CH. III. SQUALL OF WIND LARGE ADDER. 43 



instance nothing but a strong arm and good rowing 

 saved us from certain drowning, which would never- 

 theless have been our fate had the least bolt or 

 fastening given way about the oars, for once broach- 

 ing to must have swamped us. The wind soon fell, 

 the day became hot, and the beautiful lake with its 

 green banks was again as smooth as glass. Few of 

 the gulls had laid, but we found some more eggs of 

 the Grey lag goose. One nest was in a very peculiar 

 situation for a wild goose, being in the midst of and 

 overhung by a thicket of small birch trees. The 

 otter seems to live in undisturbed security in the 

 islands on all these lakes, as the heather, &c., is full 

 of their roads and marks. 



On the stones near the lake I picked up a large 

 adder. As I held her up by her throat it was 

 curious to see the fierce expression of rage the 

 creature put on, and also how its long teeth pro- 

 jected, as if eager to be fastened in my hand, while 

 a drop of bright yellow liquid oozed out at the 

 points of each of its venomous fangs. I knew that 

 this was the poison, but had no idea that these 

 reptiles could produce so large a quantity at once. 



Loch Laighal, Loch Maddie, and Loch Naver all 

 abound in the finest trout, and contain also plenty of 

 the Salmo ferox or great lake trout, which is caught 

 only by trolling, or by lines baited with small fish. 



