Kings & rulers > More leaves from the journal of a life in the Highlands from 1862 to 1882

237
Got up before eight, and at half-past eight break¬
fasted for the last time with dear Louise and Beatrice.
Then dressed before half-past nine and went down¬
stairs. The early morning was fair, though misty, but
unfortunately by half-past eight the mist had come
down and it rained. It was decided that the horses
should go back overland (having had such a terrible
journey from the difficult embarkation and landing)
by Dalmally, stopping all night at Tyndrum and com¬
ing on next day. The van was to go by sea. Some
of the things belonging to our toilettes (which were in
far too cumbrous boxes) we kept with us. I took
leave of the whole family,* including the McNeills,
and, with a heavy heart, of my darling Louise. It
rained very much as we drove off, and for some time
afterwards, to make it more melancholy.
We left Inveraray at half-past nine, and drove out
by the same gateway as on our arrival, but afterwards
went along the sea-shore to the head of the loch. We
then turned to the right, still along the lochside, and
changed horses at twenty minutes to eleven at a small
inn called Cairndow, where the dear little Campbell
children are staying, and who were at the window—
such lovely children! There were a few people col¬
lected, and the harness as well as the horses had to
be changed, and a pair of leaders put on to pull us
up the long steep ascent in Glenkinglass. This caused
a delay of ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. It
rained rather heavily, the mist hanging over the hills
most provokingly. We passed Ardkinglass (Mr. Cal¬
lander’s), and then turned up to the left through the
Elizabeth, Duchess of Argyll, died May 25, 1878.