248 THE WILDS OF SUTHERLAND. 



desired Macleod to pitch a few stones to try to 

 enliven the dormant mass. At the second throw 

 he killed one, which dropped into the yawning 

 abyss, while only a few of its nearest neighbours 

 deigned to leave their perch. 



On looking into the awful chasm, we distinctly 

 perceived the large green single egg on several of 

 the ledges, but only one pair of eggs, and these 

 were half the size of the others, and whitish- 

 coloured. 



As we already possessed all the specimens we 

 noticed on and around Handa, the sail was soon 

 hoisted for Scourie, and in the afternoon and 

 evening a rugged drive through the mountains to 

 Inchnadamff completed a thoroughly enjoyable 

 day. 



Near the top of an Assynt mountain we en- 

 countered a delightfully patriarchal " flitting." 

 As the steep road was also narrow, our driver 

 had to pull up in order to let the caravan pass, 

 so we had full time to admire its simple order 

 and discipline. First came two sons, each guiding 

 a pony and light cart loaded with beds and fur- 

 niture ; then one of the daughters leading the 



