CHAPTER XV 



SUNRISE FROM SGOR AN LOCHAN UAINE 



1YING a little to the north-west of Cairn Toul, and reaching 

 an elevation of just under 4,000 feet, is the wild and 

 storm-scarred point known in the Gaelic as Sgor an 

 Lochan Uaine, or the Cliff of the Small Green Tarn. 



Eastwards, the ground dips sheer to the Garbh Choire 

 beneath ; westM'ards the land flows away gradually, and two 

 hill burns have their birth in the hollows known as Clais 

 an t* Sabhaill and Clais Luineag respectively. A wild and 

 barren peak is this, which gives a home to no bird or beast; 

 to few plants even can the exposed rocks offer a foothold. 

 At times an eagle, sailing across from Mar perhaps, or from 

 Rothiemurchus, may alight for awhile on its stony summit, 

 or a ptarmigan may shelter behind the rocks on its leeward 

 face should the wind blow strong and cold from the Garbh 

 Choire beneath, but still it is a place altogether desolate, and 

 given over to the storms and to the hurrying mists. 



But when fine June weather comes to the hills, and when 

 the sun shines full on ridge and corrie, the grim sternness 

 of this weather-beaten point is softened somewhat, and 

 amongst its granite rocks plants of Silene acaulis burst into 

 life and carpet the ground with a profusion of beautiful 

 flowers of crimson or pink, while in the crannies parsley ferns 

 gradually uncurl their fronds of softest green. 



It was early one afternoon of June that a companion and 

 I left the shores of Loch Einich — that fine hill loch lying 

 beneath the dark rocks and green corries of Sgoran Dubh — 

 and made our way over Coire Dhondail to the wild expanse 

 of high and comparatively level ground stretching away to 



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