FEBRUAKr 45 



lies under a different weather-system from the rest of 

 Britain seems so, anyhow, seeing that forecasts from the 

 Meteorological Office carry neither promise nor warning 

 to Penultimate Thule. 



Dalnaspidal and Dalwhinnie were one wan waste of 

 snow; the deer, poor wretches, cowering in the corries 

 and down upon the flats along the line ; the Boar and the 

 Sow of Athol draped with winter to their very feet. A 

 few hours later, when the train pulled up at the entrance 

 to Strath Ullie, called in the English tongue Helmsdale, 

 the soft westerly air breathed promise of precious spring ; 

 yet this was still February (1905). 



As we drove up the strath to the lodge, all boded well 

 for the morrow. High-shouldered Ben Urie, indeed, wore 

 a snow mantle far down upon his flanks ; but the strath 

 was clear, the river holms green, and the birch woods 

 showed the dusky purple flush of stirring sap. Curlews, 

 lapwing, and golden plover were here already ; often it is 

 well on in March before they adventure in such high 

 latitudes. Surely the early fish will be forward also, for 

 there is the river in perfect trim for them. 



Ay, but a river is a wayward thing, which may be the 

 reason why Highlander and Lowlander alike give 'her' 

 the feminine gender. There followed much rain in the 

 night; warm rain, falling on upland snow, deranges all 

 anticipation. The first words I heard next morning were 

 a message from my host : ' There is three foot of spate, 

 and she 's very dirty ; and I was to say breakfast would 

 not be till nine o'clock.' 



On a lowland river that would have settled all prospect 

 of fishing for the day, but in Strath Ullie it is different. 

 There is but one road in that happy valley, and never 



