51 
13 feet 10} inches at 5 feet up. With Mr Stephen, the forester 
in charge of the wood, leading the way, the party were soon in 
the presence of “ Peter,” and admiring his stately proportions. 
The tape was applied to his stout stem, when it was carefully 
measured at several points, and noted as follows :—(1) at 1 foot 
- from the ground it girthed 16 feet 4 inches; (2) at 4 feet up, the 
narrowest part of the bole, 14 feet 5 inches; aud (3) at 5 feet up, 
16 feet 5 inches, showing, even at the smallest girth, a goodly 
increase since it was measured by Sir Robert Christison thirteen 
years previously. The stem began to fork at 7 feet up, and 
carried a rugged, branchy, well-balanced top to about 50 feet 
high, forming a conspicuous object in the woodlands, the massive 
head standing clear out above the rising generations, which are 
not allowed to encroach on the open space around the monarch. 
This grand old Scots pine was said to have been once sold for a 
shilling! but the timber merchant thought so little of his bargain 
that he left the tree standing, rather than be at the cost of cut- 
ting and removing it to civilised parts. A lucky escape, which 
will not likely occur again, the noble old tree being now looked 
up to as the king of the forest, and tended with loyal care. The 
detachment having attained their object, quickly rejoined the 
party on the top of the hill, and proceeded in a body over the 
northern slope, down through many more splendid old picturesque 
pines, till the carriages were reached in Balliefurth plantation, 
on the road to Grantown. 
Mounting to their seats again, the drive was along a fine level 
road, skirted on both sides by charming park-like woodlands, in 
which the graceful birch was the most conspicuous tree, and 
scented the air with its fragrance. Here and there, natural 
clumps of Scots pine heightened the effect, while thickets of 
natural pine seedlings gave promise of maintaining and trans- 
mitting the character and beauty of the scene to far distant 
generations. The farm of Achernack was passed standing on the 
right in a lovely spot, and in the grounds attached to the house 
was seen a handsome specimen of the copper beech, beneath the 
spreading branches of which tea is laid-out for Lady Seafield, 
when she visits the farm in the summer time. Onwards through 
the beautiful natural birch woods the drive was continued, passing 
on the right a great massive boulder, which, local tradition says, 
turns itself over three times when it hears a cock crow! but, 
judging by the thick mossy covering on the stone, it must have 
