WILD SCENERY. 133 



of black fishing yawls, manned by a few rowers, 

 paddled about like a cluster of water beetles, 

 all engaged in setting their ( spillets,' or drawing 

 in their well loaded lines ; as, prompted by the 

 impulse of immediate want, they were lazily 

 dabbling in those prolific waters, the finny 

 treasures of which, like another California, are 

 doubtless reserved for a future period and a 

 more energetic people. 



Before us, and on our left, rose mountain 

 over mountain ; no longer grey and indistinct, 

 but of a rich brown colour, still varied here and 

 there, even at this late period of the season, 

 with the purple blossoms of the heather. On 

 the sides of some of the nearer hills a long 

 winding strip of the brightest verdure might 

 be seen, marking the course of some little stream, 

 which drained the ground near its banks on 

 either side, and pursued its tortuous and broken 

 way to become a tributary to the river in the 

 valley; and here a few stunted rough-coated 

 cattle were dotted along its margin. All else, 

 as far as the sight could penetrate into the 

 interior, seemed to be mountain and bog, without 

 the trace of a human habitation, and where 

 apparently nothing but grouse and snipes could 

 manage to procure a subsistence. 



Another hour brought us to our former quar- 



