Tour round the West Coast of Scotland, and Visit to Ardverikie.
Wednesday, August 11, 1847.
We proceeded from the Osborne Pier on board the yacht. Our two eldest children, my brother Charles, the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, Lord Grey (Secretary of State), Lady Jocelyn, General Wemyss, Sir James Clark, and Miss Hildyard, accompanied us.
We have with us the following steamers:—The “Black Eagle,” “Garland,” “Undine,” “Fairy,” and “Scourge” (war-steamers). The two equerries are on board the “Black Eagle.”
We were soon under weigh, and as Osborne vanished from our sight, I thought of our poor children left behind.
On Board the Victoria and Albert,
in Dartmouth Harbour,
Thursday, August 12.
I have not much to relate. Our voyage has not been what we intended, mais l’homme propose et Dieu dispose; for instead of being at Falmouth we are only at Dartmouth! We started at five o’clock, and soon after felt the vessel stop, and on inquiring, heard that the fog was so thick it was impossible to proceed. At last Captain Smithett was sent out in the “Garland” to report on the state of the weather; and he soon returned, saying that all was clear enough to proceed outside The Needles (we were in Alum Bay). So we started again, and, after breakfast, we came on deck, where I remained working and talking; feeling quite well; but towards one o’clock the ground swell had increased, and we decided to run into the harbour we now are in.