Thames, or Portsmouth. No fleets can fail from Greenock down the Firth of Clyde with foutherly and fouth-west winds, which fometimes continue in that quarter four or five weeks; neither can they clear the Mull of Cantire, without some hazard of receiving damage on those turbulent fhores, or of being forced into a port, where they might be detained fome weeks.

As I fpeak of these matters from a long acquaintance with that coast, and the effects of the winds on both fides of the peninsula of Cantire, I think it incumbent to state them fairly, in the hope, that fooner or later, these suggestions may prove the means of farther investigation. If any attention is to be paid to the improvement of the Highlands, and if in return, the Highlands can be rendered more useful to the state, it is to be wifhed, that for the fake of mutual advantage, the business may be done completely.

JOURNAL.

HAVING given this general sketch the fouth part of the Weft Highlands, I shall trouble the reader with fuch particulars of my journey and voyages northwards, as, I hope, will contribute to a better knowledge of that country and people.

7

When I arrived at Oban, I saw the main ocean on one fide, and an extenfive line of coast on the other. The first presented an almost endless groupe of islands and rocks, among which I was to cruise, amidst the rapid tides occafioned by promontories and bold fhores, where the fea is pent up fometimes within the breadth of a mile, and runs with the velocity of the strongest cur

rents.

The land exhibited one continued mafs of lofty and pathlefs mountains, covered with heath, frequently with mofs, and interfected at the bafes, by large bays or lakes, called lochs,* which were unavoidably to be croffed in all kinds of weather, and where the navigation, owing to the fudden gufts of

of wind from the tops of the furrounding mountains, is often attended with danger.

During all my former journies, I had been uncommonly fortunate in escaping accidents of any kind, by land and water: Prefuming on the fuccefs of thefe experiments, I refolved at a season far too late, to embark on a hitherto unattempted enterprize, without a vessel or boat, that I could call my own.

The first cruife was to be through the Sound of Mull, a long narrow channel, which feparates that great ifland from Morven on the continent. A courfe of dry weather had encouraged a hope that I would enjoy fome days, at least, of that fine feafon; but, on the morning when I was to take my departure from Oban, the weather was entirely changed from ferenity and funfhine, to a strong head wind, attended with rain and fog. To go up the Sound of Mull, even in the moft favourable feafon, was a dangerous experiment for a small open boat, fuch as Oban afforded. Two brothers, of the name of Stevenfon, who are traders in that place, and to whofe industry that whole district

D 2

district is under great obligations, feeing my fituation, readily offered to accompany me up the found, in a new veffel of their own, lying in the bay. "No," said a person in company, "he fhall not go in your boat;

the Cumbras cutter fhall land him fafe in "Mull."—" There is not fuch a failer," said he, " in the whole Clyde; fhe can do every thing but fpeak; and we have thirty-fix "hands which no cutter in the fervice can

equal. We take more prizes than any "two of them. The fmugglers fly, and "fkulk, and turn from her, as if the d-1 "was in pursuit of them. Tho'f it be an

ugly day, you shall fee presently, how "fhe will tack, and lie to, in the wind's " teeth."

Such a flattering invitation was very acceptable, and one of the Stevensons agreed to bear us company. We embarked in the long boat, for the cutter, which lay in a fnug little bay, at the outside of Kerera. She is clinker built, lies deep in the water, and though one hundred and fifty tons burden, appears so small at a distance, that fmuggling veffels are thereby decoyed into fituations from whence they cannot escape.

The

The person to whom I was obligated for the paffage through the found, was Mr. Ritchie the first mate, who commanded the veffel in the abfence of that terrible foe to illicit trade, Captain Crawfurd, who was confined by illness. The men feemed to anfwer the character that Mr. Ritchie had given them. They were ftout, sober, and fteady. They feldom fwore, and they had faved, from 150l. to 300l. per man. The greatest part of them had families, for whom they had built fmall neat houses on the Cumbra, an island in the Firth of Clyde. Captain Crawfurd fet the example, by building a handfome houfe for himself; Mr. Ritchie erected another; and in three or four years the place began to affume the appearance of a regular town.

Finding myself thus accommodated, I began to entertain a hope that chance might put a smuggling veffel in our way. My bufinefs was, however, to collect information from Mr. Ritchie, and his people, respecting the coaft, the different openings or bays, the effects of particular winds upon each bay, with other nautical intelligence. Mr. Ritchie Spoke very feelingly of the poor Highlanders,