198 THE BIRDS OF IONA AND MULL. 



return journey it was nearly three o'clock. The morning, from 

 being very bright, had gradually overcast, blackened, and now 

 assumed a most threatening aspect ; the inky-coloured clouds 

 hung upon the tops of the mountains, and seemed to be charged 

 with pitch. The wind was very slight, but it wailed and sobbed 

 through the mountain gullies, and moaned in irregular gusts 

 over the grey lichen-covered rocks in that peculiarly wild, 

 melancholy manner which forebodes a dreadful storm. I hurried 

 on as fast as I could, for I had many miles to walk through 



" This sullen land of lakes and fens immense ; 

 Of rocks, resounding torrents, gloomy heaths, 

 And cruel deserts black with treach'rous bogs ; " 



for I wished to reach the fords lest the coming rains should 

 make the rivers impassable, and before the darkness of the 

 evening, which was already closing in with unusual swiftness, 

 would make the fords dangerous. The clouds now came rolling 

 down the slopes of the mountains, till everything was obscured 

 from sight by their pall of blackness. A sudden, sharp blast of 

 wind flew across the moor ; and immediately it was calm again ; 

 the ends of my plaid fluttered heavily, once or twice streaming out 

 before me. Doran, with tail and ears down, ran close up to my 

 heels, and in a moment, with a crash like thunder, the storm 

 burst upon us. The irresistible fury of the wind hurried me 

 along the road as it rushed past, now roaring at my ear, and now 

 howling and shrieking as it whirled along the valley. The river 

 and lake foamed and boiled, and then rose up in circling eddies 

 of spray, like wreaths of smoke, filling the air as the blast bore 

 it away up the sides of the hill. The rain poured down in hissing 



