7 Oct. 1918
A stiff South West wind such that it made the people of the town fear a high tide would bring the sea up into the town. The sun shone fitfully and now and then the rain poured down driven with a wind such as inland people never feel. It had power enough to take one nearly off ones feet driving him into door ways and around corners. Did some shopping and visited a very old graveyard and tiny church down into the vault where lay three ancient coffins. To one side just outside the sacred ground was a pile of earth where they buried those who had died for their crimes. Years ago this part of the island was afflicted with plague and the people were forbidden to attend church. The saintly minister took them up the glen to the north of the town near the Brisbane house and there held worship. Here after serving the sick, dying and dead he too fell a victim of the disease and here he was buried. The spot is still known as the prophet’s grave. Two trees stand near the spot and it is said when their branches have so grown that they meet the town shall again be visited with the plague. It was in this charming glen beside this burn called Noodle the last Highland witches in this part of the country were burned.
We returned by the Esplanade and the waves were dashing high over into the road with a spay that drove against the nearest houses. Andy and I walked enjoying the strong force of wind and wave. We came home wet with our faces smarting with the sea water to hear the old ladies tell stories of how the sea had risen at such a time up to their house doing terrific damage and too how deaths had occurred and they had carried home the corpses in the quiet morning.
The Old Cousins from Helensborough on the Clyde gave us a warm invitation to visit them next time on leave.
At night we came on to Glasgow. Had tea with Miss McIntyre in her room and slept in beds 199 and 200 in the YMCA. A cold rainy night with everyone talking of the bad weather. Certainly they worry about the rain more than I. You just imagine it is part of the country and perfectly natural. They assure me it is lovely in the summer and I can well believe them.
