A

I

Journey through the HIGHLANDS and WESTERN ISLES, in the Summer of 1804.-In a Series of Letters to a Friend.

BY THE ETTRICK SHEPHErd."

cond time. It was now wearing late, and I shall never forget the stormy appearance of that awful night: the sun, when about to sink into the waves beyond the isles of Bara, frowned upon us through a veil of pale vapour, and seemed swelled to three times his ordinary size. The atmosphere was all in a ferment, having a thin white scum settled stedfastly on its surface, over the face of which, at short intervals, small clouds flew with amazing velocity. It was not long ere they were convinced that their plan of keeping the sea was impracticable, for, besides that the rigging began to give way, the ship was gradually driving towards the rough coast of Morven. We now steered southward, purposing to try for an anchorage at the green islands in the middle of the sound; this also was rejected as of no avail, and it was determined to turn and run for Loch-Sunart, Donald M‘Eachern of Mull having some acquantance with it.

Took leave of you in my last at a very alarming crisis, when we were all expecting in a few moments to be plunged in the deep, and in all probability into eternity. The case was thus: We had got within the rocky point which bounds the north side of the harbour, and just when endeavouring to put the vessel about for the last time on that side, a tremendous gale commenced, which threw her so much over, that the main-sail dashed into the sea, and rendered fruitless every effort, not only to bring about the ship, but even to get down the mainsheet, in order to let her scud out to sea, clear of the rocks. She was, during the time of this short struggle, driving with great force straight upon the rocks; and the men, not being able to effect any thing in the consternation they were in, a moment of awful pause ensued. Every man quitted his hold, save old Hugh at the helm, and if my chops had not been so much slackened at the inner end, I would have raised the tinker's whistle; when, by a singular interposition of Providence, the ship gave a great roll backwards, and the main-sail dropped down of itself, the ropes having been previously loosened, and the vessel whirled round clear of the rocks, tho' within six, or at most, seven yards of them. Old Hugh thanked his Maker aloud for this signal deliverance, and indeed every heart seemed sensibly affected by it. We now stood out to the open sound, intending to weather out the storm without risking the vessel. among rocks, to gain a harbour a seNov. 1808.

This Loch-Sunart is a narrow arm of the sea, running about twenty miles into the country, and dividing the districts of Ardnamurchan and Morven. It is a most dangerous place, being all over interspersed with rocks, islands, and narrow rugged points. Towards this place, then, we ran before the wind, depending wholly on Donald, who even confessed that his knowledge of it was but partial: we entered the mouth of it before it was quite dark, and shaping our course for an island that lay about mid-way up, came in sight of it a little after eleven at night. The storm was all this time rather increasing, and such another night I never witnessed at that season, if ever in my life: the elements were in a tumult, and seemed to be taking flame: the pale, vivid bolts, bursting from the rolling clouds, added horror to the scene, and to minds already nearly stupified: the sea seemed covered with sparkling fire, an appear

ance

ance quite new to us, and which we had no conception of, though we were told it was common in great storms. But Burns shall describe that night, who well can do it:

The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last, The thickning shower rose on the blast; The speedy gleams the darkness swallowed, &c.

In the midst of this confusion and anxiety, when we had past several dangerous straits, and were too far gone to retreat, judge of our consternation when we found the wind all at once turn a-head of us, with still increased violence! while we were in a strange channel which was not clear above a quarter of a mile in any one direction, and at the dead hour of the night, when we could not see from stem to stern. Our condition may be conceived, but cannot be described. In this situation we turmoiled, beating up until half-past one in the morning, always rather losing ground than gaining, when, at last, in spite of all our efforts, she drove so close upon a rocky isle, that we were obliged, as our last and only resource, to drop the anchors, altho' straight on the weather side of a precipitate rock. The sails were not then got down, and she was swinging about so near the rock, that I could not discern the sea between them; and she passed so near one high point, that I actually offered to leap from the quarter deck, and had certainly perished in the attempt. After passing this, there was a small creek, about a cable's-length over, before we reached the other rocks, but she still continued to drag the anchors; and when we were again expecting her to go all in shivers-won derful to relate! when we were so near the rock as to be able to touch it with a staff, the little anchor held. The vessel struck twice; but as the shore was bold, and the anchor continued immoveable, she received little injury. The sailors now gathered dou ble courage, threw the trunks and va

luables again out of the boat on board, and cursed, and swore again, as fast as ever. We soon hauled her a good space from the rocks, sent out another anchor by the boat, and tied the hauser to the rocky point which we first so narrowly escaped; when, thinking our danger over, we retired to the cabin, where Mr M'Alister treated us with as much wine as we chose to drink. This cheered again our hearts, and made us talk with kindling ardour on the dangers we had escaped.

I accused my comrades of perplexing the people with questions and advices, when they were already desperate; while they, on the other hand, reprobated me for my indifference, and for taking no more notice of our danger than if such things had not been. We had each of us something to retort upon the other, Mr William got an hundred falls. Mr John cut a cable with his razor; and I lost a shoe. But the most interesting figure of the whole group was old Hugh, who had kept by the helm from the commencement of the storm. master, who seemed glad to resign his charge, wrought like the rest of the men in obedience to his orders.

The

To convey some faint idea of this picture, imagine to yourself a fair complexioned man, about sixty years of age, or upwards, having a blue duf fle coat buttoned on him, the tails of which met a little above his knee; and a huge quaker's hat on his head, which he was every minute dashing up with his arm, to drive it from its horizontal direction, and prevent it from intervening betwixt his eyes and the sails, on which they were constantly fixed his legs were set amazingly wide, in case Mr Boreas, in these freaks of his, might launch him: he was all this while eating tobacco most voraciously, and not having time to spit often, the juice was obliged to find its way from each corner of his mouth in the best manner it could; yet, this was the man who alone re

mained

of the New Test. in the Bengalee language, was published, and copies of it sent home to Britain, as a pledge, to christian expectation, of future exertion and success. That edition, of 2000 copies, has long since been distributed, and a new one of 1500 has been printed; along with an edition of 10,000 of a small volume, containing the gospel by Luke, the Acts, and the Romans. The whole of the Old Testament, likewise, has now been translated three volumes of it have been successively printed and published; and the fourth, which is the last, is ere this in the press.

