We must not forget to record, however, that amongst the vast number of shells we had turned over we found some of those lovely little shells known as “John o’ Groat’s buckies,” so highly prized by visitors.  They were difficult to find, as they were so very small, but we found quite a number, and considered them to be perfect little gems, and so very pretty that we reserved them for special presents to our friends.  We afterwards learned that they were known to science as Cyproe Artoca, or European Cowry.

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An interesting account of John o’ Groat’s House and the shells was written in the year 1698 by the Rev. John Brand, Commissioner of the General Assembly:—­

The landing-place was called John o’ Groat’s House, the northernmost house in Scotland; the man who now liveth in it and keepeth an inn there is called John Grot, who saith his house hath been in the possession of his predecessors of that name for some hundreds of years; which name of Grot is frequent in Caithness.

Upon the sand by John Grot’s house are found many small pleasant buckies and shells, beautified by diverse colours, which some use to put upon a string as beads, and account much of their rarity.  It is also observed of these shells that not one of them can be found altogether like another, and upon the review of the parcel I had I discovered some difference among them which variety renders them the more beautiful.

[Illustration:  THE STACKS OF DUNCANSBAY.]

After our midday dinner had partially digested, for we had eaten rather too much, we started for Duncansbay Head, following the coast line on an up-gradient until we reached the top, which formed the north-eastern extremity of Scotland, and from where we had to start on Monday morning.  It was a lonely spot, and we were the only visitors; but we had a lively time there, as the thousands of wild birds whose homes were in the rocks, judging from the loud noises they made as they new about us in endless processions, resented our intrusion into their sacred domain—­hovering around us in every direction.  Perhaps they were only anxious to ascertain whether we were friends or foes, but we were very much interested in their strange movements.  They appeared to be most numerous on and about two or three perpendicular rocks which rose from the sea like pinnacles to a great height.  These rocks were named the “Stacks,” or the “Boars of Duncansbay,” their sides and summits being only accessible to birds, and forming safe resting and nesting-places for them, and on the top of the highest stack the golden-coloured eagles had for ages reared their young.  The “Stacks” might once have formed part of the headland or of some adjacent island which had been wasted away by the winds and waves of ages until only these isolated portions remained, and these were worn into all kinds of crevices and fantastic shapes which impressed us