CHAP. vin. TRIP TO DUNNET. 87 



Miller accompanied him in his researches after the Old 

 Eed Sandstone, which is found on both sides of the head- 

 land. This will afterwards be found in the course of the 

 narrative. 



In the course of one of his letters to his sister, Dick 

 thus describes one of his journeys to Dunnet Head. It 

 was made in April, while the weather was still very 

 wild: 



"Determined not to be beat, I waited over snow, 

 hail, frost, and rain, until I could set out. Then I had 

 my ramble. It was a fine morning, but after I had set 

 out it began to rain. It blew and rained for five miles. 

 I saw little beyond a bare country. The fields were red, 

 and the grass by the road-side was withered and brown. 

 All was of a sad, desolate appearance. I was walking 

 in an easterly direction, and the wind was blowing 

 south-west. To fend me from the rain, I turned my face 

 northerly, and saw only a tossing sea, and the Orkney 

 hills overspread with snow. I passed through the mile- 

 long village of Castletown, and there I saw trees, yes, 

 most respectable trees !* 



" On the top of a stone wall to the right I saw some 

 tufts of moss. I went to the moss and looked. It was 

 all in fruit. I think it was Hypnum popuieum. I had 

 seen it before. I crossed burn after burn, and then the 



* There are not only trees but woods about Mr. Trail's seat at 

 Castlehill. There is a hollow valley there, along the river Duran, which 

 has been beautifully planted. The place is well protected from the 

 north and east winds, and the trees grow to as fine dimensions as they 

 do in the south of England. But this is the only wood in the north 

 of Caithness. 



