THE MOUNTAIN. 139 



site Inversnaid we passed a beautiful islet thickly 

 planted with larches. The noise of the steamer 

 had disturbed a number of herons, who were 

 amusing themselves near the shore. As we came 

 near, they rose majestically, and fanned themselves 

 to the trees on the island, some of them alighting 

 on the topmost boughs, whence they leisurely con- 

 templated the little vessel as it shot away. The 

 water here wore an exceedingly dark hue, even 

 when we were only a few feet above the surface. 

 This I suppose is attributable partly to the pecu- 

 liar tint which prevails in all mountain waters, 

 partly to its depth, here very great, and partly 

 to its being overshadowed by lofty mountains. 

 The prospect was very grand. Every object on 

 which the eye rested, excited some pleasurable 

 emotion, mingled with a feeling of thankfulness 

 and adoration towards the beneficent Creator, 

 Who had surrounded us with so many lovely and 

 magnificent symbols of His goodness and majesty. 

 The deep and placid lake, the brilliant foliage 

 skirting its shore, the white masses of hawthorn 

 blossoms, " the tops of the ragged rocks," the 

 occasional sheets of snow, affording even in mid- 

 summer a cool and refreshing beverage to the 

 flourishing vegetable productions beneath, the 

 mountains soaring to heaven formed, indeed, a 

 rare combination of beauty and sublimity ; nor was 

 it difficult to imagine, that, from every portion of 

 the goodly scene, the silent incense of adoration 

 was ascending to the Divine Author of all. " Earth 

 with her thousand voices praises God." 



At Inversnaid we landed, with several other 

 passengers, who like ourselves intended to visit 

 Loch Katrine, the scene of Scott's poem of the 



