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 LI B R.AR.Y 
 
 OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY 
 Of ILLINOIS 
 
 823 , 
 
 V. 1
 
 -d.
 
 THE 
 
 HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS, 
 
 BY THE 
 
 AUTHOR OF "ADVENTURES OF A KUZZILBASH/ 
 "PERSIAN ADVENTURER," &c. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY, 
 
 NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 
 1832.
 
 LONDON : 
 
 IIJOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS SAVOY STREEl, STRAND.
 
 2Z3 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 EvEX such readers as " hate prefaces," need not 
 be startled by the appearance of these few pre- 
 liminary observations : they have no pretension 
 to so alarming an appellation. The work before 
 them is strictly a Highland tale ; descriptive 
 partly, as its title imports, of the habits and 
 manners of a class of people, who not very 
 long ago abounded throughout the Highlands, 
 and who, in spite of every attempt at controul, 
 or legislative enactment on the part of govern- 
 ment, are still to be found there. That it was 
 the author's original intention to turn the interest 
 of the story more exclusively upon smuggling 
 adventures, will account for the introduction 
 of certain discussions on the subject of illicit 
 distillation at greater length than may, by some
 
 iv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 readers, be deemed suitable to a work of this 
 nature. 
 
 Another principal object of the author being to 
 depict Highland scenery and manners in general, 
 he trusts to be held excused, even by those who 
 delight in " stirring adventure"" alone, should 
 local descriptions appear at first to predominate 
 more than may be to their taste : they will find, as 
 the narrative proceeds, that these give place to an 
 increased variety of incident and action, which he 
 flatters himself will not be thought deficient in in- 
 terest or excitement. 
 
 A few words regarding the language, or rather 
 the dialect^ put into the mouths of the lower cha- 
 racters. There is no point, perhaps, in which the 
 ablest and most admired Authors have been so 
 little successful, as in conveying to their readers a 
 correct idea of Highland dialect and accent. It 
 differs essentially both in pronunciation and idiom 
 from the Lowland Scotch, which has been usually 
 but erroneously attributed to Highlanders. Its 
 chief points of dissimilarity from English are 
 to be found in its periphrastic phraseology 
 and strong gutteral, aspirated accent. A High- 
 lander, even when he speaks English, seems to 
 Ihink in his own language: hence, his conversa-
 
 INTRODUCTION. V 
 
 tion in that tongue is, in fact, a translation from 
 Gaelic, while the long drawn aspirates of the Cel- 
 tic enunciation infect and disguise his words to a 
 degree extremely offensive to an English ear. To 
 describe in writing a peculiarity, which chiefly 
 consists in the inflections of that inexpressible 
 thing accent, is very difficult. Should we wish, 
 for instance, to convey to an English reader, the 
 true sound of such common expressions as, " It's 
 a fine day !"— or '^ trouth," (in-truth)— " I'm no 
 weel at all the day," as uttered by a Highlander, — 
 the English alphabet affbrds no combination of 
 letters that will approach nearer the truth than 
 those we have made use of. How is that long 
 nasal drawl, with which the Highlander would 
 enunciate the words, to be expressed ? 
 
 Again, the letter a is generally sounded broad 
 by the Lowlander, who frequently substitutes its 
 sound for that of the vowel o, as in auld^ cauld^ 
 for old and cold. The Highlander preserves the 
 vowel, but adds to it a long drawling w, making 
 the words owld and could. The Lowlander prt 
 nounces the word good as gude, or giud ; in the 
 mouth of a Highlander it scarcely differs from the 
 same word in English. The lad, or rather laud, 
 of the former, bears but little resemblance to the 
 interminable la«ad of the Celt.
 
 VI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 We do not, however, mean to write a treatise 
 on Highland orthoepy ; enougli has been said to 
 explain the reason of any variation that may be 
 observed between the language used in this work, 
 and the dialect commonly put in the mouths of 
 Highlanders. But, as in portrait painting, it has 
 been found that slight deviations from truth will 
 rather add to than detract from a likeness ; and 
 as the judicious artist will rather reject such par- 
 ticulars as tend to diminish the general good effect 
 of his work, than embarrass himself with unpro- 
 fitable details; so has the Author in this case 
 deemed it expedient to deviate occasionally from 
 the rules he has laid down ; and in order to main- 
 tain a suitable verisimilitude, when an expression 
 or sentence might otherwise have appeared unna- 
 turally Eiiglish in the mouth of a Highlander of 
 the lower classes, he has ventured to throw in a 
 sprinkling of words, which in strictness belong to 
 Lowland Scotch. 
 
 With regard to the localities and incidents of 
 his story, the Author has little to remark. He 
 has described but what he saw, and what he knows; 
 and although there may be certain peculiarities of 
 scene and of fact that will appear strange to some 
 of his southern readers, he feels assured that the
 
 INTRODLXTION. Vll 
 
 general truth of his dehneations can be attested by 
 many of the sons and daughters of " Merry Eng- 
 land," as well as by those of the " Land of the 
 Mountain and the Flood.'' To them he appeals 
 with confidence for their favourable testimony, 
 and to the public at large for that liberal en- 
 couragement which is seldom withheld from those 
 who have at least the merit of good intentions to 
 plead in behalf of their efforts.
 
 THE 
 
 HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A HIGHLAND GLEN. 
 
 From distant isles a chieftain came, 
 The joys of Ronald's halls to find ; 
 
 To chase with him the dark hrown game, 
 That bound o'er Albion's hills of wind. 
 
 " Well, Tresham, what say you ? Holds your 
 resolution firm, to stake wind and manhood 
 on a day's deer-stalking, after our Highland 
 fashion ? I promise you it will try your met- 
 tle, however well you may have proved it at 
 Eton or Oxford ; aye, or in the Peninsula, where 
 your prudent father sent you to sow your wild 
 oats : a plentiful crop they were too, or you are 
 sorely belied. '^ 
 
 Such was the address of the young Laird of 
 Glenvallich to his friend and college chum, Henry 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 a THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 Tresham, a young officer of good family and 
 fortune, as they sipped their wine after dinner on 
 a lovely evening of July. Tresham, after several 
 years of hard service, and some ill health, had 
 obtained leave of absence from his regiment, and 
 quitting his paternal mansion in merry England, 
 proceeded to beat up the quarters of his ancient 
 ally at the family seat of Inverallich, in the hopes 
 of enjoying a few weeks grouse-shooting, on his 
 extensive moors in the vicinity of that place. 
 Once before only, and but for a very short period, 
 had Tresham visited his friend, and experienced 
 the delight of putting sundry brace of muir-fowl 
 to death on their own wild hills ; but it was a short 
 and imperfect enjoyment, and he looked forward 
 with anxiety to a more complete and prolonged 
 fruition, when time and opportunity should serve. 
 The more serious pursuits of manhood, and the 
 duties of a profession which he loved, for some 
 years superseded all lighter occupations ; but he 
 failed not to seize the first occasion which pre- 
 sented itself, of gratifying a taste which had 
 increased rather than diminished by long priva- 
 tion. 
 
 A tedious while had still to elapse before the 
 commencement of the grouse season ; and Tresham 
 having heard the laird expatiate with enthusiasm 
 on the delights of the noble sport of deer-stalking.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 3 
 
 had conceived a wish to participate in them. He 
 supposed it to be of a nature quite similar to the 
 pursuit he was already acquainted with, and anti- 
 cipating neither more fatigue nor inconvenience in 
 the one than in the other, he proposed accompany- 
 ing his friend in his next expedition to the wild 
 glen, which the large property of Glenvallich ena- 
 bled him to maintain as a deer forest, where he 
 could enjoy, without disturbance or control, his 
 favourite sport. 
 
 " Infinitely indebted to your good opinion, 
 Charles,^' was the reply of Tresham to the address 
 which commences our chapter ; " but the charge 
 of wildness I utterly repudiate, as foreign to my 
 nature; witness my sober visit to your sober and 
 moral country, at a time when Bond Street and 
 St. James's still swarm with gentlemen of my 
 cloth — the gay and the dissipated of the land; — 
 but touching this challenge of yours, I say yes, 
 certainly; I do wish to witness this fascinating 
 sport, which disturbs gravity like yours, and 
 unhinges your prudence so completely, as to recon- 
 cile it to the loss of fair three hundred pounds a 
 year, besides heaven knows how much extra ex- 
 pense, in foresters, game-keepers, dogs, bothys, 
 and the like, that your worship may kill deer, as 
 others shoot pheasants, or rabbits, by the hundred 
 head. And don't suppose you'll find me such a
 
 4 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 chicken at a walk, as to be blown or fagged by 
 what you and your ragged gillies can do witli 
 ease. It's a long time since to be sure ; but do 
 you remember a certain twelfth of August, when 
 I fired my first shot at grouse, and killed my 
 fifteen brace, and was on my feet from four in the 
 morning till near seven at night .^" 
 
 " Yes, Hal, I remember it well, and I think 
 you had enough of it that day." 
 
 " Well, perhaps I had ; and I slept pretty sound 
 that night in consequence." 
 
 " Yes, and next morning too, Harry.'* 
 
 " Well, and you were off to the muir again by 
 six, you would say ; why, it was but a brag of 
 yours — I could have done it myself, and easily too, 
 had you thought fit to summon me in time, when 
 you chose to start alone.'"* 
 
 " I had more compassion, Harry, than to com- 
 mit such a piece of cruelty : why man, you looked 
 as lean and haggard as a drawn weasel when we 
 came home ; you did not feed like a man fit for 
 work." 
 
 " Ah ! so you are pleased to say ; but besides, 
 I was scarcely more than a boy in those days ; I'm 
 tougher and stronger now, and that you'll find." 
 
 " AVell, as you are resolved to try your powers 
 of endurance, have at you. To-morrow I'm off to 
 Glenochree, where I have some business to settle,
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. D 
 
 and I mean to kill a fat stag if possible, before I 
 return. I want to send a haunch to Lady Pember- 
 ton, to let her see what good red deer venison is. 
 She scorned it the other day — called it meat scarce 
 fit for a gentleman's table — only good for soups 
 and stocks, and such like stuffs. She shall recant ; 
 so make ready your traps, you won't want much. 
 I will arm you : you shall have my Manton rifle, 
 and a pony that will carry you where any four 
 uncloven hoofs can go, and never miss a step." 
 
 "What! you ride on this deer- stalking busi- 
 ness, then, do you ? I'm not sorry for that." 
 
 " Ride a deer-stalking ! O Fingal ! O Ossian ! 
 Oscar, and Toscar ! and all ye spirits of the 
 mighty hunters of old, hear him, and veil your 
 faces in wrath ! Ride in the forest of Glenochree ! 
 — ride along the side of Scoore-vialach ! — ride up 
 the Corry Dhu ! — faith, you would need a better 
 tsteed than I can give you : that of the wild hunts- 
 man of the Black Forest at least, for no horse of 
 mortal mould could carry you ten yards dis- 
 tance. We shall have you next looking for a 
 painted and papered drawing-room, with damask 
 couches and window-curtains, in my hunting 
 bothy." 
 
 " Scarcely that, friend Charles ; for I have not 
 quite lost remembrance of a certain shooting 
 bothy, which must be own brother, one might
 
 b THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 presume, to that dedicated to so similar a 
 sport." 
 
 " Hum ! — must it, indeed? — similar sport! — 
 well, you shall see." 
 
 " Well, so I shall, please the fates ! and as for 
 my mistake about riding, why spoke you of po- 
 nies, if we are not to ride ?" 
 
 " Hah ! my dear Hal, I doubt not that you 
 are well acquainted with the nature of a Spanish 
 sierra, or a posada; you may have climbed the 
 one on the back of a mule, and have been bitten 
 half to death the live long night in the other ; but 
 take my word for it, you know little indeed of 
 a Highland deer-forest, or a black Highland 
 bothy, — how indeed should you? Why, we re- 
 quire these admirable sure-footed little steeds to 
 carry us fresh to this same bothy, of which you 
 shall judge when you see it. You would not 
 choose to walk eight-and-twenty long miles, I 
 presume ? and so far, at the least, is the bothy dis- 
 tant from this place." 
 
 " Eight-and-twenty miles ! — you take away 
 my breath ! What ! ride eight-and-twenty miles 
 on your own property ? Why man, it's a duke- 
 dom — a principality — you're not a laird, but a 
 king !'' 
 
 " Such, however, is the fact ; but when you 
 shall have seen the nature of a great part of this
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 7 
 
 same principality, your conceptions of its import- 
 ance may come to be lowered : you may possibly 
 form a fairer estimate of its value. Extent, cer- 
 tainly it has, and that/' added he, while a pardon- 
 able emotion of pride slightly swelled his chest, 
 and heightened the colour of his cheek, " that 
 is something, doubtless !" 
 
 " Something ! aye, and quite enough to excuse 
 a pretty strong dose of Highland pride, although 
 you would fain amuse us with a specimen of 
 Highland humility. Well, after all, a few hun- 
 dreds of fat English acres are no bad thing : they 
 don't tell so well in numbers as your hundreds of 
 thousands, but count by rent well paid, and they 
 make no bad figure." 
 
 " No, Hal ; but there is no deer-stalking there . 
 and, as we should be early on foot to-morrow, what 
 say you to making our arrangements to-night ? I 
 see you take no wane ; suppose we have coffee in 
 the other room, and then set to work ?'' 
 
 " By all means : allons r 
 
 The morning was as lovely as could be desired ; 
 not one of those bright cloudless effects, the bril- 
 liant sunshine and dark shadow of which foretells a 
 speedy overcast ; but having its radiance mellowed 
 by a soft haze, which betokened a continuance of 
 the delicious weather they had for some time en- 
 joyed, and which threw a tone of almost magical
 
 8 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 beauty over hill and wood and dale. After an 
 early and substantial breakfast, the two friends set 
 off, not on their highland garrons, but in a very 
 stylish phaeton and pair, in which they drove for 
 several miles. 
 
 " A pretty fellow you are, Mr. Glenvallich, 
 humbugging your raw southeron friends with such 
 dire accounts of savage glens, roaring torrents, and 
 diabolical roads. I am by no means nice I find ; 
 this road will do well enough for me ; nor am I 
 at all disposed to quarrel with this well-hung 
 phaeton, and these ponies, if such your modesty 
 chooses to style them — sixteen hands high if 
 they're an inch; and, upon my word, this is a 
 very beautiful valley — or glen, if you prefer that 
 appellation — with its sloping sides and rounded 
 knolls, covered with oak and birch — not very ma- 
 jestic indeed, but yet a very pretty fringe of wood 
 they make — and these rocks that rise above, too, 
 with the green patches among them — very pastoral 
 and sweet ; — what a fine stream too, brawling and 
 twisting among its stones, and these ledges of 
 black and white stained rock. Good trout in these 
 pools too, 1 dare say — I must throw a fly there 
 when I return." 
 
 " Aye, you may find sport there, but you must 
 learn to fish for salmon ; the trouts of the lochs 
 are better than those of our rivers."
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 9 
 
 " Well, we shall look at them in due season. — 
 By Jove ! what crops on these small fields — 
 would not disgrace Norfolk — hedges, to be sure, 
 would make handsomer divisions than vile walls, 
 or rather long heaps of stones, all toppling down 
 among the fox-glove and fern ; but the little cop- 
 pice scattered here and there, has a good effect. — 
 Weil, hang me, but you're a pretty fellow to keep 
 all those sweet valleys snugly to yourself, and call 
 them wild and savage glejis, forsooth, to keep 
 timid south erons out of them.'*' 
 
 " I am glad they please you, my friend, but I 
 assure you it forms no part of my policy to keep 
 this glen, which is one of the prettiest in this part 
 of the country, to myself, as you suppose : but 
 have patience awhile, you will see before we are 
 done, whether or no I have been humbugging you : 
 in the meantime we are just approaching a scene 
 which I would recommend to your attention as a 
 lover of the picturesque.'"* 
 
 The hills, at the point they were now approach- 
 ing, rose somewhat suddenly to great elevation, 
 and overhung the glen so closely, that it scarcely 
 afforded room at bottom for the river, or water 
 as it was called, to twist through the profound 
 chasm which it had hollowed out for itself in the 
 living rock. A noise arose from below, like the 
 
 B 5
 
 10 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 rush of many streams, and the craggy banks as- 
 cended, most exquisitely clothed with birch and 
 oak, mountain-ash, hazel, and other native trees, 
 under which spread a plentiful carpet of fern and 
 wild flowers, leaving the black rock bare and 
 stained with a coat of lichens where it was too pre- 
 cipitous to receive a richer covering. 
 
 The road cut out of one of these precipitous 
 banks, overhung the stream which roared near two 
 hundred feet below ; and although its breadth, pa- 
 rapet walls, and excellent condition, precluded all 
 reasonable idea of hazard, a stranger could scarcely 
 repress a shudder of horror as he whirled past the 
 black abyss. 
 
 " You did well to prepare me, Charles," said 
 his companion, '' although to point out the beau- 
 ties of this place is unnecessary ; they are most 
 striking and palpable, certainly — what noble 
 rocks and hills — and what wood too ! — look at 
 these magnificent birches, and that rich delicious 
 honeysuckle ! — What the devil did that surly pe- 
 dant Johnson mean by saying there were no trees 
 in Scotland ? I owe him a grudge for his narrow- 
 minded prejudice; it seems to impugn the libe- 
 rality of the nation he belonged to." 
 
 " Why, certainly, Johnson was prejudiced, but 
 he was not always happy in the routes he took ;
 
 THE HIGHLAXD SMUGGLERS. H 
 
 and being accustomed to so very rich and well- 
 wooded a country, he might well be disappointed 
 at the barrenness he did witness/' 
 
 " Ah, don't defend him ; he deserves but 
 
 what mist is that, rising there ? — God bless me ! 
 it's a cascade, I declare ! — Grand ! grand and 
 beautiful, by Jove !" And his companion drew up 
 at a particular point, where a full view was obtained 
 of the rushing cataract, swelled by a heavy fall of 
 rain on the hill, as if to show off the grandeur of 
 the scene, and to gratify both host and guest. 
 
 The enraptured silence of that guest as he gazed 
 upon the sublime scenery before him, was more ex- 
 pressive of his feelings than the most laboured en- 
 comiums in words, and certainly more gratify- 
 ing to his friend. But Tresham's surprise and 
 delight were not yet complete. A succession of 
 pools and rapids above the fall, soon raised the up- 
 ward course of the river to a height little lower 
 than the level of the road on which they were 
 driving ; and stream and road winding their way 
 between two craggy and wooded knolls which rose 
 in front, introduced the travellers to a change of 
 scene not less unexpected than pleasing. The 
 abrupt and contracted mountains which formed 
 the pass, opened suddenly to the right and left, 
 yet still preserving an imposing altitude, and 
 formed a basin of considerable size. The bottom
 
 12 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 of this was occupied by a silver lake of nearly two 
 miles in length, leaving an irregular but not in- 
 considerable space between the margin of the 
 water and the slope of the hills, well cultivated, 
 and dotted with cottages. Among these might be 
 detected several white-v/alled houses of a descrip- 
 tion superior to the rest, which communicated to 
 the scene an air of comfort and civilization which 
 could not fail to please the eye of a stranger. The 
 hills were partially covered with wood, chiefly 
 birch, which crept up and dotted their sides in a 
 manner more graceful by far, than could have 
 been effected by the most tasteful hand ; and the 
 fields in all their luxuriance of crop, were natur- 
 ally divided by copse-wood and scattered trees, 
 which produced all the rich effect of hedgerow 
 foliagCj without its formality. The summits of the 
 hills were varied with grey rock and purple 
 heather, and further on, towards the head of the 
 valley, the eye caught the blue picturesque forms 
 of yet more distant and more important mountains. 
 '' Upon my soul, Charles," exclaimed Tres- 
 ham, " this is fairy land ; I positively don't recol- 
 lect anything more lovely !" 
 
 " What ! not even in your favourite Spain ?"" 
 " Spain ! pshah ? a waste of black rocks and 
 brown plains. Italy, Switzerland has nothing 
 more delicious.*"
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 13 
 
 ^' Well, Harry, I am glad you like it— enjoy it 
 while you may, for your fairy land, like fairy 
 gifts, is fast fading away. See you yon blue 
 peak ?" 
 
 " Which ? — that with the greyish lump on the 
 north end ?" 
 
 " Poh, no — I mean yon distant one, which 
 makes, almost like a carpenter's centre-bit, a high 
 sharp peak in the middle, with a lower one at 
 each side, and one of them more spread out than 
 the other." 
 
 " Well ; I see it/' 
 
 " Well, in that mountain is the forest."*' 
 
 " In that mountain ? why, God bless me, that's 
 fifty miles off, if it's a yard." 
 
 " No, no, it is no such thing, and you will soon 
 see it enlarge upon the eye. But here our good 
 road terminates. The phaeton can go no further, 
 and here are our little highland steeds. Let us 
 mount and be off — we have no time to lose." 
 
 Two little shaggy animals were now brought 
 forth by a smart young man, clad in the phelibeg 
 and plaid, from a black hut, at the upper end of the 
 basin of which we have spoken : they were saddled 
 and bridled for immediate use ; but looked as if 
 their backs had for the first time been made ac- 
 quainted with such appurtenances. A pound of 
 hair hung at each heel, their manes and forehead
 
 14 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 would have furnished stuffing for a respectable 
 mattrass, and a Turkish Pashah would have 
 thought himself a happy man to have got hold of 
 their tails. Nevertheless, wild and rough as they 
 were, their small and well-shaped heads, round 
 quarters, and clean made limbs, indicated a degree 
 of blood and breeding, which their action and 
 powers of endurance did not belie. No sooner had 
 the gentlemen mounted, than the diminutive steeds 
 set off at a swift and easy trot, which they main- 
 tained, even when the increasing badness of the 
 road would have rendered a slower rate of motion 
 fully as agreeable to the young Englishman. 
 
 In fact, upon leaving the farm where they took 
 to their horses, the regular road, which stopped at 
 that point, was succeeded first by a very indifferent 
 cart road ; this soon degenerated into such a track 
 as is formed in highland districts by their miser- 
 able peat carts, some of which consist merely of a 
 large inverted cone, formed of birch branches, in- 
 terwoven with twigs, and set upon two shafts, as 
 on a sledge, guiltless of axle or wheels, and which 
 are dragged over the rough ground by a wretched 
 garron. Even this poor evidence of human indus- 
 try and human presence disappeared after a time, 
 nothing remained to direct the steps of the travel- 
 lers, but a devious track, undeserving even the 
 name of a bridle path, formed principally by foot
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 15 
 
 passengers and cattle, who passed these wilds in 
 the way to and from the western coast of the 
 island. 
 
 There was also a gradual, but not less remark- 
 able change in the scenery, as the travellers in- 
 creased their distance from the lower glen. The 
 mountains, it is true, continued to be clothed with 
 birch, though less abundantly, and of more stunted 
 growth ; but the skirts of the hills, and the gra- 
 velly knolls on either side the road, were thickly 
 covered with broom, interspersed with patches of 
 brown heather and fine green velvet turf. A few 
 cultivated patches occurred, bearing scanty crops of 
 black oats or rye, or a wretched mixture of both ; 
 and sundry plots of stinted potatoes already bore 
 evidence of the action of frost. The huts of the 
 owners partook in the deterioration of the country, 
 becoming more and more miserable, until the only 
 dwellings to be seen were mere heaps of black turf, 
 partially covered with growing grass. But one 
 opening was to be seen in these, by which the in- 
 habitants might obtain entrance; and the smoke, 
 after circling in volumes through the whole inte- 
 rior, at length found its sluggish exit to the upper 
 air through the same vent. 
 
 As they proceeded, even the stunted birch be- 
 came more rare ; rock and dark peat-moss occu- 
 pied its place on the hill-sides, which rose in
 
 16 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 lumpy ignoble shapes, cut into innumerable stony 
 ravines, by the torrents that often rushed from 
 their summits. Still, however, as a glen or chasm 
 of greater depth would open among them, rocks 
 and peaks of grander dimensions and nobler forms 
 appeared in the distance, affording evidence that 
 the travellers had in truth penetrated into the 
 more remote and loftier regions of the Highlands. 
 
 " Your fairy land is fled, Tresham, I fear ; 
 how like you this change?" 
 
 " Hum — not of the most agreeable, certainly, 
 but after what we have seen, I were a beast 
 to complain. Your dwellings here are, indeed, 
 not magnificent, nor are your crops so rich as some 
 we have passed; but I espy some good-looking 
 grouse ground, which some day or other I hope 
 to beat ; and that green meadow, that borders the 
 river, with its few birches and alders, and its 
 stream rushing from pool to pool, has no small 
 amenity to recommend it — there must be good 
 trouting there too." 
 
 " Why, Tresham, you would be for ever at the 
 trouts or the grouse ; and truly the poor birds do 
 afford fair sport in their way, when no nobler 
 game can be had ; but wait, my friend, till you see 
 a deer shot. As to these hills; you would find 
 poor amusement there. The day has been, to be 
 sure, when a good shot might have bagged his t wen-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. IT 
 
 ty brace a-day on them with ease; but now, from 
 some cause or other, sheep, muir-burning, and dogs 
 — perhaps, too, from modern improvements in the 
 art of killing game, and the gradual progress of 
 cultivation, the birds have ceased to breed in the 
 low muirs, so that where a dozen of packs might 
 formerly have been seen, you can now scarcely 
 find a single brood." 
 
 " Not being a Highland laird," replied Tres- 
 ham, I can't say I approve of the change ; but 
 cultivation rather leads to increase game in the 
 south — how has it so different an effect here.'^'" 
 
 " You forget the different habits of the bird 
 from those of pheasants or partridges ; grouse dis- 
 like molestation. Since the introduction of sheep, 
 for one set of hoofs that paced over the muirs, 
 when they were only under black cattle, there are 
 now a hundred, besides the infinitely increased 
 number of dogs, which feed luxuriously upon the 
 eggs and young birds in their seasons : you will 
 see at once how such an increase of enemies must 
 lead to the decrease of the game. But come — we 
 approach another stage of our journey, and an- 
 other change in the character of our scenery." 
 
 In truth, Tresham had begun to weary of the 
 eternal recurrence of low unpicturesque hills, over 
 which at length the road, leaving the margin of 
 the river, began to ascend through tracks of gra-
 
 18 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 velly heights, covered but partially with dark 
 stunted heather, that told full plainly the extreme 
 poverty of the soil. 
 
 " Come," said the young Englishman, as cer- 
 tain dark purple peaks and ridges rose into view 
 over the insipid slope on which they were riding ; 
 " here is something, at least, which promises a 
 taste of the wild and grand, if not the beautiful. 
 These hills are assuming a more imposing charac- 
 ter — this may do." 
 
 They soon reached the summit of the rocky 
 ridge which they had for some time been gradually 
 ascending, and which ran abruptly across the glen, 
 forming a species of natural barrier between its 
 more accessible parts and those more wild and re- 
 mote: — and wild and striking, of a truth, was the 
 scene which from this height presented itself to the 
 eyes of the sportsmen. 
 
 A massy mountain, whose huge members 
 stretched far in all directions — some in ridges 
 that descended to the river bed, others verging off 
 into separate and distant valleys, rose upon the 
 right to a majestic height, presenting a summit 
 divided into three rocky peaks of unequal magni- 
 tude, connected together by a serrated ridge of 
 crags. The skirts of this noble mountain, them- 
 selves riven into a world of less important hills, ex- 
 hibited a striking intermixture of grey rock and
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 19 
 
 dark wood, varied with heather and fern in profu- 
 sion. At their feet, the river, of a deep mossy hue, 
 streaked and mottled with white foam, chafed in 
 many a petty fall and sharp rapid against the 
 rocks and stones of its bed, the banks of which 
 were fringed with shaggy wood. On the left arose 
 a hill, less lofty but more precipitous, and still 
 more thickly covered with wood, in which the dark 
 hue of the native pine was conspicuously predomi- 
 nant ; and behind it might be seen several tower- 
 ing peaks and huge shoulders, belonging to other 
 ranges, of which itself was probably but a spur or 
 offset. 
 
 These were the principal features of the coup- 
 d'oeil ; but beyond them a long succession of 
 mountains threw their vast masses athwart the glen 
 in an infinite variety of form and hue, while dark 
 blue peaks closed up the long perspective. If to 
 the picture we have thus faintly attempted to 
 sketch, be added the magic influence of light and 
 shadow, flitting and changing with every cloud of 
 a summer's forenoon, sometimes shrouding the 
 giant shapes in deep purple gloom, and then again 
 letting in upon their bosoms a rich stream of sun- 
 shine, — like the light of science revealing the se- 
 crets of nature — while the mysterious veil would 
 slowly roll on, to envelope some other feature of 
 the landscape — if such a combination of scenery
 
 20 THE HIGHLAND S:«IUGGLERS. 
 
 be conceived, the rapturous exclamations of Henry 
 Tresham, as he slowly ascended the height of 
 which we have spoken, and the whole landscape 
 rose gradually into existence before him, may find 
 both excuse and sympathy. 
 
 " This," said he at length, after his first burst 
 of astonishment was past, " this is in very deed 
 a scene for which I was not prepared ! If you had 
 let me leave the country without showing me what 
 I now see, Charles, I never could have forgiven 
 you. Switzerland may afibrd more astounding va- 
 riety of feature — the Pyrenees, too, are no doubt 
 far more rich in rock and wood ; nor do I venture 
 to assert, that many landscapes more astonishing, 
 nay, more beautiful than that before us, might 
 not be selected in either country ; but I will say, 
 that I can scarcely remember ever to have been 
 more highly delighted by natural scenery, than I 
 am at this moment." 
 
 " You gratify me much by saying so, Harry, 
 for I am quite certain you speak as you feel. It 
 was always my plan to give you this surprise, but 
 I thought it best to time it so as to embrace some 
 other object." 
 
 " But what mountains are these ? and how do 
 you call this most primitive and magnificent 
 valley or glen, or what else it may be termed ?'"'
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 21 
 
 " The glen before you," replied his friend, " is 
 Glenochree, and the river is the Ochree, which has 
 its source in a little mountain lake, some fifteen or 
 eighteen miles hence. It has feeders also, nearly 
 as large as itself, which take their rise in the 
 mountains around you, either from lochs or nume- 
 rous springs. As for the mountains themselves, 
 each peak and separate mass has its distinct name, 
 although the range of hill country is known by the 
 general appellation of Monadh-na-feh — sounded 
 shortly Monehfeh — the hills of the deer, par excel- 
 lence^ from the number and size of the deer they 
 used to produce — a characteristic which, you shall 
 have proof, they have not yet forfeited. This dark 
 brown hill . on our right is Ben-dourich ; that 
 round black lumpish mass which protrudes so far 
 into the glen, has acquired the name of Strone- 
 muich, or the hog's nose, from some fanciful resem- 
 blance it is thought to bear to that animal. And 
 that distant peak which shuts in the left side of 
 the vista, is Scoore-vialach, with which you may 
 probably become better acquainted ere long, if 
 legs and wind hold good." 
 
 '■' A la bonne heare^ when the time comes; — 
 meanwhile, how are we to descend from our alti- 
 tudes — I suppose we have still some distance to 
 go?" 
 
 " Aye, verily — so this way. Come, follow me."
 
 22 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " How? down that torrent's bed? — Why don't 
 we keep the road, man ?"" 
 
 " Because there is none better to keep : this is the 
 only path, the use of which, as you may perceive, 
 is disputed by man and the elements ; for down 
 the track, first perhaps formed by him or other 
 animals, fercB natures, the rains and floods of 
 winter have found their way in torrents, so that 
 his feeble traces have been pretty nigh effaced." 
 
 " Pretty nigh ! egad, the last thing I should have 
 imagined would be that he ever had a share in it 
 at all; — why, man, you'll be down the hill by the 
 run — the horses can't hold on there, surely ? If we 
 had mules, indeed " 
 
 " Take my advice, Harry ; give your pony its 
 head, and trust its sureness of foot. But if you 
 like rather to trust to your feet than your 
 head, dismount, and give the pony to Angus 
 here." 
 
 " And faith, so I will — my own legs are well- 
 tried servants, the pony's are strangers — so here, 
 Angus, take hold, and let us go on. — Egad ! it is 
 no joke even on foot."" 
 
 " So think I," said Glenvallich, " and there- 
 fore I prefer keeping on those of Bodach-ruah. — 
 Come, I'll show you the way ;'' and giving the 
 little animal its full head, together with a gentle 
 hint from the switch, away went Bodach-ruah
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 23 
 
 with the laird, steadily and securely, while his 
 friend followed, with extreme caution, over slip- 
 pery shelving rocks and gravel beds, that some- 
 times, to his no small discomposure, gave way 
 under his feet, and slid down with him several 
 yards. 
 
 The pony, when it reached any of these gravel 
 slips, would gather itself together, throw forward 
 its fore-feet, leaning backwards with its haunches 
 until they nearly touched the stones behind ; and 
 thus prepared, it would slide securely to the bottom 
 of the broken ground. On the other hand, when 
 a rocky shelf occurred, it was wonderful to see the 
 caution with which it took advantage of every 
 ledge, inclining its body to the brae face, and 
 pressing against every rough edge of the stone to 
 secure a footing for its little hoofs ; nor would it 
 venture to lift a second foot until the first was 
 surely disposed of. 
 
 Having safely reached the bottom of this heaU 
 lach, or pass, they pursued their way through the 
 rough and broken ground upon the lip of the river 
 bank, sometimes dipping almost into its stream, at 
 others, rising high to avoid the craggy promonto- 
 ries among rough and scattering wood ; or passing 
 along the face of rocky precipices, under which the 
 black boiling water roared and foamed along with 
 a fearful rapidity. At such places, Tresham would
 
 24 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 invariably dismount, although his friend continued 
 on his pony, unless when the ledge became so 
 narrow that an incautious swerve or an accidental 
 jerk might have thrown the little animal off its 
 balance, and sent horse and rider to the bottom . 
 
 " A pretty ticklish sort of path, I vow," observed 
 Tresham, " greatly more to the taste of goats, I 
 should opine, than of any other living creature. 
 I have seen such, to be sure, in Spain, and their 
 capital mules go safely enough over them ; I never 
 liked them though — but is this road, if road you 
 insist on calling it, much travelled P^"* 
 
 " O, aye, a good deal by people from the other 
 side — that is, the west-coast glens and lochs ; and 
 those also, who have cattle business among the 
 chief inland glens. If you were to follow this glen 
 to its head, you would see the water running to 
 both seas from the same ridges." 
 
 " And what may be the principal business 
 which takes them through this glen, in defiance of 
 such roads?'* 
 
 " O various business — but chiefly droving. 
 Cattle and sheep both go and come this way, to 
 and from the low country markets — wool too, is 
 carried down the glen — wood is cut and floated 
 down the stream ; and I am sorry to say that too 
 much grain is carried into the recesses of these and 
 other wild hills, forthe purposeof illicit distillation."
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 25 
 
 " Ah, smuggling ; have you such work here ? I 
 thought there was an end to all that."" 
 
 " Far, far from it, I am concerned to say. 
 There never perhaps was a time when more is 
 done in that way ; and much evil does it cause 
 in the country." 
 
 " Why no doubt it is a bad thing, and you as a 
 Highland chieftain, and by consequence, 3, father 
 of your people, are quite right to concern yourself 
 about their morals ; but why the deuce don't you 
 put a stop to the thing then ?" 
 
 " Aye, why indeed — why can't we, you should 
 say. Look at these mountains, these rocks and 
 woods; do you think it an easy or a possible 
 matter for the eyes of chieftain laird, or exciseman, 
 to discover what is going on at all times through 
 their recesses ? No, no ; there is too much en- 
 couragement given to illicit distillation under pre- 
 sent circumstances, to leave a hope of checking it."** 
 " Why, what encouragements?" 
 " O it would be too long a story to enter upon 
 at present, and perhaps you might neither be en- 
 lightened nor interested with my reasoning on the 
 subject : we may recur to it, if you like, at some 
 other time when amusement runs so low that a 
 question of political economy may be bearable." 
 
 " Ah, with all my heart ; I am not very curious 
 at present. But pray tell me, do these wild 
 VOL. I. c
 
 26 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 mountains — these rocks I would say, yield you 
 any return in coin ? have they any inhabitants 
 save deer and blackcock P'^ 
 
 " O yes ; they are all under sheep." 
 
 '' Sheep ! why I don't see a fleece."" 
 
 " No ; they are not allowed to come so far down 
 the hills at this season ; they are kept on the 
 heights beyond our sight ; the lower parts of the 
 glen and the river sides are reserved for a later 
 period of the year, when the weather becomes too 
 severe for the animals to remain above."" 
 
 " And these sheep, or their owners, pay you a 
 rent for the use of these same rocks."" 
 
 " Yes ; besides we get timber from them." 
 
 " Timber ! of what sort .^" 
 
 " Oak and fir. I could show you oak coppice 
 which yields a very handsome return once in twenty 
 or five-and-twenty years, and which would do 
 greatly more if preserved from damage by animals, 
 and if we had roads to bring it to market by." 
 
 " And why have you not roads ?"" 
 
 " Because making a road of such extent in such 
 a country, would be too gigantic an undertaking 
 for any single proprietor, and the country gives 
 aid only to such lines of road as are deemed 
 widely useful ; and government only countenances 
 those which are recommended by their own 
 officers."
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 27 
 
 " But where grows your fir timber ?*" 
 
 " Where ! look around you.'' 
 
 *' Well, I do, and see little except stunted oak, 
 ragged birch and alder ; unless those blackish 
 green dwarfish-looking shrubs, scattered among 
 the bushes on the other side, be fir; they look 
 well, and contrast well with the heath and rich 
 fern which covers the rocks — but surely you don't 
 call these bushes timber trees." 
 
 " Dwarfish bushes, you call them, do you ? 
 well, move we on; you will learn to estimate 
 heights, sizes, and distances among these moun- 
 tains more justly, ere long. How far now should 
 you conceive the opposite bank to be distant from 
 us, as we stand ?'^ 
 
 " How far ! why, a hundred or a hundred and 
 fifty yards perhaps." 
 
 " I should have expected a more accurate judg- 
 ment from your military eye ; four hundred yards 
 would not reach it. It is the abrupt ruggedness 
 of these rocks and hills which disguises their 
 height and magnitude, and misleads your eye in 
 estimating those of objects upon them : there are 
 many of these bushes, as you call them, that 
 would yield a stick of three feet diameter to the 
 saw." 
 
 During the progress of this conversation, the 
 pathway, leaving the immediate neighbourhood of
 
 ^O THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 the river, rose once more among crags and knolls, 
 but of a very different character from those they 
 had left .behind them. One might have imagin- 
 ed that the fragments of a shivered mountain 
 of granite had been thrown and heaped con- 
 fusedly together. Some vast masses which, in 
 spite of their coat of grey lichens, still displayed 
 the gigantic stratification of the parent rock, had 
 their crests covered with luxuriant heather and 
 fern ; others, severed from the greater cliffs by 
 the action of time and of the elements, reared 
 their pointed and pyramidal forms on high, like 
 tottering towers, while the rest lay scattered 
 every where in shapeless blocks among the more 
 considerable masses. All were more or less over- 
 grown with heather, ferns, and other mountain 
 herbage, rendered luxuriant by the constant 
 moisture which prevails in such elevated regions — 
 a humidity which, while it nourishes the springing 
 vegetation, promotes the decomposition of that 
 which falls into decay. Still, much of rock 
 remained exposed, and many a yawning chasm — 
 the haunt no doubt, at this timic, of the fox, the 
 badger, and the wild cat, as of old of the w^olf or 
 the wild boar — rendered clambering; amono^ the 
 matted bushes not only painful but hazardous. 
 
 But heather or lichens were not the only pro- 
 ductions of these rocks and mountains. The oak,
 
 THE HTGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 29 
 
 the ash, and the birch, sprung up spontaneously 
 among them, twisting their gnarled roots among 
 their crevices, and drawing nourishment and 
 support apparently from the very substance of 
 the stone : and hare, in all its native wildness, 
 might be seen the indigenous tenant of the High- 
 land woods, the mountain pine, the gloomy Scotch 
 fir— and who that has seen this pride of the 
 ancient forest, in all its savage Salvator-Uke mag- 
 nificence, flinging its thousand twisted arms abroad 
 to the four winds of heaven— its trunk a pillar of 
 enduring strength — its richly coloured branches 
 covered with dense masses of dark spine-like 
 leaves, scarcely yielding to the breeze, — could be- 
 lieve it to be the same tall, slender, formal shrub, 
 which forms the bulk of many a modern planta- 
 tion ; or would dispute its high pre-eminence in 
 picturesque effect among the noblest productions 
 of the vegetable world ? 
 
 In situations suited to its habits, and enjoying 
 free scope to put forth all its vigor, the Scotch fir 
 rises to a respectable, often to a majestic height : 
 even when confined in a hollow, and shooting 
 upward with a high and branchless stem, in 
 search of air and light, its head is still picturesque 
 and spreading ; but, when enjoying a due portion 
 of those blessings which are alike indispensable to 
 the vegetable and animal creation, it lifts its thick,
 
 30 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 comparatively short bole, covered with gray 
 scabrous bark, in the most varied shapes ; when 
 its limbs issuing from the stem in bold fantastic 
 sweeps, spread into innumerable branches of a rich 
 orange tinge, terminating in a forest of spray : 
 then is it seen in its glory — then is it worthy to 
 stand beside the oak itself, an ornament suited to 
 the noblest park. 
 
 "See, Henry," said Glenvallich, as rounding 
 one of these rocky knolls, they entered a hollow, 
 the sides of which were garnished with many of 
 these singularly characteristic trees, " look now at 
 these fellows — what think you of them for a 
 sample ? yet I can assure you they are nothing at 
 all compared with thousands which I could show 
 you in this glen and its tributary corries." 
 
 " They are most picturesque and original, as 
 well as beautiful objects," replied Tresham, " and 
 are in perfect harmony with one of the most strik- 
 ing landscapes I ever remember to have seen ; but 
 I doubt if they would by any means come up to 
 your description, or near it. Now, that tree yonder 
 — that with the curious twisted bough and thick 
 top — what a capital study for a painter, yet surely 
 he would never be worth cutting for timber." 
 
 " I see you must have a lesson, Hal. Come, 
 give the gillie your pony, and let us go up to that 
 tree and judge of its size when we reach it."
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 31 
 
 They did so. To scale the rough crag was a 
 task of greater difficulty than Tresham could have 
 believed, for his eye had deceived him as to the 
 height of this as well as of other objects. The 
 ledges of the rock, up which he thought he could 
 skip as on steps of stairs, turned out upon ap- 
 proach to be something like a giant's causeway; 
 and although the heather afforded him a hold by 
 which he was enabled to climb from one point to 
 another, yet it sorely embarrassed his feet. Glen- 
 ^ allich stood by the tree long before the panting 
 Tresham had readied the summit. '* Well, what 
 say you to this small specimen of forest work and 
 forest timber ? " 
 
 " Why, fair — very fair," replied Tresham, halt- 
 ing to recover breath ; " bigger — bigger a good 
 deal — than I could have supposed down yonder ; 
 but far, far from your estimate." 
 
 " Tut, man ! come hither. What ! not blown 
 with this little burst, surely ?^' 
 
 '• No, not blown just— but — but faith that's a 
 sharp pull too, for a man not in training. I have 
 not had much to do with precipices lately, you 
 know." 
 
 " Precipices, indeed ! But turn your eyes on 
 our tree, man — what say you now ?" 
 
 " Say !" exclaimed Tresham, who had now got 
 close to the object of their attention — " why, that
 
 OX> THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 I am thunderstruck ! Good heavens ! what a de- 
 ception — what a tree — I am perfectly amazed ! 
 Who w^ould have imagined that a few 3"ards would 
 have made so astonishing a difference in its appa- 
 rent bulk ! I confess that this is a tree fit for any 
 thing, and yet from where we stood below, I could 
 not have believed it twenty feet high, nor worth 
 the cutting. Let us measure it." 
 
 It proved to be full eight feet in girth at five 
 feet from the ground^ and in spite of its numerous 
 branches, they calculated that it would afford atleast 
 eight-and-twenty feet in length of first-rate timber- 
 "That tree," said Glenvallich, "if cut and 
 floated down to the shipping place, would be 
 worth at least four guineas. So much for ap- 
 pearances." 
 
 " Well, my friend, this is a lesson, and I shall 
 not foro-et it. But still I stand amazed at the 
 facts before me." 
 
 A succession of scenery similar in character, 
 but so various in form and effect, as to be any 
 thing rather than monotonous or tiresome, con- 
 tinued for several miles, when the glen once more 
 opened out, and the eyes of the travellers were 
 greeted by the dancing waves and deep blue gleam 
 of a sheet of water, two or three miles long, which 
 sparkled in the fervent rays of a noon-day sun. 
 The slopes of the receding mountains, which
 
 THE HIGHLAXD SMUGGLERS. 33 
 
 formed the shores of the lake, were still plentifully 
 sprinkled with wood; it grew more thickly stiP 
 upon their skirts, but their upper regions were 
 varied with rock and heather and green pasture, 
 defaced with long scaurs, or slips of red or grey 
 stones, and deeply indented with the beds of tor- 
 rents ; while the crests rose in craggy ridges of a 
 dark brown hue, sometimes precipitous, in other 
 parts round and lumpy. Towards the upper end 
 of the loch, were now seen the mountains which 
 had appeared so remote in the earlier part of their 
 journey ; but their gigantic features still loomed 
 grey and indistinct from the distance that yet in- 
 tervened. 
 
 The lake itself was of that dark purple hue, 
 which is produced by the mossy water of moun- 
 tain streams. Its banks were in some places 
 closely fringed with wood ; in others, the shelving 
 rocks of the mountain came black and sheer down 
 to the water, and fancy might continue their direc- 
 tion beneath its surface to a tremendous depth ; 
 a persuasion which the inky blackness of the water 
 tended strongly to confirm. The reeds at the 
 other end, on the contrary, denoted the shallowness 
 of the lake in that quarter ; many wild ducks, with 
 tlieir broods, sprung from among them as the tra- 
 vellers passed by, and the heron, scared from his sen- 
 tinel station on some grey stone, rose heavily upon 
 
 c 5
 
 1 
 
 34 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 his broad wings, and slowly soared across the 
 loch. 
 
 " Be cautious here, Tresham," said Glenvallich. 
 " It may be as well to dismount ; for the path 
 across this rocky face is none of the best, and the 
 loch is abundantly deep." 
 
 "Both are self-evident truths, Charles, not to 
 be disputed ; and I readily embrace your hint. 
 The loch, no doubt, would be very inconveniently 
 deep, and although I do swim, I have no mind for 
 such a plunge as this." 
 
 " Faith ! it were as well avoided. There have 
 been fatal accidents here before now ; and the fall 
 of a rock from the cliffs above us, a thing of no 
 uncommon occurrence, might startle the ponies to 
 our discomjfiture. In this very spot," continued 
 he, as they passed the dangerous step on foot — 
 " in this very spot did a farmer from the West 
 country, and his servant, returning from a cattle 
 market one winter's evening, perish in the gulf 
 below us. The snow was deep, the early evening 
 had closed in, the narrow path had been effaced 
 by tile drift, and darkness doubtless caused them 
 to miss their footing. A dog belonging to the 
 farmer, appearing at a house far below in the glen, 
 attracted the notice of the inhabitants by its sin- 
 gular behaviour and obvious distress. It was said, 
 indeed, that the gudewife had been disturbed by
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUG(5LERS. 35 
 
 painful dreams, which led her to suspect that 
 something was wTong. The farmer was a distant 
 relation, and so the gudeman and his son, with a 
 servant, set forth, following the dog, which ran on 
 before them, looking back ever and anon to see 
 that they were at his heels ; and thus were they led 
 to this spot. In the meantime, the drift had in- 
 creased so much, that the place where the unfor- 
 tunate men had fallen in could not have been dis- 
 covered but for the dog, which, making its way 
 down to the loch side, got hold of a corner of the 
 farmer's plaid. The torn condition of the tartan 
 rendered it probable that the poor animal had con- 
 tinued long to tug at this, before instinct led it to 
 abandon the attempt in order to seek for more 
 efficient aid. It was at the risk of their own lives, 
 that the persons so strangely summoned could extri- 
 cate the bodies ; and the place has ever since been 
 held in a sort of superstitious abhorrence for no 
 reason, that I can discover, so sufficient as its own 
 dangerous nature." 
 
 A little above the loch, the stream had burst 
 its way through a ridge of rocks that stretched 
 across the glen, which at this point once more 
 changed its rugged character for one of a more 
 pastoral description. The stream wound along 
 with sluggish motion, and in a very devious course, 
 through a meadow of rich natural grass, where
 
 36 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 cattle were feeding ; and a black hut, or shealing, 
 just like a peat stack half grown with grass, indi- 
 cated the dwelling of him who took care of them. 
 Wood was here scanty, and the hills^ covered with 
 mingled heather and grass, evinced marks of muir- 
 burning, and rose precipitously from the level 
 slope at their feet. 
 
 " We approach our ground, and our place of 
 repose for the night," said GlenvalHch. " I dare 
 say you will not be sorry to examine the fare 
 which old Martin has provided for us. See where 
 yon black rock juts into the glen : there are a few 
 birch trees scattered about the cra^s above it. 
 Our bothy is there ; and all you see here on every 
 side, and indeed since we passed the lower end of 
 Loch Durich, is the deer forest. That wild- 
 looking mountain opposite, which extends the 
 whole w^y along the loch side, and which is cut 
 into numberless little glens and corries, is the pre- 
 serve — the sanctum — where I can at all times 
 make sure of finding a deer. No other hoof is per- 
 mitted tJ intrude there : sheep from the neigh- 
 bouring farms are pinded,^' goats are shot, and 
 black cattle never go so far a-field. The ground 
 is the very best possible for deer — plenty of wood 
 with deep rough burns to lie in — grass in abun- 
 dance — noble corries, both high and low — capital 
 '^ Or poinded, Scottice for seized.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 37 
 
 passes to stand in for a shot, if you want to drive 
 them — and a range of fifteen thousand acres of 
 land." 
 
 " Fifteen thousand acres ! You do amaze me ! 
 You, a prudent man, give up fifteen thousand 
 acres of land for the sake of a few deer ! What 
 an extravagant sacrifice!" 
 
 " Not so great as you imagine, and as you will see 
 to-morrow. The forest contains twice as much ; but 
 the rest is not strictly preserved— it is let for sheep, 
 and pays me rent : so that all I have to do is, to 
 provide as much as possible against poachers, and 
 let the deer find by experience that the preserve is 
 a place of safety, whereto they may fly in case of 
 being disturbed." 
 
 One more hour's riding carried them to the 
 point which Glenvallich had indicated. On turn- 
 ing it, Tresham saw a little green spot surrounded 
 by hoary stunted birch trees, growing upon rocks 
 as grey as themselves. Close beneath these trees 
 stood some black huts, chiefly to be discerned by 
 smoke which arose from the roofs of one or two 
 among the group ; for the walls were so green, as 
 to leave it doubtful whether they were not rather 
 mounds of earth than habitations for men. A 
 meadow of a full mile in breadth, which lost itself 
 at either end, behind the overlapping shoulders of 
 the hills, was stretched before this nest of huts.
 
 38 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 This rich piece of pasture was intersected by the 
 numerous windings of the stream, now diminished 
 to a mere burn, and interspersed with patches of 
 peat-bog and heather. On the opposite side of this 
 meadow rose a huge mountain, the bosom of which 
 was covered with scattered wood in all stages of 
 luxuriance and decay ; and several chasms, black 
 with rock and shadow, served as beds for the tor- 
 rents, which, collecting on the broad surface above, 
 were even at this time seen, like silver threads, 
 hurrying down the steep declivity, or precipitating 
 themselves in a series of petty cascades from ledge 
 to ledge of the rock, which their violence had laid 
 bare. 
 
 Above this region rose the great mass of the 
 mountain, exhibiting a variegated expanse of rich 
 purple heather and grey moss, interspersed with 
 stripes and patches of green grass, indicating pe- 
 rennial springs ; and of peat moss, evidencing it- 
 self in black cracks and spots, which pervaded a 
 great portion of its surface. White or grey rock 
 stared through the surface in all quarters ; and 
 the summit which rose in several sharp points con- 
 nected with one great lumpy ridge, appeared to be 
 formed of dark lead-coloured stones, with a few 
 scattered blades of yellow grass. 
 
 The mountains behind the bothies were of a 
 similar character, but still more rocky and pre-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 39 
 
 cipitous; and at some distance further, the glen 
 appeared to terminate in a dark mass of peaks and 
 ridges, so jagged and confused, as to suggest the 
 idea of a distant peep of chaos. 
 
 " Here we are at length," said Glenvallich, 
 springing from his pony as he approached the 
 largest of the huts, " and time it is, perhaps you 
 will say." 
 
 " Why, not sorry certainly, though I must say 
 the way has seemed anything rather than tedious," 
 replied his friend. " But, holla ! what's here, 
 we did not come all this way to meet with Actaeon's 
 fate, I hope.'^" There seemed to be some reason 
 for dreading such a contingency, for as they neared 
 the bothy, a couple of black and tan shaggy shep- 
 herd's dogs, three rough terriers of the Skye breed, 
 whose beauty consists in their unqualified ugli- 
 ness, and as many huge wiry-haired deer-hounds, 
 rushed like furies from the door of a neighbouring 
 hut, with a volley of barking and howling that in- 
 timated very wrathful intentions, and made straight 
 for the gentlemen. But the cause of alarm was 
 only momentary ; for no sooner did they observe 
 the laird and his gill'ie^ than their angry greetings 
 changed into whinings and yelpings of joy, and 
 the monstrous hounds, with the force and elasticity 
 of a spring let loose of a sudden, bounded towards 
 * Lad, young man, attendant.
 
 40 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEES. 
 
 their master, overwhelmed, and almost overset 
 him with their uncouth caresses. 
 
 " Down, Bran ! — down, Luath ! — Fioun ! be- 
 have, you rascal,'' cried Glenvallich, extricating 
 himself from the r embraces, and the dogs crouched 
 at his feet. 
 
 " Fine Ossianic names these truly," said Tres- 
 ham laughing, " but it is all right ; the names of 
 ancient song and story suit well with the scenes 
 and the subjects they celebrate. I dare say there's 
 not a bare-legged gillie of your ' tail' now, but 
 can spout Ossian, as you used to do Homer and 
 Virgil, by the thousand lines, or as they say the 
 Persian grooms do, who have all Hafiz and Saadee 
 at their tongues' end." 
 
