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  INTKODUCTION. 
  

  

  has 
  a 
  bare, 
  woodless, 
  and 
  cold 
  appearance, 
  such 
  has 
  not 
  

   always 
  been 
  the 
  case, 
  for 
  these 
  peat 
  mosses 
  contain 
  evidence 
  

   that 
  it 
  was 
  once 
  otherwise. 
  In 
  these 
  we 
  find 
  huge 
  trees 
  

   of 
  oak, 
  hazel, 
  birch, 
  mountain 
  ash, 
  and 
  fir. 
  . 
  This 
  last, 
  

   because 
  of 
  its 
  resinous 
  nature, 
  was 
  dug 
  up, 
  split 
  into 
  long 
  

   thin 
  portions, 
  and 
  formed 
  the 
  ancient 
  "fir 
  candle," 
  the 
  only 
  

   light 
  the 
  people 
  in 
  old 
  times 
  possessed. 
  These 
  trees 
  

   formed 
  extensive 
  forests 
  that 
  existed, 
  to 
  some 
  extent 
  at 
  

   least, 
  down 
  to 
  the 
  time 
  of 
  the 
  wars 
  between 
  the 
  Earl 
  of 
  

   Buchan 
  and 
  the 
  Bruce. 
  In 
  these 
  mosses 
  have 
  also 
  been 
  

   found 
  many 
  flint 
  arrows 
  and 
  spear 
  heads, 
  bronze 
  celts, 
  pots, 
  

   and 
  swords, 
  oak 
  canoes, 
  spades, 
  and 
  portions 
  of 
  crossbows. 
  

   Those 
  who 
  wish 
  to 
  learn 
  more 
  about 
  the 
  past 
  of 
  this 
  

   district 
  would 
  do 
  well 
  to 
  peruse 
  an 
  excellent 
  paper 
  by 
  the 
  

   late 
  Rev. 
  James 
  Peter, 
  entitled, 
  The 
  Peat 
  Mosses 
  of 
  

   Buchan. 
  

  

  Through 
  these 
  forests 
  once 
  roamed 
  herds 
  of 
  Bos 
  

   primigenius, 
  whose 
  skulls 
  and 
  teeth 
  have 
  been 
  found 
  in 
  

   numbers 
  generally 
  lying 
  on 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  boulder 
  

   clay, 
  covered 
  by 
  many 
  feet 
  of 
  overlying 
  moss. 
  These 
  woods 
  

   also 
  formed 
  a 
  congenial 
  home 
  for 
  the 
  stately 
  Red 
  Deer. 
  

   All 
  is 
  changed 
  — 
  the 
  mighty 
  monarchs 
  of 
  the 
  forest 
  have 
  

   gone, 
  and 
  our 
  largest 
  wild 
  quadrupeds 
  are 
  the 
  Roe 
  and 
  

   Hare. 
  Foxes 
  can 
  scarcely 
  be 
  said 
  to 
  exist, 
  and 
  within 
  

   the 
  past 
  thirty 
  years 
  the 
  Badger 
  and 
  Pole-cat 
  have 
  been 
  

   exterminated. 
  

  

  Leaving 
  the 
  coast 
  at 
  Troup 
  Head, 
  the 
  northern 
  limit 
  of 
  

   our 
  district, 
  passing 
  Protston 
  and 
  Protston 
  Hill, 
  Cross- 
  

   slacks 
  to 
  Darfash, 
  the 
  line 
  holds 
  eastward 
  and 
  strikes 
  

   the 
  south 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  Tore 
  of 
  Troup. 
  On 
  emerging 
  

   from 
  the 
  Tore, 
  we 
  find 
  ourselves 
  on 
  the 
  border 
  of 
  an 
  

   extensive 
  track 
  of 
  moorland, 
  small 
  portions 
  of 
  which 
  are 
  

   under 
  cultivation. 
  After 
  this, 
  moss 
  and 
  heath 
  are 
  

   traversed, 
  and 
  we 
  soon 
  reach 
  the 
  Loch 
  of 
  Monwig, 
  which 
  

   lies 
  on 
  the 
  moss 
  of 
  Fishrie 
  (679 
  feet 
  above 
  sea 
  level). 
  

  

  