SEEPENT-CATCHINU. 233 



pool. I then fished downwards from the highest point to 

 which I had walked. I wanted to be home early, both to 

 rest myself, and to write by the post which goes to-night; 

 but it is slow walking by a river side. When I was about 

 a mile and a half from Loch Inver, my progress was 

 stopped by a projecting rock, and I had to climb upwards. 

 Instead of a small rocky bank above me, I soon found 

 that there was a great crag; and after getting up a certain 

 way, with my fishing-rod poked and poised before me as 

 best I could, I found myself in a regular fix, being unable 

 to get either up or down. However, I contrived to get to 

 the top at last, without the loss of life or line, although it 

 detained me above an hour, and was very disagreeable. 

 While pursuing my downward way, I saw two snakes* in 

 friendly confabulation, and looking very sweet both at 

 themselves and me. I immediately took off my hat, dashed 

 one of my hands among the grass beneath them, and tossed 

 them both into the air. However, only one fell into my 

 hat, the other making his escape. I immediately put my 

 hat upon my head, and walked home with the serpent on 

 the top of the latter. It did not hotch-f- so much as you 

 might have expected, but lay very resigned and peaceable. 

 " On gaining the bay, I found, to my surprise, that there 

 was no Princess Royal to be seen. Supposing she had 



* They would be slow-worms. 



f That is, wriggle about or m»ve uneasily. 



