36 ON THE GRAMPIAN HILLS. 



stepping-stones, on which, if tired, it is not always 

 easy to preserve a balance, though the result of a 

 slip is merely wet feet unless you happen to fall 

 prone into the rippling stream by-the-bye. All this 

 while we are gradually ascending towards the summit 

 of our desires : now magnificent weird mountains 

 look down upon us on either side ; there is a beautiful 

 waterfall, contributing to the ever-babbling stream ; 

 the music of the water, the bleating of the sheep, 

 and the barking of the collies being the only sounds 

 that we hear. Then my companion calls attention 

 to a golden eagle high soaring in the air, casting 

 anything but a " sheep's-eye" on the lambs below, 

 doubtless selecting one particular victim to swoop 

 down upon and bear away to his home on the top of 

 yon stony, steep, and hoary hill. At that moment 

 up rises the ever-watchful shepherd, and the wary 

 eagle mounts higher and higher, and sails majestically 

 over a neighbouring mountain, and is lost to sight. 

 I am glad to hear that Colonel Farquharson of 

 Invercauld, the laird of this wild domain, instructs 

 his keepers on no account to shoot these grand birds, 

 already far too rare. 



By midday we had traversed a considerable 

 portion of the glen, and thought, ere beginning to 

 climb the rugged, steep ascent, that it would be as 

 well to take luncheon, in order to fortify ourselves 

 for the labour before us. Kesting for half an hour, 

 we refreshed ourselves with the water of the stream 

 by the side of which we reclined (in my case qualifying 

 the water with just a dash of whisky). 



Then began the real hard work of the day : keeping 

 along the course of the stream, crossing ever and 



