96 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



From their mischievous and destructive habits, the 



birds had become obnoxious, and Donald had recently 



exterminated the whole family, parents and brood, by 



firing at them from below. We could distinguish with 



our glasses where the rock had been shivered by his 



bullets, and his quick eye detected the feathers of the 



fast rotting mass, consisting of parents and young 



piled together on the rock. We presently reached the 



banks of the Redburn, which we had to cross on our 



way home. But being still somewhat swollen, the 



water did not look at all tempting, and we paused on 



the brink, doubtful whether to venture into the current 



or not. While however we were demurring, Donald 



came to our relief, by promising that if we would 



follow his guidance we should pass over dryfoot, a 



proposal which we were only too glad to accept. 



Accordingly, preceded by him, we took a short cut 



across the muir, leaving the stream for awhile, though 



only that we might return to it further down. A walk 



of a few minutes brought us to a creek into which the 



river discharged itself ; and as we stood on an elevated 



rock overlooking it, our guide pointed out the spot at 



which he assured us we might cross with safety. Two 



huge rocky buttresses jutted out on either side the 



stream, and from our present position seemed to meet 



within a few inches ; but on descending and coming to 



the spot, we found that they were about six feet apart ; 



and through this narrow passage dashed the whole 



pent-up force of the river, with a roar of thunder, as it 



plunged into an oblong basin below, called the "Poit 



bhruich," or boiling pot. 



Across this chasm Donald leaped backwards and 

 forwards more than once to convince me of the practi- 

 cability of the feat ; but when I came to stand on the 

 edge of the rock, the roaring of the waters as they 



