Page:Autobiography of William Love, P.C..pdf/45

45 the tone of politics to Europe.” They did not, however, buy any thing from me, although they took up a deal of my time talking to them and giving them information, and I left them in the shop I have been told since that one of them was Lord John Russell. On leaving Balmoral I visited several parts of the Highlands, and returned home via Perth and Stirling.

In the year 1851, everybody went to London to see the Great Exhibition, and I went too. Having once before travelled on foot to London, I took the sea for a change, and sailed from the Bromielaw. For some time the voyage was pleasant, but afterwards it came on a violent storm. The waves ran mountains high, and dashed our vessel backwards and forwards, and then burst over it as if to bury it in the dread abyss, but the gallant ship went nobly on, steming the angry waves. The captain seemed afraid, for he was continually roaring to some one or another, and the passengers were crouching here and there below, holding on by whatever they could clutch to keep them from being tumbled from the one side to the other as the ship pitched—I remained on deck calm and serene amidst the war of elements, encouraging the captain and crew. After the storm had subsided a little, a cabin passenger who had seen and admired my coolness, came on deck and took me below, and gave me a glass of spirits. When I looked round on the pale faces of the passengers, I could