Untitled - Beeldbibliotheek

162 CARAVAN DAYSarrival at John o' Groat's, and it must be said thatalthough we had now only eleven miles to travelthey were lavishly beset with difficulties. Theroad was thoroughly bad and the hills wereheavy, becoming, as they always do, more andmore vicious and impracticable as we approachedour goal. After the long pull up from the loch,with a glorious view unfolding behind us, wereached a barren level tract of stunted heather,stones and dark still pools ; and here a tinker'scart hove in sight and drew off on to an openspace beside a corrugated iron shed to let us pass,for there was no room to spare.We were muchdelighted as we came near to recognize ourfriend, the tinker of Lairg, on tour with all hisfamily. Several of them were walking in astraggling line behind ;he and his wife lay atfull length upon the heaped-up tent and impedimenta,and I do not know how many of thesmaller members of the clan had been packed inalong with the other luggage, but during ourconversation with him heads kept popping uphere and there in the most unlikely places.WhenIspeak of a tinker's cart I fear I may give youa wrong impression of that great structure.There was nothing mean or meagreproportions and its breadth at the top,about itswhen all