BURNS IN FLOOD 



205 



did we see, but great quantities of grouse, which, when flushed, 

 flew to short distances, and ah'ghting 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. 



CROSSING THE BURN 



" 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 ; and in five minutes I was as wet as if I had been 

 swimming through the river. We saw the burns we had to 

 cross on our way home tumbling in foaming torrents down the 

 hill-sides. In the morning we had stepped across them without 