 " O, we have Ossianic names in abundance, and 
 plenty of traditions of the Fingallians too, in this 
 country. It was, we are assured, a great haunt of 
 these heroes, and many of the mountains, rocks, 
 and corries around you, bear their names, or ap- 
 pellations allusive to their attributes and customs. 
 The very hill that rises above us is called Diin- 
 fillan, Fillan's castle or fort ; that rugged ridge 
 opposite, has obtained the name of ' Kheime-na- 
 Uiskar^'' or ' the step of Oscar.' A great black 
 rocky hollow, famous in all times as now, for being 
 the resort of deer, and still more so for the nature 
 of its passes, which are so easily commanded that
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 41 
 
 the animals once in them cannot escape, is termed 
 ' Choru-Uiskar,' ' Oscar's caldron ," from a story of 
 some monstrous slaughter of deer committed by 
 that worthy, who reached that place by a marvel- 
 lously swift and dangerous run across the ' step"* 
 above. That peaked and craggy mountain in 
 shadow at the head of the glen, is called ' par ecc- 
 cellence,' on the ' Luciis a non lucendo' principle 
 doubtless, ' Bord-na-Fionn^' the table of the Fin- 
 gallians, and there is a great huge lump which 
 you can't see from where we are, which is dignified 
 by the appellation of ' Stol-e-Toti-iosal^ or ' the 
 seat of Ton-iosal,' a heavy-sterned hero of those 
 days, who, though brave as a lion, was so unwieldy 
 or lazy, that the force of an hundred men was re- 
 quired to get him on his legs when once he had 
 ' taken the chair."* 
 
 " Hah, a proper fellow, truly, and the story is 
 no doubt as worthy of credit and attention as most 
 of those relating to that marvellous race. But I 
 forgot — we are on tender ground, and assuredly, 
 when surrounded by this magnificent scenery, so 
 well suited to these imposing names, it is not just 
 the moment to sneer at Ossian or his heroes ; and 
 faith, I must say, there is something spirit-stirring 
 and inspiring to find oneself on classic ground, as 
 it were, on the very spot where tlie mighty have 
 trod, when all around harmonizes with the ideas
 
 4S THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 conjured up by their memories. Filled with the 
 thoughts of the swift-footed Oscar, now, I have not 
 a doubt that I could breast a mountain after one 
 of the dun deer, with twice the vigour I could ex- 
 ert without such a stimulus, and depend upon it 
 I shall acquit myself famously to-morrow. But 
 which way now ? — which is your Highland domi- 
 cile ? A seat and a drop of the mountain dew — 
 or, faith, even a glass of the less appropriate, but 
 not unpalatable liquor 'yclept ' old madeira,' would 
 prove exceedingly consolatory to the inward man 
 — eh ! what say you ?" 
 
 " By all means, Hal— follow me.'' And he led 
 the way to the low-browed entrance of the hut be. 
 fore which they had been standing. 
 
 " What ! there ? this your bothy ? this your 
 hunting seat ? it's a bothy this, with a vengeance, 
 man !" and Tresham stopped for a moment ere he 
 entered, to examine the exterior of his future 
 quarters.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 43 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 A HIGHLAND FORESTER. 
 
 A blessing upon thy heart , he said. 
 Good fellowe, thy shooting is good, 
 
 For an' thy heart be as good as thy hand, 
 Thou wert better than Robin Hood. 
 
 The bothy, to all appearance, was built precisely 
 of the same materials and in the same fashion as 
 other Highland huts, or shealings, (as the occa- 
 sional abodes of shepherds in remote glens are 
 generally termed,) except in as far as it was larger 
 and more lofty than those around it. The walls, 
 externally at least, were formed of divots ; that is, 
 sods cut with the heather or grass growing on 
 them, the matted roots of which give a firmer tex- 
 ture to the soil of which the mass is composed. 
 
 These are built one upon another, in courses, 
 longwise or edgewise, like bricks ; and, supported 
 by a frame work of timber, make a firm and warm
 
 44 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 wall. The roof was formed of the same materials, 
 laid upon small rafters, (or as they are called in 
 the country, kebers,) and covered with a heather 
 thatch ; and in this manner, bating only the 
 heather thatch, are the majority of the black huts, 
 which form the abodes of the Highland peasantry, 
 chiefly or entirely built, to the great injury of 
 the ground in their neighbourhood, the surface of 
 which becomes thus most wastefully peeled, be- 
 cause the lazy tenant " canna be fashed" to erect 
 a better habitation of the stones, and wood, and 
 heather, which are always to be found in abund- 
 ance near him. 
 
 A small square pavement of pebbles placed be- 
 fore the doorway of this tenement, prevented the 
 lodgment there of the water which formed pools in 
 front of the other huts ; and a small window, con- 
 sisting of six panes of glass in a casement opening 
 inwards, betokened, when it was observed, (a 
 matter not of absolute necessity, from the thick- 
 ness of the wall in which it was sunk,) a degree of 
 refinement scarcely in unison with the materials 
 around it. 
 
 On entering the door-way, to effect which our 
 Englishman was forced to stoop rather lower than 
 was agreeable, Tresham found himself in a passage 
 formed of clay and wattle, which divided the in- 
 terior into two parts. A glance in passing showed.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 45 
 
 on the one hand, a dark space of undefined di- 
 mensions, filled with smoke, amidst which sparkled 
 the embers of a peat fire ; several dim shapes, like 
 ghosts hovering in their own grey mist, might be 
 detected sitting round this dubious light, or flit- 
 ting about in the thick atmosphere. A qualm of 
 uneasiness came over the Englishman as his eye 
 fell on this suspicious limbo-like hole ; but he 
 yielded to the impulse of his host'*s arm, as he 
 threw open the door of an opposite apartment, the 
 appearance of w^hich, as it broke upon him after 
 the other, afforded infinite relief to his mind. The 
 whole interior of that quarter of the bothy had 
 been plastered and whitewashed ; and, illuminated 
 by no less than two small glass windows and a 
 cheerful fire, it wore an air of cleanliness and comfort 
 far ^xreater than mio-ht have been augured from its 
 black exterior. It is true that the great thick 
 couples^ as they are called, which form the frame- 
 work, at once of walls and roof, together with the 
 cross beams, or banks, which secured them near 
 their point of junction at the upper ends, were 
 seen projecting from the foundation to the roof far 
 into the apartment ; and that the dark glossy 
 japan of the smoke which had encrusted them, be- 
 fore the promotion of the bothy to the dignity of 
 a hunting seat, would here and there insist upon ap- 
 pearing through even the densest coat of plaster.
 
 46 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 But the offensive objects were hung with deer's horns 
 and hunting geer; and taken in cumulo with other 
 things around them, presented no very incongru- 
 ous appearance. The floor was boarded : a fire- 
 place, which did not smoke, at least at the time, was 
 furnished with a few bars of iron, so placed as to 
 favour the arrangement and combustion of the 
 wood and peats which were used for fuel ; and a 
 table or two of deal, with three or four wooden 
 chairs, and some shelves on which lay a few books, 
 completed the furniture of the public apartment of 
 the bothy. 
 
 " Well, Harry, welcome to the bothy of Auch- 
 onrui; how like you its interior.^ behold parlour, 
 drawing-room, and library, all in one." 
 
 " Why, faith, Charles, the sight relieves me from 
 some troublesome apprehensions; the look of that 
 horrid, black, smoke-drying hole at the other end, 
 put me into a terrible fright; not only bleared 
 eyes and suffocation stared me in the face, but 
 visions of a more fearful fate ; of falling, ignobly, 
 the sacrifice of unseen enemies, rose in the dim 
 perspective : in plain terms, I expected to be bitten 
 to death — devoured alive — dying a death worse 
 than that of Herod— horrible ! but this clean little 
 shop promises at least exemption from so fearful a 
 catastrophe !" 
 
 " It does so ; and truly, as I hope you will find
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 47 
 
 — but to complete the restoration of your equani- 
 mity, let me act as groom of the chambers, and 
 introduce vou to the dormitories of the mansion.^' 
 
 Opening a door on one side the fire-place, 
 Glenvallich ushered his guest into another apart- 
 ment, filled up much as the first, except that, in 
 place of tables, two small bedsteads occupied each 
 a corner, and camp-stools formed substitutes for 
 chairs. Basins and ewers stood on little shelves, 
 for the offices of the toilet ; and there was even 
 the luxury of a small mirror hung near the little 
 window, for the use of such Jemmy Jessamy's as 
 might be unable to shave without its assistance. 
 
 Small mattrasses, laid upon fresh cut heather, 
 packed with the flowery tops uppermost, in the 
 little bedsteads, formed a fragrant and springy 
 couch, and light warm blankets, with snow-white 
 bed-linen, completed the comforts of the sleeping 
 establishment. 
 
 " These are not just such quarters as I was 
 happy to bid you welcome to at Loupriach, when 
 you first burned powder against grouse, but they 
 serve my purpose and that of the very few friends 
 who have spirit enough to embark on the perilous 
 adventure which you are now boon for. It is a 
 far and a diflScult way to bring building materials, 
 so I just took possession of this bothy, which, as 
 you see, is larger than common. It had given
 
 48 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 shelter to the shepherds of one of my farmers, 
 who quitted the glen, and I had but to repair and 
 fit it up as you see. Hereafter, perhaps, I may 
 put something better in its room ; at present it 
 must serve our turn, and such as it is I bid you a 
 Highland welcome to it — ' the farther ben, the 
 welcomer,' you know."" 
 
 " Yes; I have heard — and faith, Charles, I 
 should be hard to please, if this snug little room 
 did not content me : and now — O for a glass of 
 wine to restore exhausted nature !" 
 
 " A la bonne heure — here it is," said Glen- 
 vallich, opening a cupboard which occupied a 
 place between two of the large couples, and which 
 seemed full of crockery, glass ware, and stores, — 
 " for my part I seldom use any cordial but native 
 whiskey, on this side of Loch Durich, and little 
 even of that ; but in compassion to vitiated tastes, 
 who cannot relish the ' mountain dew,** I keep a 
 supply of old sherry and port, which I hope you 
 will not find contemptible. Beyond that, I go 
 not ; for claret and champagne you must look to 
 the shooting-box at Loupriach, or to Innerallich. 
 But it is time to see the forester and hear his 
 report. — Angus, is Duncan Maccombich here.?" 
 
 " Aye, Sir, he's just come in from the hill — 
 he's gone to put on his things, and he'll be wi' 
 your honour in a moment."
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 49 
 
 " Send him here, when he's ready,"" was the re- 
 ply, and the gillie retired. 
 
 " A good specimen of the true Highland deer- 
 stalker, you will see in Maccombich," continued 
 the laird, " one that will detect the horns of a 
 lying stag, stalk him, and shoot him afterwards, 
 with any man in Scotland ; and faith, he who can 
 keep up with Duncan, when he has once marked 
 his game, and sets off to gain the wind of him, 
 may fairly boast of firm foot, and sound wind. 
 It would do you good to see the fellow crouching 
 with his cat-like pace under the crest of a hill, or 
 rapidly rounding a point of rock to gain a few 
 yards upon his victim ; he was born for a poacher 
 or game-keeper ; — but here comes the man to an- 
 swer for himself."* 
 
 A tall Highlander, of an imposing presence, 
 now entered the room, clad in the dress of his 
 country, which well became his figure. A tartan 
 jacket, in which green and purple predominated, 
 covered his broad shoulders, its skirts terminating 
 in narrow tails, a little below the small of his back. 
 A full and handsome phelibeg of the same stuff 
 was bound around his waist, by a black leather 
 belt, and reached to within three or four inches of 
 his bare and sinewv knee. His leo^s were clad in 
 hose checked of red and green, gartered with scar- 
 let ribbon : — and such limbs ! for straightness, 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 50 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 form, and muscle, rivalling those of any ancient 
 statue; strength and agility was written on every 
 swelling vein and working muscle. His whole 
 frame, indeed, rising but little above the common 
 height, but firm, compact, and admirably propor- 
 tioned, denoted the highest degree of activity and 
 robustness, combined with powers of endurance to 
 an extent seldom to be found in the same indivi- 
 dual. The head, small in proportion to his bulk, 
 was set loftily upon his broad but falling shoul- 
 ders, and his countenance, which evidently had 
 braved the Highland storms for forty years, con- 
 firmed the impression made upon the beholder by 
 his figure, being stamped with the marks of steady 
 caution, firm decision, and insuperable fortitude. 
 And although that intellectual radiance, which 
 cultivation of mind alone can lend to the human 
 countenance, would have been sought for in vain 
 in the features of the forester, a close observer 
 could not have failed to detect, in the quick glance 
 of his deep set eye, much native intelligence, acute- 
 ness, and sagacity. 
 
 On his head he wore the small smart bonnet of 
 the country, and his plaid, differing from the rest 
 of his tartans, being of a small grey and black 
 check, was tightly swathed across his breast and 
 over his left shoulder, leaving the right arm free 
 for action. Such was the forester of Glenochree,
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 51 
 
 and striking as his exterior and more obvious quali- 
 fications were to the eyes of the stranger, Mac- 
 combich was only a fair sample of a race of men, 
 now wearing scarce in the north, but who once 
 filled the ranks of , those fine regiments which the 
 Highlands sent forth against the foes of Britain, 
 and who, most of them, have sealed their loyalty 
 and their devotion with their blood, on foreign 
 shores. Such were the men, sedate, orderly, and 
 temperate in peace; patient, firm, zealous, and 
 intrepid in war, who, with others of their country- 
 men left their bones to whiten on the plains of 
 Maida, and of Egypt, of Portugal, of Spain, and 
 of bloody Waterloo — but the race is fast declining, 
 for the march of improvement is rapidly changing 
 the circumstances of the land which bred them, 
 and the habits which form them are wearing out 
 a-pace. Riches and population, the usual indices 
 of prosperity, may be increasing throughout the 
 Highlands, but the hardy race of mountaineers, 
 that were scattered over its rugged surface, that 
 followed their chiefs to Avar, and fought their 
 country's battles, are gone, and cannot be re- 
 placed. 
 
 " AVell, Duncan, how are you to-day ? what 
 news from the hill ?" said the laird, accosting the 
 forester with a cheerful voice and gracious smile. 
 
 " A good day to your honour," responded 
 
 D 2 
 
 ^^'^ Or ILL Li;.
 
 52 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 Duncan, in slow earnest tones, uttered with a 
 strong Highland accent, " ifs plaised we are to 
 see ye at the bothy again ; ther's little news but 
 good news that I hear o' in the hill." 
 
 " Well, but what say you of the deer ? are 
 they as thick as usual .P"" 
 
 " Ou aye, theyVe no' scearce, that's sure; but 
 the hilFs wide, ye'll no' see that many aye." 
 
 " Well, but to day, then, what did you see ? 
 Have you lodged any ?" 
 
 " Hum !" replied the forester, musing and 
 counting on his fingers, as he slowly proceeded 
 with his enumeration, " I seed two staigs and four 
 hinds wi' their calves the day, in the Corry Dhu, 
 just as ye come ow'r the shouther o' Scoore- 
 vialach; and another staig wi' two hinds and a 
 yell one, on the briest going up to Craigtjerragh. 
 Then there was three staigs and eight or nine 
 hinds, some o' them wi' calves, in the wud o' Cail- 
 lifiusech, below the black brae thonder; but the 
 laad says something started them, an' they left tlie 
 wud, and crossed the Truibec burn, and up thro' 
 the heather hags to the hill — they'll be in Corry- 
 vskiach the nicht for certain — and there's more — ou, 
 plenty sure eneugh." 
 
 ''' Well, that's all good ; but have you lodged 
 any of them for the night, and in places where we 
 may have a good chance of a shot, in the morning?
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 53 
 
 Here's my friend, Mr. Tresham, an Englishman, 
 (here the forester cast a keen and curious eye 
 over Tresham's person, bowing slightly but re- 
 spectfully at the same time,) we must try to show 
 him a little of our Highland sport." 
 
 " Ou, aye ; very right, very right ; and no fear 
 o' sport — we canna miss o' deer ; but it's best to 
 mak' shure, and there's a hale herd o' fifteen, an' 
 five staigs among them, one o' them wi' ten 
 branches, lying in the black hollow wast o' Cailli- 
 fiusech; I seed them from Meal-e-Keaiinegoo,^ 
 they were feeding about the black rocks on the 
 wast side, and they'll no' go out o' that the nicht 
 — if they do it 'ill be into Choru Uiskar, and that'll 
 be better still. That's our best chance, Glenval- 
 lich, but it 'ill be a gay bit pull for the gentle- 
 man, sure eneugh." 
 
 " Why, yes, Maccombich, you have cut us out 
 a pretty tight day's job ; but T dare say you have 
 chosen the best ground, and our best chance. As 
 for Mr. Tresham, he's a capital fag — eh, Charles ? 
 but suppose we try the wood of Fiusech first, for 
 those stags you speak of; you and Kenneth, 
 and the shepherd's lad, can go through it softly, 
 and Mr. Tresham and I will stand at the two best 
 passes— by the black stump, you know, and in 
 the hollow of the burn at the top of the wood : — 
 * The dog's head height, or promontory.
 
 54 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 if we get no shot, then we can try the black hol- 
 low you speak of. But we'll need to start early." 
 
 " Ou, aye, we canna be ow'r soon in the hill — 
 we should leave this at three a'clock, surely, or 
 the deer will be done feeding, and it's ill, whiles, 
 to see a lying deer." 
 
 " Hear you that, Tresham ? will three o'clock 
 in the morning suit you ?" 
 
 " Whew ! what a tramontane hour — better 
 remain under arms all night, I think, than beat 
 the generale so early : faith, the affair begins to 
 assume a serious aspect ; but I'm under orders, 
 and ready to obey — three o'clock be it." 
 
 " Well, Maccombich, have all ready at the 
 time you speak of, we shall be so too ; take Bran 
 and Luath, we may want them for a wounded 
 deer. Stay, here's a dram for you, man ; you'll be 
 the better of it after your drenching in the hill — 
 very wet, I suppose?" 
 
 " Ou, very sir, heavy showers — one that lasted 
 an hour an' a half, but it looks weel the nicht. 
 Deoch slaintj, gentlemen, here's ' luck the morn.""' 
 
 " Gad, that's a fine fellow," said Tresham, as 
 the tall form of the forester left the room. " A 
 powerful, active fellow, indeed. What a soldier 
 he would have made ! And yet I have seen 
 whole companies of such as he, mowed down by 
 shot like corn before the reaper !"
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 55 
 
 " Yes, and you would have this poor fellow 
 expended too, I hope : better as he is, both for 
 himself and for me — he made a good escape from 
 the soldiering trade. This Duncan Maccombich, 
 who was born on another part of the property, in 
 the days of my grandfather, was, like most other 
 Highland children of his days, suffered to run 
 wild in idleness and mischief, his ostensible occu- 
 pation being to herd a cow, while, in reality, he 
 passed his time in robbing nests, scrambling for 
 hazel nuts, paddling in the burns for trout, and 
 making one in every mischievous play set on foot 
 by the elder lads of the village, or toim, (as it was 
 called,) where his parents lived. These parents 
 dying, left Duncan destitute, and my grandfather, 
 out of charity, took the boy into his kitchen, 
 where he had the run of the place, and a few 
 clothes, and soon became the fag and humble com- 
 panion of the young folks. He followed them in 
 their fishing and shooting expeditions, carried the 
 game, helped to row the boat and clean the guns, 
 and took such share as pleased himself of the 
 stable and kennel work. But as Duncan grew up, 
 his indolence, or rather his dislike to work — for in 
 matters which he liked, his activity was indefati- 
 gable — revolted at the increased labour which was 
 required of him, and he accepted an offer made him 
 by my poor uncle Robert, who was then raising re-
 
 56 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 cruits, to enter his company, and follow him as 
 his servant to Ireland. There did Duncan con- 
 tinue for some time with his regiment; but, un- 
 fortunately for him, he was quartered with a de- 
 tachment in the neighbourhood of Derry, where 
 he fell in with a set of jolly paddies, wlio were 
 manufacturers of that fascinating liquor, known 
 in the green isle by the appellations of poteen or 
 innishowen,~m our own kindly highlands, by 
 that of Ferintosh, Glenlivat, &c., according to 
 the name of the glen or district which becomes 
 celebrated for the best uishk-a-beh.^ Well did 
 Duncan know how much this manufacture was 
 encouraged and prosecuted in his native glen, and 
 all those in its vicinity. And although the ser- 
 vant of his majesty, bound of course to support 
 the laws of the realm, and not ignorant of the ille- 
 gality of the practice, he could not bring himself 
 to abandon the society of the frank-hearted, good- 
 humoured Irish boys — far less, to betray them to 
 the sneaking dogs of revenue officers. 
 
 " There were persons, however, dull enough 
 not to appreciate the purity of poor Maccombich's 
 motives; who, on the other hand, were so un- 
 reasonable as to impute blame to him for his con- 
 duct in the business. The consequences threat- 
 ened to be serious ; so my uncle, only a little while 
 * Water of Life— unde, whiskey.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 57 
 
 before his death, in order to withdraw him alike 
 from present punishment and future temptation, 
 exerted his influence to procure the discharge of 
 his servant, whose health (it was averred) required 
 renovation in the air of his native glen. 
 
 " Thus thrown in some measure on his own re- 
 sources, Maccombich, who had by this time dis- 
 covered from experience that a man must work 
 to live, and whose native energy had been aroused 
 by collision with the world, cast about him for an 
 (x;cupation, and having an offer of a small farm 
 from my grandfather, who loved him for his at- 
 tachment to his son, he set himself down as a far- 
 mer on his little croft, and continued for several 
 years to live respectably, and in good repute with 
 all his neighbours. The next period of Duncan's 
 life I am little acquainted with, for it is one on 
 which he seems unwilling to dwell ; and I have 
 never pressed him to disclose what seems to give 
 him pain. There was, I believe, some unhappy 
 love affair, the event of which unsettled his mind 
 for awhile, and ruined his worldly affairs. His 
 next attempt was in the droving line. He joined 
 a person of some substance, in the cattle trade, 
 between England and Scotland, first as a servant, 
 and afterwards as a partner. This did well 
 enough for a few years, but his partner dying, I 
 believe, and the profits of trade falling sadly off, 
 
 d5
 
 58 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 Maccombich was forced to abandon it, and 
 thought himself lucky to escape the consequences 
 of debt, by a sacrifice of all he possessed. 
 
 " Once more adrift, poor Duncan seems to have 
 grown desperate or reckless. How he subsisted 
 for several years, hardly himself can tell — some- 
 times it was by poaching, sometimes probably by 
 smuggling. That he was well acquainted at one 
 time with persons largely concerned in illicit dis- 
 tillation is well known ; and that his acknowledged 
 activity and shrewdness, and the experience he 
 had gained in his Irish campaign, made his as- 
 sistance a very desirable acquisition to the free 
 traders, is equally certain ; but Maccombich him- 
 self denies that at this time, or for many years 
 past, he has had any thing to do with the busi- 
 ness, and I certainly have no proof that he has so, 
 although many will tell you that to this day he 
 continues in habits with his old associates, and re- 
 tains considerable influence over them. 
 
 "It was while he led this bootless and wandering 
 sort of life, not to use a harsher term, that chance 
 led me to the knowledge of his existence and dis- 
 tress. I had known but little of Maccombich 
 personally, for my English education kept me out 
 of the country while he continued a settled house- 
 keeper in it ; but I was well acquainted with his 
 character ; for not only did I remember the kind-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS 59 
 
 ness with which my grandfather used often to 
 speak pf him, but many of tlie old servants would 
 talk in the highest terms of the poor fellow's at- 
 tachment to my uncle, and the distraction of soul 
 with which he received the news of his illness and 
 death. I knew that he had at least the highland 
 qualities of fidelity and feudal attachment ; and 
 having at that time, about seven years ago, re- 
 solved upon reviving and preserving the original 
 deer forest which had existed for many a year in 
 this glen, I conceived the idea of giving the care 
 of it, and the situation of forester, to Maccom- 
 bich. There was none that I could hear of 
 better calculated, from early habits and native 
 tastes, for the trust, and I hoped that the confi- 
 dence reposed in him would prove a stimulus to 
 exertion and good behaviour. I must say that he 
 has not disappointed me. The promise which I 
 exacted that he w^ould break with his evil com- 
 panions, and renounce all irregular habits, I am 
 inclined to think he has kept. There are ill 
 wishers of his who whisper the contrary, but I 
 have never been able to discover any grounds for 
 the accusation. It is remarkable that Maccom- 
 bich, though fond of the excitement which cha- 
 racterizes the life of a smuggler and poacher, and 
 of course frequently involved in the dissipation 
 incident to such a life, was never habitually in-
 
 60 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 temperate — he never was fond of liquor for its 
 own sake, and, separated from his lawless compa- 
 nions, he is really a sober and peaceable man. In 
 fine, since he has been my forester, now seven 
 years, I have had no cause whatever to repent my 
 choice." 
 
 " I am rejoiced to hear you say so,'** said 
 Tresham, as his friend concluded this sketch of 
 the forester's history. " The appearance of your 
 friend Duncan has interested me ; and I am really 
 glad to find him so worthy a character at bottom as 
 you make him out to be — for as to his smuggling 
 a bit, really these people seem brought up with an 
 idea that breaking the law in this respect is neither 
 criminal nor disgraceful — so we must not judge 
 him too severely ; but it does appear to me a sin- 
 gular thing that this same crime should be suffered 
 to flourish, unchecked, as it does, in the moral 
 Highlands of Scotland !" — 
 
 " Unchecked ? by no means ; but certainly un- 
 repressed, and likely to remain so, in the present 
 state of the law." 
 
 *' Why, what do you allude to — what ails the 
 law ?" 
 
 " It would be tedious to explain it ; but while 
 legal distilleries are fettered with regulations that 
 set quantity and quality at variance, so that they 
 produce no spirit which whiskey-drinkers can bear
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 61 
 
 to use, and when duties and restrictions are so 
 high as to fritter away all profit, or force them to 
 raise the price of their goods to an extravagant 
 rate, what can be expected by any reasonable man, 
 but that those who love good and cheap spirits 
 will go to the smugglers — to the illicit stills where 
 it is made at a very moderate price, and in high 
 perfection ?" 
 
 " Do you then think that lowering the duties 
 upon legally distilled spirit, would put an end to 
 smuggling?" 
 
 " That would be saying too much perhaps. 
 That such a measure would have a tendency to do 
 so, is self-evident ; but to strike at the root of 
 illicit distillation will require time and patience ; 
 and great and persevering attention must be paid 
 to the effect of such regulations as may from time 
 to time be framed for the purpose." 
 
 " What — do you not think that by a reduction 
 of the duties, the legal distiller would be placed 
 upon a par with the smuggler, as to profit ? 
 And if profit were done away, would not that de- 
 stroy smuggling?" 
 
 " Why, I could scarcely venture to predict that 
 it would. It is not profit alone that induces the 
 smuggler to engage in the hazards of his pro- 
 fession. It is the pleasure of meeting secretly in 
 remote places, at night, and in darkness ; the ex-
 
 69, THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 citement and interest of a hazardous employment, 
 conducted with necessary mystery — the hilarity 
 and enjoyment promoted by such occupations ; 
 and, above all, perhaps the triumph of success — 
 of outwitting severe, and, as they consider them, 
 tyrannical and oppressive laws: laws which would 
 restrain them from the exercise of what they con- 
 ceive a natural and inherent privilege — that of 
 making what use they please of their own pro- 
 perty. It is these things, I suspect, that invest 
 smuggling with a charm in the eyes of most High- 
 landers, which profit alone would never lend it ; 
 but soft — in good time to shut my mouth, lo ! where 
 Martin comes with dinner, such as it may be. I 
 hope you left all your epicurean fastidiousness on 
 the other side of Loch Durich ; depend upon it 
 you will look in vain for rich sauces or high culi- 
 nary art here." 
 
 " O never fear me ! our day's exercise has only 
 left one desire, that of filling the craving void it 
 has occasioned ; and it has provided a sauce to 
 suit the daintiest palate. I am far more disposed 
 to practical conclusions than to gastronomic cri- 
 ticism." 
 
 The dinner proved excellent — the whiskey toddy 
 superior; and the two gentlemen, after passing 
 the evening in conversation, which chiefly turned 
 on the expected sport of the morrow, retired to
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 63 
 
 prepare themselves by sleep for the early rising 
 and anticipated fatigues of the ensuing day. 
 
 " And who, after all, then, are this pair of 
 friends, this Glenvallich and this Tresham, with 
 whom we have been forced to travel through the 
 tedious longitude of a Highland glen, to a resting 
 place which promises so little either of comfort or 
 amusement?''^ — the reader will possibly at this place 
 exclaim, if he has not already done so : the informa- 
 tion required is reasonable, and we shall take the 
 present opportunity of supplying it as concisely 
 as possible^
 
 64 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 A HIGHLAND LAIRD OF MODERN TIMES, AND 
 HIS GUEST. 
 
 — Every good his native wilds impart, 
 Imprints the patriot passion on his heart, 
 And even those hills that round his mansion rise. 
 Enhance the bliss his liberal hand supplies. 
 
 He was come of gentlemen. 
 
 In simple state was he then, 
 
 His father was a manlie knight, 
 
 His mother was a lady bright, 
 
 He was gotten and born in marriage. 
 
 And his eldest brother had the heritage. 
 
 Old Ballad. 
 
 Charles James Mac Alpine — we make choice 
 of this patronymic, or rather surname, that all 
 offence may be avoided to the mighty ones of the 
 north — the Mackintoshes and Mac Phersons, the 
 Mac Donalds and the Mac Donnel's, the Mac 
 Leods and Mac Kenzies, the Campbells, the Ca- 
 merons, the Erasers, Grants, Gordons, &c. &c. &c.,
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 65 
 
 who might not only be surprised, but displeased, 
 to find a gentleman of such considerable preten- 
 sions springing up in the heart of their countries, 
 and unauthorizedly usurping their names, their 
 property, or attributes: of all such undue pre- 
 sumption we shall do our best to beware. 
 
 Charles James Mac Alpine, then, was the de- 
 scendant and representative of an ancient, and at 
 , one time a noble Highland family of very exten- 
 sive landed property, and great local influence; 
 but who having, unfortunately for themselves, ad- 
 hered to the losing side in the rebellion of 1715, had 
 forfeited both rank and property, and were forced 
 into a long and painful exile. The clemency or 
 justice of the third George restored to the unof- 
 fending grandchild the forfeited property of his 
 forefathers ; their title was lost for ever. 
 
 Robert Mac Alpine, restored by the royal grace 
 to favour and to fortune, took possession of the 
 family estates, to the great joy of a numerous, 
 and at that time a respectable tenantry; who, 
 with a devoted attachment to their unfortunate 
 landlord, which more prosperous circumstances 
 might not have elicited, and which overleaped all 
 legal restraints, had remitted to the exile in secret 
 much of those rents which the commissioners of 
 the crown in vain attempted to levy from them. 
 This disinterested conduct was not lost upon the
 
 66 
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 restored laird. He returned to his Highland 
 estates, with a resolution to spend his life and his 
 means among those who had so generously assisted 
 his necessities when in distress, to promote their 
 welfare, and to vigilate over the noble property 
 thus recovered to his family. It was a pledge 
 which he amply redeemed. Many marks of favour 
 were bestowed upon the deserving, and some on 
 those who little merited it. Leases were renevv^ed 
 or extended upon favourable terms: new farms 
 were granted, and every judicious encouragement 
 held forth for improvement. A wise and sensible 
 system of conciliation was in general adopted ; 
 which, by augmenting the popularity and influence 
 of the landlord, increased his power of doing- 
 good. And he did good — much good; and the 
 prosperity of tenants and landlord was essentially 
 promoted by his benevolent and judicious ma- 
 nagement. 
 
 These were not the only means by which the 
 Glenvallich estates were increased. A wife was 
 essential to the laird's plans of comfort and im- 
 provement, and he sought and won the hand of a 
 neighbouring heiress, whose dower added to his 
 already extensive domains sundry coterminous 
 glens, and a considerable further extent of brown 
 heathy pasture and rocky hills. By this lady, 
 who did not live long to contribute to his hap-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 67 
 
 piness, the laird of Glenvallicb had three sons, the 
 second of which died in boyhood. Of the others, 
 James and Robert, the first and eldest born was 
 father of the subject of our present consideration : 
 the latter was the uncle to whom he had alluded 
 as the patron of the forester Maccombich. 
 
 But the Good Macgilliecullach* — such was the 
 distinctive patronymic of his family, from the name 
 of its reputed founder, and such the adjunct which 
 his worth and benevolence had procured for him in 
 the country — the Good Macgilliecullach, like other 
 mortals, was doomed to taste the bitters as well as 
 the sweets of this sublunary state. His eldest 
 son, a young man who gave promise of being a 
 worthy successor to the virtues of his father, had 
 married a lady of good family, and as amiable in 
 disposition as lovely in her person ; and the old 
 gentleman looked forward with reasonable hope to 
 the delight of seeing a young and happy family 
 rise around him, to comfort his declining years. 
 But this fair hope was miserably blighted. The 
 birth of a son had spread a general gladness 
 
 * Cu/lachy in Gaelic, signifies a boar. Macgilliecullach, 
 " the son of the Lad of the Boar," doubtless from some tra- 
 ditionary incident connected with one of these animals. 
 Most families of consideration in the Highlands have some 
 such distinctive patronymic, and they often refer to some 
 remarkable exploit of an ancestor.
 
 68 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 throughout the wide domain ; but scarce had the 
 customary bonfires announced the fortunate event 
 from all the hills around, when the sounds of joy- 
 were untimely hushed, and the young mother's 
 thrill of exultation gave way to deep anxiety ; for 
 on the very night of these rejoicings, her husband, 
 by incautious exposure, received the seeds of an 
 illness from which he never recovered. In three 
 months Glenvallich followed to the grave the body 
 of his first-born son, and the infant which she 
 clasped to her breast was all that remained to the 
 bereaved widow of a husband whom she had 
 loved with the devotion of a first and fond attach- 
 ment. 
 
 But this was not the only shock which assailed 
 the worthy laird. His son Robert, his youngest, 
 and his favourite, who had accepted of a captain's 
 commission in a Highland regiment at that time 
 raising, was seized with a violent fever in Ireland^ 
 where he was on duty with his corps, and died, 
 before any of his friends could reach him. This 
 last blow fell upon the old gentleman with stun- 
 ning violence. Deprived of all the objects of his 
 love and pride, the spring of his mind and of his 
 health gave way together, as it seemed, under 
 its weight. It was remarked by his friends and 
 confidential attendants, that nothing ever after- 
 wards yielded him any enjoyment. Even the
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 69 
 
 sight of his little grandchild, for a while, ap- 
 peared to excite more of pain than of pleasure in 
 his mind ; and if at any time he smiled, it was in 
 such a sort as betrayed that mirth and he were no 
 longer for each other. 
 
 His widowed daughter-in-law continued to live 
 Avith the old man, and rousing herself from the ab- 
 sorbing influence of her own o^rief, endeavoured with 
 the most persevering tenderness to sooth his yet 
 more overwhelming sorrow. The effort was of 
 service both to herself and to that child to whom she 
 resolved to devote her future life. It roused her 
 to beneficial exertion : her infant throve even to a 
 mother's wish, and the old laird, won at length by 
 the sweet and patient devotion of the widow of his 
 son, became gradually so much attached to her 
 and to her child, that he would never suffer either 
 to be long out of his sight. It was the attachment 
 of a kind but broken heart — the fondness of imbe- 
 cility — the blow had been struck, and in the course 
 of four years from the death of his last son, the 
 good Macgilliecullach laid down a life which had 
 long ceased to have any charms for him, and 
 followed his three children to the grave. 
 
 The estate of Glenvallich, the greater part of 
 which had been entailed by himself, descended by 
 that disposition to his grandchild ; and before his
 
 70 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 death, able and efficient guardians were nominated 
 to vigilate over the interests of the boy whose 
 minority was by the deed of trust appointed to 
 terminate at the age of eighteen, unless his 
 guardians should see good reason for continuing 
 it until the customary legal period. 
 
 Of these guardians, the widow whose solemn 
 pledge to devote herself to the care and education of 
 her son, and whose conduct from the period of her 
 husband's death had deservedly exalted her in the 
 old gentleman's esteem, was appointed one ; and 
 well did she redeem her pledge and discharge her 
 trust. 
 
 The impossibility of bestowing upon the boy a 
 suitable education in the Highlands was suffi- 
 ciently obvious. With the approbation therefore 
 of the other guardians, Mrs. Mac Alpine deter- 
 mined to remove to England, and give the future 
 laird the full advantage of the best education 
 which that country could afford; still however 
 maintaining his Highland associations and attach- 
 ments by occasional visits to Inverallich. The 
 large overplus of rents and produce from the 
 estates, were in the mean time suffered to accumu- 
 late as a fund to supply such expenses as might be 
 required when the minor should come of age, and 
 especially for the purpose of improving his resi-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 71 
 
 dence, which was by no means commensurate either 
 in convenience or accommodation, with the pro- 
 perty to which it belonged. 
 
 This judicious arrangement was more judiciously 
 and conscientiously fulfilled than is often the case 
 in such circumstances ; and the young Glenval- 
 lich, at the prescribed period of his majority, 
 entered into possession of a clear estate of full 
 ten thousand a year, well paid rental, together 
 with a sum of ready cash which of itself might 
 have been deemed a handsome fortune. In the 
 mean time he had received and profited by the 
 valuable opportunities of instruction which had 
 been afforded him both at Eton and Oxford ; he 
 had distinguished himself at both these places, and 
 in order to complete the course of study and im- 
 provement which had been traced out for him, he 
 remained two years longer at the latter place. 
 
 It was during the earlier part of his Oxonian 
 career that he became acquainted with Henry 
 Tresham ; and the friendship which sprung up 
 between the two young men, in these their early 
 days, not only stood the test of absence and of 
 change, but increased in firmness with increase of 
 intimacy, until the period of which we treat. 
 
 When Glenvallich became of age, he repaired, 
 in company with his mother, to the family resi- 
 dence of Inverallich castle, in order to visit his
 
 % THE HICxHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 estates and renew his acquaintance with his 
 neighbours and tenantry. On this occasion, with 
 the advice of an able architect, he made such 
 additions and improvements to the old castellated 
 tenement, as the advancing notions of the times, on 
 points of comfort and accommodations demanded, 
 and converted a rambling old Highland fortalice 
 into a handsome and commodious mansion, retain- 
 ing or improving the original style of architecture 
 as harmonizing better than any other with the 
 character of the scenery around it. 
 
 Inverallich, commonly pronounced Innerallich, 
 was most happily and picturesquely situated upon 
 a natural terrace of great beauty, at the mouth of 
 a noble mountain glen, which opened upon a 
 Highland loch of considerable magnitude. Behind 
 it lay a large extent of level or undulating land 
 which rose gradually on the slope of the hills on 
 either side, and was plentifully clothed and studded 
 with ancient timber trees of noble size, so as to 
 form a handsome park. This extensive mass of 
 wood, which had rather been increased than di- 
 minished by the late Glenvallich, embosomed the 
 castle on all sides except in front, where a fine 
 lawn opened out to the river, and uniting with the 
 natural growth which clothed the sides of the hills 
 and the valley itself to a great distance above the 
 park, imparted to the whole scene a richness of
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 71J 
 
 effect, which probably few Highland straths can 
 be found to afford. 
 
 The glen itself, which gave its name to the pro- 
 perty, at the distance of a few miles above the 
 castle divided into two parts, one of which retained 
 its original appellation, the other coming from a 
 different district of mountains, and passing through 
 the valley with which the reader is already ac- 
 quainted by the name of Glenochree, conveyed its 
 tribute of water to the river which flowed under 
 the castle terrace. 
 
 In this handsome mansion, and on his own 
 noble property, did Glenvallich, after travelling 
 for a time through such countries as the political 
 state of Europe, at the time rendered pervious to 
 a subject of Great Britain, take up his abode, 
 resolved to follow the example of his worthy 
 grandfather — to live among bis own people, to 
 gain their confidence, increase their comforts, 
 improve their condition, and thus take the most 
 generous and rational method of increasing the 
 real value of his family property. The good 
 natural sense and feeling of his excellent mother 
 tended greatly to promote these views, and to aid 
 their execution. She had consented, at the earnest 
 request of her son, to take the management of his 
 household, until that charge should naturally 
 devolve on some one worthy to be entrusted also 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 74 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 with the more important trust — his happiness; 
 and she exercised the office with an affectionate 
 zeal and jealous anxiety both for his honour and 
 his interest, which corresponded with the judicious 
 and blameless character of her administration as 
 his guardian. So delightful, indeed, did her 
 arrangements for his comfort and amusement 
 render his home, that it appeared as if he felt no 
 further want ; and some of the busy gossips 
 around would remark, that " the old lady of Glen- 
 vallich found the nest too warm to seek to quit it, 
 and that the young laird would find." But no 
 such selfish motive found place in the bosom of 
 the object of their ill-natured sneers. Her son's 
 happiness and interest \^ ere all she had in view ; 
 and she would have rejoiced to be called upon to 
 surrender the keeping of both into hands worthy 
 of the trust, though at the expense of abandoning 
 along with them, the almost exclusive place she 
 had preserved in his affections. For more than 
 five years, however, had that son made Inverallich 
 his constant residence, and no change, of a nature 
 calculated to interfere with either his or her 
 arrangements, had occurred, or seemed likely so 
 to do. 
 
 For the greater part of the year the young man 
 employed himself in active superintendence of his 
 estates, or in the rural sports of which he was na-
 
 THK HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 75 
 
 tiirally fond. During the summer and autumn, a 
 succession of company from various quarters en- 
 livened his abode ; the earlier part of winter had 
 its duties and its pleasures among his tenantry 
 and neighbours ; and in spring he frequently re- 
 paired to London to rub off the rust contracted in 
 a country residence, to revive his acquaintance 
 with the world, and to keep pace, as far as a man 
 sufficiently occupied at home may do, with the 
 current of events in the political, the literary, and 
 the fashionable circles of society. Such was the 
 life of the laird of Glenvallich at the time when 
 we have thought fit to present him to the notice 
 of our readers: his friend need not detain us 
 so long. 
 
 Henry Basset Tresham was the second son of Sir 
 Richard Tresham, Baronet, a gentleman of good old 
 family, in possession of an estate of eight thousand 
 
 pounds a year in shire ; of sons and daughters 
 
 amounting to seven in number, only three of the for- 
 mer, and one of the latter at this time remained 
 alive. The eldest son, a young manof very amiable 
 disposition and high talents, but of a feeble constitu- 
 tion, had in consequence of ill health been forced 
 to fly from the damp uncertain climate of Britain, 
 to the milder air of a more southern latitude, and, 
 somewhat imprudently, sought rather to gratify 
 his taste for information, and thirst of knowledge, 
 
 E 2
 
 76 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 by travelling through the then less well-known 
 regions of Greece and Asia Minor, than to 
 renovate his exhausted and weakly frame by a 
 quiet residence in a genial climate. 
 
 Henry, the second son, and the subject of our 
 present consideration, was a youth of talents and 
 observation, great animal spirits, and dispositions 
 not less amiable than those of his elder brother. 
 Though too volatile to be systematically studious, 
 his quick genius and excellent capacity enabled 
 him to gain a distinguished rank among his com- 
 panions, both at school and college, with infinitely 
 less labour than many of them would have ex- 
 pended in maintaining a very moderate character 
 as a scholar. So flattering, indeed, were the 
 accounts of his progress which reached his father, 
 that they decided the worthy baronet's mind, 
 regarding a measure which he had long contem- 
 plated as a means of providing for one of his 
 sons. 
 
 The family was not only possessed of consider- 
 able church patronage itself, but, through its 
 various branches and connexions, could command 
 high interest in the way of clerical preferment ; so 
 that Sir Richard, who had long resolved that one 
 of his sons should study for orders, now resolved 
 that Henry, already distinguished for literary 
 attainments, should be that son.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 77 
 
 But, alas ! how often are our best devised pro- 
 jects frustrated ! — how often does the perversity or 
 heedlessness of youth overthrow the calculations, 
 and thwart the wisest schemes of age ! Far from 
 being gratified at the prospect of luxurious af- 
 fluence and undisturbed repose thus opened to his 
 view, Henry Tresham's active mind revolted at 
 the idea of a career so placid, so unruffled, so un- 
 marked, as he conceived it to be, with incident and 
 interest, as that of a beneficed clergyman of the 
 established church. "What!" exclaimed he, 
 with cheeks kindling indignantly, as the plan was 
 first propounded to him, '' / waste my days in a 
 repose so inglorious ? — / consent to turn my brains 
 into prosy sermons and dull homilies, or expose 
 myself, in a black gown and white band, to tickle 
 the ears of a set of country clowns ? Sooner 
 would I burn every book I have, and follow 
 the first recruiting drum and fife that passes by !" 
 
 Furiously wroth was the worthy baronet when 
 his son's speech and behaviour on this occasion 
 were (as care was taken they should be) duly 
 reported to him. It would have been hard to say 
 wliether anger or disappointment predominated ; 
 but he swore, that unless Harry should own, with 
 tlie humblest contrition, his unseemly folly, and 
 should implicitly subscribe to all such arrange- 
 ments as he, his sire, might condescend to dictate,
 
 78 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 he might follow his own course, and make or mar 
 his own fortune, at his own pleasure ; for, that one 
 shilling of his money should never go to foster 
 arrogance and rebellion. " What ! reject a pro- 
 vision which many a peer of the realm, with ten 
 times his fortune, would catch at for a younger 
 son ! No — never would he speak to — never see 
 the culprit again, until, with humble penitence, he 
 came to ask forgiveness for his folly and presump- 
 tion." 
 
 Such language was but indifferently calculated 
 to effect the object it aimed at — if other aim it had 
 than to vent the speaker's wrath. The spirit of 
 Henry was roused ; mildness might at least have 
 made him pause in the course of disobedience; 
 but " so despotic and tyrannical a denunciation,'' 
 as he termed it, only rendered him obstinate in his 
 fault. He proudly accepted the alternative ; he 
 would be the fashioner of his own fate and fortune, 
 without being beholden even to a father, who 
 could seek so to browbeat his son into a profession 
 he detested. 
 
 All hopes of conciliation, had any ever existed, 
 were now, for the time at least, at an end ; and, for a 
 while, matters went on disagreeably enough between 
 the offending party and his father. But Henry's 
 heart was too good, and his dispositions far too ami- 
 able, to persist long in rebellion. Fain would he have
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 79 
 
 cast himself at his father's feet, and said, " Father, 
 I have sinned ;"' but pride, that ally of the wicked 
 one in the heart of man, forbade the humiliation, 
 and whispered, " How do I know but my peni- 
 tence may be rejected P'' The father too, on his 
 side, began to doubt whether he had gone the 
 wisest way to work for compassing his purj)ose ; 
 and without making any actual concession, he per- 
 mitted a friend of his, General Masham, to see the 
 youth and endeavour to bring him to reason, and 
 to report the state of mind in which he should be 
 found. 
 
 The general was a sensible and judicious man, 
 acquainted v/ith the world, and accustomed to the 
 study of the human character. That of Henry 
 was not difficult to read, for it stood open and un- 
 disguised before him. His visit was well-timed 
 too: he found the youth smarting keenly under 
 the painful and unwonted feeling of parental es- 
 trangement, and willing to do any thing to conci- 
 liate — except to obey the obnoxious command. 
 Nor could the general discover the necessity or 
 good sense of enforcing it ; on the contrary, the 
 whole tenor of his conversation with Henry, con- 
 vinced him that it would be the height, not only 
 of cruelty but of imprudence, to do so. " You 
 may make a bad parson of your son if you like," 
 said he to his friend the baronet, when he reported
 
 80 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 to him the result of his embassy ; " but you will 
 spoil a capital soldier ; — take my word for it, black 
 will never sit well on that young man. His head 
 is full of guns, and drums, and trumpets already, 
 and he's all agog for military adventure: and 
 though he is meek and low enough just now, poor 
 boy, and pants to be taken into favour again, 
 hang me, if I should like to answer for the con- 
 sequences of persisting in your intentions !" 
 
 Sir Richard, when not in a passion, was by no 
 means an unreasonable man. Besides he remem- 
 bered that he had still another son, a quiet sedate 
 boy, by far more likely to suit the peaceful pro- 
 fession of a minister of the gospel, than his more 
 spirited and mercurial brother: so after a due 
 display of grave displeasure, in order to avoid the 
 appearance of a too easy acquiescence, the penitent 
 Henry was informed, that his assumption of gown 
 and band would be dispensed with, and that after 
 completing such a course of studies as were calcu- 
 lated to fit him for the society of gentlemen in the 
 world, a sash and gorget might be substituted in 
 their room. 
 
 Stimulated by a prospect congenial to his 
 wishes, Henry Tresham certainly did not relax in 
 his efforts ; and his proficiency in his studies was 
 in due time rewarded by emancipation from all 
 collegiate restraints, and the commission which
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 81 
 
 had SO long been the object of his ambition ; — the 
 ready means, as he fondly hoped, of securing both 
 fame and fortune to himself. 
 
 Henry was now an officer, and his own master ; 
 but his constitutional high spirits frequently were 
 at war with, and prevailed over, his better feelings 
 as well as his sounder judgment. Certain youth- 
 ful excesses, which led to pecuniary difficulties, 
 once more excited the displeasure of his father ; 
 and it was in order to withdraw his son from such 
 temptations, as well as to afford him opportunities 
 for gaining professional and worldly experience, 
 that Sir Richard, by the advice and with the aid 
 of his friend the general, procured the young 
 man's exchange into a regiment embarking for the 
 Peninsula. Thither he accordingly went, under 
 the surveillance of a friend of that gentleman's, to 
 gather wisdom and discretion, and laurels, if they 
 were to be found, in the field of actual service. 
 
 We have stated that Sir Richard Tresham pos- 
 sessed a good estate ; but he lived in handsome 
 style, so that of his eight thousand a year, little was 
 left to accumulate for young children. It was a 
 maxim of his, that the eldest son of an old fa- 
 mily should always inherit the family estate, leaving 
 the younger branches, if necessary, to make their 
 way through life in their respective professions, 
 aided in their own exertions only by the interest of 
 
 E 5
 
 8^ THE HIGHLAXD SMUGGLERS. 
 
 their connexions. He was anxious, too, that his son 
 should succeed to the property unencumbered: 
 thus, when he died, the younger branches of his 
 family would have found themselves but slenderly 
 provided for, had their provision depended entirely 
 upon their father. Fortunately for them, this was 
 not the case. 
 
 An uncle of Lady Tresham's, a Mr. Basset, 
 whose name Henry bore in addition to his own, 
 and who had also stood godfather to the youngest 
 girl Maria, left by will a sum to each of the 
 younger children of his niece, which, together 
 with the pittance found on the death of their fa- 
 ther to accrue to each, amounted to about twelve 
 thousand pounds a-piece. This and his commis- 
 sion — he was at this time a captain — formed the 
 the whole of Tresham's fortune ; for although 
 thoroughly reconciled to his father before the 
 death of the latter, the old gentleman had omitted 
 to give any substantial proof of the fact by a fur- 
 ther remembrance of the young man in his will. 
 His brother Richard, the clergyman, was amply 
 provided for; and Sir Thomas, the young baro- 
 net, who was still abroad at the time of his father's 
 decease, when made aware of that gentleman's tes- 
 tamentary dispositions, immediately increased by 
 deed of gift, in the hands of trustees, the portion 
 of his (now only remaining) sister to twenty thou-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. SS 
 
 sand pounds ; at the same time, entreating his bro- 
 ther Henry, whenever money might be needed for 
 promoting his professional views, to use the credit 
 which he had lodged for him with his banker's, 
 instead of infringing upon his own small funds. 
 
 In the absence of the young baronet from his 
 native country, the family seat of Mitchley, in 
 
 shire, was occupied by his mother and sister, 
 
 to whom Tresham, on his return from the Con- 
 tinent, had, as we have already remarked, paid a 
 visit of some length before accepting the invita- 
 tion of his Highland friend.
 
 84 THE HIGHL-AND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 DEER STALKING. 
 
 Sweet;, sweet upon the mountain 
 
 Sinks the setting sun ; 
 The coursers fleet scarce drag their feet — 
 
 The weary chase is done. 
 Where's the antler'd king, that late 
 Ranged the wood in fearless state — 
 
 Alas ! alas ! upon the grass, 
 Which his best life's blood dyes. 
 The bleeding monarch lies ! 
 
 The first light of morning had just peeped 
 through the little window of the sleeping apart- 
 ment in the bothy of Auchonrui, when Tresham 
 was roused from a sound sleep by the voice of his 
 host. " What, Henry, man, hey ! Up ! up ! 
 it is almost three. There's Maccombich has been 
 stalking about, like the Bodach Glass in the gloam- 
 ing, for this half hour past ; and I smell the chops
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 8^ 
 
 and broiled chickens already. Up, man ! we have 
 not a moment to lose." 
 
 " Yauh — au— ah ! — God bless me I why, what 
 already ? I don't think I 'm an hour yet in bed : 
 — but never mind, here goes.'^ And after a yawn 
 and a stretch or two, he sprung out of bed,, and 
 soon joined his friend in the next room, where a 
 pretty solid breakfast smoked upon the table and 
 invited their attack. 
 
 " Upon my word, all very comfortable and in- 
 viting, indeed," said Tresham, as he commenced 
 a serious assault upon the viands. " But what the 
 deuce ! Charles, my good fellow, what masquerad- 
 ing fancy is this ? Do you shoot deer in uniform ? 
 What a rum figure you have made of yourself." 
 
 This was said on his observing, for the fir.>t 
 time, that his friend had changed his dress of the 
 day before, and now wore a short jacket and loose 
 trousers of dark grey tartan, with a grey cap of 
 the same material upon his head. 
 
 " Why, not exactly so," repHed Glenvallich ; 
 *' but I wear this dress because it is the lightest, 
 the most convenient, and the least distinguishable 
 of all others in the hill. And, by-the-bye, my 
 friend, I must tell you that your costume is far 
 from being the best calculated either for comfort 
 or concealment." 
 
 " Why, what ails it ?''
 
 86 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " Faith ! you will soon find that if you persist 
 in going so clad ; that knowing velveteen jacket 
 is tolerably well as to colour — too dark though ; 
 but, heavens, man ! its weight would knock you 
 up in a couple of hours. Your trousers are too 
 white by half ; and as for that smart blue foraging 
 cap, with its gay golden band, if you desire sport, 
 by all means discard it. Why, man, a deer with 
 half an eye would catch the glitter of it at two 
 miles distance, the moment it rose above a hea- 
 ther hag."" 
 
 " O as to the velveteen," replied Tresham, 
 " it is an old friend— I 'm used to it — no fear of 
 me. But I can change the trousers for a pair of 
 greys ; and the cap I abandon to your worship, 
 providing you can supply me with any thing 
 better." 
 
 " Well, we shall see ; for Duncan would to a 
 certainty protest against that. But take your 
 breakfast just now." 
 
 The attack now became warm : excellent mut- 
 ton chops, broiled chickens, eggs, mutton, ham, &c. 
 &c., together with tea, coffee, rich cream, and the 
 best butter possible, composed a breakfast which 
 did not disgrace the name which the Highlands 
 have deservedly acquired for that meal ; and after 
 making due provision for a solid luncheon, in the 
 shape of sandwiches, biscuits, and the like, the whis-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 87 
 
 key flasks being replenished, and the shooting tackle 
 overhauled, a summons was issued for the attend- 
 ance of Duncan Maccombich. 
 
 The forester soon made his appearance ; but he 
 was no longer clad in the smart tartans of the 
 night before. He now wore a rough jacket of 
 grey frieze, with a waistcoat of the same, a good 
 deal the worse for wear ; a dingy-coloured kilt, 
 formed of a single fold of checked tartan wrapped 
 simply round his waist, and reaching barely to 
 within five inches of his knee, supplied the handsome 
 well-pleated phelibeg ; short grey stockings were 
 gartered far below the knee, and his head was co- 
 vered with a cap of grey badger skin. His whole 
 person, tall and imposing in its character, and clad 
 in its universal grey, might very well have repre- 
 sented in the dim twilight the shadowy spirit, to 
 which Glenvallich had not unaptly likened it. 
 
 " Well, Duncan," began the laird, " how looks 
 the morning, and how 's the wind ?" 
 
 " Ou, the morning 's fine, sir ; and the wind 's 
 richt doon the glen." 
 
 " We must begin at the lower end of Fiusech, 
 then, I suppose, eh .^ and tend westward.''" 
 
 "Aye, aye,— just, just. But Lord! what''s 
 you !" And although the objects which had 
 caught his eye were full three miles distant, the 
 forester, with the habitual caution of a deer
 
 88 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 stalker, stopped short mechanically, and drawing 
 his person within the door-way at which he had 
 been standing, drew forth his glass and pointed it at 
 the opposite hill. Long and keenly did he gaze 
 through the instrument, " Aye, aye," said he, at 
 length, "there they go — a fine staig he is, and 
 fowr hindes wi' their calves, and two yell ones, 
 right up yon green face " 
 
 " Hall ! faith you 've got good eyes, Mac- 
 combich," said Glenvallich, '' I can see nothing 
 yet." 
 
