STORM SIGNS. 367 



carefully, how thoroughly, closely, compactly, and painstakingly it 

 is thatched ; and observe further and over all a network of wire as 

 thick and strong as that used in our overland telegraphy, and to 

 the end of each wire as it almost reaches the ground in front and 

 at the back of the house, please notice suspended a large stone, 

 water-worn boulders from the river below, each of a hundredweight 

 or more, and you will not fail, we think, to understand how we so 

 confidently decided that Glen Nevis at times must be an exceedingly 

 stormy place. If you assert that other Highland glens may be 

 quite as stormy in the season of storms, we shall not contradict 

 you ; what we do say is this, that never did a house-roof 

 speak to us so eloquently of furious and frequent storm and whirl- 

 wind as did the roof of that house at Auchreoch, and a very good 

 house it is, and a very pretty place to the bargain. A little 

 beyond Auchreoch, and to the left of the path, there is a bit 

 of wild and rugged rock scenery well worth attention. Here and 

 there, over the face of what seems the hard impenetrable rock, many 

 trees grow and flourish as if through the very heart of the 

 granite. The explanation of course is, that the rock which seems 

 so homogeneous and solid at a distance is in reality fissured and 

 fractured in all directions, and that in these fissures the trees find 

 soil and food enough to sustain a wonderfully luxuriant growth and 

 opulence of foliage for such a situation. Abotit a mile further up 

 the glen, we separated from our companions for a while, we having 

 determined to cross the Nevis at this point in order to visit Uaimh 

 Shomhairle, or Samuel's Cave, the entrance to which was pointed 

 out to us by Mr. Macpherson in the face of the opposite steep. 

 To get across the river we had to strip until in a state of almost 

 puris naturaUhus, and even then it was somewhat dangerous, a 

 single false step might have been attended by very serious conse- 

 quences. With a little circumspection and care, however, we 

 got safely over, and half-dressed and barefooted we climbed the 



