Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-08-08
LORD BYRON'S FA HER

" hCVp III S'Sd' o'oS'
LORD BYRON'S FA ,HER
From Correspondent in the Inverness Courier.
Since The lave Lord Byron Distinguished him
self by his writings, IN interest altaches 10 MS
name and family which may render the ioiio"'
ing an, cdoie of one of has predecessors ~" un-
acceptable TO the public. give II 10 Very
the words OF The rela,er, Gro Hossack, - al
headed Old fisherman, who bad been minute
observer Of men and things, and who My years
ago was reckoned The strongest aud most OAR
ing man in This part OF The country.
In July, 1879, Lord ByIo"'s pleasure-yacht,
vessel mounting twelve guns, well manned
and fl,ed out in III most elegant manner, cast
anchor in the bay Of Chromary. Sc had lain
there for several days, having, according TO
rrp,rl, d, ing lady on board, when nv intor'
mant rowed his skif alongside, bringing two
fne salmon 10 dispose OF. No SCORER had hi,
boat touched the vessel han man who sood
sentry at the gangway seizrd boa'-hook Z"
shove her of, and ruck The ern with such
force as 10 split The plank. The hshe' man mi
ra,ed at the I'M Jury done hi> boat, Lid hold
Of the POLE wrenched il out oil tnt fellows
grasp, and threatened TO strike HIM d'wn-
Some one aboard cried opt sink ine rasc al :!
The cry was echoed by others, ani ftossack,
considering that The ODDS were sadly against
him, used The pole mot in carrying his thfe Il IN
to execution, but in propelling his boat from
The side 10 under thu stein OF the yacht.
where he lay beyond reach. In a lew seconds,
however, the captain, who, as he afterwards
learned, was Mr. Douglas, native IT Orkney,
called on him Come alongside. He d'd 90;
an apology was rendered him, for the injury
done his boai, and he quietly disposed oil the hsh.
Lord Byron good-lonsing man, bui rather
sha billy dressed, was pacing the quarier-detk'
Two gentlemen. Sir Hector Munro, 81 Norar,
and 81, George Munro, Of poyn'zhrld. who had
come on board on purpose TO see his lordshlP,
their old aCquain ance, as it would appear, were
seated on chairs near the stern ne party
conversation. Byron did no, invite hi. ,isit-
ors 10 20 below, bu, continued 10 pace tht deck,
re ding the'n from time to lime with an cx-
preston OF coun-nancr singuiariy rrpolsire,
white the two genilemen had the blank look of
men who rxpec ing kind reception, are chit
led by one free zing cold. In explMation Of
conduct SO singular my info man, Was told by
one Of the crew that his lordship was unsettled
in mind, and had been So from 1.-The time he had
killed gentleman in duel but that his mad
ness was not without me hod. He learned al
forwards, however tia, prudence, noI insanity.
VI
casion; for the cabin was occupi d by three
Young women who accompanied him in all his
VOYAGES, & to an acquaintance with whom ne did
not moose to- introduce the visitors. os-ack
was likewise informed that the sick lady, Miss
Moody had expired that morning; hat she had
no connexiuD with his lordship, but was rela-
tive or q acquaintance Of the captain, and a no
tive OF D. kney; that she had gone 10 Inverness
for the benefit Of her health; and that becoming
worse, and no more eligible conveyance pre-
sen,ing she had taken the opportunity OF return
ing BY Lord Byron's yacht. A Chroma'ty wo-
man who went on board 10 dress the corps' des-
rIi5ed the cabin in Which IL lay, as tie fines
she had ever seen. The sides were 2annelIcd
with mirrors, and the belts between embossed
into finely colored vrea,hs Of flowers. The
waist Of the yacht was divided by passage
lighted from above, and there were cabins on
each side finished mas rich style as The one
occupied by the deaf body
The strangest pan Of lhr narrative is yet TO
come After dispesing of his fish, Douglass
gave Hossack d. an Of exce!len, gin, told him
he would scarce 81 any such ashore, and with
a knowing inclination Of the head, asked him
whether he wouldno' br for few ankers -
Lord Byron's smuggling yacht! thought
llossack. He replied, however, in the affirm.
| ati'e, and was broPht TO the peak OF lhi vessel
when he saw grs' quantity Of kegs strap
ped and loaded, that's, bound together by pairs,
aud having weigh,sattached to them to facil.
tate their si"king, case Of their being ,hrown
overheard He 81 I'd bargain for forty, left
the vessel, and re,tued for his pnrchas. a;
midnight After s,wing /, in the boat he
was brought below " Douglas, and saw his
lordship and the tbra women already mention
ed. The latte, wire toung and good looking,
bu, from the ffeeomof their manners appa.
ren,ly of charactrs worse than Goub full. His
lordshi2 said sc'ce any thing. He appeared
to be dark Iesrved man, Of singular habi,s
aud unsettled bind. His insanity, however,
seemed of that pr, which instead Of changing.
deepen the shafts Of the natural character. AZ. !
ter paying Dsblas for the gin, my informant
was presented ltb bag Of excelenr coffee
A few weeks aiawards the yacht left the place.