CAM CHREAG AND BEINN DOIREANN. 73 



Now, however, we began to climb in earnest, and as we went 

 added to our lists many of the commoner forms of sub-alpine 

 growth. Here on every rock Saxifraga stellaris set its cluster of 

 stars, and Alchemilla alpina touched with silver sheen every knob 

 and promontory on the hill-face; Polygonum viviparum made 

 iridescent lines here and there among the green, and the level of 

 every mountain marsh was curiously striped and chequered with 

 the long fiery arrows the leaves of Eriophorum angustifolium had 

 transformed themselves into. 



Corrie Mohr, the corrie for which we had been making, was 

 about 2300 feet above sea level, and having reached this height 

 we began our search for the less frequent forms of vegetation 

 likely to be found in such situations. About the lower shelves of 

 the corrie Sedum Rhodiola stood out effectively against the dark 

 rocks, and Oxyria reniformis spread out on long delicate foot- 

 stalks its reniform leaves of every degree of richness of texture 

 and brilliance of tint. Higher, among the less accessible clefts, 

 we were fortunate in finding several of the rarer forms, though 

 sometimes it was no easy matter getting into the fastnesses many 

 of these wildings love to make their home. Cherleria sedoi'des, 

 Sibbaldia procumbens, Dryas octopetala, Bartsia alpina, Salix 

 Lapponum were among our captures, with many rare carices and 

 rushes. One particular moss, Orthothecium ru/escens, attracted 

 our attention by the curious effect its iridescent hues made con- 

 trasted with the dark grey of the rocks. 



Many of these " oreades," as Mr. Ruskin calls them, are not, on 

 first acquaintance at least, either very striking or very beautiful, 

 but seen amid their natural surroundings these shy flowers have an 

 indescribable wild grace of their own — an affinity with the red 

 deer and the eagle — such as no lowland flower, however fair, can 

 borrow. After thoroughly inspecting the corrie, we considered 

 ourselves at liberty to give our undivided attention to the other 

 features of the landscape. The shadows were deepening in the 

 wild, bare straths below, but the sides and summits of the hills 

 lay calm and tranquil in the warm sunlight; they would be look- 

 ing their best when we should reach the top, so after a brief rest 

 we resumed our pilgrim staves and made short work of the 600 

 feet rising between us and the goal of our desires. We found the 

 top a long bent arm (which characteristic gives the hill its name, 



