CHAPTEE II. 



EXPLORING THE COUNTRY. 



IN the morning every one was up betimes, breath- 

 ing the pure mountain air before the early mist had 

 left the hill-tops. 



"Well, Ward, how do you like your quarters?" 

 the Major inquired. 



" Charming ; better than my late day-dreams, and 

 the bath is worth a voyage to China." 



As our bath is unique, I may describe it. The 

 burn close to the Lodge has been enlarged, so as to 

 form a deep wide pool of some eight yards broad 

 by twenty in length, deep enough for a swim; on 

 one side steep and rocky, on the other overgrown 

 with bush and creeping plants, except where the 

 grass steps lead down to the water. 



At the end of the pool a small hill-stream has been 

 diverted, so that it falls over the projecting rock in a 

 perpetual shower ; the waters being from springs on 



