The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Caught in a Ford. 2 1 5
going towards North Uist. Owing to the violence of the
storm, and the difficulty the boatmen would encounter in
effecting a landing on the rock, we showed no signals of
distress ; but the men had seen us, and a (ew hours after-
wards, while we were still imprisoned in the ford, they
reported our safety in Lochmaddy. At length, about
noon, the horse was once more yoked, and we slowly
wended our way across dry sands and through deep
channels, till we set foot once more on terra firnia. I
telegraphed from the first telegraph office we came to for
fresh horses to meet me from Lochmaddy, and in an
incredibly short time I had the satisfaction of seeing a car-
riage approaching at full speed. My luggage was soon trans-
ferred to the new conveyance, and having paid my former
driver—my companion m the ford—and having " tipped "
him with an extra coin with which to feed himself and his
now jaded horse, I made enquiries of my new man regard-
ing the mail boat, for which I still hoped to be in time at
Lochmaddy. He told me that, considering the stormy
character of the day, there was a possibility of my being in
time. The promise of a handsome " tip" had the desired
effect, and we dashed along at the rate of about ten miles
an hour. When within a mile from Lochmaddy, we
observed the steamer sailing slowly to the pier. A few
more cuts of the whip, and in a few minutes we dashed
down to the pier in grand style. Yes !
boat at the pier ; but
there
was the mail
a porter had cast loose one of the
ropes, and a second porter was in the act of loosening the
other rope. I shouted, but every one seemed as deaf as a
door post. The last rope was thrown off, a bell sounded
as the captain signalled " Full speed" to the engineer in the
lower regions, and the steamer sailed away towards the
open sea, leaving mc standing on the pier gazing sadly
after it. D. M.