172 JOURNEY TO DUNNET CLIFFS. CHAP. xin. 



Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, went by cold, 

 wet, and listless. But I had hopes of Friday. I rose at 

 half-past two o'clock, worked till eight, set out at half- 

 past eight for Dunnet cliffs, and was home again at half- 

 past three in the afternoon. Try that, gentlemen-geolo- 

 gists ; try that, if ye can ! 



" ' But what got ye ? ' 1 hear you say. ' What got ye ?' 

 Well, I will tell you every word about it ; and, believe 

 me, unless I had the opportunity of telling it to you, I 

 would never have gone a footstep in search of auld warld 

 shells. 



"Well! on arriving at the eastern side of Dunnet 

 cliffs, I made direct for a precipitous cliff at least 150 

 feet high ; where, some years ago, I sat on a big bouldei 

 of sandstone, making my breakfast on cold rolls and 

 cheese. In the present instance, I wound along the 

 foot of these breakneck rocks, which, unless the tide had 

 been out, I would not have been able to do, for the 

 tide comes close in under the cliff. 



" I clambered over the fallen stones, dashed by white 

 spray, which went clean over me like a shower-bath. 

 Winding along, creeping my way, I could not help 

 admiring the multitudes of LiUorina rudis which 

 besprinkled the stones. I was as much a child as ever. 

 I filled my vest pocket simply because they were 

 bonnie. 



" I soon found that I was about to be disappointed as 

 regards the first half of the serious work that I had come 

 in quest of. The precipitous cliffs of red sandstone to 

 Hie west of the little haven of Brough are gradually 



