquisition　reconciled　me　more　than　anything　else　to　my　Master's　unnautical　appearance。
  Some　time　ago　there　was　a　great　demand　in　Australia　for　small　river　steamers；　which　certain　Scotch　companies　undertook　to　supply。　The　difficulty；　however；　was　to　get　such　fragile　tea…kettles　across　the　ocean；　five　started　one　after　another　in　murderous　succession；　and　each　came　to　grief　before　it　got　half…way　to　the　equator；　the　sixth　alone　remained　with　which　to　try　a　last　experiment。　Should　she　arrive；　her　price　would　more　than　compensate　the　pecuniary　loss　already　sustained；　though　it　could　not　bring　to　life　the　hands　sacrificed　in　the　mad　speculation；　by　this　time；　however；　even　the　proverbial　recklessness　of　the　seamen　of　the　port　was　daunted；　and　the　hearts　of　two　crews　had　already　failed　them　at　the　last　moment　of　starting；　when　my　friend　of　the　chain　volun