The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-26 00:00:00

Travelling in the Isle of Skye.

A correspondent in a contemporary says : As a Skye-
man, I cannot help deploring the circumstances mentioned
by " A Tourist in the Highlands," but at the same time
do think that his letter ought not to be allowed to pass
without comment, Everyone who knows anything about
travelling is aware that in almost all places frequented
by tourists there is a set of hangers-on—idle fellows who
are in the habit of striking as hard a bargain as they pos-
sibly can. Had " A Tourist in the Highlands" consulted
Mr Mackenzie, the innkeeper at Broadford, where, I pre-
sume, the party passed the night, Mr Mackenzie would
have done to him as he had done to hundreds of others—
have put him into proper hands. But what is the most
unaccountable part of the whole affair is that a party
of six men should go to visit Coruisk, one of the
most arduous excursions that a tourist can make,
and for which a Midsummer day is not too long,
without either meat or drink, for the "Tourist" said that
at 7 o'clock in the evening he had not tasted any refresh-
ment for 12 hours. This negligence is almost unparal-
leled, for one of the party was a Highlander who understood
the Gaelic, and was even armed with a dirk. Now, sup-
posing they had no guidebook—a very extraordinary thing
indeed, nor even had taken the ordinary precaution of ask-
ing Mr Mackenzie, of Broadford, or any other gentleman
there, where they could obtain refreshment on the waY,
how did it come to pass that the Gaelic• speaking friend
never put the question to either of the two parties of boat-
men who at different stages conducted them? In truth,
the whole affair is most inexplicable. The conduct of the
boatmen is easily accounted for. Far be it from me to
palliate a breach of faith in Highlanders or others ; but the
simple truth is that tourists are in the habit of putting
aboard the boat at Torrin provisions, such as oatcake, cold
mutton, &c., and whisky, which last, it seems, our tourists
in this instance, supplied. When this was not the case the
men went indeed, but broke out into open mutiny as soon
as they began to feel the pangs of hunger. They looked
upon the provisions as part of the contract, and, when these
were not furn;shed, by an after consideration they struck
out for more pay. As to a " Tourist in the Highlands,"
stating that, fortunately for them, one of the party was fur-
nished with a dirk, all I can say is that it is a poor, weak
remark. and seems to have been a continuation of that halo
lucination which represented before him an inn, all lighted
and hospitable, when his brain was dizzy with hunger and
fatigue. It is true that the men of Skye have been long
famous for taking life, but it was on a hundred fields of
battle.

I, too, have had my bitter experiences of Coruisk. On a
Friday, in July, 1860, I went from Dunvegan to Rhuanduo
nen with the object of going on the following day to Coruisk
and crossing thence to Sligachan. In the morning I was
furnished with a guide, and before starting my flask wee
filled with choice Carbost, and in one of the pockets of my
overcoat I found a supply of biscuit and cheese. For all
this I was indebted to the kindness and consideration of
Miss Macaskill, daughter of my venerable host. On the
way I talked Gaelic to my guide, and found him to be sowed
what of a " softy," and I afterwards understood that he
was called par excellence " fearanach" or " the man," u°
doubt in irony. The walk from Rhue to Coruisk, though
arduous, is magnificent. From a plateau skirting the
brow of the southern Cullens may be seen far below the
little island of Soa, which, though a considerable distance
from Skye, seems so near that one might almost fancy he
could jump upon it. The approach to Coruisk from this
side is by far the most imposing, much more so than that
by sea ; for the traveller from the brow of a mountain
comes all at once on a bird's-eye view of Scavaig and Loch
Coruisk. Afterwards he may descend at leisure and exa-
mine more minutely the configuration of the place. To the
shores of Coruisk we got all well, and;sat down to biscuit
and grog and to rest our weary limbs. Then commenced
our ascent of the Cullens, on our way to Sligachan. My
guide, instead of showing the way, was himself making his
way. At last we got so high that on the same elevation on
the opposite side—the side looking to the north and thus
sheltered from the sun—there were heaps of snow, although
it was then the height of midsummer. At last we came to
a cliff, where it was necessary to take hold of a projecting
rock and swing across. My guide passed, but when I tried
I turned dizzy and had to stop. After this I saw nothing
of my guide nor even heard his voice until I met him two
days afterwards at Sligachan. fie left me in that strait
and went his way. The innkeeper at Sligachan at early
dawn sent him to look for my body and to secure me from
having my eyes picked out by the carrion crows.
But as for me, after waiting a whole hour, thinking that
the fearanach was only searching for a safe way, and that
he would never think of leaving me in that predicament, I
thought it high time to descend. First of all I tried a short
cut, for I got nervously anxious to get down; but the only
result of that was to get my hands cut, and to be nearly
dashed to pieces on the rocks beneath. It was with much
care that I at last succeeded by following, as near as pa.
sible, the path by which we ascended. When I got back to
Coruisk it was 6 o'clock, and although I had plenty of day'
light before me yet the mists began to descend, and I knew
very well that a Skye mist was as bad as pitchy darkness.
To add to my misfortunes nay provisions were in my over*
coat, and it was in possession of my rascally guide. I hade
however, my flask, and it is to that circumstance alone that
I am enabled to give you this account. Ater a consultation
aloud with myself on the shores of Coruisk I came to the
conclusion that my only chance. of safety was to go.back
to Rhue. The distance was 12 miles," and, under ani
circumstances is as fatiguing as 20 miles, 'and to 11109
then, as bad as 40 miles; besides I was far from certain
that I could make my way back, for having been of
the determinate purpose to gu that day to Sligachan I took
no notice of landmarks by the way. Then commenced a
journey such as few men ever undertook and survived. The
ascent in the first instance was especially exhausting, and
when I got up it was to lie down. After a time I set out
again, but could not get above 100 yards, when I must rest.
At the same time a burning thirst seized me, which made
me drink at every rivulet. Darkness was coming on apace•
My exhaustion now became so great that I looked out for
spot to lie down and thus pass the night. My mind, strange
to say, was as active as ever, and when I felt a stupor
coming over me something within me told me that if I suc-
cumbed to it I must perish. I shook it off, started to ray foet
and went on with a desperate resolve, which at last landed
me half dead in the hospitable house of Rhuandunen.