162 THE MOOES AND THE MOUNTAINS. 



fingers. There was also the Quaker, with his translucent 

 eye, his figure leaning forward on his staff, witli an ap- 

 pearance of fatigue combined with a deep interest in the 

 scene, his moist garments clinging closely to his weary 

 and well-watered limbs. Captain Graham had in the 

 meantime sat down on the floor, on the lid of an old her- 

 ring-barrel, his face beaming with smiles, and reflecting 

 every ray of light from its broad and happy surface. I 

 was standing myself in the background, scratching the 

 nose of a collie, and watching the wreaths of smoke as they 

 made their way through two large holes ill the roof, amid 

 rafters black as ebony, and shining as if varnished. We 

 got in hay from the barn, and stretched ourselves around 

 the fire, till daylight dawned clown the chimney. I must 

 stop, for my candle is going out." 



The short excursions of those three summers were fol- 

 lowed, in 1834, by an elaborate exploration of the county 

 of Sutherland. In this expedition the botanist and 

 draughtsman was Dr Greville; and the different branches 

 of zoology were looked after by Sir "William Jardine, Mr 

 Selby, Mr John Jardine, and Mr Wilson. A conveyance 

 was provided suitable to such a "land of mountain and 

 flood," — a boat upon wheels, which could be used as a 

 carriage on terra jirma, and which, when occasion re- 

 quired, could take to the water. When the time for 



