258 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XVIII. 



parts near the sea, where the river has room to 

 spread itself out. 



One day towards the end of the month I went 

 with my two boys and a servant to shoot rabbits 

 on the island formed by the junction of the Find- 

 horn and another stream near the sea. The river 

 was so low, in consequence of long-continued dry 

 weather, that we crossed it on foot at a shallow 

 where the water did not reach to our knees. The 

 day was hot and the air heavy and oppressive; and 

 although we had not had a drop of rain, we heard 

 loud thunder during the w T hole morning, and saw 

 heavy black clouds hanging in the west over the 

 mountains through which the river runs. After 

 idling about some time and shooting a few rabbits, 

 etc., we went towards a small cottage built on the 

 highest part of the island, in order to speak to the 

 people who inhabited it. Whilst standing close 

 to the door we heard a sudden scream from a 

 woman at work in the little plot of garden, and 

 looking round we at once saw the cause. The river, 

 as the woman emphatically expressed it, was "com- 

 ing down" Over a wide space of sand and shingle, 

 interspersed with patches of broom and furze, 

 where a few moments before we had been hunting 

 rabbits, there now came rushing down a wall of 

 muddy water, carrying with it turf, stones, and 



