180 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. CHAP. xxn. 



the water. A solitary heron was standing on a stone in the 

 middle of the stream, seemingly quite regardless of us. But 

 while I was looking at his shadowy figure, which was perfectly 

 reflected in the water beneath him, the bird suddenly flew off 

 with a cry of alarm, occasioned by the appearance of a peregrine 

 falcon, who passed with even and rapid flight at no great height 

 along the course of the river, without taking the least notice of 

 the heron. 



Beautiful in its grand and wild solitude is the glen where the 

 Findhorn takes its rise ; seldom does the foot of man pass by it. 

 It is too remote even for the sportsman ; and the grouse cock 

 crows in peace, and struts without fear of pointer or gun, when 

 he comes down from the hill-slopes at noonday to sip the clear 

 waters of the springs that give birth to this beautiful river. The 

 red-deer fearlessly quenches his thirst in them, as he passes from 

 the hills of Killen to the pine-woods in Strathspey. Seldom is 

 he annoyed by the presence of mankind, unless a chance shepherd 

 or poacher from Badenoch happens to wander in that direction. 

 Having rested for a short time, and satisfied my curiosity respect- 

 ing the source of the river, we struck off over some very dreary 

 slopes of high ground on the north-east, interspersed with green 

 stripes, through which small burns make their way to swell the 

 main stream of the river. Not a deer did we see, but great 

 quantities of grouse, who, when flushed, flew to short distances, 

 and alighting on some hillock, crowed as it were in defiance. 

 A cold chill that passed over me made me turn and look down 

 the course of the stream, and the first thing that I saw was a 

 dense shower or cloud of rain working its way up the valley, 

 and gradually spreading over the face of the country, shutting 

 out hill after hill from our view as it crept towards us. In the 

 other direction all was blue and bright. " We must turn home, 

 or we shall never get across the streams and burns," was my 

 ejaculation to the shepherd. " 'Deed, ay, Sir," was his answer ; 

 and, tightening our plaids, we turned our faces towards the east. 

 As the rain approached, the ring-ouzel sang more loudly, as if to 

 take leave of the sunshine ; and the grouse flew to the dry and 

 bare heights, where they crowed incessantly. 



The rain gradually came on, accompanied by a cold cutting 

 wind. I never saw such rain in my life ; it was a perfect deluge ; 



