28 
no ice upon it. However, close to the water lay some 
large masses of snow, so beside one of these we sit 
down and look about us. The loch is nothing more 
than a shallow pond of very clear water, and pro- 
bably o’vyes its origin chiefly to the melting of the 
masses of snow. 
As I said before, it is surrounded on three sides by 
precipices ; the one opposite to where we were sitting 
being, though very steep, thickly covered with grass 
nearly to the summit. The reflection of this green 
precipice causes the peculiar colour of the loch, 
whence it derives its name of *‘the^ green loch.” 
Whilst listening to the dismal croaking of a raven on 
one of the rocks, and watching the wild and fantastic 
wreaths of mist rising and falling among the rocks, 
now forming in great masses down the gullies, now 
drifting slowly along the sharp rocks that covered the 
ridge, suddenly, on the sky*line of the green preci¬ 
pice, appeared a group of mysterious-looking brown 
creatures. Sheep ? No ! For a moment we are 
puzzled, but only for a moment; for in single file, 
slowly descending a narrow sheep path, came a herd 
of red deer. A strange and beautiful sight it was to 
see each graceful form appear suddenly from amidst 
the drifting mist, and then quietly make its way 
down the narrow and dangerous path—one following 
quick upon another, till a long line of nearly forty red 
deer slowly approached the lake. At last the whole 
herd has nearly passed, when limping painfully along 
comes a sohtary hind, trying hard to keep up with 
its comrades and yet scarcely able to keep its feet on 
the steep precipice. Several times the poor beast 
had to pause for breath, and several times it seemed 
about to fall headlong down the bank, but at last it 
seemed to get some fresh strength, and was able to 
join the herd, which were now feeding along the 
sides of the corrie. Soon all had passed out of sight, 
and we directed our attention to a drinking cup con¬ 
taining a mixture of “mountain dew” and snow, 
which we had placed on the table of snow beside us. 
Hallo ! it is stuck on, and there not only was the cup 
frozen on to the snow, but on the outside of it were 
several icicles. ‘ ‘ The lake of Eternal Ice with a 
