370 MOUNT MEADOWBANK. 



but to the northward broken into fearful preci- 

 pices and overhanging cliffs, inaccessible to the 

 foot of man. It was by far the most conspicuous 

 eminence we had seen \ and, from some fancied 

 likeness, the people said, " Here's Hoy Head, — 

 give way, boys, we are not far from the sea." 

 The remark took me in imagination to Auld 

 Reekie ; and I called the hill Mount Meadow- 

 bank, in honour of the learned Lord of that 

 name. 



After a course of six miles to the south-east, 



the river again veered northerly, rushing with 



fearful impetuosity among rocks and large stones, 



which raised such whirlpools in the rapids as 



would have put the strength of a canoe in 



jeopardy. The boat's breadth of beam and steady 



trim kept her up in such trials ; but, though 



we escaped the rapid, we had a narrow chance 



of being dashed on the beach by the eddy. 



The low projecting point of rock, against which 



we had been thus almost thrown and then 



whirled away from by the receding current, was 



remarkable for a row of piled stones or slabs, 



placed a few feet apart, which, as we shot the 



rapid, were at first mistaken for figures gazing 



at us. On the neighbouring hills and mountains 



were many more of a similar construction, which, 



we could easily understand, might serve for 



marks to guide the natives through the country ; 



