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no' very easy fleyed；' replied the captain。 And the rooks withdrew after
some easier pigeon。 So many perils shared； and the partial familiarity of so
many voyages； had given this man a stronghold in my grandfather's
estimation； and there is no doubt but he had the art to court and please him
with much hypocritical skill。 He usually dined on Sundays in the cabin。
He used to come down daily after dinner for a glass of port or whisky；
often in his full rig of sou'…wester； oilskins； and long boots； and I have
often heard it described how insinuatingly he carried himself on these
appearances； artfully combining the extreme of deference with a blunt and
seamanlike demeanour。 My father and uncles； with the devilish
penetration of the boy； were far from being deceived； and my father；
indeed； was favoured with an object… lesson not to be mistaken。 He had
crept one rainy night into an apple…barrel on deck； and from this place of
ambush overheard Soutar and a comrade conversing in their oilskins。 The
smooth sycophant of the cabin had wholly disappeared； and the boy
listened with wonder to a vulgar and truculent ruffian。 Of Soutar； I may
say TANTUM VIDI； having met him in the Leith docks now more than
thirty years ago； when he abounded in the praises of my grandfather；
encouraged me （in the most admirable manner） to pursue his footprints；
and left impressed for ever on my memory the image of his own
Bardolphian nose。 He died not long after。
The engineer was not only exposed to the hazards of the sea； he must
often ford his way by land to remote and scarce accessible places； beyond
reach of the mail or the post… chaise； beyond even the tracery of the bridle…
path； and guided by natives across bog and heather。 Up to 1807 my
grand…father seems to have travelled much on horseback； but he then gave
up the idea … ‘such；' he writes with characteristic emphasis and capital
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RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
letters； ‘is the Plague of Baiting。' He was a good pedestrian； at the age of
fifty…eight I find him covering seventeen miles over the moors of the
Mackay country in less than seven hours； and that is not bad travelling for
a scramble。 The piece of country traversed was already a familiar track；
being that between Loch Eriboll and Cape Wrath； and I think I can scarce
do better than reproduce from the diary some traits of his first visit。 The
tender lay in Loch Eriboll； by five in the morning they sat down to
breakfast on board； by six they were ashore … my grandfather； Mr。 Slight
an assistant； and Soutar of the jolly nose； and had been taken in charge by
two young gentlemen of the neighbourhood and a pair of gillies。 About
noon they reached the Kyle of Durness and passed the ferry。 By half…past
three they were at Cape Wrath … not yet known by the emphatic
abbreviation of ‘The Cape' … and beheld upon all sides of them
unfrequented shores； an expanse of desert moor； and the high… piled
Western Ocean。 The site of the tower was chosen。 Perhaps it is by
inheritance of blood； but I know few things more inspiriting than this
location of a lighthouse in a designated space of heather and air； through
which the sea… birds are still flying。 By 9 p。m。 the return journey had
brought them again to the shores of the Kyle。 The night was dirty； and as
the sea was high and the ferry…boat small； Soutar and Mr。 Stevenson were
left on the far side； while the rest of the party embarked and were received
into the darkness。 They made； in fact； a safe though an alarming passage；
but the ferryman refused to repeat the adventure； and my grand…father and
the captain long paced the beach； impatient for their turn to pass； and
tormented with rising anxiety as to the fate of their companions。 At
length they sought the shelter of a shepherd's house。 ‘We had miserable
up…putting；' the diary continues； ‘and on both sides of the ferry much
anxiety of mind。 Our beds were clean straw； and but for the
circumstance of the boat； I should have slept as soundly as ever I did after
a walk through moss and mire of sixteen hours。'
To go round the lights； even to…day； is to visit past centuries。 The tide
of tourists that flows yearly in Scotland； vulgarising all where it
approaches； is still defined by certain barriers。 It will be long ere there is
a hotel at Sumburgh or a hydropathic at Cape Wrath； it will be long ere
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RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
any CHAR…A…BANC； laden with tourists； shall drive up to Barra Head or
Monach； the Island of the Monks。 They are farther from London than St。
Petersburg； and except for the towers； sounding and shining all night with
fog…bells and the radiance of the light…room； glittering by day with the
trivial brightness of white paint； these island and moorland stations seem
inaccessible to the civilisation of to…day； and even to the end of my
grandfather's career the isolation was far greater。 There ran no post at all
in the Long Island； from the light…house on Barra Head a boat must be sent
for letters as far as Tobermory； between sixty and seventy miles of open
sea； and the posts of Shetland； which had surprised Sir Walter Scott in
1814； were still unimproved in 1833； when my grandfather reported on the
subject。 The group contained at the time a population of 30；000 souls；
and enjoyed a trade which had increased in twenty years seven…fold； to
between three and four thousand tons。 Yet the mails were despatched and
received by chance coasting vessels at the rate of a penny a letter； six and
eight weeks often elapsed between opportunities； and when a mail was to
be made up； sometimes at a moment's notice； the bellman was sent hastily
through the streets of Lerwick。 Between Shetland and Orkney； only
seventy miles apart； there was ‘no trade communication whatever。'
Such was the state of affairs； only sixty years ago； with the three
largest clusters of the Scottish Archipelago； and forty…seven years earlier；
when Thomas Smith began his rounds； or forty…two； when Robert
Stevenson became conjoined with him in these excursions； the barbarism
was deep； the people sunk in superstition； the circumstances of their life
perhaps unique in history。 Lerwick and Kirkwall； like Guam or the Bay
of Islands； were but barbarous ports where whalers called to take up and to
return experienced seamen。 On the outlying islands the clergy lived
isolated； thinking other thoughts； dwelling in a different country from their
parishioners； like missionaries in the South Seas。 My grandfather's
unrivalled treasury of anecdote was never written down； it embellished his
talk while he yet was； and died with him when he died； and such as have
been preserved relate principally to the islands of Ronaldsay and Sanday；
two of the Orkney group。 These bordered on one of the water…highways
of civilisation； a great fleet passed annually in their view； and of the
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RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
shipwrecks of the world they were the scene and cause of a proportion
wholly incommensurable to their size。 In one year； 1798； my grandfather
found the remains of no fewer than five vessels on the isle of Sanday；
which is scarcely twelve miles long。
‘Hardly a year passed；' he writes； ‘without instances of this kind； for；
owing to the projecting points of this strangely formed island； the lowness
and whiteness of its eastern shores； and the wonderful manner in which
the s