In the Orissa, nearly the whole New Testament is translated, and several books of the Old: and the printing has advanced to the middle of Luke.

The four gospels are nearly translated in the Telinga, Kernata, and Guezzerattee; and in the last of these the first sheet of Matthew is printed.

In the Mahratta, the New Testament is almost finished, and several books of the Old. In this language the gospel by Matthew was printed, two years ago, in the Deva-Nagree character; the present edition of the New Testament, of which the same gospel is nearly printed off, is in the current Mahratta character.

In the five preceeding languages, the labour of translating has been greatly facilitated, by a previous acquaintance with the Sungskrit, and Bengalee, to which these different dialects bear a close affinity.

In the Hindostanee direct translations into two different dialects have been found necessary. In the Sungskrit Hindee, one of these, nearly the whole New Testament, and several books of the Old, wait for revision: and the printing of the book of Matthew is about finished.

In the language of the Secks, the translation has advanced to the gospel by John, under the assisting superintendance of a learned Seek, eminently

skilled in Sungskrit, with which this language has nearly the same affinity as the Hindee.

In the Sungskrit itself, the four gospels are printed off. This is the language of all the Pundits, or Priests, in India; and is venerated by them as being that of their sacred books. It is remarkable, according to this account, for copiousness, exquisite grammatical structure, and stability of meaning; the import of every individual word having been fixed for ages. In its arrangement and idioms, it bears a much nearer resemblance than any of the common dialects to the original Greek, and its currency exceeds that of any other language in India".

In the Persian, a great part of the New Testament is completed, with the Psalms, and some other portions of the Old. This translation has now the benefit of the superintending aid of Nathaniel Sabat, a native of Arabia, a descendant, and once a devoted follower of Mahomed; who, by residing some years in Persia, has acquired this language in a degree of perfection scarcely attainable by a European.

In the language of the Burman empire, nearly the whole of Matthew is translated.

And lastly, Even in the Chinese, which once appeared to present insuperable difficulties, a translation is now effected to the middle of Luke.

Mr

Copies are in this country of a very large Grammar of this language, the work of Mr Carey, one of the Missionaries, who is professor of Sungskrit and Bengalee in the College of Fort-Wil liam. Various other valuable works of Indian literature have been published, or are in course of publication, from the Serampore press; the profits of which, together with the salary of the above teacher, which is very considerable, and generous disinterestedness, thrown inter all other personal emoluments, are, with the common fund, for the objects of the mission.

Mr Lassar, a learned Chinese of tried principle, and steady diligence, superintends this translation. Under his tuition, with the aid of three Chinese dictionaries, one of them the Imperial in 22 vols. 12mo. the standard of the language, and a library of nearly 300 volumes, one of the Missionaries, and several of the younger branches of the family, are making very rapid progress in the attainment of this singu lar tongue; which, according to Sir George Staunton's estimate, is the vehicle of communication among not fewer than 330 millions of people! The characters of this language are engraved, for printing, on blocks of woed, upon the plan of Stereotype. They can be given accurately, at Serampore; and, through the cheapness of labour in Bengal, it is hoped that, in process of time, the Chinese Scriptures may be printed there, to nearly as great advantage as at Canton or Pekin.

By the assistance of a well-skilled artist, trained under Wilkins, a letterfoundry has been erected; at which there have been cast two or three founts of types in the Bengalee character; a beautiful one in the DevaNegree; and one in each of the Orissa And Mahratta. A complete fount of Persian was sent off from Britain in 1806.

By a pretty minute calculation, proceeding on data, furnished by past experience, it is estimated, that the sum of 80001. or 20001. annually, for about four years, will be required, to finish Translations of the New Testament into the preceding 12 languages and to print an edition of 1000 copies in each.

tion to support and augment it. His skill in this particular is very generally acknowledged. Mr. Pepys, who was very capable of judging, says, that his Majesty "possessed a transcendent mastery in all maritime know

ledge." When war was declared against the Dutch, in February 1665, the English fleet at sea, and ready for sea, consisted of 114 sail, besides fire ships and ketches. Considerable improvements were made about this time in the construction of vessels. It was observed, that the Dutch and French built ships with two decks, and so contrived, as to carry their lower guns 4 feet from the water, and to stow four months provisions; whereas the guns of our vessels were but three feet from the water, and they could carry provisions only for ten weeks. Soon our vessels not only equalled the French and Dutch in these respects, but even improved upon them, so as to be 4 feet from the water, and to carry six months provisions.

In the speech of the Lord Keeper Bridgeman, it is affirmed, that from 1660 to 1670, the charge of the navy had never amounted to less than 500,000l. a-year.

In 1672 and 1673, the French brought a fleet to Spithead, the vessels composing which were found to be constructed in a very superior manner to ours. In consequence of this observation, the Superbe, a French 74, was made the model for our 2d and 3d rates.

In 1675, the navy consisted of 151 vessels of 70,587 tons burthen. Of these, forty-two carried above 50 guns, two carried 100, and one 102. In February 1677, the king laid before Parliament the decayed state of the navy, and asked money for repairing it. The House of Commons, the same year, voted 586,000. for building 30 ships, and strictly appropriated the money to that service. Till 1673, the Duke of York had exercised, with great diligence, the of