which lies at some distance from the chief cluster
of the Shetland Islands. Here we were becalmed,
with a high sea, a situation which, with the rolling
of the ship, was anything but agreeable. The sun
hoAvever set majestically ; the clouds AA'cre beautifully
tinged, and the constantly varying streaks of
light in the sky remained for upAvards of an hour
after the great luminary had disappeared. It Avas
just that sort of evening Avhen
— ----------- “ parting day
Dies like the dolphin, whom each pang imbues
W ith a new colour as it gasps away,
Th e last still loveliest, till— ’tis gone, and all is gray.”
The hope of fine AA'cather thus held out to us Avas
unfortunately not realized. On the 21st it blcAV
Avhat I should have called a gale of wind, and the
sea became very high. Our little bark ploughed
steadily enough through it for sailors to keep on
their legs, but it required some firmness and nerve
in us landsmen to Avalk the deck. While floundering
about, I could not forbear a smile by being
forcibly reminded of the quaint, but not inappropriate,
lines of Dr. Johnson (not Samuel the
moralist, but James the physiologist), a very accurate
observer of nature,—
Th e glories o f the ocean grand
’Tis very w ell to sing on land ;—
’Tis very fine to hear them caroll'd
By Thomas Campbell or Childe Harold ;
But very sad to see that ocean
From east to west in wild commotion.”
Instead of the fine weather Ave had anticipated
from the appearance of the sky at and after the
setting sun, the rain began to pour heavily, and
continued till the 23rd, when we were agreeably
surprised to find ourselves off the coast of NorAvay ;
and, not having had an observation, aa’c had
stretched a little farther to the northAvard than Avas
intended, and Avere opposite to North Siiulen, at no
great distance from the Titterheads. We knew our
position, as it cleared up, by the tower or lighthouse
on the Suulen Island, the position of Avhich
certainly affords no unnecessary precaution for
navigators, as the coast here is one cluster of
rocks, some above and others beloAv the Avater,
spread over a surface of not less than 200 square
miles. When off Titterheads, and before Ave
Avere aware of it, Ave had happened to run into
the midst of a large shoal of mackerel, and our
people set to Avork to fish for them, and as fast as
the line could be drawn up our sailors hoisted in
some of these fish.
We edged away a little to the southward, and
then for several hours stood off and on, before Ave
succeeded in getting a pilot on board , hut the
day being fine, several fishing-boats were out, and
from them Ave ascertained that the regular pilot
ground Avas more to the northward : Ave therefore
retuiTied towards that quarter, and Avere fortunate
enough to get a pilot soon afterwards ; he had been
fishing all night Avith his son, and haA’ing observed
us at a great distance, came doAvn (o us. Being en