 " Ou, I just got a glisk o' their broun hides, 
 crossing yon green spot. I first thought it was 
 cattle, but they Ve deer — they 're deer."" 
 
 " And where may they be from, think you ? — 
 from Fiusech ?" 
 
 " Ou no, sir, not at all ; they 11 be from the 
 east — from Torrebay, I 'm thinking ; I 'se warrant 
 they'll be in Corry Dhu afore long. But we 
 shud na lose time, sir— we shud na lose time,'' 
 said he, fidgetting on his feet ; " if ye're ready, 
 we'se be off." 
 
 " All ready, ?4accombich. Tresham, you should 
 be a rifle shot — here's a tool that won't fail you, 
 if you measure your distance well, use the proper 
 sights, and hold straight. I've seen four balls 
 running put in the space of half a card, at a hun- 
 dred and fifty paces, with this very piece. But
 
 THE HKrHLAXD SMUGGLERS. 89 
 
 won't you take this light jacket instead of your 
 own heavy affair ?'' 
 
 " O, no need." 
 
 " Well, one of the gillies shall take it for you ; 
 you may be thankful for it yet. Allons /" 
 
 Accompanied by their assistants in the chace, the 
 sportsmen now set out. These consisted, besides 
 the forester of Kenneth, an under-keeper, a stout, 
 short, active, good-humoured fellow, to whom a 
 day after, the deer was meet and drink for a fort- 
 night ; the shepherd's bov, and a tall, long, red- 
 shanked, barefooted gillie, with nothing on his 
 head but his own unkem't matted locks, and little 
 to cover his nakedness save a very tattered kilt and 
 a sort of non-descript half-shirt, half-jacket kind of 
 habiliment, formed of sundry shreds and patches, 
 retained about his gaunt figure by some secret 
 sympathy or tie, which the eye could not de- 
 tect. The last pair of worthies held each in leasli 
 a dog, which seemed by far the nobler animal of 
 the two ; and Tresham recognized in them a 
 brace of the gallant deer-hounds which had been 
 the foremost to welcome them on the preceding 
 evening. It is a race now becoming rare in Scot- 
 land, but which, were it only for the grand appear- 
 ance of the animal and its noble nature, as well as 
 for ancient recollections, deserves well to be main- 
 tained by such as have the power to do so. Deep
 
 90 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 in the chest, arched in the back, with loins of iron, 
 sharp muzzle, and eyes of fire, what can compare 
 with the ancient Highland deer-hound ? Who 
 but the minstrel of the north can fitly describe his 
 beauty and his prowess ; who can paint him but 
 Land seer ! 
 
 " What a lovely morning ! what a delicious 
 air ! what a splendid scene altogether !" exclaimed 
 Tresham, as issuing finally from the bothy, thej 
 emerged into the open air. The scene indeed was 
 splendid — the sky of a pure azure, deepening as it 
 reached the zenith, and flecked here and there 
 with light fleecy clouds of a pale orange hue, was 
 brightly illuminated towards the eastern horizon by 
 the beams of the rising sun ; while the whole of the 
 valley and its surrounding mountains slept in per- 
 fect shadow and tranquillity, their grey outline 
 sharply yet softly defined against the pure ether. 
 On the lofty peak of Scoore-vialach alone there hung 
 a wreath of mist, like a crown of glory, tinged as 
 was the peak itself with the first red sunbeam of 
 morning. Grey clouds rested in fantastic shapes 
 on many a shoulder of the mountains, filling up 
 and revealing the hollows which would else have 
 remained undetected on their rugged breasts. 
 Light filmy vapours exhaling from the stream and 
 morasses, floated here and there over the valley. 
 The dew lay heavy upon bush and herb, and
 
 TIIF. HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 91 
 
 the birch-trees around the bothy shed from 
 their leaves and buds a balmy fragrance which 
 perfumed the whole atmosphere. 
 
 '' This is truly exhilarating,'^ continued Tre- 
 shara ; " I feel, at this moment, just as if neither 
 strength nor spirits could ever fail me. Often 
 have I thus felt the reviving influence of morning ; 
 often, after a hot and restless night spent in a 
 comfortless bivouac, or on a weary anxious watch, 
 have I hailed the approach of dawn, and blessed 
 its dewy freshness, even when I knew that the re- 
 turning light might be but the harbinger of car- 
 nage and death;— but the unmingled delight of 
 such a morning as this, in such a scene, is only to 
 be tasted in the tranquil security of our own happy 
 land." 
 
 " Aye, Hal, and few can well appreciate the 
 value of that security save those who have known 
 the want of it. — But move we on." 
 
 They crossed the valley, and taking a slight 
 track, made probably by the cattle, among a num- 
 ber of heathery knolls, they followed it for a couple 
 of miles up the glen, until the ragged wood which 
 crept irregularly up the mountain, became more 
 dense and continuous. Here, near the top of a 
 little height, Glenvallich halted. " This," said 
 he, " is one of our reconnoitering points ; sit down 
 until we examine the forest, and opposite hill."
 
 92 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 Cautiously creeping up the little hillock until 
 their eyes could just peer above the topmost hea- 
 ther, Glenvallich and theiorester, throwing them- 
 selves upon their faces, scrutinized with their 
 glasses the brown expanse before them : nor was 
 it until more than a quarter of an hour had elapsed 
 in the inquiry, that they arose from their re- 
 cumbent position. " Nothing is stirring, or in 
 sight, so far as we can make out," said Glenval- 
 lich — let us move forward. Remember, Tresham, 
 we shoot at nothing but stags. The hinds, with 
 calves at their foot, are not in condition ; and the 
 yell hinds, as they are called — those, that is, which 
 have either had no calves or have lost them, your 
 eye is not practised enough to distinguisli from the 
 others. You may see plenty of roe-deer too, here, 
 for the wood is full of them ; but don't shoot at 
 them, for you might disturb and lose a stag worth 
 fifty roe, who might be lying within a few yards 
 of us." 
 
 " What ! let a roebuck pass ? — faith, that will 
 require some forbearance too." 
 
 " O ! if you are so hot, then, and should see a 
 roebuck, after the deer have all probably passed, 
 fire if you like. You will know the buck by his 
 horns — fire at nothing which has not horns — that's 
 your best rule."" 
 
 " Well, I'll try to remember your orders. — Any 
 l^hing else ?"
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEllS. 93 
 
 " Yes, one thing — black-cock abound here ; you 
 may sometimes see them flying about in dozens ; 
 but I need scarce remind you to let them alone. 
 In the first place, this is not the season for shoot- 
 ing them ; and then, always remember the nobler 
 game we have in view— so now you know all you 
 have to attend to. Let us move on, and in silence, 
 for we are now on our ground, and deer may be 
 within ten yards of us at any time.'** 
 
 The forester then taking the lead, proceeded, 
 indicating by signs, when required, the direction 
 to be taken. Ascending one height, and winding 
 round another, the sportsmen soon found them- 
 selves entering the wood, and gradually gaining an 
 elevation which enabled them to overlook the 
 valley below. Alder and birch-trees, with here 
 and there an old fir, studded the knolls ; and ere 
 long they plunged into a thicket of such trees, 
 tangled with underwood of fern and thorns, through 
 which, as they made their way with difficulty, the 
 dew-drops fell in heavy showers upon them from 
 the branches. This was the true commencement 
 of their ascent ; and an arduous one did the young 
 Englishman find it to be. 
 
 The steep mountain side, cleft as it was into 
 numberless irregularities, was every where thickly 
 covered with wood of that unequal growth which 
 characterizes natural forests. Clumps of birch-
 
 94 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 trees, with gnarled and twisted stems like aged oak 
 stumps, arose from a thicket of thorn and fern, 
 which covered a heap of grey stones, only less an- 
 cient than the hills of which they were the ruins ; 
 and single trees of the same species, but of great 
 antiquity, might be seen scattered here and there 
 amongst a grove of pines of all ages and sizes, 
 from the three years seedling to the veteran of cen- 
 turies. A space more open would not unfrequently 
 occur, occupied by some enormous fir-tree, which 
 rejoicing in the free air and room, would throw its 
 vast arms abroad, as in a domain over which it 
 held a rightful supremacy. 
 
 Hundreds of such noble trees lay strewed upon 
 the earth, encumbering its surface with their re- 
 mains; or, like sturdy patriots, preserving in death 
 and in decay the same unbending aspect which, 
 when alive, they had maintained, still reared aloft 
 their bleached stems and naked branches like ske- 
 letons of giants. Heather, the growth of ages, 
 ferns of enormous height, blackberry, cranberry, 
 and crowberry bushes, with other luxuriant herb- 
 age, formed an underwood to this primaeval forest, 
 so thick, so high and closely matted, that no pro- 
 gress could be made amontj it without the most 
 vigorous exertions. The surface of the ground, 
 too, every where steep and shelving, was moreover 
 furrowed into deep holes and chasms by the action
 
 THE HIGHLAN'D SMUGGLERS. 95 
 
 of petty streams which made their way beneath 
 this tangled carpet in the mossy soil. If to these 
 impediments be added the multitude of sharp 
 rocky fragments which studded the mountain side, 
 overgrown by the rank vegetation, and thus con- 
 cealed from the eye until detected by the stumb- 
 ling, and perhaps wounded foot, — some notion may 
 be formed of the toil and painfulness of an ascent 
 on such ground to an unpractised traveller. 
 
 Through this woody wilderness, however, did 
 Duncan Maccombich pursue his course, striding 
 along without check or halt, as in a familiar ele- 
 ment : his sinewy limbs brushed aside the thick 
 branches, or divided the tangled herbage, as if it 
 had been the gossamer that floated around him, 
 heavy with the morning dew, — and bore him from 
 hag to hag, and rock to rock with the elastic 
 lightness of the animal which he loved to pursue. 
 His master followed in the same track with an 
 alertness and ease, which youth and practice, com- 
 bined with native strength, could alone have su]v 
 plied. But it was far otherwise with the young 
 Englishman. Strong and active as he was by 
 constitution, his pedestrian powers had never been 
 put to trial in such ground, and certainly had 
 never been so severely taxed. His breath came 
 hard, and already was he sensible of a suspicious 
 trembling of the limbs. Supported, however, by
 
 96 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 a stout heart, he persevered, although mortified to 
 find the effort which seemed so easy to his com- 
 panions, so painful to him. 
 
 " Take it easy, Tresham," said Glenvallich, at 
 length, taking pity on his evident distress as he 
 looked back. " Don't blow yourself, man^ we 
 have day enough before us ; softly — softly, Mac- 
 combich. Here, Hal, don't trail that heavy rifle 
 with you till you need it; Kenneth, there, will 
 carry it — take his stick, it will help you in this 
 rough ground." Sensible though he was, that the 
 proposed relief would be of great service, yet 
 half-ashamed to avail himself of it, Tresham 
 hesitated for a while ; but at length he complied, 
 and walked with much greater ease. Still his in- 
 experience, and the excessive inequality of the 
 ground, subjected him to a world of slips and 
 tumbles ; and so treacherous was the surface, that 
 one and all of the party, not excepting the prac- 
 tised forester himself, sunk frequently up to the 
 middle in muddy holes, and tumbled head fore- 
 most into the ruts and hollows of the subterranean 
 streamlets. 
 
 *' Stop a little here," said Glenvallich, partly 
 perhaps in pity to his friend, as they reached a 
 darkly wooded dingle through which a rivulet 
 brawled; "this is a likely spot — we must search 
 this burn inch by inch — seldom does it want a deer.''
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 97 
 
 They quested it thoroughly, spreading out in 
 different directions, but without success. " No- 
 thing here, at all events," said Tresham, as they 
 met again. " If there was, we must have seen 
 it." 
 
 " Not so sure of that," said his friend ; " I have 
 known a deer in this same wood, to be within ten 
 yards of three men who were in search of him, 
 yet get off unseen of them all ; but we have now 
 to make our way alone — Duncan and his myrmi- 
 dons must drive the wood. It will take them 
 near an hour to get to the other end, so we may 
 take a peep into the corry above, before going to 
 our posts. Away with you, Maccombich." 
 
 "Aye, aye, sir, we'll be off; but mind*- and 
 look ye weel among the black burns, above thon- 
 der — and dinna forget the pass under the fall in 
 the westermost burn, sir — and see what tracks ye 
 can find, sir — ye ken them as weeFs mysel — and 
 dinna hurry, sir, the day's long — tak yere time." 
 
 With these cautions very earnestly uttered, 
 away went Duncan and his troops ; and Glen- 
 vallich saying, " Follow me, Tresham, I must 
 act stalker for the nonce — up this way,"— took his 
 course up the hill. 
 
 The difficulty of the ground seemed, if possible, 
 to increase as they resumed their course. It was 
 * Mind — remember, — so used in Highland English. 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 by aid of hands as well as feet that they scrambled 
 up the steep brae, still thickly tangled as before ; 
 and the number of dead trees which had fallen 
 among the tall brushwood, formed barricades, 
 which it was equally difficult to scramble over or 
 to pass through. " What trees these are !" ex- 
 claimed Tresham, pausing for breath beside a 
 pine of monstrous girth, and a multitude of bran- 
 ches, although of height inferior to many near it. 
 " What a pyramid of collossal strength ! — and 
 look at this huge, decayed trunk, close to it. De- 
 cayed, did I say ? not at all, faith ; I see it is 
 fresh as the day it was cut." 
 
 "And yet," remarked his friend, "it cannot 
 have been cut — or burnt down, as is more proba- 
 ble — within these forty years: wood of such growth 
 as that will last undecayed for ages. See these 
 jagged looking fellows, that have lived their life 
 and died where they stood — look how they stare 
 up on all sides, like the ribs of some monstrous 
 wreck. How they have been twisted by the winds, 
 and how they toss their huge grey limbs about — 
 who can tell when they departed this life ? like 
 the grey stones of Ossian, they tell of other 
 days." 
 
 " Assuredly this forest scenery is most striking 
 and peculiar — grand and Salvator-like indeed ! — 
 what a lovely green, too, these bilberry bushes
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 99 
 
 have, and that gigantic fern — how well it contrasts 
 with these grey stumps and dark firs — and how 
 lich the blossom of the heath is ! And faith ! it 
 is no trifling relief to stand still a moment and look 
 at it all, and to dwell a little upon that magnifi- 
 cent chaos of hills and glens, which our elevation 
 now permits us to overlook." 
 
 " Aye, it is a splendid scene, truly,'* said Glen- 
 vallich, smiling ; " but nevertheless, we must bid it 
 adieu, and proceed." 
 
 Scarcely had they advanced many yards, when 
 Glenvallich stopped short among a brake of ferns. 
 " Hush — stop ! a deer's track — fresh," whispered 
 he ; " see here, where the dew has been brushed 
 off— and look, here is the foot mark. He has 
 crossed the burn at the pass, and may be close to 
 us at this moment." Passing onwards in quest, 
 the sportsmen came to one of those green, mossy 
 spots, which indicates and surrounds a spring 
 upon the face of a hill. " See — further traces,"" 
 said Glenvallich ; " only look how he has 
 scampered up the moss — ah — it's only a roe ; see 
 where he has been scraping — he won't do for us ; 
 come along, we pass the burn here."*' 
 
 They were approaching a brake of birch and 
 bog-myrtle, as Glenvallich said this, and scarce 
 had they entered it, when Tresham, hearing a 
 slight rustling, turned round, and saw a beautiful
 
 100 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 animal bounding past him. In a moment his rifle 
 was at his shoulder, and his finger on the trigger ; 
 but another glance stopped its pressure, for he 
 saw that the creature's head was ungraced by 
 antlers. " See, Charles, see !" said he, as he 
 lowered the muzzle of his piece. 
 
 *' Hah !" exclaimed his friend, turning short, 
 and rapidly levelHng his uncocked rifle. " How 
 easily could I check these graceful and rapid 
 boundings; but go, poor beast— rthou art safe. 
 A roe, Harry, a roe ! and see her young one 
 following at a short distance, in its mother's wake; 
 it is her tracks we have seen — allons /" 
 
 Instead of abruptly ascending further, they 
 now slanted along the face of the hill till they 
 reached the water-course ; a deep gash, worn by a 
 rapid and perennial torrent, quite through the soil 
 into the living rock of the mountain side. The 
 rugged banks were covered with dense thickets of 
 the trees common to such situations, which over- 
 hung the stream, or interrupted its course with 
 their fallen and withered boughs. «'The torrent 
 itself, dark, foaming, and impetuous, leapt from 
 rock to rock, and ledge to ledge, in many a petty 
 fall, and sometimes in cascades of considerable 
 height and grandeur. The pass led by a pool 
 between two of these falls; a deeply furrowed 
 ledge of rock afforded stepping stones, when the
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 101 
 
 stream was low, by which an active man might 
 spring across. Having overleapt this obstacle, 
 they soon emerged from the wood upon the more 
 open hill, where the heather, although still long 
 and thick, was less tangled than in the forest ; 
 and the more solid and less broken ground afforded 
 firmer footing. The change was very comfortable 
 to Tresham, who now soon recovered his failing- 
 wind, and felt his sinews recover a firmer tone — 
 and they cautiously approached the crest of the 
 height to which they had won their way with so 
 much toil. 
 
 Glenvallich now stealing forwards, began 
 with curious and jealous eye to scan through his 
 glass the broad hollow which rose gradually 
 above them. After continuing this survey for 
 some minutes in silence, he beckoned Tresham to 
 his side. 
 
 " Antlers, by Jove !*" said he, in a half whisper; 
 " I have them, and in no bad place neither ; this 
 will be our game, or I'm mistaken. See—take 
 the glass; look to the left of that white stump 
 below the rock there, close to a small single white 
 stone. There he lies, I can see him with the 
 naked eye." 
 
 " And I can't catch him even with the glass," 
 replied Tresham, after peering for some time 
 through the telescope, " I see nothing, Charles."
 
 102 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " What, don't you see that brown spot ? you 
 can't have found the place. By heavens, there's 
 more of them ; give me the glass; — yes, faith, there 
 are — one, two, three hinds feeding; and their 
 calves too — see, look again." 
 
 But it was in vain that Tresham's unpractised 
 eye wandered over the brown waste, until, as by 
 chance the field of the telescope traversed the 
 place, a slight movement in what he had taken for 
 the withered branch of some decayed tree caught 
 his eye. 
 
 " Ah ! I have him now, by Jove ! God bless 
 me ! what a grand fellow ! how beautiful he looks ! 
 — and he's lying too — and there are the hinds — I 
 see them also ; but how shall we get at him ?" 
 
 " Why, he'll cost us a scramble and a good 
 blow, no doubt. Perhaps we may have to climb 
 the shoulder of Scoore-vialach, and round by his 
 top, that high peak yonder." 
 
 " The devil ! that will be a job — ^but never 
 mind ; any thing for a shot at that noble fellow." 
 
 " Well, he and his ladies are quiet where they 
 are, for the day ; and the men must by this time 
 have got to their posts ; let us go and attend the 
 passes. You see that black stump on the brow 
 below us ; take your station there, it commands 
 the whole face below, within rifle shot. I will 
 go nearer the burn. If you see any thing pass,
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 103 
 
 that makes rather for me than for you, put your 
 cap on the muzzle of your rifle thus — I will do the 
 same. Good luck to you, and ' hold straight.' " 
 
 The loss of half an hour, and some trial of pa- 
 tience was the sole result of this arrangement. 
 One or two roes passed the sportsmen, and several 
 black cock, the sight of which tempted Tresham 
 sorely to exercise his skill at a flying shot ; but if 
 there were any deer in the wood, they took other 
 passes than those watched by the two gentlemen. 
 
 The forester now came up, and Glenvallich in- 
 formed him of the stag and hinds he had seen. 
 The methods of best approaching them imob- 
 served were eagerly discussed; and having de- 
 cided that it was at all events advisable to recon- 
 noitre them from a shoulder of the hill above them, 
 the party set their faces boldly to the brae, and 
 began to breast it straight up. And now once 
 more was Tresham made sensible of his own defi- 
 ciency, and of the superior vigour of his compa- 
 nions : pride and " pluck," however, bore him 
 on, though his knees bent under him, and his 
 head swam, with the sustained exertion. The 
 simial to halt and reconnoitre was at the moment 
 as gratifying an intimation as he could have re- 
 ceived. Five hinds, with their calves, and two 
 stags, were now distinctly visible, full eight hun- 
 dred feet beneath them, as they stood, or rather
 
 104 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 lay perched upon the brink of a giddy precipice 
 which rose above the hollow. 
 
 '•' Well, Maccombich, what's next to be done ? 
 must we climb the hill, and go round the scour .f^"" 
 
 " Aye, 'deed that ye most," responded the fo- 
 rester. " See," continued he, throwing some light 
 particles of grass into the air, *' the wun 's a' up 
 the hill, and there's no a burn or corry that 11 
 hide us. It's doon yon burn, below Craig-cail- 
 lichdhu, we must go, and tak' the hollow a' the 
 way to thon bit hillock; and then we'll get at 
 them easy : they wunna stir the day any how — 
 we're sure o' that." 
 
 As Duncan made these observations, he was 
 cautiously retreating from the brink of the rock, 
 from whence he had been observing the deer, when 
 all at once his person became fixed in an attitude 
 of eager attention, which might have supplied the 
 sculptor with an admirable study, and straining 
 his eyes towards the upper extremity of the corry, 
 he exclaimed, in an earnest whisper, 
 
 " O Glenvallich ! we're in luck the day ! there 
 he is ! there's the very staig your honour was after 
 the last time ye cam' up ; him that ye touched on 
 the side, an' we could na get sight o' again ! I've 
 seen him twice since yon, and a grand one he is. 
 O Trochconuilorst !^ but we'll have you the 
 
 * Literally " Bad advice to you," a gaelic malediction.
 
 THE HIGHLAxS:D SMUGGLtllS. 105 
 
 day, or the mischief's in't; we most go clean round 
 the scour noo, any how, for we'll hae to come 
 down the Glaig-na-gawr * on him." 
 
 This information set the party into instant mo- 
 tion. Off they started in high spirits, leaving 
 Kenneth to watch the deer below them, lest any 
 accident should startle them, or lest they should 
 feed away from the spot. The ascent proved 
 most arduous, for they had to pass round the 
 peak of one of the loftiest mountains in Scot- 
 land, at a height scarcely two hundred feet below 
 the summit. Tresham was once more forced to 
 abandon his rifle to the gillie, and still he found 
 himself lagging behind ; for Maccombich, stimu- 
 lated by a sight of the animals he loved, forgot 
 the inability of others, and glided up the hill with 
 the swiftness and sure-footedness of a goat. Even 
 Glenvallich at length found it expedient to call 
 upon him to slacken his speed, and Tresham, 
 breathless and reeling, was absolutely forced to 
 make frequent halts. Youth and spirits, and good 
 English bottom themselves, failed at length, and 
 the young man came to a stand still. 
 
 " You were right," said he, " about this cursed 
 jacket, it is too heavy for such work — by the Lord, 
 man ! a fellow, to climb this mountain, should go 
 
 in cuerpo: the kilt's your only to the devil 
 
 * The goat's dell. 
 
 F 5
 
 106 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 with the velveteen !" and he threw it from him, 
 remaining in his shirt-sleeves and waistcoat. 
 
 '' Stay, stay, Harry ! those white arms will 
 never do ; they would give the alarm at two miles 
 distance, — here, here's the jacket you despised in 
 the morning." 
 
 " Thank you, — this is a relief: and now have 
 at it once more." 
 
 The highest point was reached at length, and a 
 descent, little better than a precipice, lay before 
 them. But though Tresham, in cooler moments, 
 might have shuddered at the danger he ran, his 
 mind was at this time too highly excited to scruple 
 at following his daring companions, who bounded 
 downv/ards at a rate which soon carried them to 
 the bottom. 
 
 *' Now for it, Harry ; now; for it in earnest," 
 said Glenvallich, after a moment's halt, to recover 
 breath. " Double quick, while we may — we shall 
 soon have to go slow enough ;" and entering the 
 body of a shallow water-course, they descended its 
 rough bed at a rapid pace. The waft of a hand 
 from Duncan, who led, stopped the party ; and 
 crouching low, they changed their quick step for 
 a stealthy pace, with which they rounded a height, 
 and under its shelter remained, until their exact 
 position, with regard to the object of their quest, 
 should be ascertained.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SilUGGLEPtS. 107 
 
 " Look here," whispered Glenvallich, taking 
 Tresham by the arm, after having made a short 
 examination himself, " what think you of Duncan 
 for a pilot ?" 
 
 Raising his eyes to a level with the heather top, 
 Tresham could see, at the distance of not more 
 than three hundred yards, the horns of a noble 
 stag just rising between two hags. No other part 
 of the animal was visible ; but the movement of 
 the antlers, which slowly turned from side to side, 
 proved sufficiently that he maintained a vigilant 
 look out after his own safety. 
 
 "We'll match him yet, I think," said Glenvallich. 
 
 Retreating a few yards, to get further under 
 cover of the rising ground, Maccombich, followed 
 by the rest of the party, crept on all fours from 
 the water course, across thirty or forty yards of 
 long heather-covered muir, until they reached a 
 maze of peat-bog cracks, of little depth, but suffi- 
 cient to cover a man creeping flat upon his belly. 
 This, although the moss was moist and muddy, 
 they were forced to submit to, as the only way of 
 crossing unseen by their intended victim, and in 
 this manner they gained about a hundred and fifty 
 yards more upon the deer's position. 
 
 The forester, alone, was now sent on to ascer- 
 tain the means of further progress : and after an 
 absence of more than ten minutes, which to the
 
 108 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 sportsmen seemed a full hour, he returned creep- 
 ing like a worm, and beckoning the party to fol- 
 low in the same manner. This they did, and at 
 length, keeping along the peat-cracks, got a chasm 
 deep enough to afford sufficient cover for the whole 
 body. 
 
 " He's no a hunder' yards from you this mo- 
 ment, Glenvallich," whispered the forester, in 
 scarcely audible accents, " and the wind is strong 
 from him. Ye most climb this know ; if you can 
 get him within eighty yards, dinna seek to get 
 nearer, for he's in a wide green heuch, and he's 
 very jealous. I dinna think ye ll mak' muckle 
 better o' it ; but ochone ! sir, tak' time and be 
 canny — I wudna for ten pund he got awa !" 
 
 " Never fear me, man ; but here's Mr. Tresham 
 must take the first chance — I'll fire only if he 
 misses. Come along, Harry." 
 
 The forester cast a look of mingled disappoint- 
 ment and remonstrance at his master, but it was 
 disregarded. Tresham also, who still shook from 
 head to foot, with recent exertion and present ex- 
 citement, would have excused himself from inter- 
 fering with the anterior rights of his friend in this 
 particular animal ; but Glenvallich would not lis- 
 ten to him. 
 
 '' Have done with this debating,"" said he, " we 
 shall lose the deer — follow me, Tresham."
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 109 
 
 Cautiously, like a cat stealing on its prey, foot 
 by foot, and inch by inch, did Glenvallich, gro- 
 velling in the heather, advance towards the crest 
 of the knoll in front of him ; when the deer's ant- 
 lers moved, he was still, — when they took their 
 natural position, he moved forwards. Tresham 
 followed in his track, stopping or advancing as he 
 did, until they had reached some twenty paces 
 onwards from the ravine. Glenvallich then signed 
 to him to raise his head with caution. He did so, 
 and saw, with a sensation of eager delight which 
 increased his agitation to a painful pitch, the noble 
 stag lying among some rushy grass, apparently in 
 the most unsuspicious tranquillity, occasionally 
 scratching a part of his hide with a fork of his 
 antlers, and driving away the insects which ap- 
 peared grievously to torment him. 
 
 " Take him as he lies, Harry ; aim low, at the 
 shoulder," whispered Glenvallich. The heart of 
 Tresham beat more audibly than ever it had done 
 on going into action, as he carefully extended and 
 levelled his rifle. Whether it was the slight click 
 of cocking, or some movement made in the heather, 
 as he stretched out the piece to take aim, is uncer- 
 tain, but the stag started, and made a movement 
 as if about to rise, just at the moment when Tres- 
 ham was pressing the trigger. The circumstance.
 
 110 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 probably, unsettled his aim, for the rifle exploded, 
 but the ball flew over its intended object. 
 
 But not thus was the unfortunate animal to 
 escape; for scarce had the report of Tresham"'s 
 shot made him start from his lair, when the rifle 
 of Glenvallich gave forth its fatal contents, and 
 the stag making one high bound from the earth 
 tumbled headlong forwards, and lay struggling in 
 the agonies of death. He had anticipated the 
 possibility of his friend's failure, and prepared to 
 remedy it— which he did effectually, for the ball 
 had struck the animal just behind the shoulder, 
 and went clean through its heart. 
 
 " Hurrah ! capital ! grand ! by Jove he has 
 got it," shouted Tresham, starting up : but the 
 arm of Glenvallich pulled him down again. 
 
 '' Hush! — be quiet,""* whispered he; "never 
 do so — there may be twenty more deer near us, 
 of which we yet know nothing — such a halloo 
 would send them all off. Load your piece — load 
 quickly." 
 
 While they were performing this necessary 
 operation, Maccombich, who had joined them, 
 and was keeping watch around them, touch- 
 ed his arm, and pointing with one hand, 
 showed him three fine stags moving off* to the 
 further hill, alarmed, no doubt, by the reports of
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. Ill 
 
 the rifles, and probably by the exclamation of 
 Tresham. " God bless me !" said the mortified 
 young man, " this is a lesson I shall not forget ; 
 but who could have imagined it ?" 
 
 A little further scrutiny by the practised eye of 
 Maccombich, was sufficient to convince the party 
 that there was no more game near them, at least in 
 view ; so the hunters advanced to break the deer, as 
 it is called, by cutting the throat, and disembowel- 
 ling it ; and while Maccombich was performing 
 this sportsmanlike duty, it was amusing to watch 
 the rapture to which, when unrestrained by habi- 
 tual caution, he now gave full way on the glad 
 occasion of a successful shot. Apostrophizing it 
 in Gaelic, he addressed to it every reproachful 
 epithet he could think of, as a villain which had 
 so often baffled their murderous efforts : it was a 
 scoundrel, and a rascal, and a devil, to whom he 
 Avished a bad end, and whose soul, heart, and liver, 
 he gave to the devil : then changing his tone, he 
 lavished upon it every expression of endearment 
 in which his language is so fruitful, but which, 
 when translated, often sounds strangely enough to 
 English ears. It was his dear, his darling, his 
 bonny beast, his cattle, his love. He seemed to 
 abandon himself to the very intoxication of de- 
 light, and it was singular to see a man habitually
 
 112 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 grave and reserved, acting as if for the time he 
 had actually been deprived of reason. 
 
 " Come, this is well enough," said Glenvallich 
 after a while ; " but you must have another chance 
 yet, Harry. I want two more haunches at least. 
 What say you, Maccombich ? I fear the deer 
 we lodged lower down may be off on hearing our 
 shots." 
 
 " I dinna ken that, sir," responded Duncan, 
 who now sheathing his skeau-dhu, after perform- 
 ing his duty, had resumed his habitual compo- 
 sure ; " thon three staigs that's oiF, are no the 
 ones that Kenneth's watching ; but what's the lad 
 aboot ? Ou, deel abit but they're there yet — see 
 till him wafting us." 
 
 They turned their eyes to the point where their 
 sentinel was perched above them, like a bird on 
 the ledge of a rock. He had now risen and re- 
 tired a few paces back from the edge of the preci- 
 pice, where he stood making signals, which they 
 soon discovered to relate to the animals he was 
 watching, and the sportsmen accordingly recom- 
 menced their approaches in form. These so en- 
 tirely resembled their first proceedings, that the 
 detail may be spared. The herd were soon to be 
 perceived, some lying down, some feeding about, 
 and a ridge of rock, about a hundred yards dis-
 
 TITE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 113 
 
 tant from the spot, gave the sportsmen compara- 
 tively easy means of approach. Ascending with 
 proper caution among the crags, they found 
 themselves about the distance we have mentioned, 
 gazing down upon their destined victims, them- 
 selves safe the while from all risk of observation. 
 Three of the hinds were quietly lying down, a 
 toss of their heads to shake off the flies being the 
 only indication of motion which they gave. Two 
 were feeding in all security at a considerable dis- 
 tance; but there were other two, a stag and a 
 hind, which appeared quite upon the alert, seldom 
 putting down their heads to crop the grass, and 
 staring around them with a vigilant glance, which 
 was the more remarkable, when contrasted with 
 the careless security of the rest of the herd. 
 
 " Is he within fair shot ?'' whispered Tresham, 
 as they gazed on this interesting scene. " Hell 
 be off, I fear, if we don't take him now." 
 
 " Hush — be quiet — he is not our mark — wait 
 awhile." 
 
 During this time the forester, who had taken a 
 different direction, had gained the crest of the 
 rocks at a point nearer the precipice. He was 
 now seen creeping back from his position like a 
 knowing old pointer, who, having found game at a 
 distance, comes back to tell his master. 
 
 '' We must join him," whispered Glenvallich,
 
 114 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEKS. 
 
 as they observed his slight but earnest gesture ; 
 and they also, retrograding in the same vermicular 
 fashion, crept down the descent and joined their 
 guide. 
 
 " He 's there, sir, just under the nose o* that 
 black craig — and feggs ! but he's a grand one. 
 I ken that chap weel ; he 's a staig o' ten branches, 
 and there's a broken knob on his rijrht horn. — 
 He 's as fat as butter. This way, sir, up that 
 slap in the brae, and creep forward till yon bit 
 grey heather — ye '11 get within sixty yards o' the 
 fellow — ye can just put the rifle o'wr it, an' ye 
 canna miss him." 
 
 Following these directions they crept forward, 
 and by dint of writhing and crawling, they reached 
 the tuft of heather. " Now, Harry, stop and 
 take breath; be cool, and take good aim — you 
 may'nt get such a chance as this in a whole six 
 weeks' stalking." Such was Glenvallich's whis- 
 pered warning to his friend, as he cautiously raised 
 his head to spy the deer. " Look at the lazy 
 scoundrel," continued he, in the same scarcely 
 audible accents ; " there he lies like a mighty 
 Don, while his followers are forced to keep watch 
 and ward for his safety — but it's the way with his 
 betters.'* 
 
 Tresham raising his head, saw the mighty stag 
 lying like a dead thing at full length on his side,
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 115 
 
 basking in the sunshine ; an indolent shudder, 
 when a troublesome fly would tickle his hide, 
 being the only symptom of remaining animation. 
 
 " Rouse the lazy rascal with a rifle ball," whis- 
 pered Glenvallich; "take him just behind the 
 shoulder ; but as you are above him, aim rather 
 low. Stop — you 've got the middle sight up ; 
 take the point blank one — he's not sixty yards 
 off." 
 
 " By heaven ! it's almost a shame to do it while 
 he lies so — it's almost like treachery," returned 
 Tresham, still trembling with eagerness, as he 
 complied with the directions of his friend ; " but 
 here goes!" 
 
 His eye and hand were this time more true : the 
 flash of the rifle was instantly followed, or almost 
 accompanied, by a wince of the prostrate stag, 
 which, however, in another second bounded up 
 with the speed of light, ran a few paces, and then 
 stood gazing about him. The rest of the herd, 
 alarmed by the crack of the rifle, had also started 
 up, ran together and stood gazing in a group upon 
 a little height, looking round as if in search of 
 their leader. 
 
 But that leader seemed in no condition to join 
 them, for he was obviously severely wounded. 
 " That was not a bad shot," said the forester, 
 calmly examining the animal through his glass, as
 
 116 
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 it Stood sick and panting. " It's a wee bit oVr far 
 behind; but ifs through him. I see the blood 
 dropping fast. He canna go long, that one — if 
 he '11 once lie down, hell no get up again." 
 
 While this was passing, the party had lain per- 
 fectly still behind the tuft of heather, watching 
 the movements of the wounded deer. It now 
 moved slowly after the herd, who were trotting 
 down the corry, stopping every now and then 
 to gaze backwards, and discover the cause of their 
 alarm. 
 
 " He'll need another shot, I fear, after all," 
 said Glenvallich, " and he is too far off* for it now. 
 Duncan, I wish we had not left the dogs behind. 
 Better you run down by yon burn, and try to turn 
 him back this way, and waft to Allan when you 
 see him, to come up with Luath ; if he casts 
 wrong, we '11 try the dog at all events." 
 
 Away ran Duncan like a deer-hound on the 
 view, and soon succeeded in gaining a point be- 
 tween the retreating herd and the wounded stag ; 
 while Kenneth, who had sat watching on the top of 
 the precipice above the corry, motionless as one of 
 its own grey stones, no sooner saw the game roused, 
 than heedless of the imminent risk, he bounded 
 down its craggy face, availing himself of every 
 ledge, springing from point to point, swinging 
 himself down the smoother faces by the shaggy
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 117 
 
 tufts of heather in their crevices, and slipping 
 or sliding, and sometimes rolling down the soft 
 grassy slopes, until, in a time incredibly short, 
 and miraculously with whole limbs, he reached 
 the rougher but less precipitous ground of the 
 corry-side, from whence he set off at full speed to 
 co-operate with his principal, Maccombich. But 
 the stag, probably scenting the latter, who had 
 now got to windward of him, started off at 
 a rate unexpectedly swift, and eluding both the 
 sportsmen and their assistants, dashed into the 
 rough ground towards the bottom of the corry, 
 and made after the herd, which had likewise taken 
 that direction. 
 
 Away went Duncan after him at incredible 
 speed, waving his bonnet for the rest to follow ; 
 and Kenneth started off to a height, and signalled 
 to Allan, who had been placed in a hollow out of 
 sight, wdth the hound; while Glenvallich and 
 Tresham, (whose vigour had become quite re- 
 stored by the excitement of the scene,) followed as 
 each best could make his way in the direction taken 
 by the Maccombich and the stag. 
 
 Panting and out-breathed, in less than twenty 
 minutes, they attained a bare height, which formed 
 the top of a steep brae, sprinkled with scattered 
 wood and thickets. It was round the base of this 
 knoll that the forester had disappeared in pursuit
 
 118 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 of the stag, and scarcely had they reached its 
 summit, when they saw that worthy personage 
 appear below, bare-headed, and wafting with his 
 bonnet to hasten their advance. The perspiration 
 was pouring down his face, and his breast was 
 still heaving with thick sobs, even when they 
 joined him, so that it was some seconds before he 
 could articulate, " He's there, sir !" at length he 
 said, " I have him safe — he's in the burn — ye'll 
 get him without the doug. See that dead fir tree, 
 wi' the green birk aside it ; I watched him intil 
 that very bush, and out o"* it he's no gone yet." 
 
 " Come on, Tresham,'' then said Glenvallich ; 
 " you must finish your work ; follow us, Mac- 
 combich." 
 
 A cautious approach soon brought them within 
 shot of the bush, but no deer was to be seen ; 
 and some time was spent in anxious examination. 
 A slight movement, however, in what might have 
 passed for the branch of a dead tree, at length 
 caught Glenvallich's eye. *' There's his head," 
 said he ; " now a quick eye and a steady hand, 
 and the job is done." 
 
 But the hand, it appeared, was not steady. 
 That the animal was hit again was evident; 
 for it stumbled almost to falling, and sunk out 
 of sight in the thicket. But that even this se- 
 cond wound was not fatal became soon as clear ;
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 119 
 
 for the sound of its course passing through the 
 underwood below was heard immediately after, 
 and a glimpse of the animal itself was caught by 
 the sportsmen, as it dashed through a brake of 
 fern just beyond them. Quick as the bound of 
 the stag, did the report of Glen vallich's rifle follow 
 its appearance ; but the steadiness of his hand did 
 not second the keenness of his sight, for the deer 
 was seen immediately after cantering slowly along 
 the brae face towards the denser forest beyond. 
 
 " Loose the dog !" shouted Glenvallich ; and 
 Allan, as soon as the hound saw the game, slipt 
 the collar. Away bounded Luath, and up hur- 
 ried all who were able, to the height from which 
 they had descended. It was in truth a beautiful 
 sight. The wounded but gallant stag, aroused to 
 fresh energy by the sight of a new and terrible 
 enemy, dashed onwards with a speed which seemed 
 to defy both suffering and pursuit, followed by 
 the no less noble dog, at a rate w^hich promised 
 soon to lessen the distance which had been be- 
 tween them at first starting. 
 
 " Who would believe that animal to be 
 w^ounded !" exclaimed Tresham ; " what bounds 
 he makes ! — but the hound gains on him." 
 
 " I'll awa' up to the craig th'onder, and look 
 what way they go," said the forester ; "the doug'll 
 may be turn him, and he'll be coming up the hoi-
 
 120 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 low there : one o'the guns should be there ;" but 
 Duncan had miscalculated for once. 
 
 At the distance of three or four hundred yards 
 below where they stood, the brae face terminated 
 in a chaotic mass of stony fragments, half covered 
 with heather, long and shaggy, and full of stunted 
 birch, and roots of half burnt fir-trees. The 
 little soil which time had formed among them, 
 had been furrowed and torn up by the torrents of 
 winter, so that the whole surface, naturally rough, 
 was intersected by a multitude of petty ravines 
 with sharp strong edges. These, after many intri- 
 cate intersections, ended in a deep rocky hollow, 
 which formed the issue to a rapid torrent. 
 
 To this dangerous point did the stag, either 
 disabled by his wounds from facing the hill, or 
 sensible of the advantage which such ground 
 would give him over his pursuers, bend his course 
 with headlong rapidity, and fast upon his haunches 
 followed the no less eager hound. Scarcely could 
 the eye follow their movements, as flashing through 
 bush and brake, over heights and hollows, they 
 alternately appeared and disappeared from the 
 view. " This will never do, Kenneth," said Glen- 
 vallich ; " try, man, if ye can get down to turn 
 the deer from that black hole ; the dog may hold 
 way for a while above, but if once they get 
 into that wild corry, both will be lost."
 
 THE HIGHLAXD SMUGGLERS. 121 
 
 Away went Kenneth again like a wild goat, 
 bounding and scrambling, and tumbling down the 
 brae ; but ere he reached the point in question, 
 the chase was brought to a speedy termination ; 
 for the unfortunate Luath, less acquainted than 
 the game he pursued with the nature of the 
 ground, while throwing himself boldly over the 
 treacherous surface, plunged into a rocky hole , 
 against the opposite side of which he struck his 
 breast and shoulder with so much violence, that 
 he lay stunned and motionless on the spot. 
 
 " Diaoul !" exclaimed Maccombich, as he wit- 
 nessed this catastrophe from the height; but 
 de'^el be in my fut then, if ye get oft' that way yet !" 
 With these words he started off* at speed, and taking 
 right across the bosom of the hollow above, divine 
 down the small ravines which occurred in his 
 course, and swiftly breasting up the opposite hill, 
 he gained an elevated point, which commanded a 
 full view of the wild corry to which the deer was 
 tending, as also of the other side, far downwards 
 into the glen below. 
 
 The stag in the meantime, exhausted probably 
 by its exertions, and as if aware of the fate of its 
 worst enemy, now changed its course, and avoiding 
 the dangerous and precipitous torrent-bed, trotted 
 quietly onwards to the ragged wood that skirted 
 for some distance its right bank. This movement 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 12^ THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 of the stag was necessarily unseen by the sports- 
 men, who giving up their game as lost for the 
 time, descended to ascertain the condition of poor 
 Luath. . They found him miserably bruised, 
 and with feet dreadfully cut, lying where the vio- 
 lence of the fall had thrown him. They had 
 just raised him up, and after examining his hurts, 
 were consigning him to the care of Allan to be 
 conveyed to the bothy, when their attention was 
 directed by a shrill whistle to the height from 
 which Duncan was once more waving them to 
 come on. 
 
 " He has him, depend upon it, sir,'"* said Allen 
 who first saw the forester ; " he has the deer 
 surelv — leave the doug wi' me and be after him." 
 
 " Ah ! what say you, Harry ? are you done up 
 yet, or have you as much life left as Avill serve 
 for another fag — it will be no joke, I promise 
 you." 
 
 " Faith, I hardly know,'' replied Tresham ; '* if 
 you thought there was a fair chance, I should be 
 loth. I would fain have that fellow, certainly — 
 what think you ?" 
 
 " Why, you know as much as I do, that Mac- 
 combich has got sight of him, I am satisfied of. 
 The fellow has the eye of a falcon, but as to get- 
 ting the beast, that may depend on ourselves, as 
 you know "
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 123 
 
 " Well, ni try to see it out— have on." 
 
 When the forester saw the sportsmen fairly on 
 the way, he slid down the height, crossed the 
 corry and soon came up with them. 
 
 " I ken the very bush he's in, sir ; but he's 
 restless, very restless — weel does he ken that if he 
 once lies down he'll never rise, an' he's aye on the 
 move ; go ye on, sir, to the end of the wud, an' 
 Glenvallich, ye'll go straight down to thon aller 
 bush — one of you'll be sure to have him." 
 
 A painful and rapid descent now commenced, 
 in the course of which many headlong tumbles 
 were received by each of the party from the hori- 
 zontal roots of the heather, on which the feet slipped 
 like glass, and when they reached their respective 
 stations, they had the mortification to see the wound- 
 ed stag moving leisurely across the bottom of the 
 glen to the opposite side. " Thannumundiaoul !"* 
 exclaimed Duncan, surprised out of all patience 
 and propriety, " but, however, that chiel canna go 
 far — that's a pace that canna last. Glenvallich, 
 if ye're tired gi"* me the gun and 111 follow him 
 mysel'." 
 
 " No, no; we'll try him yet once more — he 
 can't go far ; I think T could almost catch him by 
 speed of foot, he gets on so poorly. " 
 
 " Na, na," said the forester, " there's a run in 
 * A tolerably energetic Gaelic execration. 
 
 G 2
 
 124 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 him yet, and that we may find — but we most see 
 and turn him — if he gets to Loch Lubrich, and 
 that's no over three miles off, it's only the gleds 
 and corbies that 'ill see the rest o"* him." 
 
 " Three miles !" exclaimed Glenvallich, " six 
 good, if it's a yard, but we'll stop his progress be- 
 fore he gets half way." 
 
 They never were more mistaken in their lives. 
 The deer crossing the valley and the stream en- 
 tered an opposite glen, in which lay Loch Lubrich ; 
 and though its pace seemed slow, the sportsmen 
 found, that though they contrived to 'keep it in 
 view, toiling over one height after another, they 
 never neared it an inch. At length faint and 
 weary they began to despair, when the forester 
 observing it tending towards a deep and rugged 
 hollow on one side of the glen, with a powerful 
 effort ran forward, succeeded in cutting it off, and 
 turned it downwards in face and reach of the 
 rifles. 
 
 Glenvallich, resolved to lose no opportunity, 
 fired at a great distance, and hit the animal, which 
 fell, but got once more upon its legs, and crossing 
 the last height in their front, staggered down the 
 brae to a promontory which projected into Loch 
 Lubrich, now broad before them in the hollow be- 
 low. " That deer can never swim," observed 
 Glenvallich, " he's ours now to a certainty ;" and
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. l25 
 
 mustering their remaining strength, they pressed 
 forward to cut off his retreat from the promon- 
 tory. 
 
 The chase now drew in earnest to a close. 
 Vvhen they came up, the persecuted stag was 
 standing on the margin of the lake streaming with 
 blood, hesitating to enter the water, as if aware of 
 his failing strength. But the sight of his pursuers 
 determined him ; he plunged in and attempted to 
 swim from the shore. A shot from Tresham, 
 aimed at the head, the only part above the water, 
 struck one of his horns, and stunned him as it ap- 
 peared, for turning in the water, he swam right 
 back to the beach, where a ball from the second 
 barrel of Glenvallich put an end to his life and 
 his misery together. 
 
 Successful as was the result of their chase, and 
 highly exciting as it had been throughout, such 
 was the exhausted state of the two young sports- 
 men when it terminated, and so painful and bloody 
 had been its close, that their triumph and exulta- 
 tion were sobered almost to sadness ; they threw 
 themselves upon a heathy knoll, and gazed for some 
 time in silence upon the slaughtered animal. " A 
 savage and butcherly job, it has been after all,'' 
 said Tresham at length ; " poor brute ! ye died 
 hard, and have been most foully slain ! I'm half 
 sorry for ye !''
 
 126 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " Poh, nonsense man," said his friend, forcing 
 a smile, " it's your rawness at the work, you're 
 not well blooded yet — but I own weVe done it in 
 a slovenly manner enough. I don''t think I ever 
 saw one deer take so much shooting — eh, Dun- 
 can ?" 
 
 " Trouth, no, sir, nor I,"" responded the fo- 
 rester. " But this gentleman 'ill be a good hand 
 yet — he has a quick eye, for a first trial, and faith 
 his wind is no that bad if he had practice ; thon 
 scurry up the last brae and down to the loch, was 
 a gay an"* tight one after the day's work— but ye'll 
 be for home noo, surely — it's wearing late, and the 
 bothy's ten miles off if it's a yard." 
 
 '' A good finish to a hard day's work," said Glen- 
 vallich laughing, " what say you, Harry ? but 
 after so respectable a report from Maccombich on 
 your first field-day, pride should keep you up, if 
 you knew but all ; for it's not a little, I assure 
 you, that could wring so much from him, and 
 to a Sassenach too — but come, leave we this 
 poor fellow to the gillies, and I'll see if we can't 
 find a better path home than the way we came 
 — there's a track from the loch side all down the 
 glen." 
 
 With these words, throwing their rifles across 
 their shoulders, the young men took the beach of
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 127 
 
 the loch with resolved feet, and soon fell into the 
 track; but night had thrown her veil over the 
 whole valley before they caught the welcome sight 
 of the lights which shone from the windows of their 
 bothy.
 
 128 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 AN ADVENTURE. 
 
 Thou hadst not best buffet me, quoth Robin Hood, 
 
 For though I am forlorn. 
 Yet I have those will take my part, 
 
 If I do blow my horn. 
 
 For evil seemed that old man's eye, 
 Dark and designing, fierce yet shy. 
 
 There be degrees of comparison in all things. To 
 angle for trout, for instance, on a fine summer's 
 day, by the side of a pleasant stream, or seated in 
 a boat on a Highland loch, with a westerly breeze 
 strong enough to produce a fine curl on the blue 
 water, and a due portion of cloud and sunshine to 
 suit the caprice of the finny tribe, such pastime is 
 not without its charms, particularly when every 
 two or three minutes you pull out a fine yellow- 
 sided rogue of something like a pound in weight.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 129 
 
 But who that has experienced the ecstacy of hook- 
 ing, playing, and landing upon the pebbly beech of 
 a deep pool with a fine sharp stream at its throat, 
 2i fifteen 'pound salmon— aye, or a fat lively grilse 
 of half that weight — who has felt in every nerve 
 his vigorous runs and shudders, and seen him leap 
 yards out of the water in his struggles to free him- 
 self from the fatal hook — who has gloated over 
 the silver whiteness of his upturned side as he lay 
 gasping at his feet after the deadly tussle — who, we 
 ask, that has known the keen delight of such a 
 moment as this, could return with any zest to 
 petty warfare with the small fry of the brook ? 
 
 To follow a clever pack of beagles after the 
 timid hare, has charms for many, until their taste 
 for the tamer amusement is destroyed by experi- 
 encing the animating toil of a spirited fox hunt ; 
 and even the noble sport of grouse shooting, with 
 all its inimitable variety of interest, is found in- 
 sipid after the powerful excitement of a successful 
 deer stalking party. 
 
 There is no describing the irresistible fascina- 
 tion of this pursuit to the true bred Highlander. 
 Day after day will he traverse the haunts of these 
 noble animals, or sit with inexhaustible patience, 
 wrapped in his plaid, behind a grey stone upon 
 some well-known commanding height, watching for 
 a sight of them ; or creep for miles together on his 
 
 G 5
 
 130 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 belly like a worm, to approach them undiscovered. 
 The lapse of time, and the severity of the weather, 
 are alike unheeded ; he only thinks of how to cir- 
 cumvent his wary prey. If successful, he is richly 
 repaid — if he fails, it is but to renew the tedious 
 and toilsome quest, until his perseverance is at 
 length rewarded. 
 
 A portion of this infatuating zeal was speedily 
 imbibed by Tresham, after his first successful ex- 
 pedition, which we have just described. An im- 
 portant engagement prevented his friend Glenval- 
 lich from remaining any longer in the forest at 
 this time, and Tresham, in fact, rose on the mor- 
 row too much fatigued with his exertions of the 
 previous day to dream of invading the hill immedi- 
 ately again. He therefore returned with his friend 
 to Inverallich, and occupied himself for a day or two 
 in sorely unsuccessful attempts upon the fish of the 
 lake and of the river. As his weariness wore off, 
 however, visions of greater glory arose on his 
 soul — to chace the dun deer on their native hills 
 became again the object of his ambition ; and the 
 consequence was, a fresh trip to the forest of 
 Glenochree. 
 
 " Practice maketh perfect," and *' use lightens 
 labour,"" sayeth the well-worn proverb of many 
 lands and languages ; nor was it falsified in the 
 case of Henry Tresham. The toilsome and vio-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 131 
 
 lent exercise of deer stalking, became by use a de- 
 lightful and invigorating sport, and he pursued it 
 with all the eagerness of an ardent temperament 
 The elegant luxury and cultivated refinements of 
 Inverallich Castle were neglected, and the bothy 
 at Auchonrui, became for sometime his almost 
 constant residence. 
 
 The forest was amply stocked with deer ; the 
 friends and neighbours of his friend had no ob- 
 jection to venison, and Tresham supplied them as 
 well as the castle with it in abundance. His skill 
 and knowledge increasing with experience, gave 
 him a respectability even in the eyes of the some- 
 what fastidious Duncan Maccombich. This worthy 
 personage, gratified with the young Englishman's 
 perseverance in a pursuit which to him appeared 
 one of the noblest and most important in life, was 
 graciously pleased to overlook the misfortune of 
 his country and parentage, in favour of his good 
 qualities, and extended to him a degree of regard 
 which increased day by day, to an extent scarcely 
 suspected by the honest forester himself. 
 
 In truth, the case could not have been other- 
 wise, without a degree of ingratitude on the part 
 of the good Duncan, very foreign to his nature ; 
 for the generosity of Tresham had been largely 
 extended both to him and the other attendants 
 connected with the forest; nor was the frank,
 
 132 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 good-humoured condescension with which he al- 
 ways addressed them, listened to their long stories, 
 and questioned them regarding all that traditional 
 lore, which Highlanders of the old school so much 
 delight in, without its effect upon his humble com- 
 panions. They one and all agreed, that " Maister 
 Traisham was no' the least proud — de'il a bit — he 
 wud as soon spaik till a poor body, and tak' a 
 sneeshan from their horn mull, as he wud from 
 the laird's gold box — aye, and gie them a some- 
 thing to fill it wi' too — God bless him !'* 
 
 It might be nearly three weeks after the initia- 
 tion of Tresham into the mysteries of deer stalk- 
 ing, and about the beginning of the month of 
 August, that he paid what was likely to be his 
 last visit for some months to the bothy, as the 
 approaching commencement of grouse-shooting 
 would probably engage the attention of sportsmen 
 in other quarters: and Glenvallich had requested 
 him to be his provider for certain friends to whom 
 he wished to send a specimen of red deer venison. 
 On the morning after he reached the forest, he 
 started at an early hour, taking Duncan and Ken- 
 neth, with a slow hqund, to track such deer as 
 might be wounded, and resolved to spare neither 
 toil nor pains in seeking out and bringing down 
 the finest pair of antlers in the forest. 
 
