40 Dr. Balfour's Botanical Excursion. 



after a long and fatiguing walk. At this port a lighthouse has been 

 erected by Mr. Campbell 



August 22d. — Leaving Port Ellen at 7 a.m., we went along the 

 shore to Ardinisteil, where we breakfasted with Mr. Stein. On our 

 way wo picked Galeopsis versicolor and Convolvulus sepium. After 

 breakfast we directed our course towards Loch Knock and Knock 

 Hill, where Mr. Campbell has a summer residence called Ardimersay 

 Cottage. Hero there is a considerable extent of thriving plantations, 

 and we spent some hours in the examination of them. The chief 

 plants which rewarded our exertions, were Circsea intermedia, Carex 

 laevigata, Hymenophyllum Wilsoni, Polypodium Phegopteris, Carda- 

 mine sylvatica and Prunus Cerasus. On rocks in the neighbourhood 

 were seen Milium effusum, Tanacetum vulgare, and Inula Helenium 

 evidently an escape from an old garden. Near the cottage there is 

 an old fort now in ruins, called Dun-naomh-aig, and pronounced 

 Dunavaig, remarkable as being the last held by the Mac Donalds. It 

 was taken by the Campbells, who it is said resorted to the method of 

 cutting the water pipes which were conveyed under the sea in the 

 bay, and thus causing a surrender. The rock of the fort seems to be 

 impregnable on all sides but that next the land. In the vicinity of 

 the cottage a place is shown which is said to be the grave of the Prin- 

 cess Isla. 



After partaking of refreshment, kindly supplied by the housekeeper 

 at the cottage, we walked partly by the shore and partly inland, as 

 far as Kildalton, where porphyritic rocks present themselves. Here 

 a fine old church is seen in ruins. It had two windows on the east 

 end, and two at each side, with two doors. Two stone crosses differ- 

 ing slightly in character are seen, one in the churchyard surrounding 

 the chapel, and the other at a little distance from it. Some curious 

 old gravestones occur. Nettles and Anthriscus sylvestris now grow 

 in profusion within the precincts of the chapel, and the procumbent 

 variety of the common juniper on its walls. The various species of 

 nettle seem to follow the footsteps of man, and delight to grow 

 places where nitrate of lime is produced: 



M At the wall's base the fiery nettle springs, 

 With fruit globose, and fierce with poisoned stings." 



In boggy places, in the vicinity of the old chapel, we found Heloscia- 

 dium nodiflorum, Hypericum elodes, Carex remota and filiformis. 

 This part of the island is separated from the district near Islay House 

 by a lofty range of hills, some of them attaining an elevation of 1500 

 or 2000 feet, and composed chiefly of quartz rock. We ascended one 

 of them called Ben Vigors or Ben Bhiggars, and found it by no means 

 productive. The principal plants collected were Guaphalium dioicum, 

 Lycopodium Sclago, Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi, Carex rigida, Armeria 

 maritima var. alpina, and Juniperus communis var. nana. The 



