The wind continuing favourable after leaving Yarmouth, about nine this
morning we passed the rugged and bold projecting rock termed Johnny
Groat's house and soon afterwards Duncansby Head, and then entered the
Pentland Firth. A pilot came from the main shore of Scotland and steered
the ship in safety between the different islands to the outer anchorage
at Stromness, though the atmosphere was too dense for distinguishing any
of the objects on the land. Almost immediately after the ship had
anchored the wind changed to north-west, the rain ceased and a sight was
then first obtained of the neighbouring islands and of the town of
Stromness, the latter of which from this point of view and at this
distance presented a pleasing appearance.

Mr. Geddes, the agent of the Hudson's Bay Company at this place,
undertook to communicate my wish for volunteer boatmen to the different
parishes by a notice on the church door, which he said was the surest and
most direct channel for the conveyance of information to the lower
classes in these islands as they invariably attend divine service there
every Sunday. He informed me that the kind of men we were in want of
would be difficult to procure on account of the very increased demand for
boatmen for the herring fishery which had recently been established on
the shores of these islands; that last year sixty boats and four hundred
men only were employed in this service whereas now there were three
hundred boats and twelve hundred men engaged; and that owing to this
unexpected addition to the fishery he had been unable to provide the
number of persons required for the service of the Hudson's Bay Company.
This was unpleasant information as it increased the apprehension of our
being detained at York Factory the whole winter if boatmen were not taken
from hence. I could not therefore hesitate in requesting Mr. Geddes to
engage eight or ten men well adapted for our service on such terms as he
could procure them, though the Secretary of State's permission had not