Series 6 > Travels in Scotland 1788-1881

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Travels in Scotland, 1788—1881: A Selectionfrom Contemporary Tourist Journals
the road - Gentlemens seats here and there interspersed, render the journey from
Lochgilphead to Tarbert delightfully grand. Supping on tea with some excellent
Caller Herrings went to bed at nine being a little fatigued after our day’s walk.
23 Sprung from my bed at six of the morning to pursue our homeward
bound journey, but was prevented by the violence of the storm and rain as no boat
could be large enough to carry us across the Loch. Crept into bed again until the
storm would subside and snor’d away until nine am. When sallied out and bathed
the weather having now cleared up a little, but the wind too strong for the small
craft at this side of the Loch to venture out. Luckily the ferry boat from opposite
side hove in sight, but owing to a strong head wind could not make Tarbert by
two miles. At ten we breakfasted, then walked down to the boat, and after a
remarkably quiet though rough passage of seven miles which we ran in twenty five
minutes landed in safety on the opposite side. Drinking a little whisky in the
miserable hovel mentioned [...] in one of my former perambulations to these
parts, continued our route to the Kerry Ferry15 at which we were to appearance
likely to be detained. The ferryman being confined to bed by sickness, there was
none but a boy to manage the boat which being a rowing one, and still a
considerable sea, saw no possibility of getting over till an old man who happened
at the time to be passing was prevailed upon by the aid of two gills of whisky to
assist at the Oar, which he handled by the aid of the potent beverage with
animated skill and landed us safe on Bute but not without our receiving a wet
jacket by the splashing of the still agitated water. Paying 2d each for our passage,
wandered on for about ten miles to Rothesay which we reached about seven
o’clock. Being one of their periodical fair days, a sight of bustling confusion not
altogether agreeable to an uninterested stranger who sets out on his peregrination
in search of the calm solitude of mountain scenery and with a determination of
shunning the haunts of dissipation and vice, such being our humour, we went to
the quay to enquire for a conveyance to Greenock in order to get rid of the modey
and dangerous attendants of a fair, but as there was no vessel to part until the next
day, had to content ourselves with the accommodation the place would allow,
which was not altogether to our wish. The horrid and confused mode of dancing,
bawling, singing and other miscellaneous accompaniments of a highland fair kept
us awake for the greatest part of the night.
24 The morning being very wet did not stir out of doors till eleven, but
indeed from the fatigue of the preceding evening there was none stirring in the
house till this late hour, when we got breakfast then sallied forth and
perambulated the Country till One pm when we left Rothesay in one of the
15 Kerry is the most southerly division of the parish of Kilfinan, from which a ferry ran across to Bute.