49 



DARNAWAY. 



(REPRINTED FROM THE "ELGIN COURANT AND COURIER.") 



On 17th May, 1884, the members of the Elgin and Moray- 

 shire Literary and Scientific Association held their second 

 excursion of the season to Darnaway Castle. The com- 

 pany left the Museum at twelve o'clock in three vehicles, 

 and drove away westward. During the early morning 

 rain fell heavily ; the clouds still looked gloomy and 

 threatening, and an occasional shower damped the ardour 

 of spirits. But the trees and the fields were green, and, as 

 we swept through the Oak Wood, birds were chirruping 

 among the boughs, and from the deeper recesses came the 

 whistle of the blackbird and the proud song of the thrush. 

 All nature was awake and smiling beneath the glittering 

 rain drops that studded all things as with a garment of 

 stars. We passed Alves at a rattling pace, passed Sweno's 

 Stone, and entered the ancient burgh of Forres, surrounded 

 with its woods and groves and rich fields. A halt of 

 half-an-hour was made here to allow the horses to feed, 

 and the party broke up and sauntered about the town. 

 There is nothing new to tell about Forres, and its past is 

 well known. The horses were again yoked, and we drove 

 on to Darnaway. The country all along the route is 

 lovely, a land of undulating plains, with the woods of 

 Brodie on the right and the forest of Darnaway on the 

 left, stretching away up in shaggy glades to the dark, 

 heathery hills. But there is nothing wild or majestic, 



