A VISIT TO BRAEMAR. 249 



Having ascended the latter, we look around for the few plants that exist 

 at this great elevation, being prevented from enjoying the view we had 

 anticipated by an invidious mist that hung all round, and shut out the 

 prospect, with the exception of about twenty yards in our immediate vicinity. 



We saw plenty of Ptarmigans on the summit; the plants we found were, 

 Luzula arcuata in great abundance, L. spicata, Juncus trifidus, Salix herhacea, 

 Silene acaulis, with several lichens already mentioned. 



To seek Loch A'an on the other side, with its famous '^shelter stone," 

 was our next object, but in this we were also disappointed; for, despite 

 map and compass, so confusing are these mountain mists, we emerged into 

 the visible world a good way down the hill, and, most provokingly, almost 

 at the place by which we ascended. Making, therefore, the best of our 

 way to the base, we soon had a fire of dry heath blazing, (having left 

 the region of trees far behind, few indeed growing beyond the Linn,) 

 and having discussed our coffee and ^brose,' a Scottish dish of easy com- 

 position, and wonderfully relished, especially by the hungry, who have always 

 the additional advantage of carrying their own sauce along with them, we 

 proceeded in search of a bed. Here, however, such a luxury is not to 

 be obtained, and its place is generally supplied by the sheltered side of a 

 stone; such a place we soon fell in with, and were not long in resigning 

 ourselves to the arms of Morpheus, In the morning the same dreary mist 

 hung on all the hills, and we began to be more sensible of the wild 

 sublimity and solitude of the place; an eflFect which was much heightened 

 as an Eagle came sailing majestically down the glen to Ben Votrin; truly 

 has Hogg described this very spot as that where 



"Mountain Eagles breed their young, 

 And aerial spirits ^ride the gale." 



The time was beguiled with such thoughts as these, while our morning 

 meal was preparing; nor did it take so long either, as we had gained 

 considerable experience in this our first attempt at bachelor house-keeping, 

 from several ludicrous mistakes of the previous evening. We now ascended 

 the glen to the ^'Wells of Dee," which he behind a vast rampart of loose 

 stones, presenting undoubted marks of having been a true morrain. The 

 Dee, then, takes its rise in a small lake of crystalline purity, fed by 

 numerous unseen springs, and reflecting in its bosom the rugged sides of 

 the overhanging mountains. Around it we collected the following plants: 

 Polypodium alpestre, Veronica alpina, Trollius Europoeus. TJialictrum alpinum, 

 Luzula spicata, Juncus trifidus, Geranium sylvaticum,, Gerastium trigonum, 

 Arabis petrcea, Juniperis communis^ var. nana, Cochlearia Qreenlandica, 

 and Viola palustris. 



We descended the same glen for some distance on returning, and then 

 struck into Glen Lui-beg, which brought us again to the Linn, where we 



VOL. VI. 2 K 



