238 Notes on Sport and Travel i 



people, an ox's hide stretched over a basket was 

 probably their sea and lake-going machine. 



The oak in which the lair-igig delighted to dig 

 her bill has vanished altogether, except about Dun- 

 robin ; and I could never hear of or see any in the 

 bogs, so that I expect that even in the old times 

 they were strictly localised. Another old - world 

 tree, the alder, is plentiful enough, and I think 

 larger than I have ever seen it elsewhere ; but it 

 seldom leaves the river's edge, where the cattle love 

 to shelter themselves under its opaque dark green 

 leaves, and browse on the rich rank grass that 

 springs beneath its shade. 



Oh, happy trees ! Hieronymus Cardanus, that 

 learned Theban, says that you live longer than 

 animals, because you never stir from your places ; 

 and much I wish that I might attain to length of 

 days by remaining in this sheltered burn a little 

 longer, but there is no help for it — scramble up, and 

 out into the storm. 



Just as we reach the top of the first low ridge, 

 Donald drops like a stone in the heather, and I drop 

 with him as if we had both been shot with one ball. 



' 'Deed, sir, there are deer ; but I'm thinking 

 they're just the Loch au Fureloch hinds ; tak out 

 your glass and see if ye ken them.' 



Ay, 'deed do I, Donald, as well as I know the 

 pattern of the nails in your shoe-soles, and I have 

 studied that often enough as I crawled after you. 

 There are the sixteen of them, walking daintily 



