“Having crept upon deck about four in the morning,” says Sir Walter, “I find we are beating to windward off the Isle of Tyree, with the determination, on the part of Mr Stevenson, that his constituents should visit a reef of rocks called _Skerry Vhor_, where he thought it would be essential to have a Lighthouse. Loud remonstrances, on the part of the Commissioners, who, one and all, declare they will subscribe to his opinion, whatever it may be, rather than continue the infernal buffeting. Quiet perseverance on the part of Mr S., and great kicking, bouncing, and squabbling, upon that of the yacht, who seems to like the idea of Skerryvore as little as the Commissioners. At length, by dint of exertion, come in sight of this long ridge of rocks (chiefly under water) on which the tide breaks in a most tremendous style. There appear a few low broad rocks at one end of the reef, which is about a mile in length. These are never entirely under water, though the surf dashes over them. To go through all the forms, Hamilton, Duff,[1] and I, resolve to land upon these bare rocks, in company with Mr Stevenson. Pull through a very heavy swell with great difficulty, and approach a tremendous surf dashing over black pointed rocks. Our rowers, however, get the boat into a quiet creek between two rocks, where we contrive to land well wetted. I saw nothing remarkable in my way excepting several seals, which we might have shot, but, in the doubtful circumstances of the landing, we did not care to bring guns. We took possession of the rock in name of the Commissioners, and generously bestowed our own great names on its crags and creeks. The rock was carefully measured by Mr S. It will be a most desolate position for a Lighthouse--the Bell Rock and Eddystone a joke to it, for the nearest land is the wild island of Tyree, at fourteen miles distance. So much for the Skerry Vhor.” [1] The Sheriffs-Depute of Lanark and Edinburgh. Notwithstanding those occasional visits, however, it was not till the year 1834, that the Commissioners directed their Engineer to make a survey of the whole of this extensive reef, preparatory to taking measures for the erection of a Lighthouse on that part of it which might be found, after careful inspection, to afford the most suitable site; and, at the same time, the shores of part of the Island of Tyree were surveyed, with the view of establishing a Signal Tower for communicating with the Lighthouse, and of forming a small harbour, of shelter for the vessels to be employed in attending it. From these surveys the general view of the Reef which is given in Plate II., and the enlarged plan shewn in Plate III. of the Skerryvore or principal Rock, on which the Lighthouse has been built, were constructed. * * * * *