9. The steam-vessel “Fearless” (for survey).
This composes our squadron, besides which the Trinity-House steamer goes with us, and, also, a packet. Innumerable little pleasure steamboats have been following us covered with people.
Tuesday, August 30.
We heard, to our great distress, that we had only gone 58 miles since eight o’clock last night. How annoying and provoking this is! We remained on deck all day lying on sofas; the sea was very rough towards evening, and I was very ill. We reached Flamborough Head on the Yorkshire coast by half-past five.
Wednesday, August 31.
At five o’clock in the morning we heard, to our great vexation, that we had only been going three knots an hour in the night, and were 50 miles from St. Abb’s Head.
We passed Coquet Island and Bamborough Castle on the Northumberland coast, which I was unfortunately unable to see; but from my cabin I saw Ferne Island, with Grace Darling’s lighthouse on it; also Rocky Islands and Holy Island. At half-past five I went on deck, and immediately lay down. We then came in sight of the Scotch coast, which is very beautiful, so dark, rocky, bold, and wild, totally unlike our coast. We passed St. Abb’s Head at half-past six. Numbers of fishing-boats (in one of which was a piper playing) and steamers full of people came out to meet us, and on board of one large steamer they danced a reel to a band. It was a beautiful evening, calm, with a fine sunset, and the air so pure.
One cannot help noticing how much longer the days are here than they were in England. It was not really dark till past eight o’clock, and on Monday and Tuesday evening at Windsor it was nearly dark by half-past seven, quite so before eight. The men begged leave to dance, which they did to the sound of a violin played by a little sailor-boy; they also sang.
We remained on deck till twenty-five minutes to nine, and saw many bonfires on the Scotch coast—at Dunbar—Lord Haddington’s place, Tyninghame, and at other points on the coast. We let off four rockets, and burned two blue lights. It is surprising to see the sailors climb on the bowsprit and up to the top of the mast-head—this too at all times of the day and night. The man who carried the lantern to the main-top ran up with it in his mouth to the top. They are so handy and so well conducted.
We felt most thankful and happy that we were near our journey’s end.