| LETTERS FROM PERTH, UPPER CANADA. |
| BY THE |
|---|
| REV. WILLIAM BELL |
LETTER II |
|---|
DURING THE NIGHT the gale having increased, we had, on the morning of the
13th, several squalls, which produced some alarm, though we carried very
little sail. The wind being still from the north, the motion of the ship
was violent and sickening. Though it was Sabbath, we had no sermon on
board, the storm being so great, that no person could keep his place
without holding fast. For myself, I was very sick, and compelled to keep my
bed the whole day. Some were now, however, getting clear of their sickness,
and able to move about. At sea it is easy to discover the natural
disposition of your fellow-travellers. They soon lay aside all reserve. Our
passengers were now seen in their proper characters. Some conducted
themselves as seriously and consistently as the last Sabbath, while others
were more profligate and regardless. |
|
The morning, of the 14th was fine, and I rose refreshed with a good sleep.
The wind had fallen during the night,. the sea was becoming calm, and all
our passengers were well, and hungry for their breakfast. This being
dispatched, the Captain gave orders to prepare and rig our new main yard, a
work which had hitherto been prevented by the storm. In a few minutes as
many carpenters (passengers) as could get round it, were at work. About two
P. M. it was finished, and in its place, and from that time till six in the
evening we sailed with a fine favourable breeze. But when we entered the
Murray Firth, the wind veered to the north-west as before, and began to
blow a gale, so that we were obliged to stand out to sea during the night,
carrying, very little sail. |
|
After a rough and tempestuous night, in which sleep was out of the
question, we, on the morning of the 15th, tacked and made for the shore. On
the appearance of land, it was found that we had drifted to the southward,
and were still between Aberdeen and Peterhead. As the gale increased, we
carried but little sail, and stood to the north-east during the whole day.
The weather was cold and boisterous, and the sea running mountains high. We
now suffered excessively, both from sickness and the rolling of the ship.
No ease was to be obtained, either in bed or out of it; and we were often
dashed from the one side to the other with the greatest violence. |
|
In the course of the following night the storm continued with unabated
fury; our beds cracked frightfully; and every thing movable was dashed from
its place. In the morning of the 16th we tacked and stood for the shore, or
rather drove before the storm, for it had now become so violent that
sailing was out of the question. Indeed not a sail was up, except a stay
sail to steady the ship. But after all we could do, it rolled excessively;
its side being exposed to a heavy sea, which frequently broke over it, and
swept every thing movable from the deck. One of these seas had nearly
carried a sailor overboard, but he got hold of something just in time to
save himself. Two or three of the passengers had also very narrow escapes.
I could have enjoyed the sublime aspect which the sea at this time
presented, could I have obtained a firm station from which to view it, but
the violent vibrations of the ship produced so much corporeal uneasiness,
that the mind could enjoy nothing. The waves, capped with foam resembled
hills covered with snow, and separated by green valleys. The storm
continued all day, attended with hail and rain: the passengers spent their
time below, some of them as quiet as possible, and others, either grumbling
about the badness of the provisions, or groaning under the influence of
uneasy feelings. The provisions, indeed, were none of the best, and
produced much altercation in the course of the voyage. The bread, by the
Captain himself, was admitted to be more than a year old, and the beef much
older: indeed I have never seen any thing like the latter presented to
human beings. The pork, however, was tolerable; and the oatmeal, of which
there was a considerable quantity on board, was excellent. The first
complaints about the beef were made to the cook, who was a cross,
ill-natured, old man, and swore shockingly. He treated them in a very
unceremonious way; and it was painful to hear the language used on the
occasion. For some time after this storm of human passions, the old man
would not allow the female passengers to approach the fire-place, to
prepare food for their children, and kicked some who dared
to disobey his mandates. |
|
On the morning of the 17th we found ourselves near a rugged, rocky shore, a
few miles to the South of Wick, in Caithness. The wind having moderated the
evening before, we had not only got a sound sleep, but advanced a good many
miles during the night. A lot of us were free from sickness, and joy was
visible in every countenance at the happy chance in our circumstances. I
called the people together to worship, and we offered our grateful
adorations to that Being who sets bounds to the raging of the sea, and
hushes the storm into a calm at his pleasure. I bad been using every
endeavour, from the first day I came on board, to get both the passengers
and crew to leave off swearing entirely. Though the evil was not cured, it
was evident that a reformation had taken place, or at least that some
restraint had been imposed. I took this opportunity of impressing upon the
minds of all, the folly, the absurdity, and the wickedness of profane
swearing, and recommended, by every argument I could think of, the benefit
of laying it aside at once. I reminded them of the disagreeable, and even
dangerous circumstances, in which we had been placed for eight days past,
and that something even worse might be awaiting us, if this vice should be
still indulged. As a great majority of the passengers not only heartily
joined with us in the performance of religious duties, but in every
endeavour to promote improvement among the rest, our advices were not
neglected. From this time forward none were heard to swear, except two or
three of the sailors, and as many of the passengers, who seemed to be
altogether incurable, at least by the means in our power. All day we
continued beating to the northward, and at sunset arrived at
John-o'-Groat's House, the north-east point of the mainland of Scotland.