 One deer had already fallen a victim to the
 
 THE HIGHLAK-D SMUGGLERS. 133 
 
 quickness of his eye, and the trueness of his hand ; 
 and Maccombich had remained behind to " do the 
 needful " with the animal, while Tresham, with 
 Kenneth, went on in pursuit of a still finer stag, 
 which had been observed from a neighbouring 
 height, moving slowly towards a hill, where they 
 supposed he might possibly take up his quarters 
 for the day. 
 
 They were disappointed of the object of their 
 search ; but having ascended a height beyond the 
 dell which they had reached, and reconnoitered 
 the opposite hills through their glasses, their eyes 
 were greeted by the sight of a little grove of an- 
 tlers, bristling on the shoulder of a ridge at a con- 
 siderable way off. Regardless of distance, and in- 
 tent only upon coming up with their game, away 
 started the hunters at full stretch, to gain the 
 wind of this fine herd. To effect this, several 
 hours were expended, for the deer, feeding on- 
 wards_, led their pursuers necessarily over a greater 
 space of ground than they had at all anticipated. 
 
 Their perseverance, however, was at length re- 
 warded. They had rounded the summit of a 
 rocky scoor, from whence they expected to look 
 down upon the herd in a hollow below, and were 
 panting at the entrance of a black cleft, where 
 they had halted to recover their wind and steady
 
 134 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 their nerves, before moving on to the attack ; 
 when all at once their ears were assailed by a 
 rumbling like that of distant thunder. " The 
 deer ! the deer !" cried Kenneth ; " stay where 
 you are, sir, till I'll see where they're like to 
 break;" and with the agihty of a roebuck, up 
 darted Kenneth to the top of a crag which over- 
 looked the corry. In a moment Tresham saw him 
 waving his cap, and pointing to the black cleft 
 near which he stood. The rumbling increased, 
 and scarce had he time to throw forward and cock 
 his rifle, when the whole herd, full fifty in num- 
 ber, headed by a dozen of noble stags, came 
 trotting up the cleft, and made their appearance 
 at its gorge, within less than thirty yards of 
 him. 
 
 Practised as Tresham had been of late, the 
 sudden and overwhelming sight for a moment 
 robbed him of his presence of mind, and actually 
 took away his breath. In another instant the 
 crack of the rifle was heard. The foremost stags 
 had already gone by, but a very fine one which 
 followed, sprung upwards from the ground — 
 stumbled and fell — then rose, and went off after 
 the rest of the herd. " Let loose the dog, Ken- 
 neth — let it loose — that's a dead beast,'' exclaimed 
 Tresham, and Kenneth, who had dragged the
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 135 
 
 hound after him up the rock, slipped the leash, 
 and bounded himself down to the place where 
 Henry stood. 
 
 The dog, true to its instinct, on scenting the 
 blood, started off upon the traces of the wounded 
 stag. But, as the rest scattered right and left, 
 and the dust of their trampling blew away, the 
 hunters became aware of yet another victim. The 
 bullet, which had perforated the body of the stag, 
 and passed beyond him, without causing imme- 
 diate death, had taken more decisive effect upon 
 a poor hind, which was trotting unsuspiciously on 
 upon his other side, and she now lay before them, 
 writhing in the agonies of death. 
 
 " Be after the doug, Mr. Tresham !" said Ken- 
 neth, hastily, when he was aware of the circum- 
 stance ; " the staig canna go far — I'll see till this 
 baist mysel. Oich ! oich ! how will we ever get 
 her out o' this the nicht 1" 
 
 Away scoured Tresham accordingly, rapidly 
 loading his rifle, and leaving Kenneth to deal with 
 the fallen hind, while he should endeavour to keep 
 the wounded stag in view. 
 
 In the meantime, all the deer had disappeared 
 down the grey stony slope of the hill ; and 
 when Tresham reached the shoulder, following 
 the course they had taken, not one of them was 
 in view : but after some loss of time in searching
 
 ISO THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 with his eyes on every hill side within his ken, 
 he saw the wounded stag toiling with effort, but 
 great speed, up an opposite ascent, while the 
 hound, far behind, followed eagerly on his traces. 
 
 " By heavens we shall lose him at this rate,'"* 
 shouted the young man, mechanically, although 
 there was none to hear him, and throwing himself 
 down the steep brae face he soon reached the 
 bottom. The ascent checked his speed; but he 
 had noted the gray cairn by which the deer had 
 passed, and in that direction he kept. Traces of 
 blood were distinctly visible upon some of the 
 white lichens which covered the stones, so that he 
 was satisfied, so far, that he was right ; but on 
 ascending the height over which the chase had 
 disappeared, neither dog nor deer were to be seen ; 
 and neither his lately-earned experience, nor his 
 fancied sagacity, enabled him to judge in what 
 direction he should pursue them. 
 
 A long undulating slope lay now before him ; 
 at its foot stretched a great extent of grey moss, 
 streaked with dark peat-cracks and dotted with 
 little pools of black water ; beyond, lay another 
 bare hill-shoulder, rising gradually to some gloomy 
 lumpy Bein which frowned under the shadow of a 
 thick grey cloud. 
 
 His quick eye at length detected the movement 
 of an animal of some sort, in the grey moss below
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 137 
 
 him — what could this be but the wounded deer ? 
 and with renewed hope and strength, again he 
 sprung down the slope, nor stopped until he be- 
 came thoroughly entangled in the masses of the 
 quaggy moss. All trace of deer or hound were 
 now utterly lost, and Tresham, with a rising 
 feeling of anxiety, began to look around for 
 Kenneth. But he had now descended so low that 
 he no longer recognised a single land-mark : all 
 those with which he was hitherto familiar had 
 been left far behind, and he had never thought of 
 looking for others. Several high ranges of hills 
 assuredly intervened between him and his usual 
 ground — all of which had been traversed and 
 passed by, in the continued ardour of pursuit, and 
 he looked around in vain to determine the direction 
 which he had pursued so far. To add to his per- 
 plexity, the sky was covered with dense, although 
 not threatening clouds, and almost every height 
 around him was fast putting on its own diadem of 
 mist. 
 
 "A pretty business this,"' said he to himself; 
 " where the deuce may I have got to now ? and 
 what is to be done ?'' He now first took note of 
 the great space of time which had elapsed, since 
 they had parted from Maccombich, and saw that 
 the afternoon was fast waning into evening. "It 
 is worse than useless to remain in this bog,""
 
 138 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 thought Tresham. " Surely this low ground 
 must have some shealing attached to it : they say 
 in the hill, follow a burn, when you lose your 
 way, and it will guide you to house and home : 
 but where is there a burn here ? — we must seek 
 one." 
 
 Striding onwards with long and determined 
 steps, but no longer with the alert pace of excited 
 hope, Tresham still held on across the moss, 
 tending towards a point where there seemed to be 
 a sinking of the ground : but its irregularity and 
 difficulty bewildered him so much, that in utter 
 despair he lost sight of all plan or direction, and 
 advanced at random. The ground, however, did 
 upon the whole decline ; and after a weary time, 
 and many a weary mile, the jaded hunter at 
 length became sensible that this interminable moss 
 was in fact, the receptacle of many streams flow- 
 ing from a number of lofty eminences which 
 bordered it on all sides. These entering it from 
 various directions, tended by almost imperceptible 
 courses to one or two principal channels, and as 
 good luck would have it, with one of these did 
 Tresham fortunately fall in. 
 
 Speedily changing his course, he followed the 
 petty runlet, which in no long space was joined by 
 others. He found that it gradually made its way 
 towards a chasm, obviously the outlet into some
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 139 
 
 greater valley : what that valley might be he had 
 no means of determining, for dark jutting emi- 
 nences shut in the cleft below him, while above 
 them nothing caught the eye but a succession of 
 such country as he had for some hours been 
 traversing. On one hand only, he could distin- 
 guish dark grey and purple peaks of nobler and 
 more fantastic shapes, which seemed to tower to a 
 great height out of this extensive bog. 
 
 The cleft or chasm by which he was thus in- 
 duced to descend, proved to be of a singularly 
 wild and forbidding character. Its sides of black 
 rock and abrupt gravelly scoors, became soon 
 fringed with scraggy birch and grey stunted fir- 
 trees, rising reluctantly from an equally ragged un- 
 dergrowth of tangled heather, bilberries, and other 
 mountain shrubs. A black stream murmured 
 deep beneath, flinging itself over many petty, but 
 often picturesque cascades. The murmur of little 
 rills rolling underground, in channels worn through 
 the deep black peat earth, frequently deceived the 
 ear into the belief that thunder was muttering at a 
 great distance ; and more than once did Tresham 
 slip almost up to the middle among the deep 
 bogs through which he was often forced to pick 
 his way, in order to avoid the precipices that 
 bordered the burn. 
 
 He had pursued this description of path for
 
 14?0 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 a considerable time, rapidly descending, when the 
 scene at length began to assume a new and diffe- 
 rent character. The dell opened out into a basin, 
 to which the eye at first perceived no outlet, for 
 black rocks, sprinkled with birch and oak, pro- 
 truded from either side, and met in a manner 
 which appeared to terminate it in his view. The 
 sides of this basin were very precipitous, hung 
 with shaggy wood, and descended sheer to a little 
 green bottom through which the stream brawled 
 away, after falling into a black chasm, where it 
 boiled and seethed as in a caldron. This retired 
 spot was plentifully embellished with oak and ash 
 and birch, but beyond it, when once reached, 
 nothing further was to be seen. 
 
 The steps of Tresham were arrested on the 
 heathery brow which overlooked this singular 
 place, by the extreme difficulty of further pro- 
 gres, and he, for a while, looked about in vain for 
 any mode of descending. At his feet was a pre- 
 cipice, which on the one hand stretched to the 
 channel of the burn, and on the other, to a smaller, 
 but not less precipitous cleft, which poured its in- 
 significant tribute into the reservoir of its neigh- 
 bour. 
 
 While the young Englishman stood thus some- 
 what perplexed by the obstacles which had uprisen 
 in his path, a slight filmy vapour ascended from a
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 1-11 
 
 nook of the basin beneath. '' It is the mists of 
 evening, already called forth from their secret 
 places by the chill air,'" said he, mentally, and a 
 shiver crept through his frame at the uncomfor- 
 table prospect for the night, thus forcibly brought 
 to his notice. Another glance arrested his atten- 
 tion more strongly, for the connected upright 
 eddies in which the vapour continued to arise, 
 suggested rather the idea of smoke than of mist. 
 "Can there be a habitation here .^"" thouo-ht he. 
 " Some shepherd, perhaps, making his fire under 
 a rock, to warm his night''s quarters : let us try to 
 find him out, at all events." And casting about 
 more narrowly, his eye, did by some lucky chance, 
 hit upon a slight track, like that made by sheep or 
 goats, which led by a difficult and perilous course 
 along the ledges of rock to a certain point, and 
 from thence, by a series of imperfect and tortuous 
 steps, descended into the dell. 
 
 Pursuing his way with a caution proportioned 
 to his ignorance of the place and its apparent 
 danger, and holding on by heather roL;ts and 
 stunted birch, Tresham at length reached the 
 bottom. He now found himself in a very narrow 
 and dark chasm, cut as it appeared by the torrent, 
 out of the solid rock. The vegetation here was of 
 that rank but sparse character which moisture and 
 rich soil produces in places excluded from much
 
 142 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 light or air ; a small but clear and sparkling 
 stream stole along the pebbles at its bottom. 
 Following its course but for a few yards, he 
 reached a spot occupied almost entirely by a deep 
 pool, nearly hid from view by overarching trees, 
 around one edge of which the path wound by 
 means of stepping stones. The bottom of this 
 pool, where it could be distinguished, was formed 
 of round pebbles and white gravel, over which, at 
 the lower end, the water broke away with a gentle 
 ripple. 
 
 "While gazing around him and cautiously pick- 
 ing his way along the stepping stones which had 
 evidently been placed there by the hand of man, 
 his eye fell on certain substances huddled together 
 under the surface of the water, of a singular and 
 suspicious appearance — but the thrill of doubt 
 and almost of alarm which agitated his mind for a 
 moment, as quickly subsided, although the sense 
 of curiosity remained unabated, on perceiving that 
 the objects in question were sacks thrown together 
 in a corner of the pool. He was about to make 
 some further investigation into this to him unac- 
 countable phenomenon, when the smothered growl 
 of a dog, at no great distance, saluted his ear, and 
 he resumed his way in order to discover where the 
 animal might be. 
 
 A few more steps carried him to the mouth of
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 143 
 
 the chasm, and no sooner had he reached it than 
 he became aware of the same thin column of grey 
 smoke which he had seen from above, ascending 
 from a point in the green turf, but a few yards 
 below him. " Ah, it is as I thought," muttered 
 he — a shepherd — where can the fellow be?" and 
 he stepped forward to a slightly elevated point in 
 order to look about him. 
 
 The stream found its tortuous way by the bot- 
 tom of the rock, which rose but a few feet distant 
 in its front ; and while his glance wandered over 
 its rugged surface, the bright reflection of an even- 
 ing cloud sent a faint gleam even down into this 
 recess. It fell upon a small glittering point, thus 
 rendered visible in the brown expanse, and Tres- 
 ham actually detected the twinkle of a human eye 
 which seemed to peer out from the rock itself. 
 
 Starting at this apparition, our hunter directed 
 a keener look at the spot, and his own optics be- 
 coming now more habituated to the darkness of 
 the place, were enabled to trace, first, the outline 
 of a human face, grievously begrimed with dirt ; 
 and then the person of its owner, an urchin in 
 dingy-green and purple tartans, who sat insconsed 
 in a hollow of the rock, and who followed every 
 movement of the stranger with an eye that was 
 fixed on his. 
 
 " Soboj my little fellow !" exclaimed Tre-
 
 144 THE HIGHLAIS^D SMUGGLERS. 
 
 sham, as soon as he had satisfied himself of this 
 discovery, " here with you ! — What the devil are 
 you after there ?" But the creature, without 
 moving a muscle, gave utterance to a shrill 
 whistle, and continued still gazing on the intruder. 
 Tresham now stepped down from the height he 
 had occupied, in order to enforce a reply to his 
 appeal; but just as he reached the lower level of 
 the ground, a fresh growl, terminating in a loud 
 angry bark, arose from behind, and in another 
 moment the animal which uttered it burst forth 
 from what appeared to be the mouth of a cavern, 
 followed by a stout young Highlander. 
 
 The stranger, though scarcely above the middle 
 size, possessed so active and well-knit a form, that 
 he appeared taller than he really was. The fair- 
 ness of his complexion, his freckled skin, and curl- 
 ing yellow locks falling from under his smart blue 
 bonnet, might have suggested the idea of simpli- 
 city if not of siUiness, had not the speaking keen- 
 ness of his deep blue eye, and the spirit of intelli- 
 gence which animated his high features, contra- 
 dicted the injurious impression. He wore thephe- 
 libeg and hose, and the dark green and purple 
 plaid which was wrapped around his chest and 
 over his left shoulder, increased to formidable 
 proportions the apparent bulk of his figure. 
 
 " ' Cuthe-u-neish Stumah f What now,
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 145 
 
 Stumah," said the young man in Gaelic, casting 
 an inquiring glance around, which was succeeded 
 by an expression of suspicion and alarm, as the 
 person of Tresham caught his eye. He started, 
 grasped mechanically the strong oaken cudgel which 
 he held in his hand, and fell back a step towards the 
 place from whence he issued, while he scanned 
 the intruder with jealous look. The result of his 
 scrutiny was probably not unfavourable : for before 
 Tresham, who had been taken somewhat by sur- 
 prise, had exactly made up his mind as to the 
 manner in which he should address this unex- 
 pected apparition, the Highlander, in the strong 
 guttural accent of his language, enunciated that 
 pithy proposition with which his countrymen 
 generally open the trenches of conversation with 
 all strangers. 
 
 " If s a fine nicht !" 
 
 " Good evening, friend," replied Tresham. 
 Yes ; the night is well enough — a little cold for 
 the season." 
 
 " Aye, could,"" repeated the other, suiting the 
 action to the word, by a shrug and a wriggle with 
 his shoulders. 
 
 '* So cold," reiterated Tresham, " that I should 
 like much to be at home. — Pray, my friend, can 
 you tell me where IVe got to, and how I am to 
 get out of this place ?'''' 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 146 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " Bel Gaelic akee f Have you any Gaelic ?" 
 responded the Celt with a question, as usual. 
 
 ''No, no no Gaelic," said Tresham, shaking 
 his head. " But you have English, my friend, 
 plenty to serve my turn." 
 
 " Ou, ha'niel accum — O, I have none !"" and 
 the assertion was accompanied with another shrug, 
 and an emphatic shake of the head. 
 
 Tresham was about to urge his inquiries in a 
 more distinct and earnest manner, when he was in- 
 terrupted by the appearance of another person 
 upon this singular scene : it was a young woman, 
 who half issuing from the opening of the den, re- 
 mained still partially concealed within its jaws. 
 The increasing gloom, as well as her retiring pos- 
 ture, rendered it impossible to distinguish either 
 form or feature; but Tresham felt disposed to 
 judge favourably of both from the musical tones 
 of her voice, as she addressed a few words to the 
 young Highlander. Perhaps the romantic nature 
 of the adventure might have inclined him to in- 
 vest any female who should appear to take a 
 part in it, with extraordinary attributes. 
 
 " T cheer ach tcheerach ! Eachan Horrenareh ! 
 — Be quiet, Hector ! — take care ! that's a gentle- 
 man !" 
 
 The tone, rather than the words, conveyed to 
 the Englishman's apprehension the conciliatory
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 147 
 
 character of the girl's address; and Eachan, or 
 Hector, the name, as it seemed of the young 
 man, assumed a more courteous aspect ; while he 
 relaxed his cautious reserve, and inquired, " What 
 wud the gentleman be pleased to want?" 
 
 " I want," replied Tresham, " in the first place, 
 to understand where I have got to; and then, 
 how I am to get away to some house of entertain- 
 ment, if such there be near."^ 
 
 " And whare from 'ill the gentleman be the 
 day ?" demanded the Highlander, replying, after 
 the fashion of his countrymen to one question, by 
 propounding another. 
 
 " Why, I have come from Glenochree this 
 morning, and I want to get back there; but I've 
 lost my way in the hill." 
 
 The young man opened wide his eyes at the 
 mention of Glenochree, and after a moment's 
 pause he continued his inquisitorial examination. 
 " Ye'U no be young MacgilliecuUach, I'm think- 
 ing," was the next query." 
 
 " No ; — Im not young MacgilliecuUach." 
 
 " Oil, then may be ye'll be the laird o' Dry- 
 noch — they say he'll be whiles in the hill." 
 
 " No, my friend, I am none of these; — but pray 
 tell me how far I may be from Glenochree ?" 
 
 " Ye'll be frae the south for certain, then .?" 
 
 " Yes, I am from the south ; — but what is that 
 
 H 2
 
 148 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 to the purpose ? Can you, or can you not, show 
 me the way to Auchonrui, in Glenochree ?"*' 
 
 " Glenochree? — ou she's a long bit awa' — And 
 ye left Glenochree the day ?" 
 
 " Yes, I tell you again, I left the bothy at 
 Auchonrui, in Glenochree — Mr. Mac — pshah— 
 GlenvallicK's hunting bothy, this morning, and I 
 lost my way in chase of a deer," replied Tresham, 
 whose patience was almost exhausted, but who saw 
 no chance of obtaining the information he wanted 
 except by humouring his inquisitive friend. 
 " Aye — it's Glenvallichs, Glenochree — ou, ye're 
 come a long way about — yon's a far way off;" 
 and after a pause of some seconds, during which 
 he examined Tresham again, but with an air ra- 
 ther of perplexity than of uneasiness, he turned to 
 the young woman, who still stood at the door of 
 the cavern, and addressed her some sentences of 
 Gaelic. The eiFect was to bring her forward, and 
 she approached with an air of modest timidity, 
 which, however, partook in no degree of awkward- 
 ness or shyness. 
 
 '* Sir," said she, in tones which, though much 
 tinctured with the Highland brogue, or rather 
 drawl, were musical and pleasing, '* this laad has 
 na muckle English, and I hae na any great things 
 mysel; but if ye'll plaise to tell me what ye're seek- 
 ing, I'll do my best to help ye "
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 1 19 
 
 Delighted at the unexpected appearance of a 
 friend, who seemed likely to be more able as well 
 as more willing to assist him at his need, Tresham 
 explained to the girl what he had already sought 
 to impress upon the comprehension of her compa- 
 nion, intimating that he would very willingly re- 
 compense any one who should guide him back to 
 the bothy. 
 
 " Ochone, sir !" exclaimed the girl, holding up 
 her hands in amazement, " and hae ye cum' a' that 
 way the day ? I dinna ken the place mysel, but 
 it's a lon^ weary way from this — that's sure, and 
 ye must be sore tired. — But for going back to 
 Glenochree the nicht, that's clean unpossable — 
 there's no the lad in the country that wud cross 
 the Moineboglach, or put his fut on the Slievos- 
 naigh after the sun's doon, and the mist's on the 
 hill." 
 
 " Well, my good girl — but what am I to do.'' 
 I can't well sleep in the heather all night. Is there 
 no place near this where I could get a bed ?" 
 
 " Ochone ! no, sir ; there is na a house nor a 
 bothy that ye cud put up at, nearer than twel' 
 mile, and the road is wild wild ! and no for the 
 like o' you to travel at nicht." 
 
 " All this is bad enough, my good girl ; but 
 still, what have I got for it? — Twelve Highland 
 miles on Highland roads would certainly be no
 
 150 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 pleasant appendix to my day's fag. Have you no 
 place of shelter ? — no heather bed, where I might 
 rest for the night ? It would not be like Highland 
 hospitality to turn a stranger to the hill-side after 
 night-fall; I would pay for my lodging hand- 
 somely.'* 
 
 " O, it's no that, sir ! — we wudna want that — 
 but — we — I dinna — I canna — Eachan—anghlin- 
 u f * — and she held another earnest dialogue with 
 Hector. 
 
 The result seemed still unsatisfactory. " I dinna 
 ken in the world what to do," said the young 
 woman at length, with an expression of much per- 
 plexity : *' It's no for the like o' you to get your 
 death sleeping out on the muir this could nicht in 
 the mist, and a' — and yet. Lord keep me ! what 
 am I to do ?" and again there passed some words 
 between her and the young man in a tone of great 
 animation. " Weel, cum' what may, I'll venture 
 it," said the girl at length ; " I'm sure, Sir, ye're 
 a gentleman, an' no a person to harm them who 
 never did ill to you. Ye may see what ye shou'd 
 na see, an' I may get blame for it ; but ye sha'na 
 hae to take the hill this nicht — ye shall hae a warm 
 bit to lie in, if it be na a grand one ; and I'll trust 
 till ye that ye winna mak' me repent o' it — Pe- 
 sough^* Eachan — pesough ! — come ye this way, 
 * Do you hear ? f " Hush ! — be quiet !"
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 151 
 
 sir; and moving towards the mouth of the ca- 
 vern from whence she had made her appearance, 
 she beckoned the young Englishman to follow. 
 
 It was not without an emotion of uneasiness, 
 that Tresham, stooping his head, followed his con- 
 ductress into the low-browed entrance of this sin- 
 gular domicile. Externally, the most curious in- 
 spection could scarcely have detected it from the 
 rock against which it was built, and the turf 
 by which it was surrounded. From a narrow strip 
 of turf, spotted with heather tufts and bushes, 
 which lay upon the ledge of a rock, a roof con- 
 sisting of rafters thatched with green divots, had 
 been so artificially extended to the little flat which 
 bordered the rill of water, as to appear a conti- 
 nued prolongation of the bank, from the aforesaid 
 ledge even to the edge of the stream; and so 
 overhung was^it by the birch trees and oak copse 
 which had rooted themselves in the rocks on either 
 side the rivulet, that had it not been for the 
 smoke which issued from an aperture under the 
 rock, the suspicion of Tresham, or indeed of any 
 stranger would never have been awakened, and he 
 would assuredly have sought to pass onwards to 
 the glen below, without imagining that the place 
 had ever been honoured with a human habitation 
 of any description. 
 
 The almost palpable darkness which reigned
 
 .152 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 within the hut was no less effectual in preventing 
 all observations on the part of Tresham, than the 
 pungent smoke of peats or wood which pervaded 
 the whole apartment; and which at first, after 
 drawing from him a copious flood of tears, forced 
 him to close his eyes. The dim gleamings of cer- 
 tain embers, half smothered in ashes, the remains 
 rather than the existing substance of a fire, was all 
 that his uncertain glances could at first discover. 
 But his conductress, taking a piece of moss-pine, or 
 candle-Jir as it is called, lighted it at the embers, 
 and in a moment, the bright blazing of the resinous 
 wood threw a flood of red light over the uncouth 
 and singular apartment. 
 
 For a few minutes the glare thus produced was 
 no less blinding to the unaccustomed eyes of the 
 stranger than the previous darkness ; but, after a 
 while, even the acrid fumes of the smoke became 
 less intolerable, and Tresham could gaze around 
 the place into which he had so unexpectedly been 
 forced to intrude. 
 
 It was of small dimensions, not exceeding some 
 sixteen feet by twelve ; the walls were, as it ap- 
 peared, composed of divots, or turf cut in square 
 brick-like pieces, placed upon a low foundation of 
 stones. Low as the roof must have been, — for 
 near the entrance it did not afford room for a man 
 to stand upright, — its black and smoke-japanned
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 153 
 
 rafters were concealed from view by the wreaths of 
 thin blue smoke, which eddied among them in 
 search of an outlet. In one corner, upon a very 
 rude fire-place filled with ashes of peat and wood, 
 was set a copper caldron of large size, having 
 attached to it the worm and usual rude apparatus 
 of a Highland whiskey still ; and Tresham, for the 
 first time, began to comprehend that he had stum- 
 bled upon a haunt of illicit distillers, and was 
 at that very moment in company with a part of the 
 gang. 
 
 A further examination of the place confirmed 
 this suspicion. Small well-made casks, or ankera 
 as they are called, for the reception of the spirits, 
 lay in corners, mingled with sacks of grain or 
 malt. Quaicks, cougs, and " leames" of sorts, as 
 the various tubs and utensils made use of in the 
 operations of distilling, are called in the High- 
 lands, were scattered about in " most admired dis- 
 order;"' a large tub or steeping vat occupied 
 another corner, and the murky atmosphere was 
 loaded with the steams of " pot-ale" and whiskey. 
 
 With a countenance not a little discomposed by 
 a consciousness of the questionable situation he 
 had got into, and by the various nuisances which 
 greeted his senses on all sides, Tresham turned 
 his eyes from a survey of the premises, to an ex- 
 amination of the person of his conductress and of 
 
 H 5
 
 154 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 her male companion, who had followed them into 
 the hut. The former, at least, was not of a 
 description either to excite his alarm or add to 
 his disgust. A rich growth of glossy light brown 
 hair bound round her head in the fashion of her 
 country with a snood or ribbon of blue silk, pro- 
 claimed her to be as yet a maiden ; but its exube- 
 rant length was gathered up and fastened in a 
 knot behind, only one or two curls, escaping either 
 by chance or by design, strayed down a cheek 
 and neck, which for shape and polish might have 
 vied with those of an antique statue. Her mild 
 though dark eye was lighted up with a strong ex- 
 pression of sense and feeling ; and if the brilliancy 
 of her skin had suffered somewhat from exposure 
 to the sun and the winds of her native hills, it 
 was set off by the rich glow of her cheeks, and 
 the cherry-like hue of a mouth that wore a pe- 
 rennial smile. Her person, more elegant and slen- 
 der than belongs in general to persons of her 
 rank, was habited in a short gown or jacket suited 
 to her shape ; her neck was covered with a pink 
 checked handkerchief; and although the coarse 
 blue woollen petticoat was but ill calculated to 
 set off her figure to advantage, such was its 
 natural ease and grace, as she stood holding on 
 high the flaming torch before her guest, that 
 Tresham thought she might have stood as a model
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 155 
 
 for the virgin priestess of some wild remote 
 shrine, rather than for the daughter of some law- 
 less smuggler, as in all probability she was; so 
 foreign to the place and the occupation of its 
 inhabitants did this maiden of the glen appear. 
 
 " This is a wild place for the like o'you, sir,"** 
 said the girl, as she watched the perplexed ex- 
 pression of her guest ; " but it's a' we hae to 
 offer : it's just better than the could hill- side, or a 
 Dioss-hag, and them, may be, aside you, that wud 
 na be that canny. It's no muckle we can gie you, 
 but ye sha'nna want a fresh bannock, and warm 
 milk, and a new-laid egg ; an' welcome ye'll be till 
 it if it were better ; and there's a heather bed wi' 
 blankets on it. — Eachan, hand the gentleman the 
 whiskey — he'll no' be the worse o' a dram after his 
 walk." 
 
 Tresham thought so too, and he therefore 
 accepted the proffered hospitality from Eachan, 
 who speedily came forward with a bottle of ''- moun- 
 tain dew," and a small " cap" of dark wood with 
 two handles. He then took his seat upon a 
 wooden bench, ancient and dirty enough, placed 
 near the hearth ; a few peats were thrown on the 
 fire and fanned into a blaze by the vigorous ap- 
 plication of the young woman's petticoat, by way 
 of bellows; after which she issued forth on " hos 
 pitable thoughts intent," to busy herself in pre-
 
 156 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 parations for the comfort of her guest, while the 
 young Highlander, leaning his back against one 
 of the wooden frames of the hut, attempted a 
 desultory and ill-sustained conversation with the 
 stranger. 
 
 The subjects of this imperfect colloquy were of 
 a general nature, calculated to afford little infor- 
 mation to either party, and besides the difficulty 
 of comprehension and expression on both sides, 
 there was an evident constraint upon that of the 
 young man, which made it a relief to Tresham 
 when his hostess returned with the materials of 
 his simple supper. This was soon served, and 
 eaten by the young Englishman, to the great com- 
 fort of his inward man, by the light of the flaming 
 candle-fir. 
 
 The girl then showed Tresham his intended 
 couch, a dark suspicious looking wooden crib, in 
 a sort of interior closet, or rather hole, the ap- 
 proach to which was mysteriously concealed ; to 
 which neither air nor light could reach, and 
 where dingy yellow blankets seemed to threaten 
 more of oppression than of warmth, and to assure 
 him who should be rash enough to commit himself 
 to their embraces, that he need not dread the want 
 of society. 
 
 The aspect of this dormitory was so little in- 
 viting, that Tresham, notwithstanding the stiff-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 157 
 
 ness and fatigue which now began to oppress him, 
 felt small disposition to " tempt the dangerous 
 gloom,"*' and preferred occupying his place, for 
 a while at least, on the bench where he had 
 liitherto sat. The hours passed on ; darkness 
 covered the earth, and Tresham, who had pre- 
 vailed on his hosts to be seated, was still main- 
 taining an occasional conversation with the maiden, 
 when suddenly, the dog which lay before the fire 
 at their feet, pricked up its ears, and casting a 
 suspicious glance at the door, uttered a long 
 uncertain growl. " What the de'il ails the douo^ 
 noo ?" said Eachan, following its glance with an un- 
 easy eye; " who'll be coming here at this time 
 o'nicht ?'^ But Stumah, as suddenly changing its 
 note to a yell of joy, jumped up, bounded to the 
 door, scratched at it till it flew open, and dashed 
 forth into the darkness. Eachan and the maiden 
 regarded each other with looks of alarmed sur- 
 prise; but, before a word could be uttered, a 
 heavy step was heard without, accompanied by the 
 joyful whine of several dogs. " Oh Yeah ! 
 maherl — O God, my father!" exclaimed the 
 girl, turning very pale; "what will he say.''" 
 and as she spoke, the door was pushed open, and a 
 tall bulky looking figure entered, who cast his 
 eyes around upon the company, and in a deep
 
 158 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 angry voice exclaimed, " Thannmnundiaoul! 
 cutheh-u-shin neish, Maarie f ^ 
 
 The maiden thus roughly addressed, appeared 
 both dismayed and distressed ; but instantly rising, 
 she approached the intruder, to whom she spoke 
 for some time in low earnest tones in Gaelic. The 
 man's replies were rough, and his gestures strongly 
 expressive of displeasure, and while this dialogue 
 was going on, Tresham, who had risen to his feet, 
 had time to examine his person. 
 
 He was a man of powerful frame and great sta- 
 ture, whose figure, spare of flesh, but bony and 
 athletic, with shoulders of enormous breadth, in- 
 dicated not only great, but long tried, bodily 
 strength. Dark piercing eyes, gleaming from 
 under heavy lowering brows, imparted to features, 
 stern and strongly marked by nature, an expres- 
 sion of gloomy ferocity which seemed incapable of 
 relaxing into a smile. A physiognomist would at 
 once have pronounced, that calculating cunning, 
 selfish malignity, and dogged obstinacy, were 
 written in every line of his deeply furrowed coun- 
 tenance. His dark red, sun-burnt complexion, 
 and bushy whiskers, changed from their original 
 blackness to a grizzled hue, proclaimed alike the 
 effects of time and long-continued exposure. His 
 * " D n ! what's all this now, Mary ?"
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 159 
 
 head was covered by a small Highland bonnet, 
 from beneath which the dark grey hair escaped in 
 wild profusion. A jacket of well-worn, coarse 
 blue cloth, with a waistcoat made of deer-skin, and 
 a dark tartan phelibeg, composed the principal 
 part of his dress ; a plaid of the same stuff was 
 wound round his shoulders. His sinewy legs, co- 
 vered, like those of an animal, with dark curly 
 hair, and bare for some space above the knee, 
 were cased in thick grey hose, and on his feet 
 he wore the genuine Highland brogues. A dirk 
 hung at his waist, the knob of a pistol peeped 
 out from a breast-pocket of his jacket, and in his 
 hand he carried a most formidable cudgel. Such 
 was the person of the man who had entered the 
 bothy with an air which at once proclaimed him 
 as the owner of it ; and Tresham could not help 
 being impressed with the idea that he had seldom 
 seen so truculent a looking fellow, nor one with 
 whom he should less like to meet upon suspicious 
 ground. 
 
 This person, after a long and energetic discus- 
 sion with the maiden, wliom he addressed by the 
 name of Maarie, or JNIary, at length turned to 
 the young Englishman, and after a vain effort a: 
 smoothing his brows into something of a more be- 
 nignant expression, cast a look at him, askance, ut- 
 tering at the''same time the usual form of salutation
 
 160 TTIE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " Failte-oreiv' ! Failte-oreiv' !* Sit doon— sit 
 doon;' 
 
 It would be unnecessary to detail the series of 
 questions which were now put to Tresham by the 
 new comer, as they were substantially the same 
 which he had already replied to from Mary and 
 Eachan. They were proposed by him in Gaelic ; 
 for he either could not, or did not choose, to speak 
 in English ; and interpreted by the daughter, who 
 reconveyed the replies in the same language to the 
 questioner. It appeared that the old man's doubts, 
 or curiosity, were at length satisfied ; he nodded 
 somewhat surlily to the girl, muttered some words in 
 no very cordial tone, which sent her from the room, 
 and Tresham remarked that he then summoned the 
 little urchin of the rock, with whom he retired for 
 a while out of the bothy. It was a circumstance 
 that forced itself upon his observation, because he 
 remembered the boy — but he thought no more of 
 it at the time — it was subsequent occurrences that 
 brought the incident again to his recollection. 
 
 The night was now well advanced, and fatigue 
 prevailing over disgust, had sent Tresham to his 
 unsightly couch. He had even fallen into a sound 
 slumber of some duration, when the noise of seve- 
 ral persons entering the bothy, and the sound of 
 their voices speaking in no gentle key, made him 
 * *' Hail to you !" pronounced " Failtchery !"
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 161 
 
 start up in his lair and gaze around him. All was 
 dark as pitch ; he could not immediately recollect 
 where he was ; and he might have imagined that 
 the alarm he had received was only the effect of 
 a dream, had not the voices still continued to force 
 themselves on his attention. They were loud and 
 stormy ; one in particular there was, which spoke 
 with clamorous volubility. The softer voice of 
 the maiden too was heard, in tones of entreaty and 
 remonstrance; and the surly accents of the old 
 man might occasionally be distinguished in the 
 dialogue. 
 
 Moved not less by a feeling of anxiety than of 
 curiosity, Tresham was meditating to come forth 
 and learn the cause of the disturbance, from per- 
 sonal observation ; but a prudent uneasiness, as to 
 the possible consequences of a rash step, occa- 
 sioned him to hesitate ; and before he could deter- 
 mine on the best course to pursue, the door of his 
 cell flew open, and the light of a torch flashed 
 strongly on his face, displaying to his dazzled 
 eyes the persons of some half-dozen fierce-looking 
 men, who instantly advanced towards him. 
 
 " Thannum-mundiaoul ! Tamnation ! who the 
 de'il's this," was the salute of a short squat fellow, 
 with a head of fierce red curling hair, and a great 
 crimson nose, clad in the rough jacket and trow- 
 sers of a seaman — " an offisher .? a ganger, is she?
 
 162 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 Halloo man ! let a body ken who you are, or, tam- 
 nation ! she may get a dirk in her wame !" 
 
 Confounded at so rude an address, and still 
 struggling with sleep, Tresham was at a loss how 
 to reply to his insolent and impatient questioner. 
 He gazed at the man for some seconds — then cast 
 his eyes over the group which had gathered behind 
 him, perhaps in search of some friendly face ; for 
 even the constrained civility of the young High- 
 lander, and the still more questionable forbearance 
 of the surly old one, were preferable to the lower- 
 ing faces and threatening aspects by which he was 
 now confronted. But Tresham was not a man to 
 be daunted by angry words or stern faces; and 
 soon recovering from his temporary perplexity, he 
 returned their insolent address by a haughty look, 
 and demanded who they were, and what they wanted 
 with him. 
 
 " What is the meaning of this intrusion ? what 
 is your purpose by such rudeness ? — My name is 
 Tresham, I am an officer in the army ; I have lost 
 my way in the hill, while hunting, and came by 
 mere accident to this place. I was hospitably re- 
 ceived by those I found here, and why you should 
 attack me thus, I cannot conceive. I neither know 
 you, nor ever dreamt of injuring you. I am no 
 ganger nor excise officer, if it''s that you are afraid 
 of, and I only wait till morning to leave the place
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 163 
 
 with thanks to its owners for the kindness they 
 have shown me." 
 
 " O tamnation !"" said the same fellow, " it*s fine 
 talking, but it wunna do, man ! we ken nothing 
 o' you or your fine speeches ; but out o' this ye 
 most go this ivery minat — yeVe ow'r long already, 
 whare ye had no business to be ; we dinna want 
 fouk o^ your stamp here, to see what they shud 
 na' see, and tell what they shud na' tell. Up 
 man, up wi' ye." 
 
 " And pray who may you be, fellow, who take 
 upon you to insult another man's guest ? is this 
 Highland courtesy or hospitality ? away, and let 
 me rest," said Tresham with mingled indignation 
 and surprise. 
 
 " Na, faith I, man ; yeVe had your share o' 
 rest the night, and more ye need na seek, for ye 11 
 no get it — what ! ye want to stay here till we hae 
 a' thon black Glenvallich's men upon us seeking 
 after ye, diaoul ! eh? Rise up, out o' that this 
 minat if ye wudna hae coarse haundling, troick- 
 conhuil orst.'* 
 
 A forward movement of the ruffian was now 
 anticipated by Tresham, who sprung from the 
 crib to stand upon his guard. " What the devil 
 do you mean.? Do you intend to murder me.?" 
 exclaimed he, casting his eyes about for some 
 weapon to defend himself
 
 164 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 "Na, iia — de^il abit, man — de**!! abit. Just baud 
 yere gab, and get ready wi' ye, and fint a flea o' 
 harm will ye get ; but out o' that ye man cum^, 
 or we most haul ye. So bear a han' man — bear 
 a ban", yeVe a long way to travel afore day- 
 licht." 
 
 " Travel ? why, what the deuce are ye going 
 to do with me then ? Have a care ! this is not a 
 country where strangers can be outraged with im- 
 punity. I am the friend and guest of Mr. Mac 
 Alpine of Glenvallich ; and depend upon it, if any 
 thing comes over me, he will not rest till he dis- 
 covers the perpetrators, and you may be assured 
 of punishment."" 
 
 " Hoot-toot — tamnation ! baud yere slack, man. 
 What's the foolish body jawing about ? Here, 
 Galium, c7'eiss-orst, (be quick,'^) said he impa- 
 tiently to one of the rest ; and rushing forward at 
 the word, in a moment they overpowered the 
 struggles, disregarding the remonstrances^ of Tre- 
 sham, bound his arms above the elbows behind 
 his back, tied a thick cloth or handkerchief about 
 his eyes, and, thus pinioned and blinded, hoisted 
 him up in a twinkling, and bore him from the 
 closet, through the outer room of the bothy, into 
 the open air. 
 
 As he passed through the apartment, he could 
 distinguish in the uproar the suppressed sobs of a
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 165 
 
 female ; and a voice, which he thought resembled 
 that of the gloomy old Highlander, addressed to 
 him these words : — " Be silent and peaceable, and 
 you will meet with no harm. As ye love your 
 life, attempt not to move the cloth from your eyes ; 
 and fail not to do whatever you are bid, or evil 
 will surely befal you."- The necessity of com- 
 pliance had already been made apparent to the 
 young Englishman; and he resolved to act the 
 prudent part, to be vigilant and observant, but to 
 avoid fruitlessly exasperating the deperadoes into 
 whose power he had fallen, and to trust to the 
 natural course of events for an explanation of the 
 singular treatment he was experiencing, and a 
 knowledge of those to whom he was indebted 
 for it. 
 
 Immediately on passing the low doorway, 
 through which he was rather dragged than carried, 
 Tresham felt himself hurried along with an irre- 
 gular motion, and soon perceived that his bearers 
 were ascending a steep and rugged path. The 
 ascent, of no great length, was succeeded by an 
 equally rough, and even more precipitous descent ; 
 during which it was sufficiently clear, from the 
 constant energetic exclamations and expletives in 
 Gaelic, the frequent change of hands, the stum- 
 bling and even rude shocks and thumps which
 
 166 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 their unlucky burthen received, that the bearers 
 had difficulty enough in performing their task. 
 
 At length they seemed to reach a more level 
 spot, and Tresham was placed upon his feet. An 
 order was now impatiently given in Gaelic, by the 
 person who had acted as principal in the abduc- 
 tion : the tread of a beast was heard ; and Tresham 
 felt himself very unceremoniously hoisted upon 
 an animal, probably of the genus equus, covered 
 with certain sacks or plaids by way of saddle. 
 His feet were thrust into loops of brichen ropes or 
 withies^ instead of stirrups, and no sooner had his 
 person been thus disposed of, than he heard the 
 same officious leader utter the word, " Pefallu — 
 Pefallur* upon which the beast began to move 
 onwards at a rapid pace, along a path which, 
 though rough and irregular, appeared hard and 
 practicable enough. 
 
 That the general disposition of their course was 
 to ascend, sometimes rapidly, at others more gra- 
 dually, was easily perceived by the unwilling 
 traveller ; and such did it continue for a full hour, 
 during which little passed between his conductors, 
 and that little in a tone scarcely above a whis- 
 per ; so that Tresham, on whose eyes the bandage 
 remained so close as effectually to prevent all 
 ♦ " Go on !" or " be off with you !''
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 167 
 
 exercise of vision, was perfectly unable to guess 
 how many of his ruffian guards continued to 
 attend him. After that period, the young Eng- 
 lishman became sensible that the nature of the 
 ground had altered. The hoofs of the animal 
 no longer struck sharp on the hard gravel, and 
 that they occasionally stuck deep in the soft or 
 mossy ground over which they were passing, was 
 very perceptible. 
 
 Advancing still further, their progress became 
 obviously more laborious, and the way more intri- 
 cate; for the little animal would occasionally 
 stop for a space, and a struggle or a leap was ne- 
 cessary to extricate it from its difficult position ; 
 and at such times a few hurried sentences were 
 commonly interchanged between his guides. On 
 one of these occasions he felt the animal he rode 
 sink completely under him in the bog, a fact 
 which was not less confirmed by the execrations 
 elicited by his conductors, than by the still more 
 substantial proof of finding his own legs immersed 
 in water half way to the knee. In one moment, 
 however, he was lifted from off the floundering beast 
 to a dry spot, where, being held securely until the 
 steed was extricated, he was once more remounted. 
 
 Much time was consumed in this way. Some- 
 times their progress was rapid, at others laborious 
 and slow, over ground which must have been ex-
 
 168 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 ceedingly difficult and intricate. During this long 
 and tedious march, Tresham more than once at- 
 tempted to address his guides; but his appeals 
 either met with utter inattention, or called forth a 
 stern emphatic injunction in Gaelic, or very indif- 
 ferent English, to hold his tongue, and mind 
 his own business. 
 
 At length our traveller became aware that 
 morning had begun to dawn : for the veil which 
 in darkness had formed a perfectly effectual screen, 
 was not so utterly impenetrable to the light of 
 day; besides which, it had been partially dis- 
 placed by the violent jerks and shocks which he 
 had endured upon the journey, so that a tole- 
 rably decided glimmer contrived to make way 
 through its thick folds. Nothing, however, could 
 he see, beyond a glimpse of the shoulder of the 
 animal he rode, or of the grey moss and brown 
 heather over which they were making their way. 
 
 The approach of morning made no speedy 
 change in the condition of Tresham. Three 
 hours had elapsed since it dawned, and more than 
 seven from the time of their leaving the bothy ; 
 they had climbed more than one wear}' height, 
 and descended several corresponding hollows, 
 when all at once the man who led the sheltie 
 checked the animal, and it stood still. The 
 words, " Courru-vaan shin-eh — Put him doon
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 169 
 
 there !" were heard in the voice of the principal 
 ruffian, and the command was instantly obeyed. 
 A few words more of Gaelic passed between his 
 attendants, and the departing footsteps of the 
 pony conveyed to Tresham the information that 
 the animal was led away. The ligatures which 
 bound his arms were next unloosed, and a voice 
 close to his ear uttered these words in tolerable 
 English : — " If ye want not a bullet through your 
 brain, touch not the handkerchief on your eyes. 
 Do not turn nor move, until you get orders to do 
 so. If ye seek yere way home, follow your nose 
 as soon as ye get leave, and go straight forward.'** 
 All then was still, and Tresham remained for a 
 minute motionless on the spot where he stood, as 
 he had been bidden to do. He could endure it 
 no longer ; raising his arms, which were stiff from 
 the numbing effects of the ligatures, he tore the 
 bandage from his brow and gazed around him. 
 His eyes, dazzled with the sudden glare, could 
 scarce distinguish objects ; but so far as they were 
 to be trusted, no one was to be seen. It was after 
 a considerable time, passed in thus gazing about, 
 that at length he detected the motionless figure 
 and dirty face of the urchin whose sharp black 
 eyes had betrayed him, as he watched at the bothy 
 on the preceding night. 
 
 " Oho! my lad — you're there! I'll have you 
 
 VOL. I. T
 
 170 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 at least," exclaimed Tresham ; and he made a 
 spring to catch the boy. But quicker than light- 
 ning, the little statue sprung into life and motion, 
 and bounding up the brae face like a wild cat, 
 with a shrill cry disappeared over its brow, before 
 his pursuer had well got to his speed. On reach- 
 ing the top, Tresham threw a hasty look in the 
 direction he had taken, but no one was visible, 
 nor was there a single living creature of any de- 
 scription to be discovered among the grey crags and 
 broken ground which covered the steep descent 
 beneath. 
 
 Tresham rubbed his eyes in amazement — 
 " Where in the name of wonder can they have all 
 got to ? are they bubbles of the earth or air, like 
 the witches of Macbeth ? and have they sunk into 
 its bowels, or fled upon the wings of the wind ? 
 But where's the use of inquiring ? I have got 
 ofP, after all, better than I expected. It is a 
 strange adventure, faith ; well, let me see — which 
 is my way? Follow my nose, said the fellow; well, 
 but I have lost my bearings like a fool, in pur- 
 suing a shadow, and how am I to find them?" 
 
 He turned to look around him, and observed 
 lying on the ground, where he had thrown it, the 
 bandage which had covered his eyes. With greater 
 deliberation he went up to the spot, and to his 
 surprise, as well as his satisfaction, saw close to
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 171 
 
 the spot where he had been standing, the rifle and 
 shooting geer, which on the preceding evening he 
 had thrown off in the bothy, when he retired to 
 bed. " Strange," he mentally exclaimed ; " the 
 villains are not thieves, at least — they have not 
 even made me pay for my lodging." 
 
 On picking up the bandage he recognized it for 
 the handkerchief which he had observed on the 
 preceding evening round the neck of the young 
 woman, his first hostess. He remembered her 
 kindness, her alarm, and her distress, — for that the 
 sounds of distress he had heard while dragged 
 from the bothy had proceeded from her, he could 
 not doubt — in contrast with the rough usage he 
 had met with from the gang, with which she 
 seemed to be so strangely connected ; and with an 
 emotion of gratitude, and even of tenderness, he 
 folded it up and put it in his pocket. " And now 
 for Glenochree and Auchonrui," said he, as placing 
 himself as nearly as possible in the same position 
 as that in which he had been left by his rude 
 guides, he took their advice, and " followed his 
 nose " down the hill. 
 
 The ground before him presented but the same 
 expanse of grey moss, interspersed with ridges of 
 dark rock and heather, which was the characteris- 
 tic description of the country, and possessed no 
 peculiar feature which might impress it on the 
 
 I 2
 
 172 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 memory. But on crossing one of the heights in 
 front of him, and which bounded his view in that 
 quarter, his eyes were greeted by the appearance 
 of certain remarkable and famihar peaks. He was 
 still endeavouring to recall the exact lay of the 
 country, in order to fix his own position, and by 
 the land-marks in view to shape a homeward 
 course, when, as with more assured steps he was 
 beginning to descend the slope below him, he de- 
 scried two persons advancing, in a direction to 
 meet him. " Shepherds, no doubt," thought 
 Tresham — " they will at all events tell me exactly 
 where I am, and direct me how to proceed for the 
 bothy of Auchonrui ;" and he mended his pace, 
 and hallooed to attract their attention as he drew 
 nigh. His surprise and satisfaction may easily be 
 conceived, when he recognized in the supposed 
 shepherds, the persons of Duncan Maccombich, 
 the forester, and his sturdy assistant, Kenneth. 
 
 Their astonishment and joy were at least equal 
 to that of the young Englishman. " The Lord 
 bless and preserve us a', is it your honor's seV? 
 Ochone, what has cum ou'r ye, sir — and whare hae 
 ve been, for mercy's sake, a' the long nicht ?''"' was 
 Duncan's exclamation, articulated in tones of real 
 emotion. 
 
 " Why, faith, my good fellow,"" replied Tres- 
 ham, " that's more than I can tell you ; it is me,
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 173 
 
 sure enough, but where I have been, or what has 
 come over me, I really cannot exactly say." The 
 forester looked perplexed; but habitual tacitur- 
 nity and respect kept his mouth shut for awhile. 
 "And pray, Duncan, what hill is this we're in 
 now ? Surely we're not far from Glenochree .^" 
 
 " Ou no, no, sir, thon's Beinfoineart, we're 
 seeing forenent us ; that's where ye killed the first 
 deer, yestreen, and this is part o' the Mounefai- 
 sach, that runs wast never so far ; but hoo' ye cam' 
 to be here, sir, and never a one o' us to ken o' it, 
 passes me to understand." 
 
 " Why, faith, it's more than I can well under- 
 stand myself, man ; but how do you come here ? 
 and what became of you, last night ; surely, you 
 did not lose yourself, too ?'''' 
 
 " It's no' in this country that I'm like to lose 
 my way, sir," replied the forester, with a some- 
 what contemptuous smile, "there's no' a craig, 
 nor a stone, nor a heather know, let abe a lump 
 o' a hill, that I hae na the mark o', late or early, 
 nicht or day. Black wud need to be the mist that 
 wud set me wrong in the Mounefaisach, or the 
 hills o' Glenochree, wide as they are. No, no ; 
 when I staid to break the deer that ye shot, sir, 
 on the side o' Beinfoineart, I thocht to see you 
 from the hill top, and to 6atch you, afore ye got to 
 the moss at the bottom ; but I cud na' get sicht
 
 174 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 o'* you ; and no"* a craig nor a scoor in ten miles 
 round, I'm sure, but I was at the top o' it ; but 
 the nicht was falHng fast, and nothing cud I see — 
 an' I was sore at a loss, sir, when I met wi' Kenny , 
 here, cum a' the way from the Slivosnaig, that's 
 bewast the Mounefaisach, and he had lost you too. 
 So we thocht ye most be back to the bothy, for 
 ye wud never be out the nicht, surely ; and off we 
 set, and black night it was 'ore we got there — but 
 blacker still, when we did na find your honor; 
 and Kenny, here, was wild about what cud hae 
 cum ow'r you —and for me, I cud na think o' 
 sleep or rest, an' no knowing if ye was weel or ill, 
 for there's many a moss and many a craig in thae 
 hills that's no canny ; and I said to Kenny, I canna 
 hae ease till I ken the worst o' it. ' Nor I neither,' 
 says Kenny ; so off we just started, him by Scoore- 
 vialach and the black corry, and I went higher 
 up, to cum in by Beinfoineart foot — and it's no an 
 hour since we met on its side. God be praised, 
 we have found ye in life, sir ; but was ye reely a' 
 the nicht in the hill, and never a plaid to put 
 about you f Oh ! how did ye get through it, 
 sir?" 
 
 " Why, no, Duncan ; many thanks for your 
 kind intent, but I certainly did not sleep in the 
 hill — in truth, I have had very little sleep since 
 we parted. I have a very strange story to tell
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 175 
 
 you — Stranger than I ever expected to hear of in 
 this quiet country." And Tresham in his turn 
 related to the foresters the whole of his adven- 
 tures, from the time he parted with Kenneth. To 
 all this Maccombich listened with an air of the 
 keenest interest ; and little as he was in the habit 
 of giving way to his feelings, he could not repress 
 sundry symptoms of surprise as the young En- 
 glishman proceeded with his narrative. He put 
 many questions, with a view to ascertain the exact 
 course pursued by Tresham in his approach to the 
 whiskey bothy, and to determine the time he had 
 consumed in reaching it, from the spot where he 
 had separated from Kenneth. The whole adven" 
 ture and its result seemed utterly to confound 
 him. 
 
 "Diaoul!" exclaimed he, half musing, "he 
 canna surely hae been wast sC the way to the 
 Moineboglach, and the braes o' Glen Shlichard ? 
 And yet, where on this side o' it, cud he find what 
 he seed last nicht ?" 
 
 " Glen Shlichard !" exclaimed Kenneth, to whom 
 this appeal seemed in some sort to have been ad- 
 dressed. "Lord, man ! that's no possable; Glen 
 Shlichard's thirty good miles from this bit, if it's a 
 yard. Ou no, that canna be." 
 
 " Weel, but where wud he find a whiskey still 
 like yon, nearer this way.^" retorted Duncan; " and
 
 176 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 weel div' I ken o** more dens than one in the braes 
 o' Glen Shlichard like the one Mr. Tresham has 
 tould us o\ There's one in the Aultrian, but it 
 cudna' be tliat, for that's on the other side o' the 
 glen; then there's the Slochd-uaine, that's in the 
 Ault na feh, where the water sheds from the 
 Moineboglach — it's just such a hole: weel did I 
 ken it once." 
 
