86 Burnside. 



the expansion is at its greatest, and hence the clouds collect 

 there more freely than at the lower levels. When the 

 summit is reached the air passes down the opposite slope of 

 the mountain, it contracts again, becomes warmer in so 

 doing, and the cloud diminishes, and presently vanishes 

 altogether. 



On the move again, up, up we go. As we look towards 

 the summit, on almost every jutting crag we observe a 

 mountain sheep standing, apparently fixed and immovable ; 

 but when we reach one of these crags we find that the sheep 

 have taken up a still higher position, and are gazing at us 

 with stolid wonder as before. The wild plover sends forth 

 its shrill whistle, and tempts us to answer it. At length we 

 come to a deep rocky glen with damp sides, from the crevices 

 in which the saxifrage (Saxifraga aizoidcs) and the pretty 

 little brittle fern hang temptingly. Up this we scramble, 

 and come upon a flat boggy piece of ground, beyond which 

 are wonderful beds of moss, into which the foot sinks noise- 

 lessly, and under which tiny streams of ice-cold water are 

 ever flowing. 



Up to this point the climb has been uneventful, and we 

 have met with little specially to attract our attention. This 

 side of the mountain proves at close quarters the accuracy 

 of the general opinion which we formed of the barrenness of 

 these mountain w r alls of Grlencroe. The clouds begin to 

 gather, or rather we begin to enter them, and for some little 

 distance masses of trailing mist scud past us, enveloping us 

 in their damp folds for a few minutes, and then leaving us 

 bathed in sunshine as before. We are evidently in the zone 

 where the clouds formed on the opposite side of the mountain 

 are being dissipated. 