The tide not being favourable for entering the Pentland Firth, we
resolved to remain were we were, and hang on the wind till morning. All
this time the ruins of Johnny's far-famed mansion were full in view, on the
side of a rocky hill near the point. The building seems to have been of
small dimensions and only parts of the walls are now standing. it was
resolved that we should proceed to Stromness, a port in one of the Orkney
Isles, and there remain till the wind shifted, for it was now directly in
our teeth. |
|
At three o'clock in the morning of the 18th, we left John-o'-Groat's House,
and entered that sea of whirling and struggling waters, the Pentland Firth.
Here the tide runs with inconceivable fury, and having at this time to
oppose the wind, the conflict was tremendous. After we had passed this
dangerous strait, and got among the lands, the sea became more tranquil. In
our course, we made many a tack, and were sometimes within the ship's
length of the rocks; the wind blew a strong breeze, the sea foamed, and the
rain fell in torrents; but both sailors and passengers exerted themselves
so well, that, under the direction of the pilot, before noon, they brought
the ship to anchor in a spacious natural harbour, in front of the town of
Stromness. Some ships were here before us, and others came afterwards, all
more or less damaged by the late gales. We were quickly surrounded by
boats, eager to take the passengers on shore: being asked how much they
charged, they replied sixpence each person; but a competition taking place,
most got shore for a penny. |
|
Mr. Taylor and I went a-shore, and waited upon one of the ministers. He
treated us with civility, but appeared rather embarrassed, and seemed
pleased when we took our leave. We then took a stroll through the town, and
purchased a few articles of which we were in want. Most of the houses are
two stories high, are white-washed on the outside, and have a very neat
appearance when viewed from the harbour. But we were much surprised to find
that there was no proper street, and that the houses were not arranged in
rows, but scattered about in all directions. The vacant spaces between them
were mostly paved with flat stones, wheel carriages, till lately, having
been unknown on these islands. Provisions of all kinds, and peats for fuel,
are brought from the country in hampers on the backs of little horses. |
|
We next took a walk into the country, and called at several farmhouses,
expecting to procure milk, but in this we were disappointed, for none could
be obtained. No wonder. Not a blade of grass had yet appeared, and the crop
of last year was all consumed. The cattle of all descriptions were in a
very poor condition. Some were gnawing the moss which covered their barren
pastures, and others picking up the sea-weed along the shore. The soil did
not appear to be naturally bad, but the natives seemed to have made but
little progress in agriculture, drawing the chief part of their subsistence
from the fishing. Their ploughs were composed of two crooked sticks, put
together in the rudest manner. Had we not seen them in operation, we should
have supposed them useless; but they performed their work much better than
could be expected. We saw no thorn hedges, and scarcely a shrub or tree of
any description. The only enclosures we observed were near the town, and
these were surrounded with walls of loose stones, or banks of earth. The
only grain they were sowing was oats, and that of a very inferior kind. But
ploughing was the principal field operation going forward, and this was
chiefly managed by women, while the men were engaged in the fishing. |
|
The dwellings of the country people were for the most part very homely
mansions, through the walls of which both wind and rain find easy access.
Yet this free admission of the air does them no injury, as the fine fresh
complexions of the natives bear witness. On entering a farm-house, we found
a family, the very picture of health, finishing a dinner of fish and eggs.
They had no bread, nor, as we afterwards learned, any thing to make it of.
They invited us to a seat, with an easy frankness, which at once gained our
confidence. We soon found from their conversation, that though they were
poor, they were not ignorant. On looking round, we discovered that the
family was larger than we had supposed. In one place lay a calf, in another
a ewe with two lambs, and in a third a hen was laying with great composure. |
|
On our return to the ship, we found that farmers from a distant part of the
island had been there with a supply of provisions. Fowls they sold at
ninepence each, butter at ninepence a-pound, and eggs fivepence a-dozen.
They had also a small quantity of milk, which they sold at threepence
a-quart, but no bread could be obtained. Indeed, we were informed there had
been very little meal or flour in the island for several months. This
island, which is of considerable extent, is called the Mainland of Orkney.
It was formerly called Pomona, in honour of the goddess of fruit, but if
her ladyship ever resided here, it must have been at some very remote
period, as not a trace of her can now be discovered. Kirkwall is the
capital, and is distant from Stromness nine miles. |
|
On the 19th, I made another excursion a few miles into the country, but the
road not being good, I was forced to return. In two or three places I
observed women carrying manure in baskets on their backs to enrich the
land. This is a circumstance mentioned by several writers, but I considered
it a joke. Most of the people I met were stout, active, and fair
complexioned. As I passed the church-yard, I stepped in to look at the
monuments of the dead. While thus employed, I was joined by the clergyman.
He seemed to be very sensible and intelligent, as most of the Scottish
clergy are. We took a walk along the shore together, and when we parted, he
invited the Captain and me to call upon him at the manse on the following
evening. |
|
On returning to the ship, I found that the repairs and watering were nearly
completed, but the wind being still unfavourable, we could not move. About
twenty other vessels were now at anchor near us, all repairing the injuries
they had sustained from the storm. |
END OF LETTER II. BACK TO START OF LETTER
|
|---|
