242 THE WILDS OF SUTHEKLAND. 



quietly stepped up to me and asked, " What flees 

 the young gentleman fished wi', as he had never 

 seen so many troots ta'en oot o' that bit water 

 before." 



Hail-showers at night, the hill-tops white in 

 the morning, and keen east wind, changed the 

 temperature from summer to almost winter again. 

 However, before reaching "bonnie Strathmore" 

 the sun had struggled out, and shed its glory on 

 that lonely glen. At the foot of it we fed the 

 horse, and walked on before up the steep hill on 

 the road to Durness, a stretch of at least five 

 miles. The road skirted the old forest of Eeay, 

 but we were never out of the seemingly endless 

 region of whitefaced sheep. At five in the even- 

 ing the fishing village of Durness showed in the 

 distance, and we had travelled between forty and 

 fifty miles among the Sutherland mountains with- 

 out sighting either a red deer or an eagle. 



Our driver, besides being a very intelligent lad, 

 had been employed in various capacities all over 

 the county. With great precision he pointed out 

 the marches, described the shooting -beats and 

 their tenants, knew the different proprietors, as 



