104 CHARLES CARD ALE BABINGTON. [1841 



Aug. 4. Left Tobermory at 3 a.m., and was greatly pleased by 

 remaining upon the deck as we passed round the Point of Ardna- 

 murchan, and by Arisaig to Armadale in Skye ; where we were met 

 by C. Macdonald, Esq., of Ord ; and Balfour and I landed, and 

 walked by the castle and woods of Armadale to Captain Macdonald's 

 at Ostaig, where we breakfasted ; went on to Knock, and then 

 crossed the interior to Ord, where we arrived to dinner, and 

 remained for the night at Mr. Macdonald's. The house is pleasantly 

 situated on the shore of Loch Eishart, and has considerable remains 

 of the natural wood in the neighbourhood. The Coolin Hills are seen 

 to great perfection from Ord, and were quite clear in the evening. 



Aug. 5. Mr. Macdonald conveyed us over the mouths of Lochs 

 Eishart and Slapin in his boat, and landed us on Strathaird, near 

 to the house of Dr. Norman MacAlister, to which we went. Soon 

 afterwards Mr. MacNab and the rest of the party arrived, who had 

 landed at Broadford, and come across the country with the baggage. 

 Mr. MacNab returned with it, but the rest of the party remained 

 for the night at Dr. MacAlister's, where we were most hospitably 

 received. At Ord saw Carduus heterojphyllus. Saw Rumex aquaticus 

 at Strathaird. 



Aug. 6. Balfour, Hole, Mactier, James, and I went to Capt. 

 John MacMillan's, at Camasunary, where we found a curious variety 

 of Apargia autumnalis on the roofs of the buildings, and then passed 

 by a very difficult walk round the point of the land to Loch Scavaig. 

 Walked up the west side of Loch Coruishk, and saw many curious 

 granitic veins in the blocks upon the shore, also several fine eagles. 

 The day was wet, but still we saw the mountains in great beauty. 

 The Coolin Hills are by far the finest mountains that I have seen„ 

 and present a most curious serrated outline ; their slopes are formed 

 of smooth, bare, black rock, so as to be almost inaccessible, and 

 peculiarly bare of plants. At the head of the valley we turned to 

 the right, and passed over the mountains by a pass of singular 

 difficulty ; then turning the wrong way we went by mistake to 

 Loch Brittle, and had to obtain a guide to shew us the way to the 

 inn at Sligachan, which we reached after a most laborious day, at 

 9 p.m., and joined MacNab and the rest of the party. On the 

 Coolin Hills we saw but few Alpine plants, viz. Alchemilla alpina,. 

 Arahis petraea, Salix herhacea, Thalidrum alpinum, Saxifraga stellariSy 

 and Luzula spicata. 



Aug. 7. A very wet day. Walked from Sligachan to Dunvegan 

 in heavy rain, after gathering Eriocaulon at the former place in great 

 plenty, and also Car ex pauciflora. Started at 10 a.m., and reached 

 Dunvegan, a distance of twenty-six miles, at 6 p.m., most of the 

 party quite wet to the skin. I was more fortunate. By the way 

 found a curious form of Taraxacum-dens-leonis, allied to palustre, but 

 not that plant. Near Bracadale the basaltic hills are highly in- 

 teresting, and continue to be so as far as Dunvegan. 



