258 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. OH. 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 whole 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 clown a wall of 

 muddy water, carrying with it turf, stones, and 



