The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

2o6 The Highland Monthly.
It was only when one of them got his hind legs behind the
cross-bar that we were able to bring them to a standstill.
On alighting, we discovered that the pole of the carriage
was broken, and the carriage itself partly damaged. After
some difficulty we released the horses, which we found, after
examining them as well as the darkness permitted, uninjured.
What was to be done now ? The carriage had, of course,
to be abandoned, and it seemed as if my only alternative
was to walk back to Creagorry, which was by no means an
agreeable one. The driver, however, told me after a few
minutes' consultation with him that about a mile and a-half
farther on, and close to the ford, there was a small inn,
where I might probably be able to procure a dogcart to
drive me across to Carinish in North Uist, where a carriage
was awaiting me. So shouldering my luggage, which consisted
of a portmanteau, a small hand-bag, and a heavy
rug, I walke'd to the inn, which I reached about one o'clock
on Friday morning. The inmates had all retired to rest,
but the persistent application of my hazel stick to the door
compelled the landlord to appear in a short time. I
explained to him my mishap and my eagerness to push on
immediately, and to my great delight he promised to have
his dogcart at my disposal in about half-an-hour. He
invited me inside until his driver was ready, and on my
accepting his invitation, he conducted me to a small, but
nicely furnished, room, where he told me I might, if I
smoked, have a pipe to wile away the half-hour that must
elapse before he was ready to drive me across the ford.
Acting on his suggestion, I produced my cigar-case, and
lighted the only cigar remaining. At the time promised,
the innkeeper made his appearance, and told me that his
driver was now ready, and that I had no time to lose, for
now the tide was flowing for nearly an hour. I immediately
took my place in the conveyance, and after bidding a
hearty good morning—for it was now half-past one o'clock
—to my host, I found myself being driven at a rapid rate
along a road that was by no means an even one, and in a