RAMBLES OF A GEOLOGIST. 357 



the dank grass, or to dissipate the thin mist-wreath that con- 

 tinued to float over the river under a sky of deep gray. But 

 the ladies, with Buchubai, impatient to join their friends at 

 Strathpeffer, determined on journey ing notwithstanding; and, 

 availing myself of their company and their vehicle, I tra- 

 velled on with them to Dingwall, where we parted. I had 

 purposed exploring the gray dingy sandstones and fetid brec- 

 cias developed along the shores on the northern side of the 

 bay, about two miles from the town, and on the sloping ac- 

 clivities between the mansion-houses of Tulloch and Fowlis ; 

 but the day was still unfavourable, and the sections seemed 

 untemptingly indifferent ; besides, I could entertain no doubt 

 that the dingy beds here are identical in place with those of 

 Cadboll on the coast of Easter Ross, which they closely re- 

 semble, and which alternate with the lower ichthyolitic beds 

 of the Old Red Sandstone ; and so, for the present at least, 

 I gave up my intention of exploring them. 



In the evening, the sun, far gone down towards its place of 

 setting, burst forth in great beauty; and, under the influence 

 of a kindly bree2e from the west, just strong enough to shake 

 the wet leaves, the sky flung off its thick mantle of gray. I 

 sauntered out along the high-road, in the direction of my old 

 haunts at Cononside, with, however, no intention of walking 

 so far. But the reaches of the river, a little in flood, shone 

 temptingly through the dank foliage, and the cottages under 

 the Conon woods glittered clear on their sweeping hill-side, 

 " looking cheerily out" into the landscape; and so I wander- 

 ed on and on, over the bridge, and along the river, and through 

 the pleasure-grounds of Conon-house, till I found myself in 

 the old solitary burying-ground beside the Conon, which, when 

 last in this part of the country, I was prevented from visit- 

 ing by the swollen waters. The rich yellow light streamed 

 through the interstices of the tall hedge of forest-trees that 

 encircles the eminence, once an island, and fell in fantastic 



