opportunities of sporting which Scotland afforded. On the 11th of
August, the queen, the prince, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal,
and suite left Osborne House in the _Victoria and Albert_ yacht, with
the _Fairy_ as tender, and escorted by a fleet of war-steamers. Her
majesty stayed one night at the Scilly Islands, then passed through the
Menai Straits, and steered for the Isle of Man. The fleet sailed close
to the island, but her majesty did not land. On Monday, the 16th, the
fleet anchored in Loch Ryan: their entrance to the mouth of the Clyde
was very picturesque, and was observed by great numbers, in yachts and
steamers, who had made excursions for the purpose. On the following
day her majesty landed at Dumbarton, and inspected the old castle. The
squadron anchored for the night under the castle of Rothsay, from which
place the Prince of Wales derives his Scottish ducal title. On the
Wednesday they proceeded up Loch Fyne; at Tarbut her majesty gazed with
long and deep interest upon the glorious scenery. The royal party landed
at Inverary, where the Duke of Argyll and the Campbells paid feudal
homage, the clansmen assembling in their national costume.

From Inverary the court proceeded to Staffa, where they examined the
cave. The prince also landed at Iona, where so many ancient kings and
heroes of Scotland found sepulture. On Friday morning they arrived off
Fort William, where, on Saturday morning, her majesty and suite left
the squadron and proceeded by land to her Scottish autumn residence. The
accounts of this expedition published in the journals of the day greatly
interested the British public. A periodical not remarkable for its
loyalty thus referred to the voyage:--"Never, certainly, were the
habitual life and disposition of a sovereign exhibited to a nation
in more favourable guise than those of Queen Victoria during her sea
voyages. The history of the cruise to Scotland is like those which have
preceded it. It displays the chief traveller in the most engaging light.
We see her, the ruler of a maritime people, recurring for her holiday
pleasures to the enjoyment of the sea; riding the waves with a fearless
familiarity that yet has in it nothing unfeminine. The sovereign is
pleased to gratify her people by going among them and reciprocating
courtesies. Less reserved than some other predecessors, Queen Victoria,
surrounded by her family, still seems attended by a thoroughly English
spirit of domesticity