PHYSICAL FEATURES. 



31 



hill is the source of Clynemiltoii burn, worthy of mention here 

 as a stream of most beautiful spring water, not a common thing on 

 the east coast of Sutherland. 



Between the Brora and Helmsdale there is the small river of 

 Lothbeg, which rises in the Meallan-liath, and runs through 

 Sletal and Glen Loth into the sea by an artificial cutting on the 

 south side of Crackaig Point. This little river runs through the 

 wildest and finest scenery on the coast. Sletal was an ancient 

 deer forest, and the cairn under Craig-vockie was tlie last strong- 

 hold of the wolf in Scotland. It is a wild confused mass of rocks, 

 many of them now overgrown with moss and blaeberries, and years 

 ago the rock above was tenanted by a pair of eagles ; even yet, 

 these birds are occasionally seen in the autumn, and though no 

 longer a forest, a few deer are still to be seen in their ancient 

 sanctuary. Lower down where Sletal joins Glen Loth, the strath 

 opens out wider and is more bright and sunny, patches of birch 

 occurring here and there, while nearer the sea the course of the 

 river is enlivened with whins and broom, bright with yellow in the 

 flowering season. 



Before this cutting was made, the river ended in a marsh, 

 where the fine arable farm of Crackaic? now is, the water findincr 

 its exit to the sea at a point below Kilmote, and between it and 

 Crackaig Point, to which we have already alluded. 



The Fleet is a small river and of little interest or beauty in its 

 upper reaches, where indeed it more resembles a drain than a 

 Highland burn. The strath, somewhat narrow in its upper reaches, 

 opens out wider about Piogart village, below and around which the 

 land is more cultivated. There are some patches of birch scattered 

 here and there, but, with one or two exceptions, little or no planting 

 has been done until the sea side of the Mound is reached. Below 

 Morvich the river forms a large marsh covered with alders, and 

 below this again, crossing from side to side, runs the Mound, an 

 artificial dam which separates the estuary of the Fleet from the 

 reclaimed land, and over which the road to Dornoch runs. Sluices 

 are let into the Mound near the railroad, where the river enters the 

 estuary to allow the surplus river water to run out as the tide 

 recedes, and prevent the sea water getting in with the flood tide, 



