72 
ANIMAL LIFE ON THE 
CHAPTER IX. 
ON THE WAY TO ARRAN. 
SEEKINGr the shores of the Alpine peaks of Arran, our 
chosen route is with the famous Ivanhoe^ through the 
c'assic Kyles of Bute. Several years have passed away 
since last our eyes rested on the beauties of the lovely 
Kyles. Then, as now, the balmy winds of August rustled 
through the heather bells that rose in purple floods to the 
very mountain tops, interspersed with patches of sombre 
green and yellow. The indelible beauty of the scenery is 
enhanced to-day by the calm resplendent light of sky and 
sea; but it is with something of a feeling of sadness we witness 
the slopes on the right entrance denuded of the splendid pine 
forests whose variegated colours and tracings of old were 
said to represent the plan of the battle of Waterloo. The 
beauty of the Scotch spruce and silver firs, stretching 
away on the braes in their respective positions, was the 
admiration of every passer-by, but now upon the bare hill- 
side scarcely a tree is left to mark the whereabouts of the 
once famous sylvan grandeur. 
The rights of property shall have no discussion here, 
but the lover of nature can very well be excused were he 
to ask the question, "Is it right that such a soulless 
possessor should have the power of such destruction?" He, 
at least, cannot plead the poverty of the crofter or cottar, 
and in this we have enough of disquieting reflect "on until 
we reach the "Narrows." To view the gorgeous scenery of 
this particular point aright, the traveller must ascend to 
the mountain top on the Bute shore, where one of the most 
magnificent views that Scotland can boast of spreads out 
