TO THE FOREST AGAIN. 177 



The top of a rising ground, near at hand, is con- 

 secrated as the last earthly resting-place of some hero 

 of a bygone age, whose name and deeds, unchronicled, 

 have, like himself, become forgotten. But though the 

 tomb itself, rudely constructed out of slabs of rock, 

 never touched by chisel, still remains to tell of the past, 

 the bones which it once contained have long since been 

 scattered to the winds of heaven. 



But " hactenus hcec : " to return to my rambles. 

 After my attendant and I had examined the Celtic 

 tower, and carried on a learned archaeological dis- 

 cussion, in which Johnny had decidedly the best of it, 

 we turned our faces to the hill, and purposing to visit 

 a mountain loch, often frequented by ducks, com- 

 menced the ascent of a very steep brae in the eye of a 

 cutting wind. On the way we flushed five woodcocks, 

 two of which fell to my gun. Just as we reached the 

 crest of the hill, the loch now lying a little before us, a 

 small flock of ducks rose out of reach, warned doubtless 

 by my shot at the last woodcock Crossing the loch, 

 they of course communicated the alarm to every bird 

 there, and I had the mortification of seeing a couple of 

 wild geese, and some more ducks, go off in the wake of 

 the first flock. The loch being now cleared, with the 

 exception of a few gulls and coots, not worth their salt, 

 we turned our steps homewards, and arrived there just 

 as night closed in upon us. 



I now extract from my Diary. 



Tuesday. There was again a slight fall of snow in the 

 night, but by our breakfast-hour all traces of it had 

 disappeared, except on the highest hills ; and though 

 a few ominous clouds were still hovering about, the 

 day, on the whole, seemed fair and bright. As our 

 departure for the South could not be delayed beyond 

 the end of the week, we resolved to seize the present 