 " The Moineboglach ?^'' repeated Tresham ; '' I 
 think that was a place I heard named by those in 
 the bothy — but I have no great ear for Gaelic, so 
 I may have been mistaken. But what could be 
 the meaning of their strange conduct to me ? what 
 could there be in my appearance to excite their 
 suspicion? Surely they could not have supposed 
 me an exciseman, after what I said to the con_ 
 trary ?'^ 
 
 " Weel, sir," replied Duncan, after a deliberate 
 pause — " it's no"* just easy to say what they thocht, 
 they dinna always trust fair words ; an' if they got 
 to a houff, they dinna like to be kenned o' — , 
 many a one there is there — they may be thocht 
 it dangerous to let ye out wi' your eyes open. If 
 they had thocht you an exciseman, odd they wud 
 hae clodded ye ow'r the black linn, I doubt. But 
 there's few of the real Glenshlichard lads that 
 wud hae behaved yon way to the like o' you. 
 There was one once— but the Lord only kens
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 177 
 
 whare he may be now — that wudna hae stinted 
 nor stayed muckle, at any wild work; but surely 
 it cudna be him. What 'n alike face, sir, did ye 
 say the ould man had — was he a tall, black, weel- 
 faured, fierce looking chap ?" 
 
 Tresham again described the appearance of the 
 person who had disturbed his comfort at the 
 whiskey bothy, adding, that though tall no doubt, 
 he stooped so much as to appear more remarkable 
 for bulk than height ; and that he was a gloomy, 
 dogged, ill-looking villain. 
 
 The forester shook his head. " No, no," said 
 he, musing, " it canna be him ; and yet, after all, 
 who can tell ? it's many a year since syne — time, 
 and trouble, and evil doings, may hae wrought sore 
 changes. I'm muckle changed from yon time 
 mysel. But sorely, sorely, most the lads o' yon 
 wild glen be altered, 'ore they wud forget their 
 manners, an' use a gentleman as they hae done 
 you, sir." 
 
 " Why, Duncan, you seem to know the place 
 and the people wondrous well ; how happens 
 this ? I thought you were a sober, well con- 
 ducted man ; how do you come then to know any 
 thing about such a lawless set as you speak of?" 
 
 " Trouth, sir, ye may wonder, and it's a long 
 tale, and no worth the telling, may be ; but sure 
 eneugh I kenned them weel once ; and it's no to 
 
 1 5
 
 178 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 say they wud na have been uncevil; but they 
 wud hae put the best in their aught afore any 
 stranger, forby a gentleman that chanced to come 
 their way, unless he were a guager, or cutter's-man, 
 or a riding offisher; and even then it wud hae 
 been let be for let be, and a good glass of uiska- 
 beh, no doubt, and as much pot-ale as wud set 
 them sound a sleep. It's a new fashion this, but 
 they're fear'd, they're fear'd — the riding offishers 
 hae been vicious, they say, of late, and the lads are 
 getting desperate." 
 
 " Why, Maccombich, you're positively getting 
 eloquent, and warm on the subject, and that is a 
 wonder in a man of your coolness. I'm afraid we 
 shall find you more interested than you like to 
 confess in this business : you seem to have a 
 strong hankering after the trade yet." 
 
 " The Lord forbid," replied the forester, ear- 
 nestly ; "it has cost me far ow'r dear already 
 — its a trap till our feet, and a snare in our 
 path ; but I'm free o' it, thank God — I'm free o' it, 
 longsyne." 
 
 " It seems to have been a bad business then 
 for you, Duncan, if I am to judge by your 
 expressions; some time or other I must hear 
 the story of your brewing exploits; but at 
 present I suspect we must quicken our pace 
 homewards."
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 1T9 
 
 " Aye, sir, and it's a long way ; an' ye canna 
 but want rest and meat, after such a day's work 
 and a nicht's trouble." 
 
 The subject did indeed appear to have warmed 
 the worthy Duncan out of his habitual taciturnity ; 
 for he was, on most occasions, grave, silent, digni- 
 fied, combining in his dispositions and deportment, 
 much of the astute and sagacious Highlander, 
 with the orderly, respectful, and promptly obedient 
 soldier ; of the devotion of the clansman, with the 
 pride which characterizes the majority of his 
 countrymen. This unnatural excitement of the 
 forester's was by no means lost on Tresham, who, 
 full of his late adventure, and anxious to investi- 
 gate the nature and causes of so singular a state of 
 things in an otherwise orderly country, resolved, 
 if possible, not only to make it a subject of in- 
 quiry, but to press into the service upon this occa- 
 sion, all the information that might be gathered 
 from the forester, whenever a fit opportunity 
 should present itself.
 
 180 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HIGHLAND SMUGGLING. 
 " A rude and lawless horde." 
 
 On the succeeding morning, Tresham, accom- 
 panied by the forester, quitted the bothy, and 
 repaired to Inverallich castle, where his adven- 
 ture, when known, produced a sensation propor- 
 tioned in liveliness to the monotonous tranquillity 
 which it interrupted. In the country, particularly 
 in a remote Highland neighbourhood, the value of 
 an adventure, an event, can only be properly 
 appreciated by those who live in the dull security 
 and sleepy comforts of such localities — who rise 
 each morning, breakfast, dine, and sup, and go to 
 bed at night in the same unvarying routine, unin- 
 terrupted save by a change of weather, the arrival 
 of a letter, a periodical dinner of the neighbours, 
 or such important domestic incidents as the en- 
 trance into this sublunary scene of a brood of
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 181 
 
 chickens ; or an addition to the dairy establishment 
 in the birth of a calf. For two or three fleeting 
 months of the year, indeed, tempted by the brief 
 beauty of early autumn, the excellent roads 
 which now pervade those tracks, heretofore imper- 
 vious, and the good Highland cheer seasoned with 
 " Highland -welcome," which still distinguishes 
 the "land of the mountain and the flood," our 
 southern neighbours, like other migratory animals, 
 make their periodical appearance, to taste such 
 good things, and enjoy such amusements, as these 
 remote regions aflbrd. Then, no doubt, all is bustle 
 and enjoyment. Then are all those apartments, 
 which, useless in the solitude of winter and of 
 spring, have long remained unconscious of human 
 presence, opened, aired, and prepared with every 
 attention to comfort for the reception of the ex- 
 pected visitants. Then comes the bustle of house- 
 wives and housekeepers ; the stores of snow white 
 linen are produced from their crypts, the condition 
 of the plentifully-peopled poultry yard is ex- 
 amined, and the fat five-year-old wedders are set 
 apart. Alas ! that good living and hospitalit}^ 
 should involve so much bloodshed and murder ! 
 Then are hedges trimmed, and lawns fresh shaved ; 
 approaches smoothed and beautified, and all im- 
 mundicities removed with more than ordinary 
 jealousy, that naught but beauty and neatness
 
 182 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 may meet the critical and practised eyes of friends 
 and strangers from more polished regions. Then, 
 too, is the post-bag more anxiously expected, and 
 the eyes of all the in dwellers of castles^ and houses, 
 and seats, and cottages, like those of sister Anne, 
 are wistfully turned towards the distant road, to 
 " see if any one is coming."" 
 
 Far be it from us, however, to insinuate that 
 " life in the Highlands," though for the most 
 part calm and unvaried, is therefore of necessity 
 either tedious or dull. To those who have a relish 
 for rural pursuits and amusements, there is no 
 country which affords them in greater diversity 
 or perfection. There is something peculiarly ex- 
 hilarating and elating in the interminable extent 
 and wild picturesque variety of a large Highland 
 property, which must be unknown to the majority 
 of our southern neighbours. Its noble mountains 
 and green valleys — the mysteries of its deep glens 
 and dark woods — the fantastic forms of its rocks 
 and precipices — its rapid torrents and majestic 
 rivers — its bright silver lakes gleaming in the sun, 
 or its dusky tarns, whose black water reflects back 
 only the shaggy heath and rugged cliffs which 
 hem them in — its rich cultivation and beau- 
 tiful farms embosomed in woods of weeping birch » 
 even its strange looking toons and assemblages of 
 black huts, scattered on the brae-face, or river's
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 183 
 
 bank, amidst a profusion of " bonnie broom," rich 
 scented whins, (furze,) bramble and dog-rose 
 bushes, potatoe patches, and crofts of black oats 
 — all are so many points of interest to a proprietor 
 — so many objects of regard, and motives to the 
 exertion of an improving spirit, which may vie 
 even with the polished beauty, the rich exuberant 
 verdure and more perfect culture of " merry 
 England."' And when a Highland laird wanders, 
 staff in hand, the livelong day among his thriving 
 plantations, views his improving farms, or traverses 
 the wide bounds of his grazings— when, with his 
 gun over his shoulder, he strides over a dozen 
 miles of good grousing hill, or summons out a 
 score of gillies to beat the side of a glen, and 
 together with his friends, returns home loaded 
 with woodcock, and blackcock, and hares, and roe- 
 bucks — aye, and sometimes with a gallant stag, 
 or a fat " yell hind," across the back of a pony, 
 we think he may be held excused if he feels a 
 pride and exultation equal to that of the English 
 lord or squire who can count treble his rent on a 
 tithe of the surface, and who, from a cover of a 
 score of acres, will drive out to slaughter some 
 hundred head of pheasants as tame as barn-door 
 fowls, or of hares and rabbits that scarce dream of 
 getting out of the sportsman's way. 
 
 If to all that has been said, be added the ex ten-
 
 184 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 sive good which a Highland proprietor has it in his 
 power to effect among the numerous small tenants 
 and cottars, who, in spite of the "large farm 
 system/' must still exist to a considerable extent 
 upon all large estates, and whose comparative 
 ignorance calls loudly upon their landlord for as- 
 sistance and instruction, we shall scarcely find 
 grounds to deny that such gentlemen as do their 
 duty to their estates and their tenantry, may find 
 very sufficient occupation to banish the torments 
 of ennui. 
 
 Even the females of the family may find ample 
 and interesting employment in the performance of 
 the several duties that will fall to their share, if 
 they seek to be useful ; and should their station in 
 life exempt them from the more laborious details 
 of domestic arrangements, still they never can be 
 at a loss for objects of charity and benevolence to 
 call forth their better feelings, or for subjects of 
 moral improvement on which to exercise their 
 judgment and their taste. 
 
 With all this, however, there arc few so per- 
 fectly contented with their share of enjoyment, as 
 to be insensible to the pleasure of a little extraor- 
 dinary excitement. If the incident which creates 
 it be of an agreeable nature, so much the better — 
 if even a little of the contrary description, it is 
 scarce altooether unwelcome. It then acts like the
 
 THE HIGHLAND SJVIUGGLERS. 185 
 
 sharp gales and breezes of spring and autumn 
 which, though they may do some little damage to 
 our plants and flowers, or disorder for a few hours 
 the comely dress of nature, purify an atmosphere 
 which might otherwise become dense and foggy. It 
 prevents that stagnation and hebetude of the mind 
 which is the consequence of continual inaction. 
 
 The arrival of a gay young Englishman at In- 
 verallich castle was of itself a source of no mean 
 enjoyment ; but when he became the hero of an 
 adventure, the pleasure derived from his society 
 was tenfold increased ; and for some time after his 
 return from the bothy on this occasion, nothing 
 was talked of in or about the castle and its neigh- 
 bourhood but the wonderful and unaccountable 
 incident which had occurred to their Southern 
 guest. 
 
 Engagements of an urgent nature prevented his 
 having any particular communication with his 
 friend the laird, until the forenoon of the day suc- 
 ceeding his arrival, and then only for a few mo- 
 ments before his taking horse to ride to a farm at 
 some distance. 
 
 " You won't go with me, Harry, I dare say — 
 stay at home, amuse the ladies and recruit — I 
 shall be back to dinner, at which I expect the 
 company of some gentlemen who will, I am sure, 
 be well pleased to know the particulars of your ad-
 
 186 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 venture, and who are perhaps as well qualified as 
 any in the country to give you the information 
 about which you are so curious — I mean regard- 
 ing our Highland smugglers, or rather illegal dis- 
 tillers. I shall defer hearing all particulars my- 
 self till then, although there are some things I have 
 heard already that puzzle me extremely. Adieu, 
 then, after dinner we shall hear all about it — till 
 then I kiss your hands." 
 
 The hour of dinner came, and with it the com- 
 pany. On Tresham's entering the drawing-room 
 he became aware that the party was increased by 
 the presence of four gentlemen who were unknown 
 to him. The first of these, a fine-looking elderly 
 man, on whose benevolent features and cheerful 
 countenance more than sixty winters had laid a 
 gentle hand, although the leaden grey of his curly 
 locks did in some sort confess their influence, was 
 introduced to the young Englishman by the name 
 of Mr. Stewart, of Airdruthmore. The next was 
 Captain Macaskill, of BallytuUy, a gentleman, 
 the prominent characteristics of whose outward man 
 were an air of military pretence mingled with some- 
 thing of impudent assumption belonging rather to 
 the bully than the officer ; a countenance naturally 
 handsome, but deformed by that peculiar and re- 
 pulsive cast, communicated by habitual contact 
 with low life, and a look of assumed defiance, in-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 187 
 
 dicating the secret uneasiness felt in unwonted 
 society ; a person, tall, handsome, and strongly 
 built, but impressed with the swagger of one who 
 deems not lightly of his own consequence, and de- 
 mands a like consideration from others. 
 
 Mr. Ross, the third in succession, was announc- 
 ed as clergyman of a neighbouring parish, who 
 had come to assist at the " preachings" held in 
 that where Inverallich was situated. His mild, 
 placid, and benevolent, yet intelligent countenance, 
 presented a contrast to that of the valiant captain, 
 which was particularly favourable to the man 
 of peace. The fourth was a plain country laird, 
 as it seemed with little pretentions to any distin- 
 guishing traits ; he was a hard-featured, large- 
 boned, tall man, with weather-beaten face and red 
 hair, but an acute and sagacious countenance. He 
 was introduced as Mr. Cameron, of Dunlarig, a 
 neighbouring proprietor. 
 
 The conversation, during the time of dinner and 
 while the ladies remained at table, was of that ge- 
 neral and desultory character which commonly 
 prevails under such circumstances. Considerable 
 progress was made in the usual routine of " parish 
 business," as it is termed. Accurate information 
 was sought and obtained on all parts, of the state 
 of the crops — the forwardness of the wheat and 
 barley harvest — of the hay crop— of the breadth of
 
 188 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 turnips — the price of wool, mutton, and black- 
 cattle: and the ladies were forced to listen once 
 more to the oft-repeated " tales of the muirs " — 
 the condition of the unconscious animals which 
 were to afford the approaching sport — the strength 
 of packs — the size of the young birds, &c. &c. 
 
 As soon, however, as the gentlemen had closed 
 their ranks after the departure of the ladies, 
 the claret having circulated, and those who 
 preferred the less elegant beverage of " whiskey 
 toddy"*' having supplied themselves to their desire, 
 the laird of Airdruthmore, addressed the young 
 Englishman with an air of considerable interest. " I 
 am sorry, Mr. Tresham, to hear from my friend 
 Glenvallich, that you have met with an ugly sort 
 of adventure, and rather discourteous treatment 
 among these wild hills of ours : such an affront to a 
 stranger must affect all of us Highlanders, and I'm 
 sure there is not one of us, but would wish to de- 
 tect and bring to punishment the people that could 
 act in a way so discreditable to themselves and 
 their country. Would you be so kind as to let us 
 hear what really took place ?" 
 
 " That, sir," replied Tresham, " I shall most 
 willingly do, although I do assure you, that the 
 last thing I should think of would be to impute 
 any degree of blame to either the country where I 
 have been so happy, or to the inhabitants from
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 189 
 
 whom I have received so much kindness, for the 
 act of a few lawless banditti, for such I do believe 
 tliem to have been " 
 
 " Ave, Mr. Tresham, but banditti are no such 
 common cattle in the north now o' days, the times 
 of the Caterans are past, and even they had the 
 grace to commit their depredations abroad — now 
 you seem to have been insulted in the very place 
 where vou had sought shelter from the weather 
 and the night — that's worse than the act of a Cate- 
 ran, sir. I would fain know who could have been 
 guilty of it."' 
 
 " Well, sir, of that I can say nothing ; but if 
 vou please, I will tell you what happened, and you 
 may form vour own conclusions.'' Tresham then 
 related at full the whole of his adventure in the hill, 
 from his first starting from the bothy of Auchon- 
 rui, till the time he fell in with the two foresters 
 on the following morning. 
 
 The whole party listened with profound and in- 
 terested attention, interrupting him only to put sucli 
 questions as were calculated to elicit information 
 reo-ardino- the directions he had taken, or the cha- 
 racter of the people amongst whom he had fallen. 
 Airdruthmore eved him with fixed attention. 
 Bally tully with an air of sarcastic incredulity. 
 " A very strange afi'air, indubitably," remarked
 
 190 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 the former at length ; " what think you of it your- 
 self, Glenvallich r 
 
 " Why, truly, Airdruthmore, my friend's ad- 
 venture may very fairly be termed a singular 
 affair, since, in the whole of my experience and ac- 
 quaintance with the country, I never heard of any 
 thing resembling it — nor did you, Til venture to 
 say. As for the character of his scurvy enter- 
 tainers and their den, there cannot be two opinions, 
 I think ; I only can't imagine who they could be, 
 and where the deuce my friend has been, to fall in 
 with such savages — that is what puzzles me." 
 
 " Faith, it will puzzle more than you I fancy, 
 Glenvallich. Many a whiskey still have I known of 
 and seen in the hills, but never was there one em- 
 ployed about them that would not rather have 
 welcomed and aided a gentleman, than affronted 
 him. Take my word for it, they've been none of 
 our kindly Highland brewsters that Mr. Tresham 
 has met with. It must have been some of those 
 wild west-country, or owVthe-sea smugglers from 
 France or Holland. He has fallen in with some 
 houff of theirs, and they've been frightened that he 
 was an officer or spy ; so they didn't want him to 
 know his way back again." 
 
 " Aye, faith, and strong cause of terror must 
 they have had, and worse than common must 
 they have been, to conduct themselves so,'' re-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 191 
 
 plied Glenvallich. " There's not one in the coun- 
 try better known as an enemy to their trade in all 
 its branches, than myself; but never yet did I 
 meet with any thing but civility when I have 
 chanced to stumble on a still. Besides, fear of dis- 
 covery is insufficient to account for so much need- 
 less brutality as Tresham met with." 
 
 " Ah, faith ! these foreign rascals, and their 
 black Highland colleagues, are sad reckless bloody 
 rogues, they say — no saying what they might do, 
 if they were provoked. But what think ye your- 
 self, I ask again, Glenvallich ? Where could this 
 same houfF have been ?" 
 
 " Why, in spite of the distance, Airdruthmore, 
 I'm inclined to think with Maccombich," said 
 Glenvallich. "I do really believe that Tres- 
 ham has some how or other found his way into 
 part of the hills or braes of Glen Shlichard." 
 As far as I can judge from his account, the 
 direction he seems to have taken in pursuit of that 
 last deer might have landed him there ; and the 
 young man has got light heels and good wind — a 
 deep moss, or a steep hill, are a joke to him now- 
 He must have made a greater progress than he 
 suspected, in his ardour." 
 
 " I crave pardon, Glenvallich,*' said the laird of 
 Bally tully, who had not yet spoken, and who 
 had hitherto sat, listening with a contemptuous
 
 192 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 air to what was passing : " I crave pardon, but I 
 have yet heard no good reason to suppose the 
 young gentleman has been near the place you 
 think of ; indeed, to me the whole affair wears so 
 strange and incomprehensible a shape, as to afford 
 no ground of judging where he has been, or who 
 he may have forgathered with." 
 
 " An admirable help at hand you prove to 
 people at fault, Bally tully," said Glenvallich, 
 laughing ; " you knock on the head our only pro- 
 bable conjecture, yet offer none other to stand in 
 its place. But I dare to say you must know more 
 of this same glen and its inmates than I can do, so 
 I bow to your superior information." 
 
 " By no means, Glenvallich," interrupted Bally- 
 tully hastily ; *' I pray you attribute no such know- 
 ledge to me. In Glen Shlichard I have been, no 
 doubt, as have most of this company, probably, in 
 their day ; but I know little more of it than that it 
 is a fine Highland glen, with a wheen fine stout fel- 
 lows in it— wild a little, but clever cheilds — by no 
 means likely to run their heads against a wall like 
 blind beetles, or to misuse a stranger if he came 
 among them. They may have changed, to be sure, 
 since I knew them." 
 
 " But pray take pity on my curiosity, gentle- 
 men," said Tresham, who sat listening with some 
 impatience to all this : " Tell me where this same 
 mysterious glen with the hard name, may be, after
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEKS. 193 
 
 all — Slikard, or — how do you call it ? — Every one 
 who names it seems to do so with a holy horror, as 
 if thereby hung a tale — as if it were some terra 
 incognita, inhabited by wild barbarians— What, 
 in the name of goodness, are its peculiarities ? — 
 What has rendered it so famous or i/zfamous ?" 
 
 " Why, Glen Shlichard, the pronunciation of 
 which seems so nearly to convulse your English 
 organs of speech," replied Glenvallich, " is a fine 
 extensive valley, enclosed by lofty, and in some 
 places very rugged mountains, and it lies to the 
 north-west of Glenochree, and the country you 
 are acquainted with in that direction. Strange 
 to say, it is almost what you have termed it — a 
 terra incogriita, even to its nearest neighbours. 
 Not being acquainted with the place, although 
 I have been amongst its outskirts, and though 
 part of my property in one direction bounds 
 with it, I cannot describe it to you more parti- 
 cularly. Its inaccessibility is no doubt one great 
 cause of our ignorance regarding it, as well as 
 of the total neglect it has hitherto sustained ; for 
 there is no tolerable road by which it may be 
 entered. Its inhabitants, though not absolutely 
 barbarous, are certainly but little civilized — less 
 so, perhaps, than those of most districts in the 
 Highlands; and the country thus offering but little 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 temptation either to curiosity or speculation, re- 
 mains neglected, unknown, and unimproving."" 
 
 " Now to me,'' interrupted Tresliam, " the very 
 circumstances you have mentioned — its remote- 
 ness, its neglected state, the primitive condition 
 of its inhabitants, would all be strong inducements 
 for visiting it." 
 
 " Well, such may be your feeling,^' continued 
 Glenvallich, smiling ; " but such motives would 
 not and do not influence men of business, or mere 
 men of pleasure. What do your tourists think of 
 beyond their road books, or the suggestions of 
 their friends and guides, nearly as ignorant as 
 themselves ? — And what should take a man of bu- 
 siness—a speculator in land, for instance — to a wild 
 glen, where he might sink his money in a peat 
 bog, and never draw rent from it except in the 
 shape of cranberries and heather, or deer, provided 
 he could catch them .?" 
 
 " But, God bless me !" exclaimed Tresham, 
 " who is the proprietor of this same glen ? and 
 what is he about .? — Does he get no rent — is he in- 
 sensible to interest as well as to duty V 
 
 " Perhaps," replied Glenvallich, " you have 
 hit upon the only cause sufficient to account for 
 the anomaly which such a state of things exhibits in 
 a peaceable and generally well-regulated country.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 195 
 
 It can scarce be said to have a proprietor at all. 
 This glen formed part of a property which, hav- 
 ing been forfeited in the forty-five, continued in 
 the hands of the crown after the restoration of 
 most others, because no lineal descendant of the 
 original proprietor remained alive to claim it ; and 
 the collateral branches disputed their priority of 
 right so long, that the greater number of them 
 died off, leaving the question undecided. The 
 estate thus remained in the hands of the crown 
 commissioners, and still continues in trust for the 
 true heir when he shall make his appearance — an 
 event which seems of dubious probability. In the 
 mean time, the property has been, and continues 
 to be entirely neglected : the rents are suffered 
 to fall into arrear, and such as may be collected go 
 in no wise towards its improvement. The te- 
 nants, or rather cotters — for they are little more 
 — the descendants of old holders, do just as they 
 please, and pay what they please ; for the agent, 
 who resides in Edinburgh, seldom approaches the 
 place. Indeed, I believe he thinks such a step 
 would be a greater risk than he would willingly 
 expose his precious person to ; and the factor, a 
 decent man with plenty of other work on his hands 
 from those who pay better and require stricter ser- 
 vice, cannot and does not give to Glen Shlichard 
 that superintendence which such a place would re- 
 
 k2
 
 196 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 quire. In fact, his power and his office are little 
 more than nominal, and consequently ineffective. 
 He is, therefore, content to take from the tenants 
 such payment in produce or money as they tender, 
 and which they do rather as a premium for re- 
 maining unmolested, than as rent legally and ac- 
 knowledgedly due." 
 
 " Good Heaven ! what a singular state of things 
 to exist in the island of Great Britain, and in the 
 nineteenth century too !" 
 
 " Aye, you may well say so, and the fact may be 
 regretted more easily than remedied ; but there is 
 Dunlarig, who can tell you much more and much 
 better than I can about the matter, not to mention 
 BallytuUy, who seems somewhat shy of commu- 
 nicating his information." 
 
 " Who— I, Glenvallich ? Ye seem to think — to 
 have formed a very erroneous idea of my know- 
 ledge of Glen Shlichard, and its queer people. I 
 can assure you, once more, they are very little of 
 my acquaintance,*" said BallytuUy, starting, and 
 much displeased, as it seemed, at this remark of 
 his host. 
 
 " O, I beg pardon, BallytuUy," said he, laugh- 
 ing, " I meant no offence, I assure you. I had 
 no idea the simple joke I uttered would have dis- 
 pleased you ; but, Dunlarig, you, I believe, do 
 not object to be recognized as one of the few who 
 know something of this formidable place ?"
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 197 
 
 ''Not I faith, Glenvallich!" said the laird; 
 " Glen Shlichard and I are old acquaintances, not 
 ashamed to acknowledge each other ; and at this 
 moment, I am confident that I could go through 
 every corner of it, finding a welcome from man, 
 woman, and bairn. But as to the state of the 
 place, there 's little to be added to what you have 
 said yourself; and I believe you have given the 
 true reason why the fine grazing of Glen Shlichard 
 has been so totally neglected. What else can pos- 
 sibly be the fate of a property which has neither 
 master nor factor — no one to restrain encroach- 
 ments, or hold out encouragement for improve- 
 ments — no one to stand up for it in public, or to 
 manage its affairs in private ; and what decent 
 tenant would ever engage with a farm under such 
 circumstances? In that bonny glen— for though 
 it is wild and mountainous, it is a very bonny 
 glen — there are more than three hundred families, 
 who, for several following generations, have re- 
 mained there unmolested tenants of the ground. 
 Not a lease, or tack, or missive of any kind, has 
 one of them : they just hold the land by posses- 
 sion — use and wont, as one may say, no one chal- 
 lenging their right. And they do pay a kind of 
 rent, too ; they know that the ground is not theirs, 
 and they know, too, that they must pay something
 
 198 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 for it ; but they seem to think that no man has any 
 title to dispossess them — that they have a pre- 
 scriptive right to sit there from father to son, 
 and to maintain that right, they do consent, pretty 
 regularly, to pay something ; very small certainly 
 if compared to the value of their farms — for 
 though they well know their advantages, and the 
 difficulty of forcing them into more regular ac- 
 comptings, they seem also to perceive that it may 
 be dangerous to push matters too far,"^ 
 
 " But have you no kind of law in these parts," 
 inquired Tresham, in no small astonishment at a 
 state of aifairs that his philosophy had never 
 dreamt of — " are there no such things as warrants 
 and constables, officers of justice — as distraining 
 for rent when payment is refused ?"" 
 
 " Yes ; we have these things here, as with you, 
 sir ; but where 's the sheriff's officer that would 
 venture to execute a warrant in Glen Shlichard ?'"* 
 replied Dunlarig, smiling ; " or if he did venture 
 
 * Strange and singular as it may sound, the description 
 here given is one which actually applies to a remarkably fine 
 glen in one of* the northern Highland counties, as it was not 
 half-a-dozen years ago, and as it probably, in some respects, 
 is yet. The picture will, we doubt not, be recognized by 
 many of its neighbours, who are cognizant of the facts here 
 shadowed forth under a fictitious name.
 
 THE HIGHLAXD SMUGGLERS. 199 
 
 there, and by a miracle preserved his bones whole, 
 to what use would it be ? What would he find to 
 answer the demand ?"" 
 
 " What ! have these people no property, no 
 cattle, no stock, no farming instruments, no fur- 
 niture, or other valuables ?'"* 
 
 " Hah ! hah ! hah ! Mr. Tresham, ye must 
 have little acquaintance with Highland farms and 
 Highland tenants, when ye ask such questions,"' 
 said Airdruthmore, laughing good-humou redly. 
 " Why, Lord bless you, whoever thought of a 
 cart or a plough in such a place as Glen Shlic- 
 hard ? Not a tool would ye find there, except a 
 shovel or a hoe may be, or a flaughter spade, and 
 a graip for digging their potatoes ; and as for 
 furniture, a three-legged stool, with two or three 
 rough benches — seldom a table — a few cougs and 
 quaichs, some wooden dishes, and horn spoons, 
 make up the sum and substance of their plenish- 
 ing. As for cattle and stock, why the minute the 
 scent of a suspicious character is perceived at the 
 bottom of the glen, every hoof and horn is off to 
 the hills in a jiffy; and even if they are caught, 
 a thing not to be done just with a word, or a hop, 
 step, and jump, who is to swear to the property? 
 — who is to identify the beasts.'^ Ye might as 
 well think to lay salt on a plover's tail, as to put 
 hands on tlie beast of one of these Highland 
 loupers."
 
 200 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " Ah ! there I can easily believe you — there I 
 am at home. I grant it can be no joke to make 
 a search for animals of any sort, if it were ele- 
 phants and mammoths themselves, in these wil- 
 dernesses of heins, and scoots, and meals, and 
 knocks, with their full complements of corries, and 
 glens, and glaiks, and slochds ; and their wild rocks 
 and shaggy wood, hid for half the year in mist." 
 
 " Aye, aye, I see ye begin to understand the 
 matter ; but woe's me, man ! ye 're sorely behind 
 in the auccent. Our ochs, and imichs, and adhs, 
 and oibhs, and mhors, come ill out of an English 
 throat ; but a willing heart makes a light task, 
 ye may come to in time. I should like to have 
 the teaching of you at Airdruthmore, for some 
 weeks or so." 
 
 " Many thanks for your kindness. I should be 
 proud to be your pupil, although I fear you would 
 have little credit in me. But, in the name of 
 goodness, how does this multitude of inhabitants, 
 tenants, cotters — call them how you will — manage 
 to subsist themselves, if they do not cultivate the 
 ground, even though they do sit almost rent free .?"' 
 said Tresham, addressing himself once more to 
 Dunlarig. 
 
 " Why, sir," replied that gentleman, " you 
 would scarcely credit me if I were to tell you ; 
 but it is a short tale. They plant potatoes and
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLKRS. 201 
 
 brew whiskey ; that is, in two words, the history 
 of their life and occupation." 
 
 " Upon my word, equally short and strange ! 
 And am I to understand that all this brewing is 
 illegal — unlicensed ?'' 
 
 *•' Sir, I '11 drink at one draught out of this 
 glass, every drop that ever paid the king a far- 
 thing," replied the laird of Dunlarig, suiting the 
 action to the word, and taking off the last drop of 
 toddy from his glass, as he prepared to replenish 
 it. 
 
 " And they purchase the necessaries of life from 
 the profits of this illicit traffic ?''' 
 
 " Exactly so ; the very limited stock of neces- 
 saries which such people require — videlicit, meal, 
 salt, a few trifles of hardware, and their simple 
 apparatus for brewing and distilling. As for 
 clothes, they spin the yarn and weave the cloth 
 from their own wool ; and their brogues are made 
 of the cows' and horses"* hides, which they kill or 
 which die among them." 
 
 " But don't they sow corn to supply the grain 
 for this illicit distillation .P" 
 
 " Not at all. In the lower part of the glen, 
 there may be a few bolls of barley sown, and 
 sometimes a little black oats; bat in general they 
 find it more to their taste, if not to their advan- 
 tage, to purchase grain from other quarters. The 
 
 k5
 
 202 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 manure of a few cows, added to ground long suf- 
 fered to lie fallow — for they frequently change the 
 land appropriated to tillage — produces generally a 
 tolerable potatoe crop ; and when oatmeal is scarce? 
 they live on these roots, with a seasoning of salt 
 or milk." 
 
 " And is it possible that these people obtain any 
 regular supply of corn from without ? Will any 
 one trust their property in the hands of such law- 
 less beings? or probably they deliver with one 
 hand, receiving payment with the other — all cash 
 business .^"" 
 
 "By no means: cash may be preferred, and is 
 frequently paid down ; but here, as in other cases, 
 a traffic of this description becomes secret and con- 
 fidential — the parties preserve a conscientious and 
 inviolable faith in all such transactions, because 
 they know that on such terms alone it can be car- 
 ried on ; and as the benefit is mutual, it is con- 
 trary to the interest of either party to deceive* 
 Such an occurrence on the part of one of the 
 traders in that glen, is nearly as rare as a de- 
 faulter on accounting day at the Stock Exchange 
 of London." 
 
 " Well, I can understand that, singular as the 
 thing may appear," replied Tresham ; " but it ap- 
 pears still more singular that in this ageof enterprize, 
 no spirited speculator should have proposed taking
 
 THE HIGHLAND SilUGGLEllS. £03 
 
 a lease of this fine glen, as a sheep farmer or cat- 
 tle breeder. Surely it would pay well, and the 
 agent, one would think, would as surely give en- 
 couragement to such an offer." 
 
 " Why, I dare say when such an offer is made, 
 there will no difficulty arise on the agent's part. 
 But who, think you, in his senses, would dream of 
 risking his money, or placing his person in colli- 
 sion with rude ignorant people, who despise all law 
 because they have never been made to feel its 
 ]X)wer, and who would look upon and treat him as 
 a troublesome interloper : no prudent man, de- 
 pend upon it. If he did, his stock would soon 
 find a market, and himself something worse than 
 a broken head. iSTo ; very different must be the 
 condition of Glen Shlichard before it will tempt a 
 good tenant, or yield a return to a purchaser." 
 
 " Well, I dare say you are right," said Tresham ; 
 *• but pray is this same glen remarkable beyond 
 all other for this illicit trade ? Is not smugghng 
 a general thing in the Highlands ? — I think I have 
 heard it so said." 
 
 " Sorry am I to say," replied Glenvallich, " that 
 its prevalence is only limited by difficulty of con- 
 cealment or utter want of means. Scarce a High- 
 land glen will you find without its stills, or some 
 connexion with those who have them. But there 
 are always places more celebrated than others for
 
 204 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 their produce, or better qualified by nature for 
 the purpose. Some have even, by a legislative 
 caprice, received the privilege of making small 
 still whiskey ; for instance, Ferintosh in Ross- 
 shire, a district, the name of which was for a long 
 time synonymous with that of the best Highland 
 whiskey." 
 
 " And pray has this illegal traffic existed very 
 long in the Highlands, or when did it rise to this 
 excessive extent?" 
 
 " Why the brewing of whiskey is, I believe, as 
 old almost as the growing of barley in the High- 
 lands ; but it is only within the last thirty or forty 
 years, that it has reached its present height. Be- 
 fore that time, brandy, gin, and rum, were gene- 
 rally made use of by the better classes, and, as 
 well as the wines of France and Germany, were 
 landed in groat quantities, and at very low prices, 
 on all parts of the coast, particularly of the west 
 country. It was then as common to have a piece 
 of brandy or a hogshead of claret on the tap, as 
 it is to-day to see an anker of whiskey or a barrel 
 of ale abroach. The use of malt was in those 
 days much more confined to ale or beer ; but when 
 smuggling by sea became hazardous in consequence 
 of the increased vigilance of the legislature in en- 
 forcing its regulations and penalties, our High- 
 landers found out, not only that whiskey was a
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUG(iLERS. 205 
 
 very excellent spirit, but that their lone glens 
 afforded the means of making it on their own 
 terms without much danger of interruption, and 
 that their barley might much more profitably be 
 converted into it than into ale or beer, as for- 
 merly. The proprietors of low country properties, 
 on their sides, soon found their advantage in the new 
 trade, and encouraged it by all means in their power, 
 as affording an excellent market for their corn." 
 
 " But government surely could not long be 
 blind to the loss they thus sustained ; did they not 
 take some sort of measures for suppressing this 
 nefarious trade ?'''' 
 
 " Hah, hah !" exclaimed Bally tully, '' by my 
 faith, if it wasn't stopped, it was no fault of theirs ! 
 not a drop of whiskey would be brewed without 
 leave or license by their good will, on this side of 
 Tweed, but that they don't know how to hinder 
 it. What can the fair weather chiels, sitting in 
 their big chairs round their boards of green cloth, 
 know of our Highland glens, or the lads that live 
 in them ? An exciseman may be sent to plague a 
 parish, and the officers may look for stills till 
 they 're blind, but what good or ill will that do? 
 How is one pair of eyes to be always on the watch 
 over a tract of wild hills like Badenoch or Locha- 
 ber, with as many burns and corries in it as there's 
 checks in a tartan plaid ?"
 
 206 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " Sure enough, Bally tully," remarked Mr. Ross, 
 the clergyman, with a smile at the vehemence of 
 his manner ; " government is scarcely aware of 
 the difficulty of organizing any effectual system 
 against so profitable and fascinating a trade, in a 
 country so wide, so intricate, and so thinly peopled 
 as the Highlands. The very pleasure of the ploy 
 is more than sufficient to counterbalance the slight 
 risks they at present run ; and what, as you have 
 said, is a single officer in a district of a thousand 
 or fifteen hundred square miles, where every soul 
 is banded against him, as the organ of a tyrannical 
 law ? for they deem the prohibition against brew- 
 ing, to be nothing better than an unjust invasion 
 of their natural privileges and rights. And just 
 consider how the poor officer himself is situated : 
 set down in a remote country, among a people who 
 hate his whole caste ; far from efficient help or 
 assistance to enforce his authority, or secure his 
 seizures should he make any ; upon a poor salary 
 too, scarce sufficient for the necessaries — quite in- 
 adequate to procure the comforts of life ; there are 
 just two alternatives in his offer — either to do his 
 duty, viz. to search for, seize, prosecute, and per- 
 secute all delinquents, that is, nearly the whole 
 population, and thereby to exasperate every neigh- 
 bour he has, — to live in open war — nay, actually 
 in personal danger; or to neglect that duty which
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 207 
 
 he is bound to execute — to wink at the proceed- 
 ings he is placed there to check, — and by such 
 means to secure for himself, not only quiet and 
 security, but a large portion of this world's goods, 
 in the shape of fees^ douceurs, or hush-money, 
 from those who benefit by his discretion : let any 
 man of common sense and candour say which is the 
 alternative most likely to be generally embraced." 
 
 "Why, I do confess that probability leans against 
 virtue and honesty. They ought to have a more 
 liberal salary ; that would surely outweigh any 
 petty bribes that might be offered ?" 
 
 " Would it, faith ? it would need to be a 
 liberal one with a witness then,""* said Dunlarig. 
 '* Petty bribes ! why, sir, there 's many a laird of 
 good respect in his own place, that 's worse off 
 than John Rankin, tlie exciseman, down near the 
 Clachan yonder, if we may judge by appearances. 
 Honest John came there a poor starved-looking 
 creature, with a hard working wife, and plenty of 
 ill-fed bairns ; scarce a coat had he to his back, 
 and a pot of potatoes, or a little meal-brose was 
 good enough to stop the mouths of his family. 
 His salary is forty pounds a year, and he has 
 been barely six years in the place ; yet look at 
 him now, — he is fat, sonsy, well put on, — his wife 
 tucked out like a lady-lauders, — his daughters sent 
 to school to learn French and music, — and he has
 
 208 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 taken the farm of Drumcardoch, built a good 
 house, stocked the place, and, as I hear, has his 
 
 credit with the bank of for his good five 
 
 hundred pounds. Is not that well managed now, 
 out of forty pounds a year ? Petty bribes, indeed ! 
 Half a dozen good ewes with lambs at their foot ; 
 a canny Highland cow in calf ; a five — aye, and 
 may be a ten-pound note to '' kittle his loof ;" 
 not to speak of the good sonsy ankers of the 
 mountain dew itself, left under a heap of litter 
 some fine night, and the fat butter-kits, and the 
 nice sweet milk cheeses. But John Rankin is a 
 civil, canny, fair spoken chield, that knows fine 
 how to hold well with both sides : there's not a 
 lad in the district that would hurt a hair of John's 
 head, nor refuse him a day's work at hay time or 
 harvest. And yet John can seize a still or a 
 brewst too, but then he chooses his time; and 
 I would not say what understanding may be be- 
 tween him and its owner." 
 
 " A singular and lamentable state of things 
 indeed," said Tresham ; " but the profits of the 
 trade must be far beyond what I imagined." 
 
 '*• Faith! they're not small, as you may com- 
 prehend from what I have said," replied Dunlarig. 
 " I have known a boll of barley turn out nearly 
 three times the value in whiskey, it would have 
 done if sold as grain ; and cent per cent is com-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 209 
 
 mon — that is, farmer's and smuggler's profits to- 
 gether, and they are very often united in the same 
 person; so that if one brewst in three were to 
 escape seizure, they would be no losers. But after 
 all, I'm persuaded that it's the ploy that is the 
 chief temptation, as Mr. Ross said. The secret 
 meetings, the midnight carousings, the interest of 
 mystery and hazard, the bandings together in a 
 sort of common cause, which the business pro- 
 motes ; there is no telling how powerful an effect 
 this moral or rather immoral stimulus has. I do 
 believe it would be strong enough to keep up 
 the trade if there was no profit at all to be derived 
 from it. '^ 
 
 " But do not Highland proprietors see the gross- 
 ness of the mischief, and exert themselves to put it 
 down ? Surely it must tend in the end to injure 
 their interests." 
 
 " Why faith, sir, I fear Highland proprietors 
 are not always so far-sighted : they like high rents ; 
 their little tenants could pay them none without 
 this mode of converting their produce into cash — 
 at least so they will tell jou — and they have some 
 feeling for their own pockets.'^ 
 
 " Come, come, Dunlarig," said Glenvallich; 
 " you do yourself, and all of us, injustice. High- 
 land proprietors must see the evil of this demo- 
 ralizing practice too clearly, not to desire to put
 
 210 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 a stop to it : surely no increase of rent can com- 
 pensate for the deterioration of principle in the 
 tenantry produced by it ?" 
 
 "Well, well, Glenvallich," replied Dunlarig, 
 laughing, " I certainly sha'n't dispute that ; it's 
 a very proper feeling, no doubt, especially for 
 large proprietors, but little lairds like us must 
 sometimes be excused for looking after our in- 
 terests and getting our rents as we can. And 
 after all, what is it to me who buys my corn, if I'm 
 well paid for it? A chield comes to my barn- 
 door with a horse and cart, claps the money in 
 my fist, and walks off with the bolls ; am I to ask 
 where it goes, or what he does with it ?"' 
 
 " And are all the officers of government equally 
 inefficient ?'' demanded Tresham, who felt that he 
 had touched on tender ground, and wished to 
 change the subject ; " do they never contrive to 
 bring these breakers of the law to their senses ?'"* 
 
 " O yes!" replied Dunlarig, " that they do, 
 and sometimes there's no want of broken heads. 
 If the lads of a glen get their horns out too far, 
 and vex the excise, they'll send a whole posse of 
 riding officers and revenue cutter's men, or perhaps 
 a squad of soldiers to harry the glen, and search 
 every house in it ; but sometimes I've known them 
 meet their match too." 
 
 " Aye, by my faith, that they do !" said Bally-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 211 
 
 tuUy, who seldom spoke, but who drank in every 
 word that was said with keen attention, warming 
 as the conversation advanced, no less from the 
 potations of his favourite liquor, than from his 
 interest in the subject. " Aye, the filthy cattle ! 
 they do whiles get what they deserve ; for my 
 part, I would as soon see a wolf in a Highland 
 glen, as one of these officers or cutter's men. But, 
 d — n them ! they sometimes catch it, as ye say, 
 Dunlarig. I mind a splore of that kind in the 
 braes of Glenfarrach, when they got hold of Red 
 John Roy of Knockspeidh ; it was afore your 
 time, Glenvallich. His son Donald, poor lad i 
 got a wicked cut in the head, he never got right 
 the better of it. But one of the excise died of the 
 licking he got, and there was some other bloody 
 noses besides. John himself, poor fellow ! was sent 
 off to the plantations, for there was never a friend to 
 speak up for him ; and what became of his wife I 
 never heard. She left the country with her two 
 bairns to go after him, she said, but we never heard 
 more of her." 
 
 " Aye, Ballytully, that was a sad business, and 
 they say John was hardly used, — I don't know. 
 But there was a wilder business than that, near the 
 same part of the country, and not much longer 
 ago neither. I'm sure ye mind of black Murphy, 
 the Irish chap that lived at Ballenstree. He quar-
 
 S12 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 relied with Finlay Gag, a lad of Strath-Cuillich ; 
 Murphy look some liberties with a lass that Fin- 
 lay was courting, and Finlay swore he would make 
 him repent of it. Murphy, Mr Tresham, was a 
 mad sort of an Irishman — a cast coachman or 
 
 groom, he was, of Lord 's, who got htm a 
 
 place in the Excise, just to be quit of him. He 
 was a big stout black-looking fellow, that blus- 
 tered and swore a great deal, and was the devil, 
 they said, among the girls. 
 
 " But Finlay Oag was not the lad to be daunted 
 either by his looks or his words. The gauger was 
 beset one day, not very far from his own house, 
 by two stout fellows, who, while they belaboured 
 him with their cudgels, told him to mend his man- 
 ners if he had a mind to sleep in a whole skin. 
 Murphy had a fair guess to whom he owed the 
 favour ; he said nothing however, but set his spies, 
 and managed to get word when Finlay was throng 
 with a fine brewst of barley in the Glaikbui, at 
 the head of the Strath And off went the gauger, 
 with three or four fellows, that he got for the pur- 
 pose, from the town, to seize the stuff and the 
 tools. 
 
 "But the boys of Strath-Cuillich were not just so 
 easily to be caught napping; and Murphy had 
 scarcely turned the black craggan, that's at the 
 foot of the Strath, when the alarm was given, and
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 213 
 
 off set two prochahs,^ to warn every still that was 
 going through the place. By the time they got to 
 the Glaikbui, the whiskey and the still was off, 
 and the people were carrying off the lames and 
 some malt that had been left. ' On them, and 
 follow boys.' roared Murphy, and the men started 
 forwards to get hold of the things, and of those 
 that were carrying them off; but Finlay himself, 
 and one or two others, stood their ground and op- 
 posed the gaugers while the women carried off the 
 rest of the stuff. The Excise lads did not like the 
 job too much, it seems ; and Murphy was forced 
 to return with little profit, blackguarding his 
 men for cowards, and swearing bloody vengeance 
 against Finlay Oag, as a notorious smuggler, who 
 had resisted the Excise officers in the execution of 
 their duty. The consequence was, that a warrant 
 was issued for apprehending him, and Murphy 
 himself was charged with seeing it carried into 
 effect. But Murphy knew enough of his man to 
 be certain that this would be no easy job, so five 
 stout seamen, from an Excise cutter, strongly 
 armed, were placed under his charge, and with 
 these he proceeded up the glen, in full confidence 
 of success. 
 
 " But Finlay was a lad well liked in the Strath, 
 and his friends determined that if the ganger and 
 * Boys.
 
 214 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 his men did get hold of him, it should not be for 
 nothing. If they had been contented with secret- 
 ing him for a while, or if Finlay himself had been 
 wise, the breeze might have blown by harmless, 
 and things would have done well enough. But he 
 was too high-spirited to skulk, and perhaps the 
 lads of the Strath thought they might as well give 
 Murphy a fright that would sicken him of such 
 pranks, and keep the place free of him for the 
 future. 
 
 " However that was, the party did not get up 
 to the braes of the Strath unseen or unheard of. 
 Finlay and his friends got early word, and they 
 prepared to receive their enemies. When they 
 came to the bothy in Glaikbui, fin't a thing did 
 they find but the bare walls, and some bits of the 
 tubs and casks that had been broken the time 
 before. ' The villain must be hiding further up 
 the glaik,' said Murphy, ' we'll have a search 
 there, any how, first,' and knowing something of 
 the ground, he pushed at once up the dark hollow 
 behind the Lothy. 
 
 " There was a narrow pass, a little way up, where 
 the water came down in a number of little falls; 
 every fall had a black pool at the bottom, and 
 there was a great deal of ragged birch, and alder, 
 and tall fern about. As the men were climbing 
 up here as fast as they could, they heard a voice
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 215 
 
 calling out, * Oho ! Mr. Murphy, is that you ? 
 and what may you be wanting this way ?'' ' Just 
 your own four handsome quarters, Mr. Oag,' re- 
 plied Murphy, looking up and seeing that it was 
 Finlay himself that spoke ; ' so, please come down 
 from your perch, and give us no more trouble, 
 you'd best.' * I'm very well as I am, Mr. Mur- 
 phy,' says Finlay, ' but if you can't do without 
 me, ye must just come and take me.' 'Aye, my 
 lad, are you so bould, sure,' says Murphy ; ' well, 
 we must tame ye. I say, surrender in the king's 
 name, and come quietly down, unless you'd rather 
 taste a lead pill to cool your courage.' * I'm much 
 obliged to ye, man,' replies Finlay, ' but keep 
 your stuff to ^'Ourself, as I don't need it; and if 
 ye '11 take my advice, be out of this as fast as ye 
 like, for the air here's no good for your health. 
 Leave us poor lads — aye, and lasses, too, alone, 
 or ye may find yereself the worse of it ; mind I 
 tell ye.' I have heard them that were there say that 
 it made tlieir blood creep to hear these two daring 
 randies, bully, and taunt, and curse each other, 
 as if they were both fey. And so it seemed they 
 were, for at that very time, neither of them had 
 many minutes to live. * B — st his eyes, give him 
 the lead, and finish the job,' called out one of the 
 cutter's men, in a surly voice ; and at the word, 
 3,Iurphy, thoroughly mad, fired a pistol at Fin-
 
 216 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 lay''s person. A taunting laugh was the only re- 
 ply, as he disappeared behind the brow of the 
 bank where he had been standing ; two other shots 
 were fired as he went off, and then the whole 
 party rushed forward to try to intercept his fur- 
 ther flight. 
 
 " It did not, however, appear that flight was his 
 object, for when the first man got over the bank, 
 and that was Murphy, he saw Finlay standing 
 upon a rock in the bed of the burn, just above 
 one of the little falls, with an old broadsword ia 
 one hand, and a stout staff" in the other, as if he 
 had been afraid or unable to leap the rapid stream 
 that run between him and the other side. ' By 
 the great oath ! there he is at bay,' cried Murphy, 
 who was near a dozen yards a-head of the rest; 
 ' seize him, boys ; five guineas for him who lays 
 the first hand on him ;' and he dashed forward to 
 enforce his command. But Finlay was one of the 
 most active lads in the country, with a step as 
 light, and a foot as sure as ever went through a 
 bog. He waited till Murphy was within three or 
 four paces of him, * Ye had better come on, man, 
 and save your five guineas,' said he, and making 
 one spring to a small stone in the centre of the 
 stream, the next placed him safely on the other 
 side. Murphy, with equal boldness, but less skill 
 and knowledge, did not hesitate to follow. ' Yell
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 217 
 
 be the better o' a dooking, just to cool your cou- 
 rage,' said Finlay, with an eldrich laugh, and 
 just as the gauger lighted on the round stone in 
 the middle, he shyed the heavy staff which he 
 held, with so good an aim, that it took Murphy 
 right across the shins, and fairly knocked his legs 
 from under him. Down he came by the run, with 
 his head foremost, and away like a shot into the 
 black linn below. The fall was of no great height, 
 but there was many a hard sharp stone in the way, 
 and that the ganger's head found before it got to 
 the bottom. Finlay, perhaps, not knowing the 
 full success of his work, gave a loud shout of tri- 
 umph as Murphy fell. ' By G — d, the Highland 
 cateran has done for Murphy,' roared one of the 
 sailors, as he came up, and just saw the body ris- 
 ing to the surface of the pool below. ' Shoot him ! 
 d — n him — shoot him;' the word was instantl}^ 
 obeyed ; three or four pistol-shots were fired across 
 the burn, and Finlay Oag, with a leap two yards 
 high from the rock where he stood, fell dead into 
 the channel of the stream: he was shot clean 
 through the heart. 
 
 " Finlay 's last shout might have been a signal 
 as well as a cry of joy, for at the moment six or 
 eight men, some with broadswords, and some with 
 guns, started up from among the fern and brush- 
 wood, just in time to see their comrade fall. They 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 218 THE HiailLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 gave a yell of anger, and rushed upon the cutter's 
 men, who on their side, exasperated at the loss 
 of their officer, turned too with their pistols and 
 cutlasses, and a stout battle began, both parties 
 dashing through the water to get at one another 
 as each gave ground or advanced. The cutter- 
 men at length were forced to fly, for even the wo- 
 men pelted them with large stones, and they were 
 all wounded, one of them desperately, who was 
 carried off by his companions. There was another 
 of tlie Highlanders killed by a pistol shot, and one 
 or two more got wipes from a cutlass. 
 
 " Poor Peggy, Finlay's sweetheart, who was 
 along with the people of the Strath, ran shrieking 
 to the body of her lover, and was found half- dis- 
 tracted, clasping it in her arms, and drenched with 
 the blood that poured from his wound. As for the 
 body of Murphy, it was afterwards found so dis- 
 figured, that no one could say how much had been 
 done by the rocks and the water, and what by the 
 exasperated Strath 'smen. Finlay Oag had a 
 grand wake, and more whiskey was drank at his 
 burial than had been made at his three last brew- 
 ings. As for Murphy, he was buried in a kind of 
 out-shot of the parish churchyard, with just as 
 little attention as could decently be given. 
 
 " The business made a great noise at the time ; 
 but government had something else to fash with
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 219 
 
 than the death of a gauger, who had brought the 
 weight of it partly on himself; and recruits were 
 greatly needed at the time, and severe measures 
 would have been very unpopular, especially as the 
 principal culprit was dead. So there was an ex- 
 amination and precognitions taken, but the thing 
 was never carried farther. The place where the 
 fray took place was ever since called the ' Irish- 
 man's step ;' and the people still look upon it with 
 a kind of horror, and they show a red mark on 
 some of the rocks, which they assure any one who 
 takes the trouble to look at it, is the blood of 
 Finlay Oag, which neither rain nor snow can wash 
 out, nor time destroy— but that's all nonsense, I 
 need not tell you, Mr. Tresham." 
 
 " Aye," said Airdruthmore, " there would be 
 no end to stories of tulzies between guagers and 
 smugglers in the glens and at the stills. Your 
 true Highlander entertains a natural aversion to 
 an exciseman, as strong as a Skye terrier to a brock 
 or a foumart; and many a plisky will Donald 
 play him, even when there's not much anger in 
 the case. I remember hearing once of one of that 
 hated fraternity, a riding officer he was, who 
 somehow or other had found his way far ben into 
 Glen Shlichard itself. He was not long of being 
 met with, and as soon discovered to be a stranger 
 to the country. The good folks were wonderfully 
 
 l2
 
 220 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 civil ; took him into a place which he supposed to 
 be a public house, and plied him with strong 
 whiskey so artfully and rapidly, that the man got 
 mortal in a hurry. They then took him, tied him 
 like a sack across his horse, drove it a little dis- 
 tance from the place, and then giving it a hearty 
 skelp, left it to find its own way home. How 
 it got through the intricacies of the path no one 
 living can tell; but next morning it was found 
 picking the grass near the place from whence the 
 man had procured it, with its burthen half-dead, 
 and still whole stupid, on its back. That fellow 
 never scented the air of Glen Shlichard again." 
 
