50 
the right. Crossing the railway, the farm of Balliemore was 
passed through, and the fine parish church of Abernethy was seen 
a little beyond, on the left, while the ruins of Castle Roy, an 
ancient stronghold of the Comyns, were seen standing conspicuously 
oa a small knoll near the church. After a drive of fully three 
miles, the carriages were again left, and the party proceeded to 
stale the wooded heights of Craigmore. The Scots pine woods on 
this hill extend to upwards of a thousand acres, and contain 
many noble specimens of pines of great size and age. In 
ascending the hill, magnificent views were obtained at various 
points of the wide Strath, and the extensive forest of Abernethy, 
lying to the south and west. Ata height of fully 900 feet above 
sea-level, a very large and picturesque Scots pine was seen grow- 
ing, the massive bole of which measured 9 feet 11 inches at 5 feet 
from the ground. A curious spruce tree, about 40 feet high, 
attracted some notice, from its peculiar fastigiate habit, and the 
marked difference between the foliage of the upper and lower 
branches, the latter being clothed with the leaves of an adolescent 
plant, while the upper branches exhibited the foliage of a matured 
tree. Towards the summit the picturesque ald Scots pines became 
so numerous as to form almost the sole crop, and standing up 
among the rank heather and tall junipers which thickly clothed 
the ground, they formed most interesting and romantic objects of 
observation to the visitors. On reaching the top of the hill, the 
Excursionists were welcomed by the lively strains of the bag: 
pipe, skilfully played by their old Highland friend, Hugh Fraser, 
who welcomed them with his music to Loch Garten, and had 
come here to meet them again. After toiling up the steep hill in 
the warm sunshine, the most of the party felt inclined to lie down 
on the plentiful crop of heather, and from that elevated point to 
enjoy the magnificent view which extended over the three parishes 
—Abernethy, Duthil, and Cromdale—that contain the greatest 
portion of the pine forests of Strathspey, with their grand 
mountainous environment. 
While the main body was thus resting and enjoying the scenery, 
to the strains of national Highland music, a small detachment set 
off over the eastern slope ef the hill for nearly half a mile, to view 
the venerable patriarch of the forest, a grand Scots pine, known 
by the name of “Peter Porter” (see illustration on opposite page), 
which attracted the attention of the eminent arborist, Sir Robert 
Christison, Bart., who measured it in 1850, and found it to girth 
