GLASGOW & HIGHLAND
ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS
DAVID MACBRAYNE LTD.
R.M.S.”Chieftain”
Off Mallaig
Aug 29 1911, 8.30 pm
My dearest Wife,
I was glad to get your letter of Sunday before leaving Oban this morning, now we must wait for further home news till we return there on Friday, meanwhile we can keep you posted up in our doings.
Our voyage to Leith was as you have already learned quite an enjoyable one and the Trossachs trip most delightful the drive from Aberfoyle to Loch Katrine, on a coach and four took us by a circuitous route right up high hills to which Broadway is a baby and then of course down again to the Trossachs pass, Cyril would have delighted in that high mountainous country, our driver certainly handled his team splendidly and the horses no doubt knew their work but I think you might have flinched a little at the way they negotiated sharp turns down steep inclines, of course they have excellent break power. Loch Katrine is narrow but very lovely with the mountains rising nearly all round, one felt on classic water as it were and I ought to have had a small copy of the “Lady of the Lake” to refresh my memory during the drive and sail, tell Judy we passed close to Ellen’s Isle and on the coach our driver pointed out several of the places, in the distance, mentioned by Scott in his poem, including Coilantogle ford the scene of the combat, landing at Stronachlacher (what a mouthful) we found four coaches and four awaiting us for the drive to Inversnaid the latter part of which was very picturesque and very steep when we arrived there at finding a small boy who said they had only just got the wire (45 minutes after sending) and as on Saturday they were eaten out by kippers they had only a bag of biscuits and lemonade to offer! we did the best we could on these and it kept us from feeling faint but now you can understand our appetite for lunch!
Continued Aug 30 at Portree.
The journey on Loch Lomond was short but very pretty and we soon reached Ardlui and took train for Oban, hitherto the weather had been quite fine but on our journey it came on to rain and there were heavy showers all night. I went to bed after dinner feeling somewhat bilious (want of breakfast and a long day probably responsible) however a little pill and a long night’s rest put that all right.
With this you will have the first instalment of diary.
Much love to you all, dear wife.
Your loving Husband
Julius Sladden