 " Your story puts me in mind of an incident 
 which happened to myself not many years ago," 
 said Glenvallich. " I was riding with a friend, 
 who understood Gaelic, and who knew the country 
 and its customs better than I then did, along the 
 north bank of Loch-Ness, where the road has in 
 some places been carried along the face of a pre- 
 cipice, and you see the waters of the lake just 
 under you a great way below, black with extreme 
 depth, and booming against the rocks. We had 
 passed a train of shelties, each loaded with its 
 brace of ankers, which my friend soon discovered 
 to be ' mountain dew' on its way to Lochaber — 
 indeed the people, who knew him, made no diffi- 
 culty in admitting the fact, and laughed while
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 221 
 
 they did so. We pursued our course, and after 
 going on a mile or two, at a very alarming part of 
 the road, we met another party consisting of four 
 or five persons, preceding and surrounding one 
 individual who seemed ' very particularly drunk,' 
 and was only kept upon his horse by the united 
 efforts of two of the number, who rode one on 
 each side of the horse: these were followed by 
 another person who brought up the rear, and 
 closed the singular procession. With this person 
 my companion entered into conversation while I 
 rode on. He soon rejoined me laughing, ' Who 
 were your friends ?"* said I, ' they seem to be a 
 merry set at least.' ' Why,"* replied he, ' you will 
 laugh too, in spite of your precise notions, when I 
 tell you who and what they were. The man you 
 saw so well attended was the guager of the dis- 
 trict going to search for and seize the very whiskey 
 which we met a little way behind ; and his attend- 
 ants are the owners of this very whiskey, with 
 some of their neighbours, who have gone to see it 
 safe to its destination. Some of them having 
 heard of the guager's intended expedition, went to 
 meet him, and waylaying him near a public-house, 
 cooked up a plausible story, and inveigled him in, 
 under pretence of giving him information. He, 
 anxious to get it, fell into the snare, and in seeking 
 to elicit intelligence, drunk so much, that a little
 
 222 THE HIGHLAKD SMUGGLERS. 
 
 more made him fou enough. In the meantime 
 the whiskey passed on, and they still keeping up 
 the farce of informers, rode on with him, in the 
 very direction their whiskey had gone in, always 
 taking care to stop at every open door, until he 
 became as you see. The whiskey in the course of 
 another hour will be safe through a pass of 
 which they know, a little on this side of Fort 
 Augustus, and the man will then proceed on a 
 wrong scent, if he does not lie down on the road- 
 side to sleep off his debauch. ' And what if his 
 present good humour gives way,' said I to the 
 man, ' before the whiskey is safe ? What if the 
 fellow should insist on pushing onwards, or become 
 otherwise troublesome ?' ' Ou, then,"* said the 
 fellow, making a very significant gesture with his 
 head towards the black water that was foaming 
 below — ' Ou, then, the loch's deep.'"'' 
 
 " A portentous conclusion indeed,'' observed 
 Mr. Ross ; " and one I do really fear these mis- 
 guided men would not have scrupled to come to, 
 had the case seemed in their opinion to require it : 
 and this by no means from any general indifference 
 to the life of a human being, but purely from their 
 habitual detestation of the whole race of excise 
 officers, and a sort of tacit impression that no vio- 
 lence against the revenue or its officials is a crime. 
 It is a state of things certainly most deeply to be la-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 223 
 
 men ted, but, considering all circumstances, scarcely 
 to be wondered at when we take into view the igno- 
 rance and poverty of the people, and the severity of 
 a law, which, to their unenlightened mind, appears 
 harsh and unequal. Even the method of carrying 
 it into effect is to them revolting ; for it does not 
 unfrequently happen that persons in reality inno- 
 cent, suffer from their connexion with the guilty ; 
 and assuredly excise punishments do frequently 
 operate in a manner very disproportioned to the 
 moral turpitude of the offence if that were to 
 be measured by the motives of the respective de- 
 linquents, and their opportunities of mental im- 
 provement. And how can it be otherwise, when 
 the judges of the criminal are so often ignorant, 
 not only of his language, but of the circumstances 
 in which he may be placed ? Besides, one common 
 mode of punishment is by fine — in default of pay- 
 ment of which, whether from obstinacy or inabi- 
 lity, he is put into gaol. In the one case he stays 
 there till he is tired — in the other till they tire of 
 alimenting him, wretchedly as that is done; or 
 possibly he is liberated on condition of paying a 
 proportion within a given time. And what is the 
 consequence of this ? Why, the moment the cul- 
 prit is at liberty, he returns to the very practices 
 for which he has just suffered, because they alone 
 afford him a hope of being able to pay his fine, or of
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 recovering his losses. And so away he works 
 double tides for double profits, while the excise 
 officer, if he has a grain of compassion, must 
 wink hard at a breach of law which he feels to be 
 necessary to the poor man's existence and liberty. 
 I myself knew a poor fellow who was personally 
 innocent, detained for near a year in gaol, because 
 he was caught by a party of officers in the whiskey 
 bothy of his brother-in-law, with which, however, 
 he had no connexion. What can such a system 
 lead to, but further demoralization, recklessness, 
 and despair ?'^ 
 
 " Bad enough assuredly," said Tresham, shak- 
 ing his head with an expression of seriousness, 
 which his feelings did not belie ; " but where's 
 the remedy .?" 
 
 " I fear," said Mr. Ross, " the remedy must 
 depend upon a combination of means which can- 
 not be all at once called' into operation: the 
 progress of education will do much, for it will 
 open the eyes of the people to the moral guilt of 
 their ideas upon the subject, and this object 
 should be had in view both in the schools and 
 from the pulpit. The influential proprietors of 
 the country should exert their power towards the 
 same object ; but, above all, government should 
 seek, by a wise modification of its excise laws, to 
 put a stop to the illegal trade, in the only efficient
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEIIS. 2!'25 
 
 way that can be adopted— that of encoiiragmg the 
 legal distillers to make such a spirit as will suit 
 the market, and enabling them to sell it at a price 
 which will drive the smugglers out of it. And 
 till this be done, penalties and restrictions are 
 vain. No whiskey drinker will taste that harsh, 
 nauseous spirit, which is made in the large stills, 
 while he can get the small-still whiskey — a pure, 
 wholesome, aromatic spirit, which at present has 
 the additional advantage of being as much cheaper 
 as it is better than the other." 
 
 But, gentle reader, we fear that We have already 
 trespassed on your patience too far, in recording 
 so much of a conversation which may seem better 
 suited to the pages of a treatise on political eco- 
 nomy, than to those of such a tale as we may have 
 given thee reason to look for. We would remind 
 thee, however, of the objects we fairly professed 
 to have in view in this delectable work, and which 
 would, we conceive, entitle us to inflict on thee a 
 much more elaborate and lengthy discussion, had 
 such been deemed expedient to our purpose. But 
 we scorn to use our advantage; and therefore, 
 having enlightened thee in some degree as to the 
 condition of the country in which our scene has 
 been laid, we will spare thee the remainder of the 
 colloquy in question, together with our own pro- 
 found remarks and deductions therefrom, reserv- 
 
 L 5
 
 226 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 ing them to form the groundwork of a very 
 learned and very interesting memoir intended for 
 the consideration of the chancellor of his majesty's 
 exchequer, by whom, we doubt not, its merits will 
 be duly appreciated.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A HIGHLAND " PREACHING." 
 
 " The plainest roof that piety can raise, 
 And only vocal with its Maker's praise." 
 
 " You will attend our parish church to-day, I 
 hope, Mr. Tresham ;'" said Mrs. Mac Alpine, as 
 the party sat at breakfast on the Sunday after the 
 conversation so faithfully detailed in our last 
 chapter. " It is our sacrament Sunday, and inde- 
 pendent of the more solemn duties of the day, 
 you will witness a spectacle, which, if you never 
 saw a Highland congregation on such an occasion, 
 you will allow, I think, to be both novel and 
 pleasing." 
 
 " Certainly," replied Tresham ; " I should 
 wish to accompany you, madam, were there no 
 other inducement than the simple service of the 
 Scottish church, which, though strangely shorn of
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 its honours, I own pleases me from its primitive 
 solemnity. You go of course ?^' 
 
 " I do. Although by birth and education of 
 the church of England communion, there appears 
 to me so little fundamental difference in spirit or 
 in doctrine between the two modes of worship, 
 that I never dreamt of hesitating to attend in 
 the same place of worship where my husband 
 and his family offered up their prayers to their 
 Maker." 
 
 " But is this any particular occasion, that you 
 seem to expect an extraordinary congregation .?" 
 
 " Why, it is in so far an extraordinary occa- 
 sion, that it occurs but twice in the year. The 
 ' preachings'* or sacrament^ as it is emphatically 
 called in this country, is administered only so 
 often in each year in the Scottish Presbyterian 
 church, and consequently great numbers assemble 
 at such times to witness or partake of it."" 
 
 " Why, yes,'"* observed Glenvallich," the assem- 
 blies are certainly large; for not contented with 
 attending at the times appointed by the kirk and 
 presbyteries in their respective parishes, and which 
 doubtless are by these authorities deemed sufficient 
 for the celebration of this sacred institution, the 
 great bulk of the people hold it their duty, or 
 make it their pleasure, to flock to every sacrament, 
 not only at home, but at every parish far and near
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEES. 2^9 
 
 within reach : and as these are commonly arranged 
 on sequent sabbaths, for a full month and more, 
 nothing goes on during that time but attending of 
 ' preachings." "*" 
 
 " My son," replied his mother, " you would 
 not surely deprive the poor creatures of the 
 greatest delight and solace of their lives ? Think 
 how hard they work at other times, and how 
 grateful a few days of rest and instruction must be 
 to them." 
 
 " No mother," replied Glenvallich ; " far be it 
 from me to deprive or seek to stint them of the 
 smallest portion of true religious comfort. If I 
 could believe this wandering on the highAvays, 
 and flocking to the churchyards, was beneficial 
 either to the souls or bodies of these poor crea- 
 tures, I should be the last to raise my voice 
 or my opinion against it. It is because I see 
 these holy meetings made little better than p/o?/^ 
 of, and religion in so many cases made the cloak 
 for idleness and amusement — aye, for licentiousness 
 and debauchery, that I would, if possible, put a 
 stop to the abuse, and call upon those who feel the 
 same to act in like manner." 
 
 " I am aware of your sentiments on this subject, 
 my son," replied his mother; "but I cannot 
 altogether agree with them. I cannot bring my- 
 self to believe that these poor people have any
 
 230 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 Other than good motives for their attendance upon 
 a religious institution, however frequent." 
 
 " It is not in your nature, my dear mother, to 
 believe other than good of your fellow creatures. 
 Nevertheless,, were the secret motives of many of 
 them laid open, I fear you would see cause to alter 
 your opinion on this subject. If people attended 
 the sacred institutions in question, solely with the 
 devout purpose of making public profession of the 
 faith they hold, of their sense of their own sinful- 
 ness, their trust in their Saviour, and the resolu- 
 tion to amend their lives for the future, it would 
 be only a fitting and proper discharge of a por- 
 tion of their Christian duty ; and though unne- 
 cessary to repeat these declarations from parish to 
 parish, the act would at least be innocent, if not 
 absolutely praiseworthy. But what is the true 
 state of the case ? Of the multitude that attend 
 the ' preachings,' as they are called, or rather who 
 come drest in their gayest apparel, to sit upon the 
 tombstones, or lounge about the churchyard, how 
 few ever dream of approaching the sacred table ? On 
 the contrary, how many are there who have no other 
 object in view than to be entertained as they would 
 expect to be at any other gay meeting — to see and 
 to be seen ? How many, as we hear of the Hindoos 
 at their fairs, resort to this assembly for purposes of 
 amusement and merry-meeting, if not of trade and
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. ^Sl 
 
 business, fully as much as of piety and religious 
 duty ! How many go even yet further, and waste 
 time, and health, and substance, in the loose com- 
 pany and dissipation which abound in the vicinity, 
 attracted by the promiscuous crowd ! Nay, of 
 those who believe themselves to be honestly follow- 
 ing the impulse of religious feeling, how many are 
 there among the multitude, who, unable to ap- 
 proach either pulpit or tent, remain beyond all 
 reach of hearing, patiently sitting in wind or rain, 
 to the infinite detriment of their body, and cer- 
 tainly receiving no spiritual advantage whatever. 
 Even if they should hear, and understand every 
 word that is said — can we imagine them to receive 
 much mental benefit from the repetition, day after 
 day, for a whole consecutive season, of the same 
 discourses, uttered with little variation in every 
 neighbouring parish ? I will refrain from making 
 any observation on the ill consequences of so long 
 an interruption of the common business of life, as 
 is frequently caused by attending the continued 
 succession of these preachings — which occur some- 
 times at most critical seasons of the year — because 
 it might savour too much of mingling sordid mo- 
 tives with the pure and disintejrested considerations 
 which alone should influence our thoughts on such 
 a subject. Yet surely it is blameable to treat 
 with indiflerence the bounty of the Almighty ;
 
 232 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 nor is the indiscreet zeal to be commended, -which 
 even for the purpose of praising the giver, neglects 
 the gifts ; and have we not frequently seen the 
 precious harvest time lost, and the food of the 
 people suffered to go waste while they were en- 
 gaged in the way we speak of?" 
 
 " I would not interrupt you, my son," replied 
 his mother, " for I fear there is unfortunately too 
 much truth in a great part of what you have 
 alleged. But though I must admit the frivolous 
 or unworthy motives of many, the censure chiefly 
 applies to the young and thoughtless ; we cannot 
 upon any similar principle account for the absti- 
 nence of the pious and the aged from the holy rite; 
 and yet it is not less a fact, that such do equally 
 with the less worthy, decline approaching the 
 table. This is a singular and lamentable fact. 
 The Highlanders are generally a serious and re- 
 ligious people. I have talked with m.any of them 
 on this subject, and while grieving over their igno- 
 rance and misconceptions, I could not help re- 
 specting their sincerity and humility. It is not 
 that they entertain any doubts either regarding 
 the tenets of that faith which they profess, or of 
 the propriety and even efficacy of the solemn rite 
 to which they are invited ; it is, I assure you, my 
 dear son, entirely from a dread of their own un- 
 worthiness, that thev do not dare approach the
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 233 
 
 holy table. Their imaginations are more im- 
 pressed by the awful and majestic attributes of the 
 Almighty than by his goodness and mercies ; and 
 it is a task of inconceivable difficulty to open their 
 eyes to the truth; to convince them, that the 
 lowliest and humblest of mankind have an equal in- 
 terest in the blessings of salvation with the mightiest 
 and most prosperous— that our Saviour died to 
 save the most sinful as well as the most righteous, 
 provided they are sincere in their penitence and 
 their trust in him. It is not by addressing the 
 poor and ignorant once a week from the pulpit, or 
 even by the more pointed and occasional discourses 
 which are delivered before administering the sa- 
 crament, that such errors are to be rectified, and a 
 suitable confidence in the divine grace and mercy 
 inspired. It is only by entering their secret 
 councils, by detecting the anxieties, the doubts, or 
 the ignorances which cloud their reason or harass 
 their minds, that results so desirable are to be at- 
 tained ; and blessed is the pastor who avails him- 
 self of his privilege to lighten their darkness, and 
 pour the radiance of gospel truth upon their souls, 
 to seek the remote and desolate dwellings of the 
 poor, and to comfort them with the glad tidings 
 of salvation." 
 
 " And most sincerely, mother, do I wish that 
 such pastors abounded even more than they do —
 
 234 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 for that many such exist it were most unjust as 
 well as most uncharitable to doubt. We shall at 
 all events attend you to-day, in love and charity 
 with all mankind ; my friend will, I doubt not, 
 hear an excellent discourse ; and the sight itself 
 can scarcely fail of pleasing him." 
 
 To church accordingly they went. It was 
 situated about six miles from Inverallich, in a 
 little glen which opened on the lake, and upon a 
 promontory, the foot of which was washed by a 
 copious burn. High rocky hills arose on either 
 hand, whose skirts were sprinkled with oak copse, 
 and weeping birch. The church itself was one 
 of those antique reliques of Catholicism, of which 
 there are few now extant in Scotland ; and which 
 probably owed its preservation from the fury of 
 bigotry, not less to the prevalence of the perse- 
 cuted religion in that part of the country, than to 
 its remote situation, at a time when so many nobler 
 fabrics, crumbled into ashes before the frantic breath 
 of the reformers. 
 
 It occupied a rocky knoll, higher than the rest 
 of the promontory above spoken of, and was built 
 in the form of a cross. It was neither lofty nor 
 spacious ; but its grey walls, and greyer roof, 
 speckled with lichens of a bright yellow — its old- 
 fashioned spire rising from the centre — its curious 
 gothic buttresses and narrow lancet-shaped win-
 
 THE HTGHLAXD SMUGGLERS. 235 
 
 dows, and above all, the two magnificent trees, an 
 ash and a sycamore, which almost overshadowed 
 the whole fabric with a canopy of boughs, gave it 
 an air of venerable seclusion, which could not fail 
 of attracting the attention of e^ery passer by. 
 
 The churchyard which surrounded it, and 
 which occupied the remainder of the promontor}^, 
 was in perfect harmony with the building itself. 
 It was adorned by many noble trees of the same 
 hardy sorts; and one corner in particular, over- 
 hanging a precipice above the burn, was tenanted 
 by a group of three old Scotch firs, which threw 
 their aged and twisted, but vigorous arms, about 
 in uncontrolled magnificence. A colony of rooks 
 had from time immemorial taken up their abode 
 in these trees, and would impudently mingle their 
 ceaseless cawing with the exhortations of the good 
 minister to his parishioners within doors, as if to 
 dispute with bim the palm of garrulity. 
 
 The area of the inclosure was of itself highly 
 picturesque from its variet}^ of surface, its old 
 grey wall, overgrown with moss and houseleek, 
 and its curious old cemeteries, and monuments of 
 the families who, for ages past, had there interred 
 their dead. Heavy fabrics were to be seen, with 
 their balustraded walls, and half-rotten gateways, 
 within which the broad moss-grown slabs of free stone 
 on their high supports, stood smothered among
 
 236 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 weeds and nettles, emblematic, alas ! of the sor- 
 rows and calamities which had overwhelmed the 
 race whose bones lay there decaying. Near, as if 
 in contrast, if not in mockery, of these tokens of 
 decay, rose the trim polished walls and spruce iron 
 railing of a far more modern cemetery. Its state 
 of perfect repair, the greater portion of unoccupied 
 ground which it contained, and the less rank vege- 
 tation of its soil, proclaimed it as the chosen rest- 
 ing place of some new and rising family, whose 
 ranks had not as yet been thinned by the shafts 
 of the destroyer; yet the sable characters, en- 
 graved on one fair marble tablet, told of a tale of 
 recent sorrow, and reminded the beholder that 
 worldly prosperity is no safeguard against the stroke 
 of fate. 
 
 Antique urns of ponderous stone — slabs of 
 massy size, adorned with deaths' heads and duck- 
 winged cherubims in abundance — the pride, no 
 doubt, of some rural sculptor of ancient days, 
 reared themselves in vain above the rank grass, to 
 tell the passer by what a half-effaced inscription 
 could no longer declare — the sorrow of some father, 
 or some husband, or some bereaved widow long 
 since at rest, for the wife, or child, or husband 
 they had lost — and soon followed to their common 
 home. Close by these venerable monuments ap- 
 peared the head-stones that commemorated more
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 237 
 
 recent departures— memorials of those who, like 
 their forefathers, had ceased from their labours, to 
 give way to others, who in their turn would soon 
 also depart. Green hillocks in irregular profusion 
 rose on either side the pathway which led to the 
 church door, and were thickly spread over every 
 unappropriated space, telling in emphatic language 
 how busy death had been among the habitations 
 of the poor : and many a fresh laid sod betrayed 
 where the ripe fruit as well as the fresh blossom 
 had been torn from the bough. The grazing of 
 some privileged cows sufficed to keep short the 
 turf over a great part of the churchyard ; but in 
 some places the rank weeds of the soil had asserted 
 their right of possession, and occupied all the more 
 retired corners. 
 
 Altogether it was an impressive scene, a spot 
 which breathed the very soul of seclusion and re- 
 ligious retirement. Even the cawing of the rooks, 
 and the unceasing rush of the waters, were sounds 
 to soothe by their monotony, rather than offend 
 the contemplative mind ; and the deep shadow 
 with which the thick foliage of the sycamores 
 and dark pine trees chequered the ground, throw- 
 ing some of the tombs into an ominous gloom, 
 while others started out in a wild prominence of 
 light, invested the place with a character of pe- 
 culiar solemnity.
 
 238 THE HIGHLAND S^^IUGGL l^RS. 
 
 At the time of which we speak, however, it 
 wore another aspect. For miles around on either 
 side the roads leading to the church were crowded 
 with men, women, and children, and every sort of 
 vehicle to be met with in a Highland district. 
 Carts, coups, and one-horse carriages of many a 
 strange form and rude construction, with horses, 
 shelties, garrons, and every description of that 
 useful quadruped, which the country supplies for 
 the use or the abuse of man, streamed along each 
 lane and alley towards the church, like radii to 
 their centre. And strange and various as their 
 grotesque equipages, were the groups which they 
 contained. Even frequency of repetition cannot 
 destroy the charm which such living pictures pos- 
 sess for the thinking mind ; to a stranger, disposed 
 to view them with an eye of something m^ore than 
 curiosity, they were still more interesting ; and as 
 the Inverallich party approached the church, the 
 attention of Tresham was strongly arrested by the 
 various parties, who in their turn, with upcast 
 eyes and mouth agape, bestowed a stare of length- 
 ened admiration on the gay equipage as it slowly 
 past along. 
 
 In one cart of coarse but solid workman- 
 ship, drawn by a stout cross made Highland 
 garron, with a pound of hair at each heel, sat a 
 group of four persons. At the end next the
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 239 
 
 horses' tail, and upon a truss of the straw with 
 which the cart was half filled, sat bolt upright a 
 man whose hard austere features had born the 
 blasts of full three score and five winters, or more. 
 The unbending rigidity of his weather-beaten 
 countenance — the formidable nose — the largecheek- 
 bones rendered more prominent by the deep sunk 
 furrows inhis cheeks, his brow, and around his grim 
 mouth — the smooth grizzled locks flowing even to 
 his shoulders from under a huge broad-brimmed 
 blue bonnet — the firmly constructed and heavy 
 brows, which yielded not even to the influence of 
 the Highland courtesy which prompted a stiff 
 salute to the party as they passed him; — all these 
 formed a striking sketch of the formal and stem 
 but honest old presbyterian. A thin white band 
 encircled his shrivelled neck : a coarse blue great 
 coat hung over his shoulders, but so loosely 
 as to give to view the plain but good fresh suit 
 of the same homely material which he wore be- 
 neath. 
 
 Beside him, wdth equal stiffness, sat an aged 
 female — out of all question his wife; for in her 
 harsh forbidding features might be traced the re- 
 flection of her good man's downright sternness. 
 And yet there was about the aged couple some- 
 what of decent sobriety which betokened worth 
 and honesty, however deformed by harshness and
 
 240 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 austerity. She wore the stiif starched Highland 
 toy upon her head, and a blue duffle cloke envel- 
 loped her bony person. 
 
 The two remaining figures wore a less ungainly 
 aspect. At the feet of the man sat a young woman 
 of staid but pleasing features, wearing her head 
 covered after the fashion of matrons, and bearing 
 in her arms a further pledge of the connubial state, 
 in a young child which she held wrapped up in 
 the checked cloke that covered her own slioulders. 
 On the other side, beneath the grim female, a 
 young girl whose round but modest face and 
 timid glances betrayed the awe in which she stood 
 of the stiif and motionless figures at the top of the 
 cart, shrunk cowering amongst the straw. A well 
 looking man of some thirty odd years of age, 
 whose dress displayed a mixture of the Highland 
 and Lowland costume, with a grey plaid thrown 
 over his shoulders, walked by the side of the 
 horse, acting the part of driver to the vehicle. The 
 looks which ever and anon he threw back towards 
 its contents, rather than any word which passed, 
 might indicate some peculiar interest he took in its 
 contents. 
 
 " You remarked that old man ?" said Glenval- 
 lich to his friend, as they passed the cart — " there 
 goes a true blue Cameronian of the ancient school, 
 who would have made an active and valuable in-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 241 
 
 strument in the hands of John Knox, or the worthy 
 Richard Cameron himself. John Macalvore, or 
 rather Grant, for the other is but a patronymic, is 
 elder of a neighbouring parish, and of course, a 
 most regular attendant upon all preachings within 
 his reach — I marvel how he happens to be so late 
 to-day. He is the strictest of the strict, in all 
 matters pertaining to religious observance ; truly 
 ' the Presbyterian sour ;'' but nevertheless a very 
 worthy honest man ; does his duty to his neigh- 
 bour and family, and is charitable, good hearted, 
 and even kind, after a fashion, though so stern and 
 disagreeable. John, though born and living in the 
 Highlands, entertains somewhat of a dislike to the 
 people of the country, which may be almost 
 termed hereditary, as the persecutors, in old times, 
 of his sect and their doctrines. He considers him- 
 self as still half a Lowlander, and will not, as you 
 see, condescend to wear the garb of the country, 
 nor permit his family to do so. I believe he even 
 quarrels with the shape and former uses of our 
 ancient and picturesque church, and regrets that 
 the old reformers never got near to give it a touch 
 of their improving hands ; he would greatly prefer 
 one of the plain ugly barn-like buildings with 
 which the taste of modern heritors have replaced 
 the ruins of the old places of worship. But here 
 comes a party of a very different character." 
 
 VOL. T. M
 
 242 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 They were at this time within a few 3^ards of a 
 point, where a cart-track that might be seen wind- 
 ing for a long way up the bare hill side, fell into 
 the main road. Like the rest, it was sprinkled 
 with human figures, and one large groupe was just 
 entering the road. " We will let these people go 
 forward," said Glenvallich, "look at them, 
 Tresham, as they pass on." The party consisted 
 of some eight or ten persons, some on horseback, 
 others on foot, and a few in a strange, nondescript 
 species of cart. The principal person was a man 
 whose appearance denoted very great age. His 
 hair as white as snow, blew from under a High- 
 land bonnet, around a countenance still fresh and 
 hale in colour, although the numerous wrinkles 
 which furrowed it, bore witness to the many years 
 of its owner. He was clad from top to toe in gay 
 tartans ; an ample plaid gave breadth and impor- 
 tance to his upper man, but instead of the pheli- 
 beg, he wore a species of trews, and the purse and 
 the drik which hung at his waist, denoted his 
 strict adherence to the ancient Highland costume. 
 He was mounted on a small shaggy sheltie, or 
 pony, the furniture of which was as primitive as 
 the appearance of the animal itself or its rider ; 
 for the saddle was a crook-saddle, formed of birch 
 branches, over which they had cast an old blanket ; 
 in place of bridle there was only a halter of twisted
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. S43 
 
 birch withies to direct its steps, and the stirrups 
 were made of the same material. The old man 
 bestrode his little nag with an air of considerable 
 ease ; and though age had bent his form, it still 
 retained something of a military cast. But his 
 strength, perhaps, did not wholly correspond with 
 the vigour of his spirit, for a little boy, as wild as 
 the animal, with feet guiltless of hose or shoon, 
 ran at its head, and led it over the dangerous 
 steps. 
 
 On either side of this remarkable figure, with 
 stately step and cocked bonnets, walked one or 
 two young men in full Highland costume of tar- 
 tans corresponding with those of the old man. 
 These were followed by several other rough-look- 
 ing fellows with matted carroty locks, kilts and 
 plaids, but far worse set on than the others, and 
 having neither shoes nor stockings, except a sandal 
 of rough cow-hide, which some of them had tied on. 
 The wildness of their gaze and uncouthness of 
 their general appearance, betrayed how much out 
 of their element they were, so far down the glen. 
 Next came five or six women, all clad in the most 
 primitive fashion of the Highlands; the married 
 with close mutch-caps, covered by the plaid or 
 blanket, which, descending on the shoulders, was 
 skewered across the breast ; the unmarried with 
 their long red locks, smoothed down as best might 
 
 M 2
 
 244 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 be, and bound round with the maidenly snood of 
 blue or red worsted — and all with bare feet. Last 
 of all came the cart; such a vehicle! we scarce 
 dare attempt the description ! From head to tail 
 it was constructed of birch branches, framed and 
 woven like wicker work, guiltless of one atom of 
 iron in its whole crasis. Its coarse crooked shafts 
 were placed upon a wooden axle, around which 
 revolved two wheels like thin cheeses, made out of 
 solid slabs of birch-wood, bolted together with 
 wooden pins, and cut into figures more approach- 
 ing that of the polygon than of the circle. The 
 holes through which the axles passed, having been 
 widened by constant friction, the wheels waddled 
 and straddled as the frail engine progressed, now 
 separating and now approaching, in oblique an- 
 gular lines at every revolution, with a creaking 
 noise that was audible a mile off: and one of the 
 slabs having somehow been knocked off, the wheel 
 was reduced to the larger segment of a circle, 
 which ever and anon came bump to the ground on 
 its flat side, with a blow like that of a sledge 
 hammer, to the great delectation, no doubt, of the 
 inside passengers, as well as to the benefit of the 
 machine itself. If to this be added the infinite 
 variety of ground which occurs on such a High- 
 land road, the multitude of stones of all shapes 
 and sizes scattered over its surface, the earth-fast
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 245 
 
 rocks, the deep ruts, the sloughs, the bogs and 
 the burns, we shall be quahfied to form some idea 
 of the quantum of comfort enjoyed by the indivi- 
 duals who committed their persons to this primitive 
 chariot. 
 
 Yet it was age and infirmity that had submitted 
 themselves to so rude a descipline. The cart con- 
 tained two women who, if appearances were to be 
 trusted, could neither of them have seen less than 
 three score and ten years. They were clad like 
 the rest of the party, in the Highland garb ; but 
 one of them was well wrapped up in her white 
 tartan plaid, which was fastened across her breast 
 by a silver brooch as broad as a small plate : a 
 blanket covered the heather bunch on which she 
 was seated, and her wrinkled countenance was not 
 deficient in intelligence. The other cowered under 
 the remnant of an old tattered plaid, which could 
 hardly hide the rags beneath it, as she sat at the 
 lower end of the cart; and her dirty, haggard, 
 sluggish countenance — the vacant eye and dropping 
 under-lip, betrayed the mental absence which 
 reigned within. Three or four half-naked and 
 ragged boys and girls surrounded the vehicle, and 
 drove on the miserable beast which dragged it, en- 
 deavouring to keep it up as nearly as possible with 
 the party to which it belonged. 
 
 " Failthery MacgiUiecuUach ! Failthery agus
 
 246 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 peanuichshee Bhaintearn GlenvaUich ,-"^ said the 
 old man with a cheerful though tremulous voice, 
 and taking off his bonnet as the phaeton passed his 
 party. 
 
 " Failthery Alaister Failthery r replied Glen- 
 vaUich, as he returned the salute. " There goes a 
 true old Highlander of the ancient breed," con- 
 tinued he, " you will not see many like him. 
 That fine old fellow, Tresham, who is now near 
 ninety years of age. Alaister Roy Breacach, as 
 they call him, was at the battle of Culloden — on 
 the losing side as you may guess ; but he was one 
 of those who had the wit and the luck to get off, 
 and he returned to his own wild home in the hills, 
 about ten miles away from hence, where, like his 
 fathers, he has since passed the whole of his days 
 on a miserable croft upon a bleak black muir with 
 grazing for a few black cattle and sheep, surrounded 
 by a whole colony of his own progeny and kinsmen, 
 whose king, priest, and prophet almost, he is. 
 How, in the rage for sheep and innovation, old 
 Alaister contrived to hold his ground, I hardly 
 can tell ; but he is patriarch of as pretty a swarm of 
 black bothies and wild Highland cearnachs as you 
 can see on a wild hill between this and Cape Wrath. 
 
 " Alaister Roy Breacach was never much of a 
 
 * " Health to Mac Gilliecallum ! Health and blessings on 
 the wife of GlenvaUich !"
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 247 
 
 wanderer from his own place, and his age now keeps 
 him still more at home, so that it is only on great 
 occasions he visits the low country^ as he calls this. 
 Yet for all his appearance here to day, it has been 
 shrewdly suspected that Alaister adheres in his 
 heart to the Catholic faith which he was born in ; 
 although for reasons ' strong and cogent he long 
 ago became ostensibly a Presbyterian. When he 
 does ' descend from his mountains '' ifs never with- 
 out a ' tail ' such as you see, of his rabble of de- 
 scendants — for the old man is not without vanity, 
 and speaks with no small pride of the number of 
 'pretty lads' that turn out from the toon of 
 Blairdhu. It is said, that the very dress he wears 
 to-day is the same he wore when paraded with his 
 clan before the Prince, previous to that fatal 
 battle. He wears it only on great occasions, and 
 says it shall be his burying sheet. As for the con- 
 tents of his equipage, they consist of his wife — his 
 third by-the-bye — and a poor old decrepit creature 
 who subsists on his charity and that of the family, 
 and who insists on coming to all the ' preachings ;' 
 she is unable to walk, and therefore he gives her 
 a cast with his spouse in that primitive vehicle." 
 
 "But soft — here is something of higher pre- 
 tence than ordinary," said Tresham, pointing to 
 a smart green tilt-cart on wooden springs, and 
 occupied by a gay groupe. " What have we here ?
 
 248 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 On my word, shawls, bonnets, ribbons as gay as 
 May-day, and a gallant black steed too ; and what 
 a pace they come at — why this must be some 
 ' mighty don,^ surely." 
 
 " Aye, a mighty don in verity, as some have 
 cause to know," replied Glenvallich ; " that is no 
 less a person than ' honest John Rankin,' the ex- 
 ciseman, and his family, of \yhom you heard such 
 honourable mention made but the other day. 
 That is an equipage of no mean sort, sir, I as- 
 sure you, in a remote place like this ; and faith, I 
 almost wonder honest John does not keep his some- 
 what extraordinary prosperity more out of public 
 view, as they say the subjects of eastern kings are 
 wont to do, lest their show and state should excite 
 the suspicions of their sovereign, and provoke a 
 squeeze of their money-bags from the ' king of 
 kings.' " 
 
 Endless was the succession of groups and of 
 parties through which the carriage rolled slowly 
 on, the crowd increasing as they neared the church. 
 But while yet they gazed upon the thronged 
 churchyard, sparkling with an infinity of gay 
 colours, the restless mass of human beings settled 
 gradually into a state of repose, until it retained 
 but that flickering movement which is seen in a 
 swarm of bees as they cluster on a bough, or in 
 the brilliant plumage of a bird who rustles his
 
 YHE HIGHLxiND SMUGGLERS. 24<9 
 
 gay feathers as he prunes and trims them. In a 
 few minutes more a sound arose upon the calm 
 air, and swelled gradually upon the ear, until it 
 became as the voice of a great multitude mellowed 
 and sweetened by distance. " It is the first 
 psalm," said Mrs. Mac Alpine ; " listen, how sweet 
 it sounds from hence, how well the voices all arise 
 and swell together ! such is the magic of distance, 
 which, like Christian charity, covereth or over- 
 looketh a multitude of imperfections. It would 
 be well if we all took a lesson somewhat oftener 
 than is done, from the book of nature, which is 
 always open before us," added she, smiling. 
 
 They entered the churchyard ; and then 
 Tresham did confess that the spectacle which 
 awaited them was well worthy of his attention. 
 The whole area of the picturesque spot which 
 we have attempted to describe, was almost filled 
 with people, men, women, and children, crowded 
 together, principally in one large mass, but also 
 partially clustered in lesser groupes, upon every 
 wall, and monument, and eminence around, to 
 which their gay dresses of tartan, and scarlet, and 
 white, predominating over the graver colours, com- 
 municated an air of infinite liveliness and anima- 
 tion. 
 
 The windows of the church, which on account 
 of the heat where thrown open, were thronged with 
 
 M 5
 
 S50 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 persons, who being unable to procure admittance 
 to the interior, still preferred listening at these 
 apertures, to encountering the greater crowd which 
 surrounded the preacher without. The doorways 
 and entrances were yet more beset ; and so dense 
 was the mass of heads which occupied the passages 
 as to render it next to impossible even for privi- 
 leged people to obtain access. 
 
 But the character and arrangements of the out- 
 door congregation formed by far the most striking 
 feature of the coup cfceil. Under a mighty syca- 
 more tree, which formed an almost impervious 
 shade against sun and rain, a temporary pulpit had 
 been erected, in which sat a respectable looking 
 clergyman, waiting for the termination of the 
 psalm he had just given out ; and this psalm was 
 repeated, line after line, by a precentor beneath 
 him, for the benefit of those among the congre- 
 gation who might not be able to read. On a form 
 or bench in front of this pulpit sat several elders of 
 this and other parishes, grave, sour-looking, hard- 
 featured men, and aged, as the appellation implies. 
 Benches and stools as well from all the neighbour- 
 ing hamlets as from the stores kept for such occa- 
 sions, were eked out with planks and boards col- 
 lected from all parts, and ranged in many rows on 
 either side, stretching far in front of the pulpit, 
 until stopped by the irregularity of the ground ; 
 and on these were seated all who were able to avail
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 251 
 
 themselves of the accommodation. An old High- 
 land crone or two might here and there be seen 
 tottering from the nearer dwellings under the in- 
 cumbrance of her well-worn chair, while behind 
 followed a curly-headed grandchild carrying its 
 little creepy, and taking advantage of the courtesy 
 paid to age, to press forward in her wake, to get, 
 if possible, a peep at " the minister." 
 
 The greater mass of auditors, however, stood 
 clustering round the sitters, or perched on the 
 more elevated grave-stones, or in trees, or on 
 the walls, taking advantage of every little height, 
 that might enable them to overlook their neigh- 
 bours or hear the voice of the preacher, an object 
 of no easy attainment although the reverend gen- 
 tleman certainly did not fail in raising it to its 
 utmost pitch. 
 
 But to listen to the preacher did not, it must be 
 confessed, as Glenvallich had more than hinted, 
 appear to be the object of all in that crowd. Num- 
 bers stood altogether aloof in little groupes, con- 
 versing with a reckless animation which scarcely 
 accorded with the occasion and its solemn duties. 
 The lover might be easily noted, as he seized the 
 long-expected opportunity of pressing his rustic 
 gallantries upon the lass of his affections ; and a 
 curious observer might guess that the meeting was 
 neither unexpected nor unwelcome, as she stood in
 
 252 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 tartan screen and snooded hair, listening with half 
 averted face to the pleasant and flattering tale. 
 
 The ill-suppressed giggle, bursting often into 
 an undisguised laugh, made the heart glad in 
 spite of decorum, as the eye fell upon a groupe of 
 four or five young lasses, who, acquaintances no 
 doubt from various parts of the country, now met 
 after a long absence, and, regardless of time and 
 place^ greeted each other with hearty affection, 
 told their little tales and adventures, and laughed 
 in the gaiety of their hearts, at jokes which might 
 have little moved the risibiHty of others. But 
 not unnoticed did they thus amuse themselves ; 
 for near them might be seen standing a knot of 
 " braw lads,"" who eyed the merry sisterhood with 
 looks of interest and longing. Perhaps among 
 them stood some unacknowledged sweetheart — per- 
 haps some rejected suitor ; — and the possibility 
 seemed confirmed by the furtive glances which 
 soon began to pass '' de part et d' autre.'' 
 
 The earnest confabulation of a graver party 
 at no great distance, argued attention to more im- 
 portant subjects ; yet it was not the serious so- 
 lemnity which attends religious converse : it was 
 rather the keenness that characterizes more secular 
 pursuits; and, as they stood, some holding their 
 beasts by the bridles, as just dismounted, others 
 with staff in hand as just arrived, it was plain that
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 253 
 
 their discourse did not altogether refer to the 
 duties of the day. Groupes of children were 
 playing tumultuously at hide and seek among the 
 grave-stones, and round the various vehicles of 
 those who were better engaged, in spite of the 
 threats or remonstrances of their elders, aided 
 sometimes by a hearty cuff or skelp, that for a 
 time would spoil their mirth : they squatted them- 
 selves among the straw of the coups and carts, 
 sprung over them, balanced themselves on the 
 backs and upturned shafts, and played all manner 
 of antics in the very spot where fathers, mothers, 
 sisters, brothers, and kindred lay mouldering under 
 their feet — where, at no distant period, perhaps, 
 many of themselves would be laid at rest! — 
 
 " Alas ! unmindful of their doom, 
 The little victims play !" 
 
 Horses, ponies, and garrons were disposed of 
 also in the churchyard, or the little space around 
 its gates. Some left carelessly in the charge of 
 younglings of either sex, with bridle on neck, and 
 loosed girths, had already trampled girth and 
 gear under foot, and were well on their way home- 
 wards, while the thoughtless guardian was at 
 furious play with his fellows; others, more pru- 
 dently hapshackled, cropped a mouthful of grass 
 among the graves ; while others again, less fortu-
 
 254 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEKS. 
 
 nate, were constrained to bear the weight of some 
 wicked little urchin, who, like a monkey on a 
 bear, took the opportunity of the owner^s absence 
 to get astride his beast, and who kicked and bat- 
 tered at the sluggish animal, if vainly he sought 
 to crop a morsel of the sweet green turf beneath 
 its feet. 
 
 Every grave-stone had its occupant, every green 
 liillock its living burthen; for many a one was 
 there, who, without any lighter or less worthy 
 motive than meetinc^ with their friends either male 
 and female, sat down with them to welcome and 
 discuss their mutual news before engaging in 
 more serious duties. 
 
 The Highlanders can scarcely be termed a 
 comely race, even by their most zealous admirers, 
 and their women of the lower orders are by no 
 means generally well-favoured. Hard work and 
 exposure, with indifferent food and peat-smoke, 
 too often evince their effects in a hardness of fea- 
 ture and shrivelling of the skin, which destroys all 
 pretensions to beauty at a very early period. 
 Still there are exceptions, and such meetings as we 
 are describing are the occasions when such are to 
 be seen- The Highland costume is not perhaps 
 the most favourable of all others to display the 
 female figure to advantage ; but when, as in the 
 present case, every one made an exertion to husk
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. ^55 
 
 herself in her '* best and brawest," the general 
 effect produced was exceedingly agreeable. 
 
 The head-dress was, at the time in question, the 
 chief object of attention among Highland women ; 
 Ave say at that time, because since then, within a 
 very few years, the increase of resort to the re- 
 motest parts of the country, and the excessive 
 cheapness of manufactures, both cotton and silk, 
 has wrought a marvellous change in the dress of 
 both men and women. At the period in question, 
 then, married women, as of old, were alone privi- 
 leged to wear the head covered ; and the curtch, 
 and mutch, and toy, were matters of no slight con- 
 sequence in the economy of their toilet. As some 
 of our readers may not be aware of the nature of 
 the pieces of dress intended to be designated by 
 these terms, we shall inform them that the curtch 
 was a triangular piece of lawn or linen, wrapped 
 close round the head, over which was usually bound 
 a ribbon of some gay colour. Above this was 
 placed the mutch, a superstructure of thin clear 
 muslin, in the shape of a mob-cap, high in the 
 crown, and platted neatly round the face, and 
 throucrh which the ribbon aforesaid shone with 
 softened brilliancy. The toy differs somewhat 
 from the mutch in shape, but particularly in 
 having two long lappets hanging down behind, one 
 on each shoulder.
 
 ^56 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 Tartan plaids of various patterns, cloaks of 
 scarlet, blue or grey, the former usually fastened 
 on the breast by a huge silver brooch — some heir- 
 loom of the family, — and both falling in pictu- 
 resque and graceful drapery over the shoulders 
 and person, till they nearly concealed the full 
 short red or blue petticoat, completed for the 
 most part the exterior costume of the Highland 
 matron. 
 
 The maiden on the other hand wore, and still 
 for the most part wears, the head uncovered. The 
 only ornament, the snood, which has more than 
 once been alluded to, is a simple ribbon bound 
 round the head, and confining the hair, which, 
 shaded on the forehead, falls in thick shining clus- 
 ters on the shoulders, or is fastened up in a knot 
 behind, leaving a ringlet or two to wander about 
 the face or neck. Gay-coloured handkerchiefs, 
 and gowns of gaudy chintzes did not unfrequently 
 contribute to the variety of their garb, mingling 
 among the russet brown and coarser fabrics, 
 which for the most part forms even the holiday 
 apparel of the mountain maidens. On the whole 
 the scene was animated and pleasing. If the 
 more refined and fastidious eye of the professed 
 beauty-hunter might not in the churchyard of 
 Kilrannoch, detect much of that softness of com- 
 plexion and regularity of feature which distin-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEHS. 257 
 
 guishes the maidens of England, there was still 
 abundance of health and good-humour to be seen 
 in the florid cheeks, the smiling lips, and down- 
 cast eyes of the Highland lasses around. Even 
 the children, chubby shy-looking creatures, were 
 perked out in their new kilts and jackets, although 
 their legs and feet Avere unconscious of shoe or 
 stocking, and their bare heads had been bleached 
 to a dingy or a flaxen hue, by exposure to the sun 
 and to the winds of heaven. 
 
 While Tresham paused to contemplate this 
 picture, the psalm had ceased, and the minister 
 rising in the pulpit to commence his prayer, the 
 whole seated multitude arose as one man ; when, 
 to the mighty swell which had so lately filled the 
 air, succeeded a silence so profound, that a whis- 
 per might be heard, — and one slow solemn voice 
 alone ascended on high, to solicit from their hea- 
 venly Father those blessings which are the life and 
 support of all his creatures— those mercies, with- 
 out which their existence could not for a moment 
 endure. 
 
 It was a striking, impressive spectacle ; nor was 
 it a moment to think of those abuses, or to look for 
 those improprieties which his friend Glenvallich 
 had reprobated. In a happy frame of mind he 
 had followed his party into the church, where 
 having with great difliculty made their way to
 
 258 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 the family seat, they listened to an excellent 
 sermon by Mr. Ross, the gentleman with whom 
 he had already become acquainted, and whom he 
 was fully prepared to respect and esteem. 
 
 We shall not abuse our power over the reader, so 
 far as to inflict on him a recapitulation of the heads 
 of this discourse, or to dilate upon the excellent 
 doctrines it inculcated. We shall only say, that 
 those who did not profit by it, ought assuredly to 
 have done so, and that our friend Tresham re- 
 turned home very powerfully impressed by all he 
 had seen and heard that day. 
 
 On the following morning, the laird of Aird- 
 ruthmore, who had till then continued at Inver- 
 allich, took leave of his hospitable entertainer, and 
 seized an opportunity of renewing to Tresham the 
 invitation which he had more than once given, 
 urging him to let no long time elapse before he 
 should put it in his power to present him to his 
 daughter at Airdruthmore. 
 
 " I think you will like Belle, Mr. Tresham, and 
 thatBelle will likeyou," saidtheold gentleman, "for 
 I see plainly that many of your tastes are alike ; 
 so come along and let us see you, and Bell shall 
 show you her walks, and her glens, and her cot- 
 tages, and fancies ; and Bally tully here shall show 
 you the game. I'm too old for such pranks my- 
 self."
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 259 
 
 Bally tully, to this appeal of the honest old laird, 
 made answer only by a stiff bow, which could not 
 hide the scowl that brooded over his features as he 
 listened to the cordial invitation bestowed upon 
 Tresham by his friend. It passed unobserved, 
 however, by Tresham himself; for occupied with 
 the good old gentleman, whose frank kindness had 
 already almost won his heart, he was proffering 
 a willing acceptance of the hospitable challenge he 
 had received — a pledge which it was his full inten- 
 tion to redeem so soon as circumstances should 
 place it in his power to do so.
 
 260 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PTARMIGAN SHOOTING — A BAD FALL AND A GOOD 
 LAND-FALL. 
 
 The Caipercaillie and Tarmaghan 
 Crow'd crouse on hill and muir, 
 
 But mony a gory wing'or een, 
 Shaw'd Kenneth's fiane was sure. 
 
 Old Ballad. 
 
 Pleasantly did the first days of August flit away 
 at the castle of Inverallich, in occupations suited 
 to the season and the weather. But rides and 
 drives, and long charming strolls in the noble 
 woods, and through the never-ending walks on 
 banks of lake and river, at length failed to please. 
 Repeated and pertinacious, though vain attempts 
 upon the liberty of the stately salmon and active 
 grilses which tantalized the anglers by leaping 
 at every fly upon the waters but theirs, grew stale, 
 flat, and unprofitable — for these and all other
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 261 
 
 occupations wei'e at length lost and absorbed in 
 the bustle and note of preparation which now 
 commenced, for that great important day which is 
 " big with the fate" of thousands of the feathered 
 tenants of the muirs. The destined party had 
 arrived at Inverallich, together with a little arse- 
 nal of guns of every maker, from Knock and 
 Mortimer, to Smith and Manton ;^ and all the 
 new inventions of powder-horns and shot-belts, 
 which the . season had given birth to. Dogs of 
 every description, rough and smooth, pointers and 
 setters, and retreivers, of the most celebrated 
 breeds of England, Scotland, and Ireland, were 
 produced and paraded, and duly exercised, in 
 order to ascertain their respective qualities and 
 merits. The conversation now became strictly 
 technical and professional. The high travel of 
 one favourite dog, the superb nose of another, 
 the close questing of a third, the fine style in 
 which a fourth quartered his ground, were all set 
 forth in glowing language, by the respective pro- 
 prietors of the animals, backed with due energy 
 by the obsequious keepers. 
 
 " Hang me, but I'll back old Carlo, here, 
 against the whole kennel of them, for finding 
 
 * We need not remark that this was before the days of" 
 Purdie, and even before the admirable invention of copper 
 caps had come into approved use.
 
 262 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 game," said one, " I'll trouble any gentleman to 
 find a bird upon the ground he has gone over." 
 
 " Aye, aye, that may be," said another, " but 
 give me Don, there, for a long day''s work ; Don 
 will work you fourteen hours on end, and go out 
 as far and hunt as high the last hour as the first ; 
 aye, and just wash his feet with a little salt and 
 water, and soss him well, and he'll be as ready for 
 the hill next morning, as if he had not gone a mile; 
 he'll work you four days a-week, hard fagging, 
 will Don — what say you, Williams ? you have seen 
 the dog work in Yorkshire." 
 
 "^ Aye, aye, your honour, Don will do his work, 
 never fear him ; but to my mind, here's Fan will 
 take the shine out on him, if so be she lives. I 
 never seed a bitch hunt like Fan, in my born days 
 — and see how she carries her nose ; never pokes it 
 into the earth like a lurcher, but breast-high she 
 goes, like a thorough-bred as she is. I'll take my 
 oath she nosed an old hen and her brood half-a^ 
 mile off f other day, and she trotted up to them in 
 such style as I never seed. I was afeard she was 
 agoing to be rash, but I let her alone, and she 
 carried me right up within eighty or hundred yards 
 of her game, and then drew on as bootiful! O 
 she's a prime bitch ; if she were mine, I wou'dn't 
 take fifty guineas in hand for her.'' &c. &c. &c. 
 
 Then there were the arrangements — the quarter
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. S63 
 
 master''s and commissariat departments to be seen 
 after — the sending off of kitchen utensils and bed- 
 ding, and of men to prepare heather, luxurious 
 heather, with its fragrance and elasticity, to be 
 put under the mattrasses — superior to all the straw 
 palliasses in the world ; and to secure abundance of 
 that most indispensable article, fuel, for cooking 
 and for fire. Then the " provant " of all sorts — 
 for the hill is, after all, the place to enjoy good 
 living in ; — one walks for it, — and the air is so pure 
 and elastic ; and then, in a hard day's fag, there 
 is so much expense of " radical moisture," and of 
 solid substance, which it is so grateful to supply, 
 sitting at one's ease around a well plenished table, 
 and by a clear rousing peat-fire. Then there were 
 the instruments of slaughter to be dispatched in 
 safety, and ammunition — enough to store a little 
 garrison for a season — to be packed and sent 
 off. In short, there were the thousand important 
 concerns and pleasing cares which occupy young 
 sportsmen on the eve of a shooting campaign : pre- 
 paratives, alas ! which like those for many a lof- 
 tier project, prove far, far more delightful than 
 the reality, even when that reality involves success. 
 We once were young ourselves ; even yet, thank 
 Heaven, we are not " dead old ;"" and well do we 
 remember — nay we yet can feel something of the 
 stirring excitement, the supreme bliss of such an-
 
 264 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 ticipations ; and surely never did the event of the 
 most successful day equal the sanguine hopes, the 
 buoyant and delicious eagerness, with which we 
 issue in the dewy morning from the bothy, breast 
 the hill on whose summit we expect the " first 
 point,'' walk up with breathless earnestness to the 
 fixed and rigid dogs, and gaily, remorselessly, bag 
 the first fluttering victim of the season. 
 
 Among the numerous advantages and privileges 
 of a Highland chieftain, there is none perhaps 
 more prized now-a-days, nor more jealously guard- 
 ed, than his power of shooting game over an ex- 
 tensive range of country; and assuredly there 
 is none which, judiciously employed, msiy contri- 
 bute in a greater degree to render him popular 
 and beloved in his own domains. *' The man,^ 
 says Shakspeare, " who has not music in his soul, 
 is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils." It is a 
 strong denunciation certainly, but we confess that 
 we should be very apt at least to insult with our 
 pit}^, if not to anathematize, that man who has 
 not, in some shape or other, felt sympathy for the 
 delights of field sports. If an English nobleman 
 or squire experiences a high satisfaction in keeping 
 a pack of hounds, for the amvisement of a county, 
 what degree of pride and exultation may that 
 Highland chief be permitted to feel, who can send 
 out his clansmen to drive his country, carry his
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. ^65 
 
 friends into a noble glen, and gratify their eyes by 
 the sight of two or three thousand head of mag- 
 nificent red deer, collected to afford them sport. 
 Such a spectacle reminds one of tales of the times of 
 old — of the grand chasses of Germany and Hun- 
 gary—of the warlike hunting campaigns of Ghen- 
 ghiz or of Timour — it is the very chivalry of sport. 
 
 Few, no doubt, have it in their power to do 
 things on so grand a scale; but how many are 
 there who possess the means of affording very ex- 
 tensive enjoyment to themselves and to others — - 
 who are the lords of almost interminable tracks, 
 abounding with various sorts of game — and how 
 can this be better employed than in gratifying 
 those neighbours and friends who may be unpro- 
 vided with such means of healthful amusement ; 
 many of whom, probably, even in these daj's, look 
 up to him as their feudal superior, and whose an- 
 cestors in former times were wont to aid him with 
 their hearts and hands in the day of need. 
 
 There was a time, nor is it yet very distant, 
 when game, no doubt, was more abundant than at 
 present — sportsmen less numerous and less skilful 
 — ere modern improvements had increased the 
 scale of slaughter and appetite for carnage — be- 
 fore bets and battues were known in the Highlands 
 — when the pleasure of shooting consisted less in 
 the quantity of game destroyed than in the amount 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 2G6 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 of social enjoyment it produced, — when Manton 
 and Purdie were names unknown, and ere the 
 merits of copper caps or tubes, of concave wadding 
 or cartridges, were discussed or even heard of. 
 In those rude and patriarchal, but pleasant old 
 times, restraints upon sporting were unknown in 
 the Highlands. A gentleman might then have wan- 
 dered "from Dan to Beershebah" — from Aber- 
 deen to Lochaber — from the mull of Cantyre to 
 John o' Groat's house — from the Ord of Caithness 
 to the Croe of Kintail, gun in hand, and dog at 
 heel, without annoyance given or question asked. 
 Or if the laird, on whose lands he happened to be 
 passing, did chance to meet him, it was but to 
 salute him with a " What sport?" or a "Good 
 speed !" and probably an invitation to partake of 
 the day'^s fare and a night's rest at his house. 
 
