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mistaking； and the prints of the ice…plough are among them。
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For instance：… When they were trenching the new plantation close to
Wellington College station； the men turned up out of the ground a great
many Sarsden stones； that is； pieces of hard sugary sand； such as
Stonehenge is made of。 And when I saw these I said； 〃I suspect these
were brought here by icebergs：〃 but I was not sure； and waited。 As the
men dug on； they dug up a great many large flints； with bottle…green coats。
〃Now；〃 I said； 〃I am sure。 For I know where these flints must have come
from。〃 And for reasons which would be too long to tell you here； I said；
〃Some time or other； icebergs have been floating northward from the
Hog's Back over Aldershot and Farnborough； and have been trying to get
into the Vale of Thames by the slope at Wellington College station； and
they have stranded； and dropped these flints。〃 And I am so sure of that；
that if I found myself out wrong after all I should be at my wit's end； for I
should know that I was wrong about a hundred things besides。
Or again； if you ever go up Deeside in Scotland； towards Balmoral；
and turn up Glen Muick； towards Alt…na…guisach； of which you may see a
picture in the Queen's last book； you will observe standing on your right
hand； just above Birk Hall； three pretty rounded knolls； which they call the
Coile Hills。 You may easily know them by their being covered with
beautiful green grass instead of heather。 That is because they are made of
serpentine or volcanic rock； which （as you have seen） often cuts into
beautiful red and green marble； and which also carries a very rich soil
because it is full of magnesia。 If you go up those hills； you get a glorious
viewthe mountains sweeping round you where you stand； up to the top
of Lochnagar； with its bleak walls a thousand feet perpendicular； and
gullies into which the sun never shines； and round to the dark fir forests of
the Ballochbuie。 That is the arc of the bow； and the cord of the bow is
the silver Dee； more than a thousand feet below you； and in the centre of
the cord； where the arrow would be fitted in； stands Balmoral； with its
Castle； and its Gardens； and its Park； and pleasant cottages and
homesteads all around。 And when you have looked at the beautiful
amphitheatre of forest at your feet； and looked too at the great mountains
to the westward； and Benaun； and Benna…buird and Benna… muicdhui； with
their bright patches of eternal snow； I should advise you to look at the rock
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on which you stand； and see what you see there。 And you will see that on
the side of the Coiles towards Lochnagar； and between the knolls of them；
are scattered streams； as it were； of great round boulder stoneswhich are
not serpentine； but granite from the top of Lochnagar； five miles away。
And you will see that the knolls of serpentine rock； or at least their backs
and shoulders towards Lochnagar； are all smoothed and polished till they
are as round as the backs of sheep； 〃roches moutonnees；〃 as the French
call ice…polished rocks； and then； if you understand what that means； you
will say； as I said； 〃I am perfectly certain that this great basin between me
and Lochnagar； which is now 3000 feet deep of empty air was once filled
up with ice to the height of the hills on which I stand about 1700 feet
highand that that ice ran over into Glen Muick； between these pretty
knolls； and covered the ground where Birk Hall now stands。〃
And more：… When you see growing on those knolls of serpentine a few
pretty little Alpine plants； which have no business down there so low； you
will have a fair right to say； as I said； 〃The seeds of these plants were
brought by the ice ages and ages since from off the mountain range of
Lochnagar； and left here； nestling among the rocks； to found a fresh
colony； far from their old mountain home。〃
If I could take you with me up to Scotland；take you； for instance；
along the Tay； up the pass of Dunkeld； or up Strathmore towards Aberdeen；
or up the Dee towards Braemar；I could show you signs； which cannot be
mistaken； of the time when Scotland was； just like Spitzbergen or like
Greenland now； covered in one vast sheet of snow and ice from year's end
to year's end； when glaciers were ploughing out its valleys； icebergs were
breaking off the icy cliffs and floating out to sea； when not a bird； perhaps；
was to be seen save sea…fowl； not a plant upon the rocks but a few lichens；
and Alpine saxifrages； and such likedesolation and cold and lifeless
everywhere。 That ice…time went on for ages and for ages； and yet it did
not go on in vain。 Through it Madam How was ploughing down the
mountains of Scotland to make all those rich farms which stretch from the
north side of the Frith of Forth into Sutherlandshire。 I could show you
everywhere the green banks and knolls of earth； which Scotch people call
〃kames〃 and 〃tomans〃 perhaps brought down by ancient glaciers； or
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dropped by ancient icebergsnow so smooth and green through summer
and through winter； among the wild heath and the rough peat…moss； that
the old Scots fancied； and I dare say Scotch children fancy still； fairies
dwelt inside。 If you laid your ear against the mounds； you might hear the
fairy music； sweet and faint； beneath the ground。 If you watched the
mound at night； you might see the fairies dancing the turf short and
smooth； or riding out on fairy horses； with green silk clothes and jingling
bells。 But if you fell asleep upon the mounds； the fairy queen came out
and carried you for seven years into Fairyland； till you awoke again in the
same place； to find all changed around you； and yourself grown thin and
old。
These are all dreams and fanciesuntrue； not because they are too
strange and wonderful； but because they are not s