The wind was adverse, attended by some rain, and they struggled against it without much assistance from the tide.

The boat was heavily laden with goods (part of which were probably contraband), and laboured deep in the sea.

Brown, who had been bred a sailor, and was indeed skilled in most athletic exercises, gave his powerful and effectual assistance in rowing, or occasionally in steering the boat, and his advice in the management, which became the more delicate as the wind increased, and, being opposed to the very rapid tides of that coast, made the voyage perilous.

At length, after spending the whole night upon the firth, they were at morning within sight of a beautiful bay upon the Scottish coast.

The weather was now more mild.