 But these days are past — " temjiora mutantur T 
 and we are neither so old nor so prejudiced as to 
 fail of perceiving that they never can return. 
 The state of society has changed as completely as 
 the times, and we daily see things occur of which 
 in our youth we dreamt not. The pleasures of 
 sport in the Highlands have become subjects of 
 purchase like any other luxury, and the privilege 
 which was once freely bestowed and scarcely deem- 
 ed a favour, is now too valuable to be enjoyed by 
 any but the rich. Nay, even were this not so^, it
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 267 
 
 is obvious that such a privilege would, in the pre- 
 sent times, be liable to so much abuse, that to 
 grant it almost indiscriminately, as formerly, would 
 be absurd and impracticable. 
 
 Still there are many who not only possess the 
 power, but the will to dispense satisfaction around 
 them ; and of this number was Glenvallich. His 
 shooting quarters were in a different part of his 
 extensive property from that where the deer forest 
 lay. The country was equally wild, but less re- 
 mote and inaccessible. It was amply stocked with 
 game, and consisted of a range of hill capable of 
 affording separate and extensive beats to a large 
 party : and the liberal hospitality of the laird 
 disposed him to carry with him in the season as 
 many as the bothy would accommodate, indepen- 
 dently of all other permissions which were granted 
 to his neighbours and friends in other quarters. 
 
 The party on this occasion consisted of four 
 gentlemen beside Tresham and himself; and if 
 good sport, good living, and pleasant society, could 
 make man happy, the inmates of the bothy of 
 Loupriach had ample means of being so. To de- 
 tail the progress and amount of slaughter; the 
 feats of dogs and men ; the formation and deci- 
 sion of bets; and the general exercise of inge- 
 nuity in gastronomic research, which marked the 
 swift lapse of time upon this expedition, is not 
 
 n2
 
 268 
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 only foreign to our purpose, but might possibly 
 fatigue the patience of our fair readers, who no 
 doubt are wearying to come at the interesting 
 matter — the kernel of this history — vide/icit, the 
 love, if any such there be. Fear not, fair dames, 
 it will come, and that shortly : but whether it may 
 prove a love to your tastes, remains to be seen. 
 In the meantime, allons I 
 
 " I should like to shoot a ptarmighan, too," said 
 Captain Bently, as the party lounged one evening 
 over their whiskey toddy — a tipple which had 
 driven claret and madeira from the field that is, 
 from the stout deal table on which the evening's 
 repast was duly set forth at seven p. m. : an hour 
 chosen that all might have time to return home 
 from their respective beats, and make themselves 
 comfortable for the night, before attempting to re- 
 fresh the inward man — " I should like to shoot a 
 ptarmighan ; but then its such a deuced long way 
 to that Ben-i-skiah, — or how do you call it ? — that 
 the whole day is lost for the chance of a shot — a 
 mere uncertainty after all your fag." 
 
 " How far may it be to that same Ben — which 
 Bently spoke of, Glenvallich .?"" inquired Tresham, 
 carelessly. 
 
 " Why, as to its distance in measured miles," 
 replied the laird, " it might be hard to say ; but, 
 as the crow flies, I don't think you can reckon it
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 269 
 
 less than fifteen miles — twenty, I dare say, by the 
 shortest way you can make it." 
 
 "And what are our chances of game, if I 
 were to go there, think you ? I should like, with 
 your permission, to send a few brace of these 
 beautiful birds to Colonel Lethbridge, if they 
 were to be had." 
 
 " O if the weather holds favourable, there's 
 little doubt of your finding ptarmighan on Ben-i^ 
 skiah. If it's a fine calm day, you may pass them 
 within five yards and not observe them — they lie 
 then like stones. If windy, they will probably be 
 shy, and baffle you ; if misty, there's no saying- 
 how they may be. I have seen them in mist as 
 tame as barn door fowls, and sometimes as wild as 
 hawks; but beware of Ben-i-skiah in a mist — its 
 very name is ominous. If a cloud once gathers 
 on its head — if once it puts on its nightcap, there's 
 an end of the business for the day : you have only 
 to cut and run down hill as fast as you can, or 
 you may have to pass the night among the grey 
 stones ; for to move on Ben-i-skiah when it is dark 
 with mist, would be as dangerous as 
 
 ' To cross a torrent roaring wide. 
 Upon the uncertain footing of a spear.' 
 
 A single step might make you eagle's meat on one 
 of the precipices."
 
 270 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " Well, I have a great mind to the adventure. 
 If the morning turns out fair and promising, I do 
 think 1 11 attempt it. I 'm in capital wind, a walk 
 will do me good ; and variety won't be amiss. 
 So corragio ! and hey for Ben-i-skiah !" 
 
 " Very w^ell ; then, Bently, will you go with 
 Tresham ?'' 
 
 " Much obliged ; no, I shall be contented with 
 some less glorious enterprize.'"* 
 
 " O then you can take the Corry Dourach beat 
 with Atkins ; and, Tresham, take your old friend 
 Kenny with you — he knows every foot of the hill, 
 and it must be a black mist out of which he'll not 
 take you." 
 
 ' Arrangements to this effect were accordingly 
 made ; and at four the next morning, Tresham 
 having started, with Kenny and a gillie, held a 
 south-western course towards Ben-i-skiah. 
 
 Although Tresham's express object was to look 
 for those beautiful birds, which are only to be 
 found on the bare stony summits of the highest 
 mountains in the Highlands; and though with 
 this in view he should have proceeded direct to the 
 point of his destination, he could not withstand 
 the temptation of the noble packs of grouse which 
 started at his foot, nor avoid taking a shot at them ; 
 and in this manner no small time was frittered 
 away in the very best part of the day.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 271 
 
 Many a mile of heavy grey moss and deep 
 peat bog — many a weary track of the tiresome, 
 baffling Keaun-kinoich *' spread their interminable 
 length to weary and blow the sportsmen, but they 
 still persevered ; and by the hour of noon they 
 had reached the elevated shoulder of a mighty 
 mountain, that towered among his fellows, and 
 found them.selves at the foot of a huge dark grey 
 mass of rocks and lichens which rose a full thou- 
 sand feet above them. 
 
 " Here we are at last, sir," said Kenny ; " weVe 
 on Ben-i-skiah, and there's his top, but I dinna 
 like yon ;" and looking in the direction of his 
 finger as he pointed upwards, Tresham observed a 
 thin grey vapour curling aroimd the summit, so 
 faint as scarcely to be discernible from the deep 
 blue of the sky, and barely softening without ob- 
 scuring the outline of the hill on which it rested. 
 
 " That !" said Tresham, contemptuously — 
 " pshah, man — that's nothing — you don't call that 
 a mist^ surely ? Wliy, your Highland hills are 
 never without some little adumbration of that sort, 
 just to cool us wSportsmen when we're breasting 
 them up.'"" 
 
 " Aye, weel, sir, may be," replied Kenny, in 
 
 * Literally, " heads without necks," — the tufts of grass or 
 heather found in bogs, almost undermined by the water, and 
 which shake and tremble under the foot of the traveller-
 
 272 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 some doubt as to his meaning ; " but yon's ano- 
 ther sign that hunter or shepherd never scorns ;"" 
 and he pointed to a little low-spread bank of cloud 
 which lay upon the top of another very distant 
 hill, and which, though there was scarce a speck 
 of vapour in the sky, appeared to gather bulk 
 rapidly from the surrounding atmosphere itself. 
 Tresham gave it a hasty glance. " Well, well," 
 said he, " we'll take a scurry to the top, now 
 we are here; I shall have bagged my six or 
 eight brace before that fellow can come to any 
 thing serious, eh ?" 
 
 " 'Od, sir, I'm the last that wud spoil sport, 
 sure eneugh," replied Kenny ; ''an' no one can 
 tell what may happen — but we most mak' the bet- 
 ter haste any way. I dinna like yon grey cluds — see 
 how they're rising, fast fast in the east, thonder." 
 
 Tresham saw it too, and marked with astonish- 
 ment the rapid accumulation of a filmy fleece over 
 a portion of the eastern sky, which but a few mi- 
 nutes before had exhibited a spotless expanse of 
 blue ; but resolved not to throw away the chance 
 which he had worked so hard to obtain, he set his 
 breast to the mountain and began vigorously to 
 ascend. It proved a severer task than he antici- 
 pated : shoulder after shoulder, and ridge after 
 ridge, appeared, and was surmounted, till at last 
 the grey moss and thin yellow grass, mingled
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 273 
 
 with black peat cracks, disappeared, and gave way 
 to higTi scoors and precipices of grey stone. 
 
 It was on reaching a ledge of this rock, over 
 which the vapour was fast stealing, that Kenny 
 sprung forward and touched the arm of Tresham, 
 who was eagerly pressing upwards. " See — look V 
 said he — " there they are.*" 
 
 '' What are there ?"" demanded Tresham, fol- 
 lowing in vain with his eye the direction of the 
 keeper's finger, which was stretched towards a 
 point already half hid in the mist. " O ! dinnaye 
 see them ?'' repeated the man with earnestness. 
 But Tresham could discover nothing, except a 
 great flat blue stone which rose from among a 
 whole cairn of lesser fragments. 
 
 " What is it, man ? I see nothing." 
 
 " O, sir ! the ptarmighan !" 
 
 At that moment a sort of rustling flutter upon 
 the face of the blue stone caught the eye of Tre- 
 sham — quick as thought was his Maulon cocked, 
 and at his shoulder. The usual delicacy of sports- 
 men is never observed with ptarmighan, a rare and 
 capricious bird, which, if the first chance be not 
 taken, may escape altogether after the most fati- 
 guing chace. So slap went the first barrel at the 
 unsuspecting victims as they sat all nestling toge- 
 ther — bang went the second at the few that rose. 
 Seven birds lay fluttering in their blood upon the 
 
 n5
 
 274 
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 rock, while three or four more made their retreat, 
 probably maimed and wounded, and were lost in 
 the mist. 
 
 " Pick up these chaps, Kenny, while I load,'^ 
 said Treshara : " I must have the rest — they'll not 
 so far." 
 
 " That's more than I can tell, sir,'' responded 
 Kenneth ; " ptarmighan's will sometimes fly far 
 eneugh in mist — but may be they're no past the 
 next know." 
 
 On they pressed in the direction which the birds 
 had taken ; but after a few minutes' walk, their 
 progress was arrested by a dark bluff rock which 
 rose plump in their front, scarcely visible for the 
 thick grey mist which had by that time completely 
 enveloped them. 
 
 " Diaoul !" exclaimed Kenneth ; " a pretty way 
 we're in now — I thocht as much when I seed yon 
 bonnet on the top o' Benhowm.enah." 
 
 " Umph ! pleasant business, faith. Well, and 
 what are we to do, then ?" 
 
 " Ou, ye'U just follow me, sir, and 1*11 go 
 cannie on — the mist's no so thick yet but we may 
 find the way doon. If we were once out o' the 
 hill we micht do weel eneugh, for may be the 
 mist's no on the moss yet — but it's a far way to 
 Loupriach, sure eneugh." 
 
 Without more ado, for there was no time for he-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. S75 
 
 sitatioD, on went Kenneth, picking his way with 
 extreme caution along the ledges of the very rocks 
 and over the very stones they had just ascended, 
 but which it was no longer possible to recognize 
 with certainty. As they advanced, the mist thick- 
 ened, so that they could not see even two yards 
 before them, and Kenneth had to feel his way with 
 his staff as they held downwards along the wea- 
 ther-worn channels, to ascertain a resting-place for 
 the next foot before he lifted it from the ground 
 on which it stood, lest he might be hovering on the 
 verge of some dangerous precipice. 
 
 '' This is na' bairn's play, Mr.Traisham,"" said he 
 at length, after they had proceeded thus darkling 
 and anxiously for nearly half an hour. '' Who can 
 tell whether we have keepit the richt way or no ? 
 — 'Od, sir, Ben-i-skiah's no just the best place for 
 a foul mist or a dark nicht —there's a black loch on 
 one side o"* her, so deep that they say it canna be 
 sounded, and the hill rises above it like a wall 
 five hundred feet high. — Lord keep us from that 
 wild bit !" 
 
 " Amen, I say to that, Kenny;" but how then 
 would you advise us to do T' 
 
 " We'll, sir, I'm sure we'll better bide a wee 
 where we are, till we see if the mist 11 lift a bit, 
 than clod ourselves, may be, over a brae face, an' 
 break oor necks."
 
 276 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 They halted accordingly, and sat, as Kenny 
 said, " like craws in a mist" on the cold stones, 
 with volumes of dense, and almost palpable vapour 
 eddying and wheeling around them, till their gar- 
 ments were dank and wet as after a heavy shower> 
 Sometimes their eyes were tantalized by a glimpse 
 of the clear blue sky appearing over head, and 
 again an opening as transient would break beneath 
 them to close again, ere any useful observation 
 could be made. In this way passed aweary anxious 
 hour, the dread of being benighted in the hill, far, 
 far from any human habitation, being counter- 
 balanced by the danger of making a false step on 
 the brink of a precipice, or of lighting in the bot- 
 tomless loch should they move from their present 
 secure, though comfortless position. 
 
 " And how long are these mists apt to continue 
 commonly at this time of year, Kenny T'' inquired 
 Tresham, as much to pass the time and hide his 
 growing apprehension, as in the hope of receiving 
 any comfortable information. 
 
 " Ou ! that's just as the weather sets, sir — some- 
 times they'll last for two, three, or four days ; 
 sometimes, again, it ""ll be on for an afternoon, and 
 the next morning it ill be clean awa' — weVe some- 
 times been a hale week at the bothy, an' never seen 
 the top o' Ben-i-skiah."" 
 
 " Pleasant, by Jove !— a week's seat here would
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 277 
 
 just suit me — a brilliant incident in a sportsman's 
 life. — And pray what do you augur from appear- 
 ances to-day ?" 
 
 " A weel, sir, it's hard to say ; but the wun's 
 been in the wast for this week past and more — an' 
 ye see it's round to the east this morn, and that's a 
 bad airt. It's like to be a wild nicht in the hill, 
 I'm fear'd." 
 
 Well did Tresham know what was meant by a 
 wild night ; rain, and wind, and cold, and dark- 
 ness, were all implied in that little word, and 
 much would he have given at that moment for the 
 good grey plaid and strong iron frame of one of the 
 numerous shepherds that doubtless were to be found 
 thus exposed in the wide extent of hill and muir 
 below them. When they left the bothy in the 
 morning, both Tresham and his attendants, think- 
 ing only of the long stretch of hill that lay before 
 them, and the expediency of going at it as unin- 
 cumbered as possible, had clothed themselves very 
 lightly, and were consequently extremely ill pre- 
 pared to encounter the expected wildness of the 
 night. They were already completely drenched, 
 chilled and comfortless, when all at once the cloud 
 separated, and blew away from around them, as if 
 it had been swallowed up by the genius of the 
 storm, leaving the whole summit of the mountain 
 dark and frowning, but free from mist, and sharply
 
 278 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 relieved upon the thick grey sky. " Thank God, 
 thank God !" exclaimed Kenneth ; " now's our 
 time — now follow me close, sir, we'll get the worst 
 o't owV, 'ore it closes again, please God."''' 
 
 There was no need of repeating the exhortation: 
 downwards they sprung, and slid, and run ; but 
 scarcely had they reached the less dangerous and 
 precipitous ground below the immediate rise of the 
 summit, when the grey cloud once more enveloped 
 them, and all was uncertainty, if not utter dark- 
 ness again. " The deeviPs in the mist then," said 
 Kenneth, '' it 'ill do us yet ; but I'm thinking we 
 may manage at the least to get out o' the hill ; as 
 for the bothy, its twenty long miles across thon 
 wild moss, and thae weary hills, and it's useless, 
 and worse than useless, to seek our wa}^ there the 
 nicht, if this mist last — but we'll find some glen or 
 other surely, an' get put up in some bothy wi' one 
 o' the shepherd lads for the nicht." 
 
 " Aye, but how are we to get to this same glen, 
 Kenny — how are you sure we may not wander all 
 the night in the moss— that is, if we don't get 
 smothered in it before morning ?" 
 
 " O ! no fear o' that, sir ; Ise warrant we'll get 
 to a glen, now we're out from the rocks ; we'll fol- 
 low the first water we fall in wi' ; a water's aye 
 sure to bring us out o' the hill someway." 
 
 But long did they wander before they found any
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 279 
 
 Other water than black peat-pots, and dismal stag- 
 nant lochs among the hills and ridges, and sluggish 
 boggy swamps in the hollows, when not the small- 
 est current could be traced so as to lead to its 
 outlet. For hours they wandered thus, unwilling 
 to sit down in their cold, drenched clothes, and 
 still more so to abandon the hope of extricating 
 themselves from their unpleasant dilemma, but 
 quite uncertain of their course. 
 
 At length the water which collected from the 
 drizzling rain into the deep peat-cracks, began to 
 run with a positive current ; the peat-cracks them- 
 selves enlarged to little ravines, and their united 
 streams flowed in a single channel. Following 
 this as their guide, it led them by ^ very tortuous 
 course along a flat track, in which it sometimes 
 became almost stagnant again, at others, cutting 
 through the black earth, down even to the granite 
 rock, it foamed away, brown as Whitbread's best, 
 among the fragments it had torn from the sides. 
 After awhile its course became more rapid, its banks 
 deeper, and in the occasional breakings of the 
 mist, they could distinguish hills towering on 
 either side, more lofty to the eye from the dense 
 medium through which they were seen. By de- 
 grees the torrent cut deeper into the substance 
 of the mountain ; gravelly scours seamed the 
 braes which formed its banks ; and its waters
 
 S80 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 leaped from rock to pool, and foamed along with 
 accumulating rapidity. For some space these 
 banks were covered only with long, shaggy hea- 
 ther, great patches of which had been burnt black 
 and bare, and grey stones, like the dim ghosts of 
 Ossian, stared through the soil. The faint glim- 
 mer of a mountain loch was next seen through the 
 hovering vapour ; the sides of which, as well as 
 the rocky breasts of the hills around it, were 
 scantily sprinkled with birch and alder, and a few 
 trees of native fir. A remarkable bluff promontary 
 jutting into the water near the point where the stream 
 entered it, caught the eye of the keeper as they 
 approached — for the mist had lifted a little, and 
 was clinging more around the loftier hills. " God 
 be praised," said he, "• we shall do now; and it's 
 his mercy that has brought us safe — no' any skill 
 o"* our's— for who could tell where they were going 
 for the last four hours — the burn has done it's 
 work weel I"" 
 
 ''And where in the name of Heaven has it taken 
 us to, after all ?" demanded Tresham. 
 
 " This is loch Tarnechasag, and the water that 
 runs out o' it falls into Strath-Einort, five miles 
 from this, and Airdruthmore is five miles more 
 down the strath from that again : to think that 
 we have been making all this time for Strath- 
 Einort, when I thought we wud hae broke down on
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 281 
 
 the side o"* Glen Farrigh — but mist and moss the- 
 gether is more than the skill o'man can feight wi\" 
 
 *' But what said you, Kenny ? Airdruthmore, 
 Mr. Steward of Airdruthmore ? the stout, good- 
 looking old gentleman who was at Inverallich 
 during the preaching week?'* 
 
 " Aye, sir, just the same ; if we get there he'll 
 be weel pleased to see your honour." 
 
 " Aye, faith, and my honour to see him, the 
 fine old cock. A better land-fall after a foul day 
 could not have been made — but ten miles yet? 
 by Jove ! a pretty sharp winding-up to such a 
 day's fag — better than the top of Ben-i-skiah 
 though — so here goes, here goes for the perform- 
 ance of my promise, and a draft on the old gentle- 
 man's hospitality,"" muttered Tresham to himself. 
 I'm a little before my time, however — 7iimporte. 
 
 The way was rough, as pathless banks of High- 
 land lochs and burns are wont to be. Huge blocks 
 of stone, half smothered in deceitful heather, and 
 rotten earth, formed so many traps for the legs of 
 the weary travellers. They had to climb several 
 round and steep hills of gravel, just as it seemed 
 for the plague of descending them on the opposite 
 side. Then the steepness of the banks forced 
 them to keep in the rough bed of the stream, and 
 pick their painful way along the stones of its sides 
 and bottom. The occurrence of a sheep-track
 
 28j^ the highland smugglers. 
 
 was a rare luxury ; and it was not until they were 
 within a mile of the strath that they were favoured 
 with a regular pathway. 
 
 The rain, which had perplexed them more or 
 less for the whole day, had now increased from :i 
 mere " Scotch mist," to a close, continuous, sharp 
 drift, which aggravated the discomfort of their 
 progress ; and just as they had reached the afore- 
 mentioned path, Tresham, by that time much fa- 
 tigued, in carelessly going down a steep bit, made 
 a false step, in which his foot turned under him, 
 and he came in no gentle manner to the ground, 
 with a severely strained ancle. This put the 
 finishing stroke to their distress. "•' Ochone, 
 ochone ! what will we do now in the world?*" ex- 
 claimed Kenny, as the young man rose with pain 
 and difficulty, and limped to a stone near him. 
 
 Sick with the wrench and the shock, it was some 
 time ere he could reply ; but when the first thrill 
 of pain was over, he declared it was nothing — he 
 was better — well enough to attempt getting for- 
 ward, " though this is not just the best way,'''' said 
 he, " of shortening a long road, or lightening a 
 hard day's work."" 
 
 He had overrated his powers, however. It was 
 with great pain and difficulty, that, supported by 
 Kenneth and the gillie, he reached the strath, 
 where an indifferent cart-road seemed to announce
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 283 
 
 that he had arrived at a more frequented country. 
 Bad as it was, it presented fewer obstacles than 
 the rough path they had till then been forced to 
 use; and while the hurt was still fresh, and the 
 limb supple, the unfortunate sportsman contrived 
 to hobble on for a mile or two further ; and just 
 as he was almost utterly exhausted, a Highland 
 cart passing down the strath, overtook the drench- 
 and forlorn party, and was immediately engaged 
 to carry the disabled Englishman to Airdruth- 
 more. 
 
 Night had closed in before they reached their 
 destination, so that between darkness and discom- 
 fort, Tresham could see little of the place to which 
 he was thus so strangely about to be introduced. 
 He only remarked that the cart crossed a wooden 
 bridge not far from the house, then entered among 
 trees, through which it drove for a little distance, 
 and then swept round to the front of a mansion 
 of considerable size, from the windows of which 
 lights were gleaming with a hospitable brightness 
 that promised a kind and hearty welcome. It 
 was a promise never broken to the hope or to the 
 sense by the inmates of Airdruthmore. 
 
 The sound of wheels speedily brought a servant 
 to the door, and scarce had he delivered the mes- 
 sage that had been given in reply to his inquiries, 
 when out rushed the honest laird himself, with his
 
 284 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 white locks flowing in the night breeze, and his 
 face beaming with kindness and concern. " God 
 bless my soul, is this you, Mr. Tresham ?" ex- 
 claimed he, eagerly ; " what's this has happened ? 
 Are ye much hurt? I'm grieved to see ye in such 
 a way, man !*" Tresham endeavoured to meet the 
 old gentleman's kindness with a smile, and re- 
 minded him, half jokingly, of his promise to be 
 soon at Airdruthmore. " Aye, aye, my good 
 young friend, I did hope to see ye, and soon too — 
 but no"* in such a condition — no, nor in such a 
 night — I hope it's no much, after all ; ye\e 
 had a wild afternoon — but it's an ill wind, they 
 say, that blows no one good. I am proud and 
 happy to see you at Airdruthmore, any how, and 
 we'll soon have you on your legs again, no fear. 
 Softly — softly, canny, man," continued he, as he 
 assisted Tresham out of the cart. " The foot's 
 no broke, I hope — we'll have a lad off for the 
 doctor in a minute — so — can ye put it to tlie 
 ground ? that's it. Ah, it's no' so bad— ye'U do 
 yet." 
 
 Tresham, writhing with pain, for his ancle had 
 become stiff and swelled, but reluctant to give 
 trouble, endeavoured to assure his worthy host that 
 it was only a slight sprain — that next morning he 
 should be perfectly well — no need whatever of a 
 doctor. But his feelings at the instant gave the
 
 THE HIGHLAKD SMUGGLERS. 285 
 
 lie to the assertion, for while he spoke his very 
 heart grew sick, his eyes reeled, and had it not 
 been for the laird and Kenny, who supported 
 him, he would have fallen to the ground. '' Odds 
 mercies, man," this is a bad job, said the old gen- 
 tleman,"" now much alarmed. " Here, lads, carry 
 him in carefully. Belle — Belle, lassie ! where are 
 
 ye?" 
 
 " Here, father,"" uttered a silver-toned voice, in 
 accents so different from those around him, that ill 
 as he was, they reached the ear of Tresham, and 
 possibly had some share in recalling him to him- 
 self. 
 
 ••' Belle, my dear, see and get the bed ready in 
 the blue room — it's warm, and easy got at — we'll 
 get Mr. Tresham carried there — we'll put him to 
 his bed at once — he's no' fit to come amongst us 
 the night, I'm afraid. And stay, tell old Grizzy 
 to get some mulled wine ready — he's dripping wet 
 — he'll get his death of cold ; and see, darling, tell 
 them to get the hotchpotch warmed up— and a 
 slice of the broiled salmon — and — and any thing 
 else ye think of — the lad's been all day in the hill 
 — he must be starving of hunger." 
 
 While the old gentleman was bustlinor about 
 and issuing these hospitable mandates, Tresham, 
 by his help, and that of the servants, was carried 
 into a comfortable parlour, or dining-room rather,
 
 286 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 for the table, still covered with glasses and plates, 
 and the remains of fruit, betokened its use. A 
 glass of wine was tendered and gratefully received; 
 but the young man resisted every proposal to un- 
 dress him where he was, as his energetic host 
 would have insisted on, " Just to get the chill off 
 him ; what should he be waiting for, and stand- 
 ing on ceremony, where there was no need of it, 
 and him as wet as if he had been hauled through 
 the river ?" In a very little time, however, the 
 active efforts of " Belle," and the housekeeper, 
 had prepared the " blue room," and the same 
 silver tones announced Mr. Tresham's apartment 
 to be quite ready. The young man, starting at 
 the sound, turned his head with quickness, and 
 just caught a glimpse of the white garments of a 
 female form, which his ardent imagination, " un- 
 chilled by the rain,""* and unchecked by his anguish, 
 instantly gifted with all the charms appropriate 
 to so melodious a voice. But the glimpse was too 
 momentary for more ; and Tresham was immedi- 
 ately transported with the tenderest care to a very 
 comfortable apartment, where a glowing fire of 
 wood and peats blazed in the chimney, and an easy 
 chair invited his weary limbs to repose. 
 
 Not until he had seen his guest stripped of every 
 wet habiliment, and clothed in a comfortable wrap- 
 ])ing gown of his own, would the kind eld laird
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 287 
 
 consent to quit his young guest for a moment. 
 Then, having bestowed the injured, and by that 
 time much swollen lim,b, upon a low stool with 
 abundance of cushions, he departed to provide for 
 the further refection and comfort of his new in- 
 mate. It is true, that Tresham protested in strong 
 terms against the alarming preparatives in the line 
 of " provant" which his host had been overheard 
 to order ; but in spite of pain and fatigue, he did 
 not fail to dispose of a reasonable portion of that 
 admirable kotchpotclii the existence of which has 
 been made known to the reader, together with some 
 further •' light food" in the shajfte of a slice of broiled 
 salmon, half a howtowdy^ and a few other trifles. 
 What would the worthy Dr. Abernethy have said 
 to such a dinner for a wounded man ! — but " hun- 
 ger is a good sauce," and Tresham had no 
 Dr. Pedro Positive, of Snatchaway,* at his elbow 
 to spirit away each dish ere its odour had well 
 reached his nostrils. 
 
 An aged matron, Grizzy Mac Farlane by name, 
 a right good specimen of the ancient Higldand 
 housekeeper, now made her appearance, armed 
 with a whole cargo of lotions and decoctions and 
 fomentations and infallible charms, together with 
 
 * The reader cannot fail to remember the distress of tlie 
 worthy Sancho Panza ia his government of Barataria iVom 
 ihib source.
 
 288 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 flannels^, bandages, plaisters, and lint, and all the 
 formidable apparatus of domestic surgery, and ani- 
 mated with tlie benevolent dispositions of half-a- 
 dozen Lady Bountifuls. A snow-white toy, with 
 lappets in the usual Highland fashion, and but 
 little more ornamented, covered the locks of this 
 respectable matron, whose mild grey eyes, fair 
 round cheeks, and good-humoured mouth, wore 
 the habitual smile of active benevolence and un- 
 affected kind-heartedness. She was stout and 
 short, but trotted about the house with indefa- 
 tigable industry in the discharge of her multifarious 
 duties, while the clanking of a monstrous bunch 
 of keys sufficiently proclaimed her approach, and 
 marked her progress through the establishment 
 which she superintended. 
 
 Drawing near her patient with numberless smiles 
 and curtseys, she commenced[in a strong Highland 
 accent to condole with him, and to inquire into the 
 state of his case. " Ohoni-ohone ! if it's no' a* 
 swalled up like a white pudding !'"* exclaimed she in 
 a tone of infinite commiseration, as soon as Tre- 
 sham had uncoverd the injured limb ; " Whisht 
 noo' Meithal,* wait ye awee— I'll no hurt it the 
 laest — Ouve-ouve — it's baadly hurt — but dinna be 
 fear't, ws'U sune put it a'richt ;'' and while she 
 uttered these disjointed words in a low compassion- 
 
 * An expression of great endearment.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. S89 
 
 ate croo7i, with a hand as gentle as that of the most 
 experienced surgeon, she commenced first to touch, 
 and by degrees to rub it gently. The first touch 
 was almost torture to the injured part, but after a 
 few ahs ! and ohs ! and setting his teeth to endure 
 the worst, he found the treatment become more 
 tolerable, and could more easily endure the next 
 operation, which was fomenting the strained and 
 rigid muscles with some decoction held in a basin 
 by her assistant. He was astonished, after a while, 
 at the relief he began to experience. 
 
 " You seem quite up to this sort of work, my 
 good lady," said he, as she proceeded. " I really 
 think you are already doing it good." 
 
 " Ou, what then, my dear ?" returned Grizzie, 
 " What wud ail me ? Is na it the best o' blessed 
 vervain that's in't; that was gathered the very 
 meenat o' the full moon by mysel' — an' was na the 
 water that it's bil'd in, brought a' the way frae St. 
 Magnus' wall, an' never a word said the hail time 
 by her that brought it, an' she a maiden too — it's 
 certain sure to salve all it touches." 
 
 " Well, I hope it will not fail in the present 
 case ; I'm sure, if skill will aid it, you seem to 
 have it. I dare say you have a good deal of prac- 
 tice here .p" 
 
 " Ochone ! sir ; and it's me that wud need to 
 ken something o' the work, an' no a doctor within 
 
 VOL. I. o
 
 290 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 twaP mile o' the town, an' the laad's eye coming 
 in wi' cuts and bruises and broken bones — but it's 
 the Lord's pleasure to bless what a poor ould wife 
 like me 'ill be doing,'' continued Grizzle with some- 
 what of the humility of conscious merit. 
 
 " Aye, aye," interrupted the cheerful voice of 
 the laird, who just then entered the room to learn 
 how his ffuest came on. " Grizzie's the woman 
 for ye. — Skill ! — Odds, man, Grizzie will set ye to 
 rights before ye're two days older. — What say you, 
 Grizzie.?" 
 
 " Ou, 'deed Airdruthmore, Grizzie '11 do her 
 best, and that's a' she can do, ye ken ; but there^s 
 no use in false tales. We'll see the morn's morn 
 — if the swelling fa's then, I'm thinking a week's 
 rest may gie the young gentleman some use o' his 
 fut again." 
 
 " A week ! — my good lady ! you don't mean 
 to condemn me to a week's confinement for this 
 paltry accident, I hope." 
 
 " Ou — is it me, your honour ? far be it frae me 
 to confine you," said Grizzie, somewhat startled, 
 and perhaps hurt a little at the young gentleman's 
 impetuosity ; " it's the Lord's will, and no Grizzie 
 Mac Farlane's, that '11 mak' the time long or short 
 — but ' long ill's sunest weel,' they say." 
 
 "Well, well, my good lady; I'm sure it will 
 not be your fault if I don't get soon over it. But
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 201 
 
 I cannot think of trespassing on Airdruthmore's 
 kindness, by intruding for such an age as you hint 
 at — the day after to-morrow, I hope."" 
 
 " Day after to-morrow !" re-echoed the laird — 
 " day after Christmas say ! — De'el be in us both, 
 lad, if it's a week or a fortnight either, that shall 
 part us now we've got ye— ye're no so easy to 
 catch, my young man ; and now we have a hold of 
 ye, out of Strath Einort, de'el a foot shall ye budge 
 till ye know a little more of us. — What, man ! — 
 we have grouse and ptarmighan and black game 
 and partridge, as well as Glenvallich, and there's 
 enough to see in this poor country of ours even 
 for you, wonder-hunting Sassenachs. Hav'nt we 
 the old castle of Drumspinie, and the vitrified fort 
 of Dunvreakan, that some vilify by calling it an 
 old ruined sheep-fauk ? And isn't there the dis- 
 puted Roman camp on the Mealmore, that caused 
 the great cast-out between the two famous antiqua- 
 rians. Dr. Mac Gudgeon, and Mr. Silvester Tre- 
 gothus, the LL.D. and A.S.S. ? — I expect you 
 will act oversman between them, and settle the 
 question. — Why, we have enough within fifteen 
 miles of Airdruthmore to keep an enthusiast as 
 you are, or ought to be, agape for a month — not 
 to speak of the beauties of our own glen just 
 behind the house. — But that I leave to Belle — my 
 
 o 2
 
 292 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 daughter Isabelle — who will match you for your 
 life in the true poetic fury and romance.*" 
 
 The good laird, having run himself out of breath 
 by this sudden burst, his guest had now time to 
 edge in a word, and but a word. " Indeed, my 
 good sir, I would not by any means be ungrateful 
 for your hospitable invitation, but — ^" 
 
 " But fiddlesticks, man. — Don't be ungrateful, 
 then, but accept it frankly as it is given. Stay 
 with us — nay, I'll hear nothing more to-night po- 
 sitively. God forbid that you should be tied by 
 the leg, as old Grizzie there threatens, but tied 
 by the will^ and desire to do a kindness to an old 
 Highlander like me, I hope you will be, even for 
 a longer time than Grizzie's threatened embargo." 
 
 What could Tresham do or say to all this, but 
 reiterate his thanks and hopes that the trouble he 
 must inevitably give might be of no very long dura- 
 tion. 
 
 " Aye, aye," said Grizzie, with a most senten- 
 tious shake of the head, as after finishing her fo- 
 mentations, and binding up the leg, she prepared 
 to retire : '* Mind ye what I said afore, laird — 
 ' langest ill, sunest weel ;"* dinna let this bonnie 
 young gentleman mak' a fule's flitting and be off* 
 'ore he's fit for't." 
 
 " Trust me for that, Grizzie,*" replied the laird,
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 293 
 
 returning her sagacious shake by a knowing nod ; 
 " but in the mean time, here's Thomas and Kenny 
 come to put him to-bed. — So God bless you, Tre- 
 sham, sleep sound, and wake well, my boy ;" and 
 with these words the worthy old gentleman quitted 
 the apartment.
 
 294 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AN INTRODUCTION. 
 
 O beautie, syren ! fair, enchanting, good ! 
 
 Soft, silent rhetoreck of perswading eyes ! 
 
 Dumb eloquence ! whose power doth move the blood 
 
 More than the works or wonders of the wise ! 
 
 The surgical operations of Mrs. Grizzie Mac 
 Farlane were attended with all the success that 
 could reasonably have been expected ; for after a 
 night of very tolerable repose, Tresham awoke on 
 the morrow free from actual pain. A considerable 
 degree of tension still remained, however, and 
 upon attempting to put his foot to the ground he 
 received a hint of its powerlessness, which speedily 
 induced him to resume the horizontal posture he 
 had somewhat rashly quitted, and which went far 
 to convince him of the accuracy of the old lady's 
 alarming prediction. A zealous perseverance in 
 her sanative method of treatment throughout the 
 day, however, produced such beneficial effects.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 295 
 
 that in the evening Tresham, with the help of a 
 servant, removed from his bed to the easy chair, 
 eat his dinner in comfort, and on the succeeding 
 morning could scarcely be withheld from limping 
 down to breakfast. 
 
 . The united remonstrances of his worthy host, 
 who had attended him all the time with unceasing 
 solicitude, and of his able cliirurgeon, Mrs. Grizzle 
 Mac Farlane, who still persevered with her embro- 
 cations and incantations, could detain their unma- 
 nageable patient in his apartment no longer than the 
 afternoon, when wearied with confinement, and desi- 
 rous to make himself acquainted with the other in- 
 mates of the mansion, he insisted on joining the fa- 
 mily at dinner in the dining-room. The pardonable 
 vanity of a young and handsome man might have 
 revolted at the thought of appearing in the pre- 
 sence of a female, or females, for aught he knew, 
 either in his weather-beaten shooting-dress, or in 
 the old laird's dressing-gown, and such a feeling- 
 might have operated more powerfully in keeping 
 him to his chamber, than all the wise remonstrances 
 of his friends. But the active attention of his 
 host had spared him so distressing a dilemma, for 
 early on the morning after his arrival, a long- 
 legged gillie had been despatched across the hill 
 to the shooting bothy with a note, informing his 
 friends of Tresham's accident, and requesting the
 
 296 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 presence of his own servant, together with such a 
 supply from his wardrobe as might enable him to 
 remain with comfort in his present abode. The 
 note was calculated to remove all apprehensions as 
 to consequences, but to prepare the laird of Glen- 
 vallich for an absence of some duration on the 
 part of his friend. In this way Tresham was en- 
 abled to appear before the family of his host in a 
 style calculated not only to do credit to his tailor 
 and to himself, but to create a favourable impres- 
 sion — and every one knows the value of first im- 
 pressions — on his new friends. Perhaps the cir- 
 cumstance of his lameness tended rather to increase 
 than diminish this happy effect, by exciting the 
 sympathy as well as the curiosity of the household, 
 and we have been credibly informed that Dame 
 Grizzie, in reply to the questions which were 
 poured upon her by men and maids, after return- 
 ing from administering to the stranger's hurts, 
 declared " that his fut was as white as a lily and 
 as bonnie as a leddie's, if it were na sae swalFd 
 like — that his face was far handsomer than Bally- 
 tully's, or the young laird o' Dalrispie's — that his 
 tongue was like a siller bell, and he spoke an' 
 joked wi a' about him as kindly as the laird him- 
 sel'— God bless him!" Praise so strong, and from 
 so authentic a quarter and so competent a judge, 
 could not fail of having its due effect in the lower
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 297 
 
 house at least ; but as Tresham was ignorant of 
 this secret influence working in his favour, he 
 could not, in spite of his well-bred ease and know- 
 ledge of the world, suppress a slight confusion, as 
 supported on the arm of his host, and leaning on 
 a stick, he limped into the drawing-room, a short 
 time before the summons to dinner. 
 
 " Belle, my dear," said the old gentleman, ad- 
 dressing a young lady, who, with a look of much 
 interest, rose from her seat, and advancing towards 
 them, curtsied with an air of the most polished 
 elegance — " Belle, my dear, this is our impatient 
 patient, my friend Mr. Tresham, of whom you have 
 frequently heard me speak, and whom I hope you 
 will help me to keep amongst us a good while 
 longer than his hurt may detain him." 
 
 " I am most happy to see Mr. Tresham already 
 so far recovered," responded the same silver voice, 
 whose tones dwelt so pleasingly upon his memory ; 
 " and certainly nothing on our parts shall be 
 wanting to render Airdruthmore a pleasant resi- 
 dence, as long as he will favour us by making it 
 his home. But we have, I am sure, a claim on 
 Mr.Tresham's acquaintance which I never thought 
 of before. I am confident, my dear father, that 
 our guest must be brother to my friend Maria. 
 Am I right, Mr. Tresham ? Had you not a sister 
 at Mrs. Leslie's school ?''^ 
 
 o 5
 
 298 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " Undoubtedly I had, Miss Stewart — my only 
 sister Maria. I am delighted at the circumstance, 
 but I wonder Maria never said a word to me upon 
 the subject." 
 
 " Ah! Maria possibly never dreamt of your 
 penetrating so far into these distant and unknown 
 regions ; but I am not the less happy, I assure 
 you, to welcome so near a relative of my friend's 
 to this place." And with another courteous incli- 
 nation the young lady resumed her seat. 
 
 The laird then proceeded to name the other 
 guests. " My sister, Mrs. Mac Donald, Mr. Tre- 
 sham — Miss Robertson — Mr. Robertson of Bal- 
 gowrie. Ballytully, you and Mr. Tresham are 
 already acquainted. Now, sit down. I don't 
 think, bold as ye seem, Mr. Tresham, your legs 
 are fit to stand on yet." 
 
 " A bad accident this, sir," remarked Mr. Ro- 
 bertson, by way of opening the conversation; 
 " and happened at a bad time, too, for a sports- 
 man. But may be you're not well used to our 
 hills yet — they're rough and steep, and weari- 
 some." 
 
 " Tresham not up to our hills, Balgowrie !" 
 exclaimed the laird, " ye little know him. Let 
 the deer of Glenochree speak to that. I'll back 
 the lad against any in the country. Highland or 
 Lowland ; though these southern gentry are better
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEES. 299 
 
 on the back of a horse after the fox hounds, or in 
 a turnip field after a covey of partridges, than 
 stalking the deer or ranging the muirs, as we have 
 done in our youth, my old boy." 
 
 " Aye faith, in our youth ye may say, Aird- 
 ruthmore ; for it's long since I troubled stag, or 
 hind, or muir-cock either ; and truth to say, it 
 would be little praise to Mr. Tresham, if he were 
 no better than me in my best days — I never was 
 any great Nimrod. As for you, laird, ye was a 
 good hand once, and faith, I would na trust ye if 
 a pair of ten tyne antlers came in sight above the 
 hill, two miles off, and ye with brown Bess in ye're 
 hand." 
 
 ^' Hah ! hah ! man ! — think ye so ? No, no ; 
 these days are over. As for young Tresham 
 here — faith, after the scurry he made to yon 
 strange bothy, that shall be nameless — ye mind 
 it, Ballytully — I'll no' trust to moss or hill to 
 stop him." 
 
 There was an expression in BallytuUy's eye 
 which had more than once come under the ob- 
 servation of Tresham, when allusion chanced to 
 be made to his own involuntary visit to Glen 
 Shlichard ; or indeed to any subject connected 
 with smuggling. It was a dark, sinister scowl, as 
 singular as unaccountable; and Tresham could 
 sometimes have imagined it was peculiarly directed
 
 800 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 against himself. On the present occasion, it faded 
 almost as soon as visible, and the announcement of 
 dinner prevented all further discourse. " Come, 
 come, my young friend,"" said the laird, observing 
 Tresham attempting to rise, " you're in no tune 
 for playing the gallant, I take it. Balgowrie, 
 take charge of my sister — Bally tuUy, do you squire 
 Belle — Miss Sally dear, off with you before us — 
 I must take care of the invalid myself;"" — and in 
 this order away they all moved to the dining- 
 room. 
 
 Tresham, in spite of his disability, would have 
 protested against an arrangement which was cal- 
 culated to infringe upon his privilege as a guest, of 
 sitting by, and improving his acquaintance with the 
 young lady of the mansion, in whom he had already 
 discovered so many claims to his regard. But 
 although the laird was absolute so far as regarded 
 the preliminary ceremonies, he was guiltless of 
 conceiving the injustice which the young man im- 
 puted to him. It on the contrary appeared, that 
 the very arrangement coveted by Tresham, was 
 the one contemplated by the old gentleman ; for 
 no sooner had the company begun to take their 
 places than he called out, " Come here, Ballytully, 
 I want you by myself; ye must help me with this 
 leg of mutton. Come, take your place between 
 Miss Sally and me. Mr. Tresham, you must be
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 301 
 
 Belle's aid-de-camp — ye can carve a turkey, if ye 
 canna hand a lady — ye can cut up a grouse, if ye 
 can't shoot one yet." 
 
 The alacrity with which Tresham obeyed this 
 mandate may easily be conceived, and the satisfac- 
 tion which beamed from his countenance formed 
 a ludicrous contrast with the sullen and dogged 
 aspect of Ballytully, as he yielded the place of 
 honour. The expression was not unmarked by its 
 object, and served to nourish a rising antipathy 
 which the young Englishman had almost insen- 
 sibly imbibed against the ungracious Mr. Mac- 
 askill, at a very early period of their acquaint- 
 ance. 
 
 The dinner hour passed very agreeably in the 
 opinion of Tresham ; for though the duties of a 
 courteous hostess, and an attentive aid-de-camp, 
 precluded the possibility of much interesting or 
 detailed conversation during the height of the 
 attack, he enjoyed ample opportunity to remark 
 the graceful kindness with which these duties were 
 discharged ; to observe the beaming beauty of her 
 countenance, as it turned its animated smile to- 
 wards him, or the elegant outline of her profile 
 as she addressed his opposite neighbour. A warm 
 admirer of beauty, Tresham was not less delighted 
 than surprised, by the graceful loveliness and po- 
 lished ease of his fair hostess, the more so, doubt-
 
 302 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 less, that he had little expected to meet with 
 such attractions in the wilds of the Highlands. 
 The fascination was irresistible as unlooked for : 
 before dinner was over he was captivated, and 
 there is little doubt that the silent eloquence of 
 the young lady's eyes had more effect during that 
 short period in reconciling him to a protracted 
 confinement, than all the hospitable entreaties of 
 her worthy and warm-hearted father. 
 
 But enthusiasts, of whatever description, must 
 eat like other people ; and we shall not take upon 
 ourselves to affirm that the eyes and ears of the 
 young Englishman were the only organs employed 
 by him on this occasion. On the contrary, there 
 is good authority for believing that he as well 
 as others did ample hdnour to the hospitable pro- 
 fusion of their host. The happiest hour will 
 fleet, however, and the best dinner must come to an 
 end. We shall therefore suppose the hotchpotch, 
 that queen of soups, to be fairly discussed — the 
 red loch trouts, fresh from their native element, 
 duly disposed of — the five-year old mutton, dark 
 of hue and rich of fat, retreating with a lament- 
 able hiatus in its muscular substance — the delicate 
 roasted grouse, hobbling from the fray, winged to 
 some purpose — tarts, puddings, creams, and jel- 
 lies, the pride of old Grizzle's culinary science, 
 with all their fantastic forms and garnishes, quit-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 303 
 
 ting the field in amorphous confusion and dire dis- 
 comfiture — the goat, and the ewe, and the rich 
 cream cheeses, disappearing after sustaining a close 
 and destructive attack. We shall suppose the 
 dessert and the ladies withdrawn ; the good old 
 port and sherry — aye, and the rich-flavoured claret 
 of the choicest vintages, imported long ere his 
 Majesty's ministers had conceived the atrocious 
 idea of clogging the generous beverage with invi- 
 dious duties, and brought in, in purpose-like cob- 
 webbed bottles ; — we shall suppose all these inviting 
 liquors abandoned for the still more irresistible 
 bowl of smoking punch, or rather toddy, brewed 
 by the laird's own cunning hands from the primest 
 of " mountain dew ;" and the gentlemen, in social 
 mood, fairly disposed to enjoy the hour, seated 
 round the cheerful embers of a wood fire, which 
 the damp of an autumnal evening rendered far 
 from unpleasant in a Highland glen. 
 
 It was our purpose, gentle reader, seeing that 
 we have at all times thy edification in view, to 
 have in this place recommended our labours, and 
 increased thy delectation, by reporting duly the 
 long and interesting conversation which on this 
 occasion took place between the worthies we have 
 seen so comfortably appointed. We purposed to 
 have instructed thee in many matters of moment 
 connected with Highland economy; to have ex-
 
 304 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 patiated on the various agricultural systems, which 
 obtain in these mtramontane districts ; and, in 
 short, to have let thee into the secret of abundance 
 of " parish business,""' connected with these parts. 
 But taking into consideration that there is an infi- 
 nite variety in tastes; that, notwithstanding the 
 weight and importance of such matters, and the 
 engrossing interest which they would excite in 
 many who thirst after valuable information, there 
 may be some classes of our readers — particularly 
 among the fair sex (God bless them !) — to whom 
 such topics might prove less delectable ; and hav- 
 ing it greatly at heart to make our labours as ac- 
 ceptable as possible to all, we shall refrain from 
 indulging in this valuable disquisition. The pro- 
 found philosophy and deep research which it in- 
 volves, shall, for the present, lie perdue in our 
 literary crypts; while we accompany our friend 
 Tresham, who, pleading the privilege of an in- 
 valid, seized the earliest occasion to escape from 
 the punch-bowl, to the drawing-room and the tea- 
 table. 
 
 Miss Stewart, having deputed her aunt to per- 
 form the duties of that department, was seated on 
 a sofa, at work upon some elegant trifle. " Is it 
 possible, Mr. Tresham," said she smiling, as he 
 took his seat beside her ; " can you so soon have 
 abandoned the pleasure of fighting over your
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 305 
 
 Sporting campaigns, and re-slaughtering the slain, 
 or discussing the interesting topics of Highland 
 farming, and breeds of sheep and cattle, with 
 which your stay in the Highlands has no doubt 
 familiarized you ? I hope we don''t owe this early 
 visit, this mark of your gallantry, to any serious 
 sacrifice on your part ?" 
 
 " Indeed I have no merit whatever to lay claim 
 to, unless having the courage to follow my own 
 inclination be such," replied Tresham ; " I am 
 little of a toper at any time, and temperance, is 
 now," (glancing at his bandaged limb,) " more 
 than ordinarily expedient ; perhaps, too, I am 
 scarcely so intimate with the Highlands as to 
 relish or comprehend the subjects you allude to. 
 If, indeed, our friends in the other room were to 
 make Highland scenery their theme, instead of 
 Highland farming, I might join." 
 
 " Ah, so you do admire our wild scenery ?" 
 
 " I am enchanted with it. Miss Stewart. My 
 recollections of the Highlands from a former short 
 visit were agreeable, and I hoped that an extended 
 acquaintance with them would interest and please 
 me ; but it has done greatly more — it has far sur- 
 passed my expectations." 
 
 " I am delighted to hear this from yourself, 
 Mr. Tresham ; my father told me you seemed
 
 306 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 pleased, when he saw you at Inverallich. I assure 
 you that you won your way mightily in his good 
 graces there ; he has often mentioned your name 
 and spoken of the pleasure you promised us. 
 Little did I then think it was the brother of my 
 dearest friend who was in question. I hope when 
 you see more of this place, it will not destroy your 
 favourable opinion of Highland scenery." 
 
 " Ah, I don't think thaf s possible : I have seen 
 enough already to fix my opinion." 
 
 "Nay, Mr. Tresham, you can have seen but 
 little yet. Glenvallich's country is very fine ; but 
 we have many, O many glens and lochs and rivers 
 that would delight you — an infinite variety of 
 beauty and interest in this very part of the country ; 
 and as you have begun in such a hopeful strain of 
 admiration, I trust we may have it in our power at 
 least to maintain the high character of our scenery 
 in your eyes, if not to increase it." 
 
 " Indeed, Miss Stewart, I am persuaded that my 
 admiration will increase with experience; though 
 after all, I should be sorry if its reputation were 
 to rest on the opinion of so incompetent a judge. 
 Besides, I am notorious for being easily pleased 
 with whatever part of the world I may be in for 
 the time." 
 
 " A most happy disposition indeed," said Miss
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. SOT 
 
 Stewart, smiling, " but surely you must have had 
 your preferences ; what countries in the course of 
 your travels have pleased you most ?" 
 
 " Indeed," said Tresham, smiling also, " I can 
 hardly tell. I was astonished and delighted in 
 Switzerland ; the sublimity of its mountains — the 
 emerald green of its verdure — its waterfalls and 
 lakes, and sweet romantic cottages, put me wild. 
 Then the fairy scenes — the gorgeous cities — the 
 pictures and palaces — the ruins and antiquities — 
 the delicious climate and brilliant skies —the music 
 and the taste of Italy, enchanted me while I stayed 
 the^'e. Then there was haughty Spain, and our 
 ancient ally, Portugal." 
 
 " What, Mr. Tresham ? talk of Spain and Por- 
 tugal, after Italy and Switzerland.? surely the 
 change must have been any thing rather than 
 pleasing." 
 
 '"' No, I assure you, not at all ; in the first place, 
 it had the charm of novelty, and before that wore 
 ofF, I really began to like the country. They are 
 a fine proud, brave, lazy, dirty race, these same 
 Spaniards. I liked them with all their faults ; 
 then its lovely dark eyed women with their grace- 
 ful mantillas and tantalizing veils, so piquant; 
 and the country with its wild sierras and extensive 
 plains — its bro\vn forests, and its rich orange 
 groves and vineyards : and then the times were so
 
 308 
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 exciting, in spite of death and carnage, sickness 
 and privations." 
 
 " Ah, how dull and tame you must have felt 
 poor peaceful England on your return to it," said 
 Miss Stewart, laughing at the energy of her new 
 acquaintance. 
 
 " England dull and tame ! far from it, I assure 
 you. Beautiful, rich, happy England, with its 
 sweet villages and superb country seats, and its 
 hedge-rows, and its copses, and its magnificent 
 parks of ancient timber — come Miss Stewart, you 
 have been in England, is it not a rich, smiling, 
 lovely country ? not quite so wild and romantic and 
 fascinating as your Highland glens — but still a 
 noble country ?'' 
 
 " O, I assure you, Mr. Tresham, none is more 
 ready to admit the beauties of England than I am, 
 even though I do stand up a little for ' mine own 
 romantic' land. But surely such a lover of the 
 country and its enjoyments can never have had 
 any enjoyment in a town — London for instance — 
 after all your adventures and campaigns, how 
 wearysome, dull, flat and unprofitable, must its 
 elegancies, and comforts, and proprieties have 
 appeared to you !" 
 
 " Hah, hah. Miss Stewart, you are laughing at 
 me now, I see," said Tresham, laughing himself, 
 '^ and I dare say I deserve it ; but as for London,
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 309 
 
 excuse me, I doat on it. What a place ! what a 
 city ! the emporium of everything rare and valua- 
 ble under the sun ! Beauty and fashion, talent 
 and science, literature and amusement, in all their 
 various shapes ; where are they to be found ac- 
 cumulated, if not in London ? Look at St. 
 James's — look at Bond-street — at the Park — the 
 Opera ; where are such sights to be seen else ? 
 Look at society in London — where can the like be 
 found .-^ Wit sparkles there, genius dazzles and 
 delights, and first-rate intellect and solid acquire- 
 ments astonish and instruct us. When once I get 
 into London, I do not scruple to say it, it takes a 
 strong wrench to get me out of it ; and I was 
 sad and sulky for more than an hour, as I drove 
 through its fast-emptying streets, although it was 
 to see my mother, I'm ashamed to say. The 
 sight of the green fields and the thoughts of her 
 joy and kindness set me up a little ; but I don't 
 think I quite recovered my spirits till I got among 
 the hills and mountains with my friend Glenval- 
 lich." 
 
