speed and considerable seaworthiness essential for the west coast of Scotland, her station being the Island of Arran.  In the picture before us it will be seen that she has exceptionally high bulwarks and appears to have an additional raised deck forward.  The yard on which the squaresail was carried when off the wind is seen lowered with its foot-ropes and tackle.  The mainsail is of course loose-footed, and the tack is seen well triced up.  Two things especially strike us.  First, the smallness of the yard to which the head of the gaff-topsail is laced; and secondly, the great size of the headsail.  She has obviously stowed her working jib and foresail and set her balloon jib.  When running before a breeze such a craft could set not merely all plain sail, but her squaresail, square-topsail and even stun’sls.  Therefore, the smuggling vessel that was being chased must needs be pretty fleet of foot to get away.

[Illustration:  H.M.  Cutter Wickham This shows an early Nineteenth Century King’s Cutter (a) running before the wind with square sails and stuns’ls set, (b) on a wind with big jib set.]

Campbeltown in those days was the headquarters of no fewer than seven large Revenue cruisers, all being commanded by naval officers.  They were powerful vessels, generally manned by double crews, each having a smaller craft to act as tender, their chief duties being to intercept those who smuggled salt, spirits, and tea from the Isle of Man.  The officers and men of the cutters made Campbeltown their home, and the houses of the commanders were usually built opposite to the buoys of the respective cutters.  The merits of each cutter and officer were the subject of animated discussion in the town, and how “old Jack Fullarton had carried on” till all seemed to be going by the board on a coast bristling with sunken rocks, or how Captain Beatson had been caught off the Mull in the great January gale, and with what skill he had weathered the headland—­these were questions which were the subjects of many a debate among the enthusiasts.

This Captain John Fullarton had in early life served as a midshipman on a British man-of-war.  On one occasion he had been sent under Lord Wickham to France on a certain mission in a war-vessel.  The young officer’s intelligence, superior manners, and handsome appearance so greatly pleased Lord Wickham, that his lordship insisted on having young Fullarton alone to accompany him ashore.  After the mission was over Lord Wickham suggested procuring him some advancement in the service, to which Fullarton replied, “My lord, I am sincerely grateful for your undesired kindness, and for the interest you have been pleased to show in regard to my future prospects.  Since, however, you have asked my personal views, I am bound to say I am not ambitious for promotion on board a man-of-war.  I have a small property in Scotland, and if your lordship could obtain for me the command of one of his Majesty’s cutters, with which I might spend my time usefully and honourably in cruising the waters around my native island of Arran, I should feel deeply indebted to you, and I should value such an appointment above all others.”