246 A VISIT TO BUAEMAR. 



neinerosa, (for both of which this is a considerable elevation,) Saxifraga 

 stellaris, S. aizoides, and S. hypnoides. And now, by a sudden turn among 

 the rocks, when about half way up, we are suddenly confronted with the 

 principal leap in the cascade, which burst on us with something of a mag- 

 nificent effect, as the sun, which had for some time been overcast, suddenly 

 shone forth at that moment, transforming the thousand drops of spray 

 into as many pearls of the brightest lustre, and all surmounted by a rain- 

 bow of great beauty. After this point the ascent began to be quite ladder- 

 like, and was sometimes suggestive of no very pleasant ideas, as the objects 

 in the plain began to dwindle so remarkably. 



"Here's the plaee: — stand still. — How fearful 

 And dizzy 'tis, to cast one's ej'es so low! 

 The crows and choughs that wing the midway air, 

 Show scarce so gross as beetles; half way down, 

 Hangs one that gathers samphire— dreadful trade!" 



KixG Lear. 



Now, if we did not gather the veritable Crithmum maritimum, or 

 samphire of our noble poet, we gathered something equally to our taste, 

 for everywhere in beds of the Silene acaulis crept the branches of that 

 most beautiful willow Salix reticulata, with dark, shining, and beautifully- 

 reticulated leaves, and rosy catkins; while in the barer parts grew aS', 

 arenaria and S. inyrsinites. And now having reached the top, and thrown 

 myself on the welcome sward from sheer exhaustion — a feeling which in 

 such scenes soon wears off, I took a peep into the corry of Loch Kandor, 

 a little to the west, without, however, examining its sides, for want of 

 time. In this place Mr. Croall has detected, among others, A llosurus crispus, 

 Salix lanata, (on all hands regarded as the belle of British Willows,) 

 Alopecurus alpinus, Phleum alpinum, Saxifraga oppositi folia, Garex rupestris, 

 Isoetes lacustvis, Subularia aquatica, and (Edipodium Griffithianum. Having 

 picked up Polypodium alpestre, Splachnum sphcericum, and S. vasculosum, 

 we prepared to make the best of our way down the glen. 



If the tourist, on reaching Loch Callater, strikes into the path leading up 

 the hill on the left, by a very easy ascent — made so expressly for the 

 convenience of parties using ponies, a mode of ascending these mountains 

 often resorted to — he will find himself in an hour or two, according to 

 his speed, on the summit of Lochnagar. No such gradual slope can be 

 obtained on the eastern side, for the position where he now stands is the 

 summit of a solid wall of granite, shooting perpendicularly downwards for, 

 in some places, a thousand feet. It may easily be supposed that from 

 such a height, a commanding view of the surrounding country may be 

 obtained; such is the case in a high degree, but it is not for us to occupy 

 space in describing it. Xear the summit we saw Splachnum mnioides and 



