272 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



the rocks below, and were re-echoed in the cave, gave a 

 wildness and grandeur to the scene, that was romantic and 

 impressive. 



Having betaken ourselves to our resting place, sleep 

 gradually stole over the whole party, and it was only at 

 break of day that the lively air of " Hey Johnny Cope," 

 blown from the pipes of Duncan M'Carmick, aroused us 

 from our slumbers. 



In a moment each sprang from his couch of heather ; and 

 not forgetting to give instructions for the preparation of 

 breakfast (and in particular, that the a la blaze should be 

 again put in requisition), we descended to a stream, which 

 runs through the valley at the foot of the cave, to perform 

 our ablutions, and having refreshed ourselves with a dip in 

 the sea, returned to breakfast even at that early hour, with 

 no want of appetite. Our morning meal was soon over ; 

 Buskar and Bran were got in readiness, and the whole 

 party issued forth full of expectation ; indeed, so eager 

 were the dogs, that though they had not tasted food from 

 the forenoon of the previous day, they would not look at 

 the cake which was offered them, and Buskar, when pressed, 

 at length took the cake in his teeth, and impatiently threw 

 it from him. 



From the lofty situation of the mouth of the cave, the 

 view was most extensive and picturesque. To the right 

 the Atlantic rolled beneath us, from whose bosom the sun 

 had just emerged ; before us lay a wide extended heath, 

 from which the mists of the morning had withdrawn, 

 though they still concealed from our view the picturesque 

 tops of the mountains by which it was bounded. A beauti- 

 ful valley stretched to the left, divided down the centre by 

 a deep ravine, through which a mountain stream flowed 

 and emptied itself into the sea immediately below us, while 

 over our heads hung a precipitous ridge of rocks. All was, 

 as Johnson has expressed it, " rudeness, silence, and soli- 

 tude." There was no trace of the habitation of man ; not 

 a sound was to be heard, except the murmur of the waters, 

 and occasionally the wild note of some sea bird as it flitted 

 from rock to rock. 



Before leaving our commanding situation, it was deemed 



