154 MY LIFE AS A NATURALIST 



sparing, and a bath is, at present, a luxury. When the rain 

 does come, we shall hear the rushing water close by the " Wood- 

 burn " demesne, in which I now reside, and see Scotland under 

 another of its many aspects. Even a few moments brings a 

 change over loch and mountain. That is one of the charms of 

 the wonderful country in which I am now sojourning. 



Clynder is on the western side of the Gareloch, the latter being 

 derived from Gaelic words, meaning " Short Loch," in all prob- 

 ability as a contrast to Loch Long, which is a mile or two over 

 the braes behind us. Immediately to the south is Rosneath 

 Castle (not Roseneath), the Dunbartonshire seat of the Duke of 

 Argyll. Close by the Castle, there are two very fine Fir trees 

 (Picea pectinata), known respectively as Adam and Eve. Adam's 

 girth is 21 ft. 10 J in. Eve is a little less than her illustrious 

 husband, being 21 ft. 1\ in. in girth. These measurements were 

 taken at a height of 4 ft. 6 in. from the ground. Rosneath comes 

 from the Gaelic, meaning " a promontory." The ruins of the 

 old Church go back, it is said, to Modan in 507. Beyond Rosneath 

 there comes into view, round the bend of the famous Clyde, the 

 residential resort of Kilcreggan (meaning " the church on the 

 little crag "), and, almost adjoining these, is the smaller hamlet 

 of Cove, meaning " a cave." At Cove there are some charming 

 villas with fine gardens, but the great feature of interest is Knock- 

 derry Castle, the seat of Lord Blythswood. Looking across the 

 Firth of Clyde from Kilcreggan, one sees quite plainly Gourock, 

 Greenock, and Port Glasgow, whilst to the south the glorious 

 heights of the Isle of Arran are espied, with proud Goatfell 

 frowning down on the lower reaches, granite monarch of all 

 he surveys. The Island of Bute appears in the foreground of 

 Arran, and then there is a magnificent stretch of Argyllshire, 

 with Dunoon, Innellan, Hunter's Quay, the Holy Loch, Kilmun, 

 Strone, and Blairmore, all plainly discernible. 



The Gareloch is about eight miles in length, and about a mile 

 or so across. On the opposite side of the water, we see the very 

 pleasant and flourishing town of Helensburgh (from whence one 

 can take a convenient trip to Loch Lomond), the smaller resort 

 known as Row, but pronounced Roo, and, further north still, 

 there is Shandon, with its fine hydropathic establishment. On 

 our western side we have only two or three small clachans north 

 of us, such as Rahane and Mambeg. Then we come to the head 

 of the Loch, or Garelochhead. Truth to tell, I do not like Gare- 

 lochhead. It is very disappointing. True enough, the view 



