213 



after did complete justice to the good cheer prepared for us by Mary 

 Findlay. 



We next morning went up the mountains to Loch Brandy, for the 

 twofold pm-pose of enjoying the sight of its wild and picturesque 

 scenery, and searching out the botanical treasures of its surrounding 

 rocks. On the marshy banks of the stream by which we ascended we 

 found Veronica serpyllifolia var. ^, alpina, Epilobium alpinum and al- 

 sinifolium, and great profusion of Saxifraga aizoides and S. stellaris. 

 These plants we aftei-wards found more or less abundant by the sides 

 of all the streams in the district which we examined. The first view 

 we had of the Loch was from an unfavourable position, and we felt 

 disappointed ; but as we advanced up the steep hill on the left hand 

 side, our admiration increased at every step, till at length, having 

 gained the summit, and descended a few yards among the over- 

 hanging clitfs, the whole grandeur of the scene burst upon our enrap- 

 tured gaze. Far below lay the dark lake, slumbering in its mountain 

 solitude, wliile around it rose, guardian-like, the mighty cliffs, sun- 

 ning their rugged brows in the sweet light of the morning, and look- 

 ing proud in their magnificence. Quietness brooded in the still air, 

 and no somid was heard to break the awful tranquillity, save when the 

 distant bleat of a sheep fell upon the startled ear, or the plaintive tones 

 of my companion's flute awoke the echoes of the wild rocks. We 

 feasted om'selves for some time on the sublimity of this alpine picture, 

 and then turned our attention to the gems of beauty which the fair 

 hand of Flora had profusely scattered around. We here gathered 

 Azalea procumbens, Gnaphalium supinum, Rubus Chamaemorus, Ly- 

 copodium Selago and alpinum, Polytrichum alpinum, Conostomum 

 boreale, Splachnum mnioides, and, at the risk of breaking our necks, 

 Cerastium alpinum and Saxifraga hypnoides. At the head of the Loch 

 we descended by a terrific water-course to its margin, collecting in 

 our way Saxifraga oppositifolia, Salix herbacea, Hieracium alpinum, 

 Rhodiola rosea, Weissia acuta, Didymodon capillaceus and rigidulus, 

 the latter but sparingly ; and among the rocks on the banks of the 

 Loch there was an exuberance of Arbutus Uva-ursi and Vaccinium 

 Vitis-idaea, but neither of them in flower. 



We went round about the small lochs looking for Isoetes lacustris, 

 and picked up a specimen or two, but saw no appearance of it in a 

 growing state, and did not think of wading in search of it, otherwise 

 we should have reaped a rich harvest, as it was found, along with Lo- 

 belia Dortmanna, in the greatest abundance, by my friends Messrs. 

 Croall and Kerr, in September. Among the rocks, just where the 



