BIRD LIFE, ETC. 181 



fir. The view from this phice was vast, and I thought I 

 distinguislied the sea ; but of this I was not certain, as 

 the mist obscured the view at times. In my descent I 

 saw a considerable number of ptarmigans, and some 

 specimens of crystalhsed quartz, though not very fine. 

 On the northern side of the mountain some Alpine 

 lakes occurred, in which I could not find anything but 

 Sparganium nutans, and a few poor specimens of Caltha 

 jmliist/'is, which plant I also saw in the rivulets. Hold- 

 ing still a northerly direction, I crossed a broken plain, 

 and ascended a gentle acclivity, at the end of which I 

 found a larger plain, which I also crossed. At the end 

 of this plain I came to an opening which led into a deep 

 valley, bounded by rocks and rapid gravelly slopes. 

 Descending by this valley, which I found very long 

 and very rugged, into a plain which led to a stream of 

 considerable size, and evidently a tributary of the Spey, 

 I at length reached the low ground, and directed myself 

 westward." 



Not knowing by name a single one of the localities 

 mentioned in the above narrative, I had not been aware 

 of my having passed up Glen Dee to the base of Ben- 

 na-muic-dhui, and slept in the Glen of the Garrachory. 

 But the journey of 1850, performed under circumstances 

 in some respects more favourable, has shown me that I 

 had in 1819 visited the so-called sources of the Dee on 

 the ridge of Braeriach, and crossed the range to the 

 valley of the Spey. The description above given, brief 

 and without ornament, is perfectly correct and quite 

 intelligible. IMy condition at that time was very 



