106 CHARLES CARDALE BABINGTON. [1841 



conceived, over the Sound of Harris, North Uist, etc., and including 

 the mountains of Ross-shire, Skye, and numbers of the islands all 

 round the south as far as St. Kilda. On the north side the 

 mountains of Harris. We examined this district carefully for 

 Ajuga pyramidalis, but could not see any trace of it. Here are 

 some flourishing woods, the only ones I believe in the Long Island. 

 Near to the Point is an interesting old church, which was a cathedral 

 in old times, and has now, much to the disgrace of the proprietors, 

 been allowed to go to ruin. The architecture is of the style, I 

 believe, called " Decorated," and has a number of curious carvings 

 about it. There are some fine monuments to the old MacLeods of 

 Harris, particularly one to Alexander, son of John MacLeod, dated 

 1528. It has a canopied opening over a prostrate statue with most 

 remarkable carved figures upon the wall, representing the Virgin 

 and Child, bishops, etc. Mr. Murray, the schoolmaster at Rowadill, 

 kindly gave us information as to our further proceedings, of some 

 value. 



Aug. 12. Left Obb at 8 a.m., and walked by the southern part 

 of the island and along some sandy shore to Scavester. Saw on the 

 sands Blysmus rufus, and many of the plants of the western parts of 

 North Uist. At Scavester, called upon the Rev. Mr. Maclver, the 

 minister, who received us kindly, and gave us full direction for the 

 further part of our route to Tarbert. Soon afterwards we forded an 

 arm of the sea, and then turned over the mountains in the direction 

 of Tarbert, which place we reached at about 6 p.m. 



Aug. 13. Went to a hill called Chesham, the highest land in 

 the island, about 2700 feet ; long before we had reached the top it 

 was covered by a thick mist, so that we lost the view for which we 

 most desired to ascend its top. We found scarcely any Alpine 

 plants : Poa, alpina, Alchemilla alpina being nearly the whole number, 

 but there were numbers of the more common plants of the lower 

 country. 



Aug. 14. Went this morning by water to Loch Meavig, and 

 ascended Lanya, the second highest hill in the country, and as the 

 day was fine, we had a grand view all over the country. The glen 

 between this hill and Chesham and their neighbour is of a grand 

 Alpine character, and on the whole this part of Harris Forest is 

 equal to any mountain district with which I am acquainted, except 

 the Coolin Hills. We found very few Alpine plants, only Luzida 

 spicata, Thalidrum alpinum, Saussurea alpina, Salix herbacm, Hymeno- 

 phyllum Wilsoni, Aira alpina, and a few others. I returned to the 

 boat by the glen on the north-west side of the hill, and had a very 

 long walk. The day was peculiarly fine. 



Aug. 16. Left Tarbert at 6 a.m. in an excellent boat belonging 

 to the inn-keeper, Mr. Morrison (who made us very comfortable 

 during our stay), and landed on the Shiant Isles for two or three 



