to Iceland, but time would not allow it. As the
intermediate step between the Shetland and Orkney
Islands and Norway, to which they once belonged,
it AYOuld have been interesting to compare the state
of Faroe to that of these islands since their annexation
to Scotland. These, however, were minor
disappointments, and may be repaired at some
future time.
While in the Duke of Buccleuch’s service, the
“ Flower of Yarrow” had been ricrcred as a cutter,
but Mr. Smith was advised to convert her into a
schooner. The masts were exceedingly taunt, but
she had within her no less than forty-five tons of
iron ballast, so that, so far from being crank, she
was remarkably stiff under her canvass. Some of
our visiters at Liverpool, judging from the taunt-
ness of the masts, pronounced her a dangerous
vessel, and went so far as to predict that she Avould
upset in the first gale of wind. I may hereafter
have occasion to speak of her qualities as a sea-
boat, and of the judicious alteration alluded to in
her rio-aino-. 5555 &
While we were running for the channel of the
Lewis Islands, we were not a little startled on
hearing tlie captain call out hastily hard-a-port,
words which, when sxiddenly vociferated, are generally
of alarming import, implying something of
danger to be avoided, at least they sound so to a
landsman. We all seemed to think so, for in
a moment we were upon deck, and found ourselves
close upon a sunken vessel. The broken masts were
just rising out of the surface of the water, and there
appeared to be a large body beneath ; but whether
it was merely the rigging and sails attached to the
masts, or the hull of a vessel water-logged, Ave Avere
unable to discern: I thiuk, hoAvever, from the
position of the masts, that the latter must haA'e
be'en the case. Running, as Ave tlien Avere, Avith a
strong wind, at the rate of nine or ten knots an
hour, we must inevitably have made a hole in the
bottom of the yacht had we struck upon the wreck ;
and it Avas only by a sharp look-out and a quick
shifting of the helm that we avoided doing so, by
shaving close past her.
We shortly afterwards fell in Avith tivo whales,
or, more properly speaking, fimiers, Avhich I Avas
a little surprised to see so far to the soutliAvard;
but it is not unusual, I am told, to meet with a
straggler noAV and then even in the English Channel.
As this was the first time I had set eyes on
these gigantic monsters of the ocean, I amused
myself in Avatching their movements, as Avell as in
observing their snorting and blowing, accompanied
by jets of water spouted up to a considerable
heiMOit.
On the 19th the Avind moderated, and we enjoyed
a beautiful passage through the channel of
the islands, called the Minsh, keeping almost
Avithin a stone’s throAV of the coast of LeAvis. The
folloAving evening we Avere abreast of Foul Island,