CHAP. v. THE SEA SHORE. 43 



deeply into the subject, for he could not afford to buy 

 books. Nevertheless, he accurately distinguished the 

 differences of one plant from another. The further 

 pursuit of botany was held in reserve for some future 

 time. 



About two years after Robert Dick had begun 

 business in Thurso, his father was promoted to the office 

 of Collector of Excise, and was removed to Haddington, 

 where he ended his official career. His eldest sister 

 Agnes married Mr. Alexander, and afterwards removed 

 to Tullibody. When all the family had left, Eobert was 

 left alone literally alone. He then took into his 

 service Annie Mackay, a Highland woman, who served 

 him long and faithfully to the close of his life. She 

 was his housekeeper, and attended to the shop while 

 Dick was on his journeys through Caithness. 



Yet Robert, though alone, was not solitary. Nature 

 was all in all to him. He enjoyed his walks along the 

 sea-shore, and sang to himself as he went along. He 

 wandered about Dunnet Head, and the rocky cliffs at 

 Holborn Head. He saw many things that had never 

 been seen before. He detected the scales of fish, and 

 even the heads of fossil fish amongst the rocks. 



The Clett on Holborn Head was one of his favourite 

 spots. It is a huge isolated mass of rock, composed of 

 dark flagstone. It is inaccessible by human foot. The 

 rock is quite perpendicular. The surges of the ocean 

 have washed it away from the mainland. It is screaming 

 with sea birds. Miles away you hear the cries of the 

 okies, or auks, which haunt it. They sit in long rows, 



