XXVII.—DUNDALK.

Stoctport Sunday School, 32 feet long, 7 feet 6 inches beam, 10 oars.

THIS Life-boat Station is on a low flat shore, three miles south of Soldiers' Point, the southern side of the entrance to Dundalk Harbour. At high tide the water comes to within a few feet of the boat-house; but long flats of mud extending one or two miles seaward, and which are too soft to track the boat over, and are yet uncovered at half ebb, render the process of launching difficult; and, indeed, at some states of tide and wind com- pel delay till the tide is in a more favourable con- dition. Through the mud flats, however, there are a few natural dykes, with just sufficient water to float the boat in; and in some states of tide a great deal of ground is got over in smooth water by following the aykes till they lead into the open sea.

Wrecks most commonly take place near the lighthouse, which is erected on piles, and marks the deep-water channel leading into Dundalk ; it is about two miles from the land. If the Life-boat can creep through the dyke close up to this light- house, which sometimes happens, she is only a short time exposed to the full fury of the storm.

Sometimes, however, the tide prevents for some hours the boat being launched at all, and for this reason it is in contemplation to move the boat- house to Giles Quay, on the north side of the bay, in which position the boat would be two miles from the bar, but to windward of it, and able to launch at any time of tide.

Nevertheless, in its present position at Black- rock, the Stockport Sunday School Life-boat has performed some gallant service to wrecks, from which it has saved altogether 37 lives.

The present Life-boat was placed on the station in 1867, the funds having been presented to the Institution by the scholars of the Stockport Sunday School.

It replaced a smaller boat, which had been put there in 1859, when the station was first formed.

Altogether there have been saved at this station, since its formation, 55 lives.

The present Honorary Secretary of the Dundalk branch is J. F. FARBELI,, Esq.

XXVIII.—KIRKCUDBRIGHT.

THE Life-boat on this station is 30 feet long, 6 feet 6 inches beam, 6 oars.

She was stationed here first in 1862, in con- sequence of the representations of the Town Council, there having been several disastrous wrecks near the bar of the river Dee, or in the Firth. As the crew reside near the town, and the launching-place and site for boat-house is suitable, it was found more convenient to establish the station in the town than on the comparatively un- inhabited coast near the open sea.

The Life-boat saved a distressed vessel and crew a few months after being placed at Kirkcud- bright, and in the course of the succeeding few years she saved the crews of three other vessels in distress; but more recently, the local coasting trade having decreased, and the lighting of the coast being more efficient, the Life-boat is seldom called for. Surrounded in all directions by some of the loveliest scenery of the kind in Scotland, Kirkcudbright itself is an interesting and pictur- esque little town, surrounded by deep woods, and with the beautiful river Dee sweeping along the edges of its quays. The river is deep enough for vessels of considerable burthen to ascend to abreast the town when the tide is up; and in olden times Kirkcudbright had a considerable oversea commerce. It was a walled town with a ditch almost up to modern times, and Castlemains, or Castledykes, as it is now called, was a stronghold of great importance. Edward I. made this the seat of his court during his contest with Wallace in 1300.

The celebrated Paul Jones, the Rover, was the son of a gardener, and born in this neighbourhood.

In 1798 he brought his squadron into the outer anchorage and pillaged St. Mary's Isle, the seat of the Earl of Selkirk. The plate in particular was conveyed with great care by the sailors to the ships. For some strange reason afterwards, Jones redeemed it for a large sum from where it lay in Paris, and returned it, with many apologies, un- injured to Lady Selkirk.

The Honorary Secretary for this branch is Mr.

SAMUEL CAVAN.

XXIX.—NORTH SUNDERLAND.

Joseph Anstice, 33 feet long, 8 feet beam, 10 oars.

THIS station was first established in 1852. North Sunderland was so named because the village was formed originally by a colony of men who migrated hither from Sunderland. It is a small town on the point which forms the southern termination of a bay of which Bamborough Castle is the northern.

Bamborough, rising up abruptly in an otherwise low line of coast, has the appearance of an island fortress surrounded by the sea, but is really con- nected with the main land. Celebrated in early history as the seat of Edwin, the first of the North Saxon Kings, it was also remarkable as the strong- 178 THE LIFE-BOAT.

[AUGUST 1, 1877.

hold of the earliest Christian Missions, the King having invited St. Colomba to send missionaries from Scotland for the conversion of his people. Off to the seaward of Bamborough are rocky islands, frequently used as retreats, in times of persecution, by those early Christians.

Wrecks occur in the bay between North Sunder- land and Bamborough when the wind is to the east, from coasters being unable to keep the sea.

If the gale is from the N.E., large vessels in a leaky state perhaps run round the head, and beach in the northern angle of the bay. The Life-boat has then to be conveyed by horses along the sands about three miles, and launched under the lee of the vessel requiring assistance. She has also performed services at various points of the beach near to her station. North Sunderland has a small tidal harbour used by coasters; some- times, when the weather is stormy, and they run for shelter, the Life-boat is launched and held in readiness till they are safely inside.

A considerable number of good fishermen reside in the town, which is picturesquely situated on the edge of cliff-land, facing the sea.

The boat is kept on a carriage, the boat-house being in the centre of the town, ready for con- veyance, either along the beach to the north, or down a steep road into the harbour.

Thirty-nine lives have been saved at this station since its formation.

Mr. GEORGE WU.SOTS is the Honorary Sectary of the Branch.

XXX.—SOLVA.

Charles and Margaret Egertan, 33 feet long, 8 feet 1 inch beam, 10 oars.

SOLVA is a very curious little land-locked harbour in the centre of the line of coast which stretches out in a nearly east and west direction and ter- minates in St. David's Head, from which it is distant five or six miles.

The water in the little cove is only sufficient for small coasters and fishing vessels, and with the wind on shore, a very heavy sea breaks across the narrow entrance and over the rocks which guard it, forming a most magnificent scene, but rendering it extremely perilous for any boat to get out to sea.

There are, however, not many wrecks on this part of the coast, and, with the wind in some quarters, the Life-boat could render important assistance, especially to disabled vessels requiring temporary help.

The boat-house is close down to the water's edge, in a perfectly sheltered position, and the boat, which has no carriage, is run down a slip, and easily launched at all times of tide.

Only a few fishermen reside at this little port.

Mr. C. BROWNE, of H.M. Customs, is the Honorary Secretary for this Station.