94 Burnside. 



separated, their rude angular edges curved and moulded by 

 the hands of the wonderful workman Father Time. But 

 the masses which thickly strew the bed of the stream are 

 generally smaller. The power exerted by the clear 

 sparkling water of the burn in its incessant onward motion 

 is manifested in the smooth rounded character of these rocks. 

 Silently but unceasingly its work is carried on, and with 

 increased force when the burn is swollen by heavy rain or 

 by the melting snow in early spring. At such times its force 

 is irresistible. The soft loose earth is quickly worn away 

 at the base of the narrow canons through which the burn has 

 cut its way, and through which it then races madly along, 

 and the next frost is often sufficient to bring the superin- 

 cumbent mass tumbling headlong into the stream. Then 

 the work of disintegration begins ; the loose mud is washed 

 away at once, the small stones are hurled against each other 

 by the foaming, gurgling water, and their rough edges worn 

 off, whilst the larger masses are embedded in the floor over 

 which the rapid torrent passes, and round them the 

 water now eddies in ceaseless murmurings, then rushes with 

 headlong fury, hurling smaller pebbles against them with 

 tremendous force ; but alike in its season of gentleness and in 

 that of madness, it is constantly wearing away the rough, 

 sharp processes which oppose its progress, until by-and-by 

 smooth rounded rocks like these on which we rest are 

 formed. 



How remarkable too does such a stream as this appear ! 

 The faint breeze scarcely causes the aspen to rustle or the 

 birches to nod their topmost, arching, slender boughs, whilst 

 the murmuring of the water makes sweetest music in our 

 ears. The water hurries and bustles past, yet it is still there; 



