XXV1 FLORA ORCADENSIS. 
the kailyard of a homestead in pursuit of his hobby 
is seldom or never questioned. His presence in the 
less accessible parts of the islands, seldom visited by 
strangers, does give rise to much speculation at times 
as to his object in wandering about in an aimless 
fashion, but he is not interfered with. Though the 
hobby does not bring one into close touch with 
the people, it affords opportunities of meeting many 
quaint characters in the more remote glens and 
townships. 
On one occasion Dr Flett and I, after climbing 
the north side of the Ward, descended into the 
valley of Rackwick, on the south side of the hill, 
when a man approached us to enquire whether we 
were looking for sheep to buy. We answered in 
the negative. “Then you are excise-men, he said. 
The sudden change of expression and the inquisitive 
look told us plainly that he suspected us of belonging 
to that once disliked class. “Can you give us a bit 
of tobacco?” he next asked, with a rather suspicious 
look, as much as to say, “There is no smuggled 
tobacco in my possession, and you need not look 
for any.” 
On another occasion, when visiting a farmer in 
Harray, | said to his wife, “This burn looks pro- 
mising. JI mean to search its banks for a short 
distance.” She said, “Do you gather flo’ors?” “Yes, 
I am deeply interested in that subject.” “Are you 4 
In Harray we think nobody gathers floors but 
bairns and fules,’ she said. On another occasion a 
worldly-wise old farmer said to me, “I see you're 
gathering flo’ors like school-girls.” “Yes,” I said, 
