112 STUDIES OF NATURE 



thing of the sacredness of home. The air is 

 clear, and for miles we can distinguish the 

 handkerchiefs which are being waved in token 

 of protracted farewell. It is curious to note 

 how, as we recede, the Island seems to rise upon 

 us, the rapid motion of the vessel communi- 

 cating itself to the land. First the belt of 

 rocky wood and of houses ; then the high green 

 shelf which means the old sea-level; and last 

 the great serrated peaks which start up from 

 behind and even seem to curve over towards the 

 sea. When we have almost reached Bute, 

 which is twelve miles from Arran, we, who 

 know it so well, can still make out the white 

 house on the shore, and discriminate it from 

 the other grey dots by which it is surrounded. 



The steamer runs close to Garroch Head. 

 A dry and desolate hollow slopes down to the sea. 

 * Nant Vortigern on a smaller scale,' we say. In 

 the midst is a fire, smoking, but with no one 

 near to tend it. It is a gipsy fire probably, and 



