FIRST JOINT BOTANICAL STUDIES. 1 5 1 



reputed to be unrivalled in the district, from the sea beyond 

 Aberdeen, by Lochnagar, up to Ben Macdhui and the Buck ; 

 northwards, to the Tap o' Noth and the country beyond 

 the Foudland Hills, round to Benachie and its wooded and 

 cultivated eastern slopes. From Green 'Hill, they would 

 climb to the top of Cairn William, down to John's old scenes 

 by the Don, which they crossed by fords at several places 

 well known to them, on their way to the dearly loved 

 Benachie, every foot of which they knew. Still more 

 frequently they walked to it, by the beautiful Brig o' Don, 

 and the castellated Castle Forbes, nestling amidst its woods. 



Benachie is not very rich in plants, except on its lower 

 reaches. On the higher, in a moss close by the " Mither 

 tap," they found the cloudberry, or mountain strawberry 

 (Rubus chamczmorus], a rather uncommon sub-Alpine 

 plant, with a large, pale-yellow, luscious fruit, the only rarer 

 species they ever found there. One Sunday, they ascended 

 the mountain, and continued their journey, to fulfil filial and 

 social duties, by going down its eastern face ; Charles 

 visiting his old parents, whom he now saw too seldom, 

 then resident at Burnside of Braco, and calling in the 

 evening for John, who had seen his old friends at Longfolds. 

 They then climbed Cairn William together on the way 

 back to their quiet homes, in the dewy dusk, amidst the 

 glories of the Sabbath sunset, and the adoration and 

 thankfulness of their deepest hearts. 



But pleasant beyond speech as were these wide and 

 wild wanderings, they were equalled, if not surpassed, by 

 the delights of deciphering the plants during the long cosy 

 winter evenings, by the big kitchen fire at Whitehouse. 

 It was then that the two set themselves to this happy task, 