 " Ah, Mr. Tresham, how dull at that rate would 
 you feel a country life without some exciting pur- 
 suit ! But your spirits will serve you at least 
 through your campaign against grouse and par- 
 tridge ; at all events, until the novelty of a High- 
 land sejour wears off, you wont feel its tedium/'
 
 310 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 '' The tedium did you say, Miss Stewart ? Nay, 
 this is too bad really ; have 1 been laying open 
 my character so candidly, and setting forth the 
 beautiful pliability and contentedness of my dispo- 
 sition, all to so little purpose ? Why I delight in 
 a country life, when I am in the country. I am 
 enchanted with its employments and amusements, 
 and I feel as if I could scarce like to live any 
 where else. The recollections of London are plea- 
 sant, and I doubt not that when occasion calls me 
 there again, I shall experience the same delight 
 in town pursuits as formerly ; but assuredly I do 
 feel completely happy here ; every thing seems 
 congenial to my mind. I delight in the wild and 
 inexhaustible variety of the scenery. I feel my 
 spirit expand, as it were, among the pathless 
 mountains and interminable tracks of rock, and 
 muir, and waste ; and when my foot is on the hill 
 and my gun is in my hand, free to roam at will 
 and unrestricted, I can conceive nothing more ex- 
 hilarating, more pregnant with enjoyment. With- 
 out doors all is healthful excitement and rational 
 recreation ; within all is comfort and content : 
 what more is wanting to happiness — what have we 
 left at this moment to wish for ? Yes ; the High- 
 lands is the country of enchantment — I know 
 nothing more charming." 
 
 " Always excepting London, or Lisbon, or Ma-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 311 
 
 drid, or Italy, or whatsoever city or country may 
 be Mr. Tresham's residence for the time," said 
 Isabelle, laughing again ; "you forget dear Lon- 
 don." 
 
 " Ah, you wrong me — you misapprehend me 
 totally, Miss Stewart; how can you be so mali- 
 cious? I appeal to yourself now; you have seen 
 London, you have lived in it, no doubt ; did you 
 not, I beg to ask you, feel something of a qualm, 
 a regret, on first quitting that fascinating place, 
 even to return to your own Highlands, to such 
 different scenes ?" 
 
 " To tell the truth, Mr. Tresham, my experience 
 of London was too short and slight to give me any 
 title to reply to your question. Besides, remem- 
 ber I was returning home — to my father — to the 
 scenes of my earliest happiness — of all my youth- 
 ful attachments — so that I should be an interested 
 witness on the occasion. But never shall I forget 
 the delight I felt on awakening the first morning 
 at Airdruthmore, after many years' absence, 
 during which I had been cooped up in a school, 
 or a town, or in the comparative restraint of an 
 English villa. I heard the birds singing — I 
 thought that I coujd tell all my old friends by 
 their note. The fragrance of the birch and honey- 
 suckle was the same I had inhaled when a child, — 
 the hum of the bees and the rush of the water
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 were all familiar sounds ; even the Highland ac- 
 cents of old Grizzle, as she came to bid me good- 
 morrow, were pleasant to me. — Aye, you may 
 laugh, Mr. Tresham, but I declare even the smell 
 of the peat-smoke was delightful to me." 
 
 " O no! I cannot laugh at that, Miss Stewart; 
 for upon my honour I participate in the feeling. 
 Still, I think there are some things you might 
 miss a little at first, even in this Arcadia. Books, 
 for instance, and conversation — suitable compa- 
 nions — intellectual intercourse — which I suspect 
 are all rare blessings in these latitudes." 
 
 " Ah ! " replied Miss Stewart, with a suppressed 
 sigh, " these are blanks, I confess, not readily 
 filled up. Books may be had — but good conver- 
 sation is less easily obtained. Yes, it had been my 
 good fortune to enjoy that enviable privilege in no 
 common degree for some time previous to my 
 quitting England ; and when I discovered how 
 limited my resources in that way were likely to be 
 during the first winter at Airdruthmore, I dare 
 not say that the foul fiend of ennui did not some- 
 times flit in dim perspective before my eyes. I 
 kept him at the stave's end, however, very suc- 
 cessfully.'' 
 
 *' What, the winter passed off better than you 
 anticipated .^^ 
 
 "It did, and the second better still."
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 313 
 
 " Well, I am happy to hear it, though I can't 
 quite comprehend how it could be. I should have 
 thought it an evil likely to increase rather than 
 diminish. Indeed I am somewhat at a loss to con- 
 ceive what young ladies can do with themselves in 
 the country, particularly in the short days and 
 long nights of winter : unfortunately they cannot 
 be much of Nimrods, nor can they be always 
 working or reading." 
 
 " Why truly, to gentlemen Avho require violent 
 excitements, the thing may well be a mystery. 
 Cultivated society, and friends of one's own age 
 and tastes, would have been very desirable, cer- 
 tainly ; and I did, it must be owned, pine a little 
 for these enjoyments : but the mind by proper 
 schooling becomes reconciled to necessary priva- 
 tions, and by degrees I learned to substitute plea- 
 sures of a different sort from those I was deprived 
 of, and to contrive occupations w^hich could be- 
 guile even the tediousness of a winter's day. 
 There are many claims on the attention of the 
 upper classes, if they will listen to them, in a 
 remote place like this, to occupy one's time and 
 interest one's heart ; then, besides our domestic 
 duties, there are such things as music and draw- 
 ing — these become valuable accomplishments in a 
 lone glen." 
 
 VOL. I. p
 
 314 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " Ah, music indeed !" said Tresham, " that is a 
 resource."" 
 
 " Music ; are you fond of music, Mr. Tres- 
 ham ?" said the old laird, who entering at this 
 time with the rest of the company from the dining- 
 room, had come up to where they were sitting, 
 and had heard the last few words. " If you are 
 fond of a song. Belle there will be happy, I'm 
 sure, to find any one who can understand her fa- 
 vourite Italianos. Belle, my dear, go to the piano, 
 do." 
 
 Tresham was an enthusiast in music; and an 
 excellent natural taste had been improved and 
 refined by hearing the best performers in the 
 various countries he had visited, as well as in the 
 English metropolis. Well knowing the usual pro- 
 ficiency of young lady performers, and anxious to 
 maintain in his own breast the favourable impres- 
 sion already created there by his fair hostess, he 
 remained in his seat ; for he feared the possibility 
 of a failure which might weaken or destroy the 
 effect of a voice so harmonious in conversation ; 
 and he listened in no small uneasiness for the 
 result. 
 
 Miss Stewart, perhaps in order to pitch her 
 voice, and prepare it for greater exertions, com- 
 menced her performance with a simple Scotch air,
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 315 
 
 of few notes and small compass, but capable of 
 considerable expression. But scarcely had she 
 sung a few bars, than his inquietude began to 
 abate; and, as the clear, plaintive, liquid notes 
 swelled upon his ear, apprehension gave way to 
 confidence, and uneasiness to delight ; for he felt 
 that not only was the songstress possessed of a rich 
 and powerful voice, but of exquisite taste, culti- 
 vated by the best teaching. To the simple melody 
 succeeded a more complicated and scientific piece, 
 and next came an Italian air from a fashionable 
 opera. In all these various performances there 
 was not the smallest affectation or pretence ; the 
 execution of each was precisely adapted to the cha- 
 racter of the music ; nor did there appear to be 
 the least undue exertion in producing the appro- 
 priate effect : all was chaste and harmonious. 
 
 Tresham was pleased, delighted, astonished, en- 
 tranced; at length, regardless of his infirmity, he 
 rose from his chair, and making his way to the 
 instrument, expressed his admiration in a strain 
 which called somewhat of a blush into the young 
 lady's cheek, for it convinced her that while the 
 expressions were perfectly sincere, they proceeded 
 from one who was in every way qualified to judge 
 of the performance he commended. 
 
 Many and reiterated were the young English- 
 man's entreaties to be favoured with another, and 
 
 p 2
 
 316 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 yet another song ; and Isabella, delighted at 
 having found a kindred taste, made no scruple 
 of indulging him. Air after air was suggested 
 by the one and recollected by the other. At 
 length it was discovered that Tresham could sing 
 a very tolerable second to many of Miss Stew, 
 art's favourite pieces and duets, and in such 
 pleasant pastime the evening wore on to a late 
 hour. 
 
 But " pleasures are like poppies spread !" — the 
 sweetest joys must fade. The company began to 
 yawn ; the laird rang for candles, the guests re- 
 treated to their several chambers, and Tresham 
 limped away, with the assistance of the laird and 
 his servant, to his own apartment. For two full 
 hours he lay awake, thinking of the extraordinary 
 and unexpected perfections of Isabelle Stewart — 
 then sunk to rest with the notes of her last air 
 ringing in his ears — dreamt of syrens and mermaids 
 with the face of his fair hostess — of Spanish 
 women, whose black mantles opened to display her 
 features — of Highland glens and caves, where she 
 M^as always to be found — thought she was still 
 singing some sweet jingling air to lull him to 
 sleep, and woke to hear the morning bell for break- 
 fast ringing in reality. 
 
 But while the party to which we have intro- 
 duced the reader are enjoying the comforts of re-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 317 
 
 pose, we shall take the opportunity to furnish him 
 with some details which will make him better 
 acquainted with those individuals among them, 
 who are principally concerned in the events we 
 have undertaken to record.
 
 318 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 A HIGHLAND LAIRD OF THE OLD SCHOOL AND A 
 MAN OF LAW, BUT NOT OF EQUITY. 
 
 Kind-hearted lairds in country nurse 
 
 The poor, who else were undone, 
 While lordlings spend their money worse, 
 
 On lust and pride in London. 
 
 Will, sneaks a scrivener, an exceeding knave. 
 
 John Stewart, of Airdruthmore, succeeded to 
 his father and long consecutive line of progenitors, 
 in the estate of which he was at this time the pro- 
 prietor, and which had at one time been of far 
 greater extent. Pride, and a thoughtless uncal- 
 culating hospitality, had in this case, as in many 
 others in the Highlands of Scotland, first involved 
 the family in debt, and had subsequently forced 
 some of Mr. Stewart's ^' forebears" to dispose of 
 certain portions and pendicles of their estate, to
 
 THE HIGHLAND. SMUGGLERS. 319 
 
 some of their more prudent neighbours. When, 
 therefore, the present laird, then about the age of 
 thirty, served heir to his father, (as it is termed in 
 Scottish law,) he found, or rather his man of busi- 
 ness informed him, that the gross rental of the 
 estate, extensive though it was in surface, did not 
 quite amount to one thousand pounds a-year ; and 
 that, besides the public and other burthens, there 
 existed a mortgage on one part of the lands, 
 amounting to five thousand pounds, leaving him, 
 for actual expenditure and management, about six 
 hundred a-year ; or, if he desired to see a gradual 
 diminution of debt, in prudence, not more than 
 from three to four hundred pounds; and to restrict 
 himself to this lesser sum was the urgent advice of 
 this honest agent. 
 
 The advice was sound, and well would it have 
 been for the new laird of Airdruthmore, had he 
 followed it. But it might seem that Highland 
 lairds are of a breed very different from the rest 
 of their countrymen ; for, instead of the cautious 
 sagacity and habitual prudence ascribed to Scotch- 
 men in general, this class of proprietors has too 
 often evinced an inconsiderate recklessness of dis- 
 position in matters of economy ; their hospitality 
 is too often excessive and indiscriminate, and their 
 expenses, with reference to their income, extrava- 
 gant. The laird of Airdruthmore did not un-
 
 320 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 happily, in these respects, differ from his neigh- 
 bours. Ignorant of business, a hater of accounts, 
 and consequently the sure prey of a whole host of 
 underlings, it was no wonder that debt, instead of 
 being diminished, should suffer a rapid increase, 
 and that at the close of three years, from the pe- 
 riod of his succession, he found himself involved 
 and embarrassed to an extent which his worthy 
 agent found it difficult to provide for. 
 
 Unfortunately for the laird, about this time his 
 friendly and honest agent died ; and, still more 
 unhappily, did he become acquainted with a cer- 
 tain W. S.* in Edinburgh, 'yclept Thomas Macas- 
 kill, the brother of a coterminous proprietor, and 
 a man whose character in his profession was at 
 least as notorious for acuteness and curming, as 
 for candour and integrity. It was remarked that 
 Macaskill's clients uniformly became poor, while 
 he, in public estimation at least, waxed prosper- 
 ous and rich. 
 
 " And whose fault's that ?" would the laird re- 
 mark, when this suspicious circumstance was urged, 
 as a reasonable cause for demurring upon employ- 
 ing him as an agent ; " is Tom Macaskill to be 
 answerable for all the fortunes that fools throw 
 
 * These letters stand for " Writer to the Signet;" one of a 
 corporate body of solicitors privileged exclusively to act as 
 agents in the Court of Session, &c. in Edinburgh.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 321 
 
 away ? is he to find them sense as well as money 
 and law ? or is he bound to keep his clients in 
 countenance, by biding poor for their sakes ?" 
 
 Unhappily, the laird did not prove the excep- 
 tion to the discouraging rule under which Mr. 
 Thomas MacaskilFs employers seemed to lie. At 
 first, indeed, matters appeared to go on flourish- 
 ingly; for the agent knew that there was upon the 
 property a considerable store of capital oak and 
 birch, and some fine old fir-wood, that was almost 
 as good as cash. It was a resource as welcome as 
 unexpected to Airdruthmore, who readily con- 
 sented to avail himself of it, under the auspices of 
 his friend the agent; and for some years after- 
 wards, nothing was to be heard of but cutting, 
 and lopping, and barking, and saw-mills going, 
 and carting, and shipping ; rafts of timber going 
 down the Einort, and loads of bark carried off to 
 be shipped. The manager who superintended all 
 this work, was appointed by the agent, and he 
 found all the inferior operatives. As for sales, 
 and account sales, these, as well as the proceeds, 
 rested all with the agent himself, who, whenever 
 the laird inquired how matters were going on — a 
 question he seldom put — was always prepared to 
 shut his mouth with some tale of losses, and bad 
 debts, and bankruptcies, and low prices. Never- 
 theless Mr. Macaskill had generally tact enough 
 
 p 3
 
 322 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 to sweeten the pill, by a small advance, as he 
 termed it, of money, swearing " by saul and 
 body !" (his customary asseveration) that it was 
 more than he ever expected to see for the goods. 
 
 Some of the laird's friends, who saw a little 
 more, " au dessous des cartes,''' than the honest 
 gentleman himself, ventured, perhaps, with more 
 zeal than discretion, to suggest the expediency, 
 in common prudence, of making some examina- 
 tion into the extensive business which had for 
 years been going on, and which had fallen so 
 completely into the hands of the W. S. They 
 even went so far as to hint their suspicion of 
 prices not being always so very low as that wor- 
 thy gentleman''s reports would make them out to 
 be ; that good old timber of large dimensions, and 
 capital oak-bark, were not only valuable, but very 
 saleable articles in the h'&.nds of other people ; and 
 that both were, in fact, very fast disappearing 
 from bank and brae, without, as it seemed, pro- 
 ducing any corresponding effect upon the purse of 
 their owner. But all their well-meant interference 
 was thrown away. Airdruthmore detested ac- 
 counts, as we have already said, and the thought 
 of encountering so formidable a concern was too 
 alarming to be endured. Its very extent increased 
 his reluctance to grapple with it, and, void of all 
 self-confidence, he preferred abandoning himself
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 323 
 
 and his affairs to chance, rather than attempting 
 an exertion he beheved himself unfit for. Besides, 
 Airdruthmore was too open and upright himself 
 to suspect the faith of others, and in reply to such 
 remonstrances he would only shake his head, and 
 say, " No, no, Tom MacaskilFs an honest fellow, 
 I'm satisfied of that, and he knows what he's about, 
 which is maybe more than I should do in his place 
 Lord knows what I should make of all these 
 things, if he were to give up the management.'" 
 
 " Which there is small chance of his doing, 111 
 be bound, while he knows he has such a gull to 
 deal with," muttered one of the gentlemen, who had 
 taken in hand to speak to the laird, as he turned 
 on his heel, and resolved thenceforward to venture 
 no more on such tender ground. 
 
 But wood and other resources, of a limited de- 
 scription, at length begafi to run low, and Tom 
 Macaskill had recommenced with his hints of 
 financial difficulties, of want of ready cash, and 
 of the absolute necessity of retrenchment. He 
 had even ventured some obscure hints, regarding 
 new sales or mortgages ; when at the very period 
 when the prospect was most threatening, the clouds 
 which lowered upon the horizon of the laird's affairs 
 were for the time dispelled by an event whicJi 
 promised to him the most happy and beneficial con- 
 sequences.
 
 324 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 During the lifetime of the late laird, it was 
 thought expedient that the heir apparent of Aird- 
 ruthmore, should receive something of the polish 
 to be acquired by a foreign education, and for 
 that purpose he passed some years at an English 
 school. The advantage derived from this measure, 
 as well as from a limited tour on the Continent, 
 and a short residence with some of his countrymen 
 in Paris, was estimated by his worthy parent in 
 proportion to the pain which he felt at the absence 
 of his only son ; although there were others ill- 
 natured, or honest enough, to declare that they 
 saw but little difference in the young man, and 
 that little scarcely to his advantage ; and who in- 
 sisted that if his foreign travelling had not spoilt 
 his frank Highland address, and kindly Highland 
 heart, it was all, and the best that could be said. 
 
 Be that as it may, the acquaintance he had 
 formed with England was maintained by him after 
 his father''s death. He often visited and spent a part 
 of his time occasionally in that country ; and it was 
 in the course of a journey to Bath, that he chanced 
 to render a service of some consequence to a widow 
 lady and her two daughters, who were hkewise tra- 
 velling the road. The consequences of this adven- 
 ture were, to a certain extent, exactly what might 
 have been anticipated, — acquaintance, intimacy, 
 esteem, and friendship — but they went somewhat
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 325 
 
 further than a sober calculator would have ven- 
 tured to predict, for the next step was love. The 
 black eyes of the youngest Miss Marchmont pene- 
 trated the sensitive heart of the Highland laird, 
 whose handsome, manly, though not absolutely 
 juvenile person, together with his imperturbable 
 good-humour, good sense, and generous disposi- 
 tion, failed not to create a corresponding impres- 
 sion on the fair object of his regard. Perhaps the 
 circumstance of his riper years was neither an ob- 
 jection in the eyes of the lady, who was herself no 
 longer within the pale of mere girlhood, nor in 
 those of the mother, who no doubt was disposed to 
 view him with less suspicion, as it was plain that he 
 was no young fortune-hunter, allured by the hopes 
 of wealth, and trusting to his own attractions for 
 misleading the heart of a young and artless girl. 
 
 Thus, when after due precaution, he did at 
 length venture lo make known his pretensions in 
 form, and throw himself and all his possessions at 
 the feet of her daughter, the interesting confusion of 
 that daughter gave no discouragement to his hopes, 
 while the old lady assured him that should the 
 inquiries, which as a mother she felt it her duty 
 to institute regarding him, through her man of 
 business, be satisfactorily answered, she should 
 feel no scruples at intrusting so amiable and worthy
 
 326 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 a man with the happiness and property of her 
 child. 
 
 Little was the risk of receiving an unsatisfac- 
 tory reply on such a subject, from Tom Macaskill, 
 to whom the English solicitor in the first place ap- 
 plied for information respecting the property and 
 status of Mr. Stewart of Airdruthmore, in his 
 own country. The stream which flowing from 
 Strath Einort and its tributaries, had for a long 
 time supplied the coffers of the W. S., had of late 
 been running inconveniently slack ; what then 
 could be more opportune, more unlocked for, than 
 this sudden prospect of replenishment ? A flam- 
 ing account was speedily returned of the extent 
 and rental and resources of the property. As for 
 the character of the man, the agent had only to 
 refer the friends of the ladies to the voice of the 
 whole country, which would reply as by acclama- 
 tion, to his honour, his integrity, his amiable qua- 
 lities, and so forth, to say nothing of his ancient 
 lineage ; which last, however, was indisputably 
 proved by a great genealogical tree, framed in 
 carved ebony, which hung over the chimney in a 
 parlour at Airdruthmore, the root of which was 
 seen springing from the abdomen of the mighty 
 Malcolm Keanmore himself. 
 
 It was enough — it was more than enough —it
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 327 
 
 was overwhelming. The laird was formally re- 
 cognized by the mother as her future son-in-law, 
 the young lady had made up her mind long be- 
 fore. The settlements were duly extended ; ten 
 thousand pounds, the lady's fortune, was settled 
 upon the younger children in the hands of proper 
 trustees, the hfe rent alone to be at the disposal 
 of the laird or his lady, as either might survive, 
 and to be considered in the light of a provision for 
 the education and board of their children ; and a 
 jointure corresponding with the dower and the libe- 
 rality of the husband, rather than with the income 
 of his estate, was settled upon the lady — a vain 
 provisicm which it was decreed that she should 
 never profit by. 
 
 In the meantime, Mr. Macaskill did not neg- 
 lect his own interest. Taking the moment when 
 the worthy laird was entirely absorbed in the anti- 
 cipation of his approaching happiness, he repre- 
 sented to him the extreme difficulty he found in 
 providing for the accumulating interest of debt, 
 not to speak of the money due to himself on 
 balance of account, as could be clearly proved if 
 he would but take the trouble to look over the 
 accounts. He adverted to the expediency of 
 bringino; his affairs to some sort of settlement at 
 so important a juncture ; and for the purpose of 
 promoting these objects, he suggested the expe-
 
 328 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 dient of making over in wadset, redeemable in a 
 limited number of years, a certain portion of his 
 estate, an out-of-the-way and somewhat detached 
 pendicle, a separate glen, to some one who should 
 advance the sum required to set him entirely at 
 ease — there was a friend of his would advance the 
 money, and make the redemption easy— all he 
 wanted was security and something like decent in- 
 terest, for which he was content to take the rents 
 of the wadset. Indeed, if he, the laird, should 
 desire the thing, or should conceive his security or 
 interest in the transaction to be in the least degree 
 promoted by the use of his own (Mr. Macaskill's) 
 name, he should not have the smallest objection to 
 have it inserted as that of the lender, to whom he 
 would then be answerable for all pecuniary arrange- 
 ments ; the laird might thus feel himself more 
 in the hands of friends — it might remove any 
 scruple he might have at placing himself in the 
 power, as it might seem, of a stranger. 
 
 Even the good-natured laird, confiding and un- 
 suspicious as he was, felt startled at this proposal, 
 by which, if he complied with it, nearly one-third 
 of his hereditary property would be little better 
 than alienated. The hesitation *was, however, but 
 momentary. Occupied solely with his hymeneal 
 arrangements, and shrinking with a nervous hor- 
 ror from the idea of a set examination .of long-
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 329 
 
 winded accounts, he preferred a blind acquiescence, 
 to disputing the statements of his agent. " Hang 
 it," said he, "after all, Tom, Macaskill must 
 know what he is about better than I can. He's a 
 clever fellow, Tom. Aye, and an honest one, too, 
 
 or ■" a qualm came over his soul at the doubt 
 
 which some latent apprehension had mischievously 
 conjured up; but the laird hated doubts, and 
 could not endure a suspicion of the honesty he so 
 stoutly upheld — far less could he bear the idea of 
 the investigation which would be requisite to test 
 it. So he whistled his care down the wind, signed 
 the papers, married his wife, and brought her in 
 triumph to the Highlands. 
 
 And good reason had he for triumph. Mrs. 
 Stewart was an admirable woman — highly prin- 
 cipled, and amiable, as well as lady-like, and elegant. 
 She made it a point not only to regulate her own 
 tastes and habits by those of her husband, and to 
 accommodate herself to her situation ; but in every 
 respect to consult their mutual interests, and, so 
 far as might depend upon her, to remedy rather 
 than exaggerate the evils likely to result from his 
 weaknesses, which she could not long be blind to. 
 She was in truth an exemplary wife. But coming 
 as she did from the abode of elegance and fashion, 
 she could not fail of soon discovering, that the 
 house which had sufficiently accommodated an old
 
 330 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 Highlander and his dame, or a bachelor laird, 
 was but poorly calculated for the comfort of an 
 English lady, accustomed to the comparative lux- 
 ury of her own country. Additions were speedily 
 made to the old tenement ; furniture was procured 
 from Edinburgh or from London; the roads 
 around the place were improved so as to admit of 
 approaching it with safety in a carriage ; and the 
 lady herself undertook the laying out a portion of 
 the ground about the doors. 
 
 These improvements entailed further and heavy 
 expenses. The agent was again called upon for 
 money — advanced — grumbled — almost threatened, 
 but still advanced, though by mere driblets; — a 
 system, which must soon have come to a stand 
 still, but for a remarkable revolution which about 
 this time began to take place in the value of 
 Highland property, and which threw another, 
 though but temporary gleam of prosperity over 
 the prospects of the Airdruthmore family. 
 
 For many years previous to the change of which 
 we speak, the chief produce of Highland estates 
 was black cattle, which being bred in the moun- 
 tainous districts of the North, were purchased by 
 dealers who came for that purpose to the annual 
 fairs, and who drove them southward for the sup- 
 ply of the English market. But in process of 
 time it came to be discovered that sheep were a
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 331 
 
 stock which would thrive as well in the Northern 
 hills and valleys, as in the richer pastures of the 
 more Southern counties, and which would yield 
 far greater returns to the farmer as well as the 
 proprietor, than the cattle in which they had 
 hitherto dealt. 
 
 The small black-faced, which succeeded the 
 still more ancient white-faced breeds of Highland 
 sheep, were not nearly so valuable either in wool 
 or carcase, as those of the Cheviot hills ; but 
 crossed by the larger and finer southern breeds, 
 they became improved in size, and fleece, and were 
 then found to yield an infinitely more profitable 
 return. By degrees the stream of southern skill, 
 wealth, and industry, assumed a northward 
 course ; many sheep farmers of capital and experi- 
 ence took farms in the Highland counties, at rents 
 which were never heard of nor dreamt of before, 
 stocked them with superior animals, and proved 
 by success, that the value of Highland estates had 
 hitherto been greatly underrated. So great was 
 in some instances the rise of value occasioned by 
 this change of system, that there are instances on 
 record, of farms, originally under black cattle, 
 bringing six, eight, and even ten times their former 
 rent when let as sheep walks.* 
 
 * Instances could be adduced of Highland properties, 
 which fifty years ago were worth but 500/. a year, and which
 
 332 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 The Airdruthmore estate, among others, felt 
 this favourable change, although the effect upon 
 it was greatly less considerable than might have 
 been the case had it been judiciously and honestly 
 managed. The farms, which remained unaffected 
 by the wadset, were let under the all-powerful 
 influence of the agent, Mr. Tom Macaskill, who, 
 as some did not scruple to insinuate, with motives 
 by no means disinterested, let them upon long 
 leases to persons who paid scarce half their value 
 of rent for them. There were various and 
 abundant excuses for this unlucky singularity, 
 whenever it was remarked; — poor hill generally, 
 all over the farm — too much loch and rock upon 
 it, and little good grass on any part of it— indif- 
 ferent wintering for hogs^ — unwholesome spots in 
 the best pasturage, &c. &c. &c. ; so that on the 
 whole, instead of a rise of full three thousand a 
 year, as some asserted there should have been, the 
 laird was glad to find the rental of the land 
 which still remained in his possession, increased to 
 fifteen himdred pounds a year. 
 
 It is true, that some debt had accumulated — the 
 laird did not suppose it could be much — for a 
 
 have since the change arisen to a rental of 7,900/. A re-ac- 
 tion to a certain extent has taken place since war prices 
 have ceased, but the permanent rise is still enormous. 
 * Hogs, year-old lambs.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEllS. 333 
 
 vague idea was all he had about the matter ; but 
 then, he lived in peace and plenty, and was a happy 
 husband, and the father of a son and a dauo^hter, 
 born at an interval of five years. Alas ! the sea- 
 son of affliction was fast approaching — yea, it had 
 already arrived. Eight years after his marriage, 
 his wife, when near the period of her third con- 
 finement, — by one of those painful casualties 
 which seem like the random shots of fate — al- 
 though each arrow flies as surely to its destined 
 mark, as those which are more palpably launched 
 by the decree of Providence — in the course of her 
 domestic duties fell and injured herself so severely, 
 that she was carried insensible to bed. A prema- 
 ture labour was the consequence. In those days 
 medical assistance was ill to be had in the High- 
 lands, and often indifferent when obtained. The 
 "wise woman," who lived at a toon some three miles 
 distant, made her appearance as fast as horse and 
 pillion could carry her to the place. But her skill 
 was as vain as the prayers and the tears of those 
 around the bed of sorrow ; and after two days of 
 intense suffering, the laird became the father of a 
 female infant, and a widower, nearly at the same 
 moment. 
 
 The heart of Airdruthmore was as warm and 
 affectionate, as his mind was open and honourable. 
 The paroxysm of anguish with which he clasped
 
 334 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 to his breast the cold remains of her who had been 
 in truth his best beloved, the sweetner of his life 
 — the partner of his joys and his sorrows, was for- 
 midable, and powerful as the frame which, for a 
 time, it prostrated ; and not one of the domestics 
 dared to approach him, until his widowed sister, 
 who had accepted an asylum in his house, brought 
 the new born infant, and with the tears and the 
 accents of deep grief, besought her brother to 
 summon up his resolution, and exert himself for 
 the sake of the babe which his dear wife had left 
 him. The gesture with which at first he repelled 
 this well-meant appeal, was stern and appalling — 
 but it was a mood uncongenial to his mind, and 
 could not last. The tears of the miserable widower 
 fell upon the face of his child. " Well, well," he 
 said, in broken words — " take it away — take care 
 of the poor thing. I'll do my duty; but leave 
 me — let me alone, e'en now. I cannot leave her 
 yet. O God ! she'll no' be long with me, even 
 thus !" Another fearful burst of grief convulsed 
 his frame, and he once more fell upon the body. 
 
 The bewildered attendants, in their perplexity, 
 did just the best thing they could have done — 
 they left him to himself; — the first heavy gust of 
 passion exhausted itself, and in two hours the for- 
 lorn widower left the chamber of death, and gave 
 place to those whose duty it was to repair thither.
 
 THK HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 335 
 
 Long and heavily did he feel this blow ; and 
 though his constitutional equanimity of temper 
 and naturally excellent spirits assisted him greatly 
 in at length recovering from its effects, he never 
 showed the smallest disposition to form a second 
 union. Mrs. Macdonald, his widowed sister, who 
 was with him at the death of his wife, from that 
 time forward took up her abode at Airdruthmore, 
 and superintended the domestic establishment. 
 
 A little after the sad event we have recorded, 
 the laird received a very affectionate letter of con- 
 dolence from Mrs. Ponsonby, the sister of his de- 
 ceased wife, who had married an English gentle- 
 man of fortune shortly after his own marriage. In 
 this letter, after expressing her sincere grief for 
 their mutual loss, Mrs. Ponsonby entreated that 
 she might be permitted to stand godmother to the 
 infant, whom she should, if her brother-in-law 
 would consent, hold herself bound to look upon, 
 and educate as a real daughter ; assuring him, 
 that the performance of such a duty would be a 
 real consolation to her for the loss of a beloved 
 sister. A suitable reply was returned to this affec- 
 tionate and friendly proposal ; but the laird, who 
 had by that time taken greatly to the infant, could 
 not bring himself to part with it then. Her native 
 air, he said, would best confirm her constitution, 
 and he did not wish that his daughter should be
 
 336 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 brought up in ignorance of her home and of her 
 parent : but when the season for regular instruc- 
 tion should arrive, he should then with gratitude 
 avail himself of his sister-in-law's kindness, and in- 
 trust his little Isabelle to her care. 
 
 Time passed on, and further afflictions awaited 
 the laird of Airdruthmore. His eldest daughter, 
 a fine young creature seven years of age, was at- 
 tacked by the natural small-pox, which at that 
 time, previous to the general introduction of vacci- 
 nation, was the scourge of the Highlands : an un- 
 .fortunate cold, caught when she had already been 
 pronounced out of danger, threw her into a decline^ 
 and after languishing for some months, she was 
 laid in the grave by her unhappy father, whose 
 scarcely healed wounds were thus again torn 
 open. 
 
 The little Isabelle was more fortunate : she 
 took the distemper, but in so mild a manner as 
 scarcely to be confined by its effects ; and after a 
 week's slight indisposition, escaped without mark 
 or trace of that fell destroyer of beauty. After the 
 loss of her sister, the little creature became doubly 
 dear to its father, and it was only in consequence of 
 the earnest remonstrances of his sister, a sensible 
 woman, and of the representations of some other 
 judicious friends, that when she had attained the 
 age of eleven years, he was at length prevailed on
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 337 
 
 to comply with the repeated and urgent entreaty 
 of his sister-in-law, and permit his daughter to re- 
 ceive the benefit of a more liberal education than 
 the glens or the towns of the Highlands could at 
 that time supply. 
 
 A visit from Mrs. Ponsonby herself, accompa- 
 panied by her husband and one of their daughters, 
 a very amiable and accomplished girl of sixteen, 
 was probably the circumstance which overcame his 
 lingering reluctance, and decided his mind on this 
 interesting subject. Airdruthmore, with all his 
 simplicity, had enough of tact and good sense to 
 discover at a glance the immeasurable distance 
 which existed between the elegant English girl, 
 well-bred and accomplished, — gentle, modest, and 
 retiring, yet neither abashed nor confused in com- 
 pany, — and the coarse, awkward, gauky or hoyden- 
 ish lasses, ill taught and worse bred, who occa- 
 sionally accompanied their mothers on a forenoon 
 visit, or the more trying ordeal of a formal com- 
 pany dinner at Airdruthmore. 
 
 " No — my Isabelle must ;20^ be like these. Take 
 her, my dear sister ; it would be selfish and wicked 
 in me to prefer my own gratification to her good. 
 Take her, and make her such as your own sweet 
 Lucy. — But O I it's ill we'll do without her, dear 
 child ! — What will I do when I miss her blythe 
 little voice singing in the morning like any skylark, 
 
 VOL. I. a
 
 338 
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 send the patter of her hght feet along the passage, 
 to call papa from his room ; — and when I'll not see 
 her bonny face and sweet dark een, so like her 
 blessed mother's, dancing up to kiss me when I 
 come in to my breakfast ! They'll be dull days 
 in Airdruthmore till she'll come back — but this is 
 all very wrong in me, my dear sister ; so I pray 
 you forgive me, and take Isabelle along with you." 
 
 And Isabelle did go, and shared the heart and 
 the maternal care of Mrs. Ponsonby with her own 
 daughters. The same masters taught the girls ; 
 the same governess watched over them ; and the 
 same valuable results followed these judicious ex- 
 ertions : for Isabelle kept pace with her graceful 
 and accomplished cousins, and Mrs. Ponsonby had 
 the delight of restoring to her brother-in-law his 
 daughter, who from a happy joyous child, with 
 radiant eyes and sunny smile, had grown up into 
 a lovely and elegant young woman. 
 
 The affairs of the laird, meanwhile, under the 
 management of his friend Tom Macaskill, pro- 
 ceeded in just such a course as the reader, from 
 what he has seen of that gentleman's integrity, 
 might naturally anticipate. The debt already in- 
 curred experienced an annual increase, until it as- 
 sumed a size so formidable as utterly to confound 
 the worthy man. He therefore took the part of 
 closing his eyes, ears, and understanding, entirely
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. S39 
 
 to the disagreeable subject, resolving to leave every 
 thing to his friend Tom, with some indefinite idea 
 that the said Tom would find some royal method of 
 arranging matters, and providing for every pos- 
 sible difficulty and contingency, as had hitherto 
 been done ; and in this supposition the laird was 
 nearer the truth than he had any good grounds for 
 imagining, or than the reader can have the means 
 of comprehending, until we let him into the secret. 
 The fact was, that the worthy W. S., who had 
 made the laird his milch-cow for so long, and 
 who, when he had sucked him dry, would not 
 have scrupled to let the worthless carcase shift for 
 itself, had his own private reasons for bolstering 
 up his credit and his estate a little longer. This 
 must be explained. 
 
 A little previous to the period at which our 
 retrospect of the laird's history has arrived, a nev/ 
 character of some importance to the drama, had 
 made his appearance upon the stage. This was no 
 other than Mr. Roderick Macaskill, son and heir 
 of the old idiot of Ballytully, and nephew to the 
 W. S. who exercised so important an influence 
 over the Airdruthmore concerns. Mr. Macaskill, of 
 Ballytully, was a Highlander of the old school, 
 but by no means of its best class. His hospitality,, 
 when he was hospitable, was indiscriminate, in- 
 judicious, and extravagant. The popularity he
 
 340 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLEKS. 
 
 aimed at was with the lowest orders, among whom, 
 as cock of the roost, he was infinitely more at home 
 than among his equals in rank and fortune, and 
 with whom he was ever ready to join in riot and 
 low debauchery. Deeply prejudiced and narrow- 
 minded, he scouted all improvement either of intel- 
 lect or property ; and the house of Ballytully, as 
 well as the rest of his estate, exhibited a true pic- 
 ture of its landlord's mind. It was ruinous, squa- 
 lid, disgusting, comfortless. As to the property 
 of Ballytully, it became involved, no one knew 
 how, and least of all the laird ; for there was no dis- 
 covering how his money went. He had neither state 
 nor finery of any sort, neither comfort at home nor 
 respect abroad, to show for it ; but go it did, faster 
 and faster, until his difficulties increased so much that 
 he took the alarm in good earnest, and from a reck- 
 less spendthrift he all at once became a niggardly 
 miser, who withdrew from every sort of communi- 
 cation with his neighbours and former associates. 
 Perhaps the reader may incline to the' opinion of 
 certain shrewd neighbours, who conceived the fact 
 of his brother, the worthy Tom Macaskill, being 
 his doer^ or agent, was quite sufficient to account 
 for the embarrassment of his affairs. Still, when he 
 did take the prudent part, and seemed to be saving 
 with might and main for several years before his 
 death, it was generally believed that his pecuniary
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 341 
 
 difficulties must have in a great measure been re- 
 lieved, and his estate disburthened. 
 
 It was not under the directions or example of 
 such a father and such an uncle, that a youth, at 
 best of questionable dispositions, was likely to im- 
 prove. Roderick Macaskill, neglected in his child- 
 hood, and suffered in his youth to run riot with 
 the low and dissolute frequenters of his father's 
 house, grew up not much in the fear of either 
 God or man. He could play at shinty, or foot- 
 ball, catch a trout, spear a salmon, shoot a muir- 
 fowl, swear and curse in Gaelic, and toss off a glass 
 of whisky, with any lad or loon in the place ; but 
 as for the adventitious accomplishments of reading 
 and writing, not to speak of the more recondite 
 branches of literature, which some parents deem it 
 fit their children should be made acquainted with, 
 Rory Macaskill had but little turn for, or know- 
 ledge of them ; and had it not been for his uncle 
 Tom, he might have lived, flourished, and gone 
 down to the grave of his fathers, in the most blessed 
 ignorance of all mental improvement ; almost with- 
 out the simple, though useful, gratification of 
 signing his own name. But uncle Tom, not being 
 himself a marrying man, was probably of opinion 
 that the heir apparent of all the Macaskills might 
 as well be instructed in the mysteries of speaking, 
 reading, and writing his vernacular language with
 
 342 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 sufficient accuracy to pass muster among the class 
 of Highland lairds, with whom it would be, pro- 
 bably, his fate to associate. Perchance, in the 
 shrewd cunning of the lad, he perceived some- 
 thing congenial; something indicative of future 
 exaltation and worldly prosperity, which he con- 
 ceived might be made available to his own special 
 advantage and comfort. For the W. S., like many 
 another hard-fagging man, looked forward to days 
 of ease and enjoyment, when the weighty concerns 
 which he had so long sustained might be devolved, 
 in part at least, upon the shoulders of some worthy 
 coadjutor. If .these expectations regarded his 
 nephew, he miscalculated for once ; for though the 
 hopeful youth, under suitable instruction, and 
 through means of a ready enough wit, did con- 
 trive to pick up, along with some useful learning, 
 no trifling portion of the crooked policy which the 
 experienced W. S. endeavoured to instil into his 
 mind, he betrayed an utter want of that patient, 
 steady perseverance, that humble and pliant spirit 
 of endurance, which are so essential in the pursuit 
 of wealth, especially when aimed at by such means 
 as the worthy agent was accustomed to make 
 use of. 
 
 After a vain attempt to make his nephew of ser- 
 vice in his own way, Mr. Thomas Macaskill sub- 
 mitted, however ungraciously, to the desire of the
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 343 
 
 young man himself, supported by his father's wish, 
 that he should enter a fencible reo-iment where his 
 family interest might secure him promotion. Ac- 
 cordingly, upon furnishing a certain number of 
 men, as was then the practice, Mr. Roderick Mac- 
 askill received a commission in the Gordon fen- 
 cibles, with which corps he did duty for some 
 years at Gibraltar and in Ireland. It was whis- 
 pered, however, that the lieutenant was neither a 
 favourite with his commanding officer, nor with 
 the mess. Whether it was from this or some other 
 cause is uncertain, but the fact was, that when the 
 regiment was ordered to the Helder, he quitted it 
 and retired upon half-pay to Scotland. His father 
 having by this time become a morose recluse, but 
 little comfort was to be found in his home at Bal- 
 ly tully, while, on the other hand, the habits of his 
 uncle in Edinburgh were by no means so conge- 
 nial to his own, as to induce the gay lieutenant to 
 remain with him often er or longer than prudence 
 or decorum might require. Lieutenant Macaskill, 
 nevertheless, was not without his private pursuits 
 and companions. The latter principally consisted 
 of a set of dissolute rakes, bucks, bloods, and 
 bullies of desperate fortunes — birds of prey, who 
 gained a precarious existence by plucking all the 
 unlucky pigeons whom chance throw in their 
 way. His pursuits were worthy of such society
 
 344 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 — drinking, gambling, and debauchery of every 
 species. In these did the young man spend his 
 time, his health, his own money, and every shil- 
 ling he could squeeze out of his miserly father, or 
 coax out of his politic uncle, who in spite of his 
 disappointment, entertained for him a regard 
 scarcely to be accounted for in a man of such sel- 
 fish feelings and habits. 
 
 There were few of Mr. Thomas MacaskilPs ac- 
 tions, as we have hinted before, which might not 
 be traced to a selfish motive. He loved his ne- 
 phew, it is true, but so far was this affection from 
 blinding him to his own peculiar interests, that his 
 brain was busy with a scheme of turning this very 
 affection to his own benefit. It is a trite observa^ 
 tion, that worldly and cautious men often become 
 victims of the very errors which they have con- 
 demned in others ; and the avoidance of which has 
 for a long time been the cause of their prosperity. 
 The patient and wily cunning, the persevering in- 
 dustry and insuperable prudence of Macaskill had 
 been the instruments, however unworthily applied, 
 by which he had in the course of many years se- 
 cured a very considerable fortune — some said a 
 large one. But that the thirst of gain increases 
 by gratification is a fact to which every age and 
 nation has borne testimony ; and our W. S. with
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 345 
 
 all his prudence, was by no means doomed to form 
 any exception to the rule. 
 
 In the course of his business, tempting bargains 
 frequently cast up, and, forgetting the mere agent, 
 Macaskill saw no good reason why he should not 
 make himself principal on such occasions, and 
 reap the profit as well as another. A recurrence 
 of transactions savouring of the merchant rather 
 than the writer, involved him almost insensibly in 
 extensive speculations in produce of various kinds. 
 Wood, bark, kelp, corn, wool, and even live stock 
 occasionally. By degrees his concerns became 
 complicated — opposing interests embarrassed him. 
 Some of his speculations failed ; of his bargains 
 some turned out dead losses ; others, which with 
 due attention might have turned out well, became 
 unprofitable from unavoidable neglect. 
 
 The consequences of these miscarriages which 
 could not always be concealed, were more serious 
 even than the losses themselves. Men of business, 
 in their cautious way, hinted obscurely at the sums 
 which had been thus imprudently thrown away. 
 Bills with his name to a large amount were under- 
 stood to be afloat, and the banks began to look 
 shy upon them, as well as upon the W. S. himself. 
 Tradesmen with long unpaid accounts became 
 anxious for a settlement, and a multitude of those 
 minor symptoms of labouring circumstances —
 
 346 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 " straw s that show which way the wind sets" — 
 were remarked by those who watch the general 
 course of business in the metropolis of Scotland. 
 
 Still Mr. Macaskill was known to have large 
 possessions. The amount of wadsetts, mortgages, 
 and purchases of land, registered in his own name 
 was very great, and people believed that whatever 
 his temporary embarrassments might be, he must 
 cut itp well in the end. However that might be, 
 the object of their speculations appeared to have 
 resolved on fortifying his credit by every means 
 in his power, and on providing against any storm 
 that might blow. 
 
 The estate of Ballytully was probably more 
 absolutely in his hands than in those of the old 
 and miserly laird his brother. The lands were 
 contigious to those of his friend and client, the 
 laird of Airdfuthmore — a noble property they 
 would make together. Young Stewart had em- 
 braced a hazardous profession : a casualty — the 
 lapse of a single life, would throw the whole into 
 the lap of Miss Isabelle— and then his own wad- 
 sett — whew ! — it would be a glorious estate. At 
 all events, the girl had ten thousand pounds. 
 " And bi my saul and body," would the good 
 W^S., warming with the subject, break out to 
 himself, in his secret chambers, " that 's no bad 
 plaister to salve a consumptive estate wi\ That
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 347 
 
 fellow Roderick might hae it, I 'm sure, for the 
 seeking; and have it he shall, or my name's no 
 Tom Macaskill ! 'Odd, it may patch me up mysel" 
 yet. There 's that purchase o' the Kirk Sonachan 
 property, that I was harled into by that stupit 
 ideot Mac Kechny — De'il hae me, but it smells 
 more o' a' knave's plisky than a fule's blunder ; but 
 I '11 be upsides wi' him yet. Then there 's that 
 d—d kelp affair in Skye and Uist; and Strath- 
 spey wood they say will be doon. Bi saul and 
 body, I may need the hale o't yet. Aye ! aye I 
 Rory must get the lass, and let me alone to get 
 the siller !" 
 
 Thus mused, and thus resolved the worthy 
 Tom Macaskill, into whose private thoughts we 
 have thus given a closer peep, perhaps, than strict 
 prudence might warrant ; but trusting to the dis- 
 cretion of our readers, we shall proceed with our 
 story. 
 
 In conformity with this deep-laid plan. Lieute- 
 nant Macaskill, with due introductions and a suit- 
 able panegyric, was formally introduced by his 
 uncle at Airdruthmore. The worthy old laird 
 was not less astonished than delighted to find the 
 son of his clmrlish neighbour, the rude cub whom 
 he remembered little better than a coarse, ungainly 
 blackguard, metamorphosed into a gay young man, 
 with a military air, and a dash of modest assur-
 
 348 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 ance — the only tokens of his late profession, be- 
 sides his half-pay, by the way, which the lieute- 
 nant retained. This air of assumption the honest 
 laird was willing to ascribe to the ease of a man 
 who knew the world ; and as he read the praises 
 of the nephew in the letters of the uncle, his good 
 sense was for a moment startled, and he almost 
 marvelled at the change. But, thought he, with 
 Burns — 
 
 " Afttimes a ragged cowt's been known 
 To make a noble aiver." 
 
 '' The deuce is in it, if Tom does not know his 
 own nephew — and he 's too discreet to recommend 
 an arrogant coxcomb to the attention of a sober 
 decent family like mine, surely." 
 
 The simplicity of the laird of Airdruthmore, 
 like that " My uncle Toby," had nothing in it of 
 weakness or of folly. It sprung from genuine 
 goodness of heart, and a confidence in the sincerity 
 of others, grounded upon his own integrity of pur- 
 pose. It was doubtless increased by a disuetude 
 from the world and its ways, and by an indolence of 
 temperament which revolted from the trouble of 
 scrutiny, and disposed him to rely upon the as- 
 surances of others without sufficient inquiry into 
 their motives. 
 
 The lieutenant, well primed by his uncle, was
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 349 
 
 prepared to meet his man, and the art with which 
 he concealed his evil propensities, and brought for- 
 ward into view the specious points of his character, 
 would have elicited praise from that relative him- 
 self. The old gentleman was charmed, — the more 
 so probably that he had been so pleasantly disap- 
 pointed in the character of his guest, and young 
 Ballytully became a frequent and welcome inmate 
 at Airdruthmore. 
 
 But the dissolute habits in which lieutenant 
 Macaskill delighted, though concealed^ were far 
 from being abandoned. The vicinity of his father's 
 house afforded ample means of gratification, — of a 
 low and degrading character indeed, — but the lieu- 
 tenant had parental example to plead for laxity of 
 taste as well as of principle, and he soon became 
 the leader and boon companion of a set of repro- 
 bates, outcasts from reputable society, or men who 
 had never found entrance into it. Drovers and 
 cattle-merchants of desperate fortunes, excisemen 
 and smugglers, broken or breaking farmers, and 
 profligates of all descriptions, flocked to the change- 
 houses in the neighbourhood of Ballytully, to taste 
 of the young laird's hospitality, and to contribute 
 their share of servile flattery in return. It was even 
 whispered by some that a still more dangerous and 
 criminal connexion existed between him and cer- 
 tain individuals of the crew, but the very persons
 
 350 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 who dared to breathe so scandalous a report dis- 
 claimed all belief in it. The sphere in which it 
 was circulated was too remote to give it publicity 
 in creditable society, and neither the report itself 
 nor any part of the secret history of the young 
 laird ever reached the family at Airdruthmore, 
 whose very habits prevented them from being as- 
 sailed with such gossip. 
 
 In course of time, the old laird of Bally tully 
 died, and his worthy son succeeded to his property, 
 — whatever that might amount to, — for the whole 
 nature of the succession was preserved a solemn se- 
 cret in the bosoms of the uncle and the nephew 
 themselves. The house of Bally tully was, how- 
 ever repaired, the positive nuisances removed from 
 about the doors, and some little attention was be- 
 stowed upon the bit of rough pasture about them. 
 The cows, calves, and poultry were excluded by a 
 rough paling from their ancient haunt under the 
 windows, and a new road cut and roughly gravelled 
 wound its way up to the entrance and round a 
 circle which in time was intended to be converted 
 into green turf. There was, however, a lazy in- 
 dolence in the progress of these attempts at im- 
 provement, an imperfection in the execution, a 
 stopping short in the middle, which argued little 
 in favour of the spirit by which they w ere con- 
 ducted.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 351 
 
 In truth, the new laird was seldom at home, 
 and when he was, his companions and intimates, 
 it was said, were not such as to add to his re- 
 spectability. The greater portion of his time was 
 spent at Airdruthmore, where he had contrived to 
 ingratiate himself so much with the laird as to be 
 always a welcome guest. There is a species of re- 
 gulated contact into which characters essentially 
 dissimilar may often be brought, without the 
 smallest interruption of harmony ; in which, as in 
 certain chemical compounds, the adverse sub- 
 stances, being but imperfectly mingled together, 
 remain in a tranquil repose, which would speedily 
 be disturbed were the union to become more close 
 and intimate. It was thus with the laird of 
 Airdruthmore and his friend Ballytully; they 
 lived much together, but it was by no means in a 
 state of unlimited intimacy, for one of the parties, 
 at least, was fully conscious of the prudence of re- 
 serve. There were few possessed of more intuitive 
 tact in choosing their ground, and avoiding unne- 
 cessary hazards, than Lieutenant Macaskill, and 
 he quickly perceived how important to his objects 
 it would be to avoid all offence against the warm 
 and o-enerous feelinojs of the laird; while on his 
 part, Airdruthmore could discover little in the 
 lieutenant's character or conduct to reprehend or 
 even to regret, beyond a certain degree of l)y?js-
 
 352 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 querie — a want of refinement which he was content 
 to lay to the score of rugged honesty £^nd the ster- 
 ling worth of an native Highlander, that scorned 
 the artificial polish of an age perhaps too much 
 refined. 
 
 The first occasion on which the laird of Bally- 
 tully met with the daughter of his friend was 
 during a visit which she made while yet a girl, 
 living in England with her aunt, to her father in 
 the Highlands. It is probable that even at this 
 early period the designs of the uncle had been con- 
 ceived, but it was not until a subsequent period 
 that Mr. Thomas Macaskill saw fit to break the 
 ice and the subject to his friend and client by a 
 distant hint. It was received as a good-enough 
 sort of joke by the honest laird, but although the 
 wily W. S. took special care to abstain from any 
 thing which could be seriously laid hold of, it de- 
 liglited him to observe, as he thought, that the 
 suggestion was by no means lost upon its object, — 
 that the arrow had hit its mark, and that though 
 little was said upon the occasion, the old gentle- 
 man evinced no disposition adverse to the matter 
 he had in view. 
 
 The effect thus produced was maintained by a 
 successive variety of sly insinuations — the advan- 
 tages to be contemplated from such an union were 
 artfully touched upon, and no opportunity was
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 35S 
 
 neglected for impressing upon the mind of Aird- 
 ruthmore not only the expediency, but the ob- 
 vious propriety of a connexion so appropriate be- 
 tween such near neighbours ; and this was always 
 done in a way which was calculated to work in- 
 sensibly, and as it were by inference, rather than 
 by any direct allusion to the subject. 
 
 There was, in fact, great cause for apprehension 
 and very cogent reasons for acting cautiously ; 
 for assuredly, when the object of his friend did 
 dawn upon the laird, he was somewhat startled. 
 He probably called to mind the peculiar, and not 
 very reputable, character of the late Ballytully ; 
 but he speedily released his mind from the un- 
 wonted effort of attempting to judge for itself in 
 the teeth of his prime counsellor, or his recorded 
 opinion, a spieces of treason ; for which he felt 
 the more conscience stricken, that he neither 
 dared to acknowledge nor apologize for it in the 
 aggrieved quarter ; and the customary unction of 
 reliance on the wisdom of his friend and agent, 
 was once more applied to his wounded soul. " It's 
 no' just the thing I Hke somehow," muttered he 
 to himself, " and yet I have nothing to say against 
 the lad ; and Tom Macaskill would never hint at 
 such a matter with one of doubtful character, 
 though he were his nephew. As for the family — 
 that's good enough ; all the water in the sea would 
 not wash the laird of Grant's blood out of his
 
 354 THE HIGHLANE SMUGGLERS. 
 
 mother's veins, if she were living — and the Mac- 
 caskills of BallytuUy were one of the oldest 
 families of the name, and the lad himself is a 
 generous, frank, free-hearted Highlander — a fine 
 honourable fellow, no doubt — a good soldier too, 
 they say ; and where is there a prettier man to be 
 seen in a hundred; and the estate's no' a bad one — 
 the late man dipt it a little, it's said ; but then it's 
 all in Tom MacaskilFs hands, and he's a warm 
 fellow — he won't let the old acres go flying, I'll 
 warrant, nor yet let the roof-tree fall for want of 
 propping. Faith, Isabelle might do worse. I 
 have no great fancy for your great lords and lairds 
 from the south, with proud hearts and empty 
 purses, or what's worse, worldly heads and cold 
 hearts ; and it's seldom the better ones come our 
 way. I would rather have Belle set down with an 
 honest warm-hearted lad, near myself, and in her 
 own country, where I might get a- look of her 
 as often as I liked in my old age, and dandle my 
 grandchildren on my knee, and aye see chearful 
 faces when I came the way. And BallytuUy 's not 
 an ugly place if it were a bit improved — a very 
 bonnie Highland place ; and though the house is 
 no' large, a little of Belle's money might make it 
 big enough. Faith, if Belle liked the lad, I don't 
 see why I should object ; — not a prime scholar, 
 perhaps; — but where's the good of too much 
 learning in a Highland glen ? And look at your
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS 355 
 
 French literati — what good have they done ? turned 
 the country upside down; — no, no, Roderick Mac- 
 caskill has nothing of jacobin or democrat about 
 him — he's a loyal subject and an honest man. 
 Upon my faith. Belle might go farther and fare worse. 
 But what nonsense all this is, after all : she's but a 
 child yet : it's far too soon to think of such mat- 
 ters, and it's herself must be the judge whether she 
 can like him or no. I'll have no pressing — no 
 forcing — she shall just judge for herself.*" 
 
 Such and such like were the honest laird's cogi- 
 tations, the workings of a mind anxious to act for 
 the best, yet unconsciously, perhaps, influenced by 
 misplaced confidence andby the fatal indolence which 
 was its besetting fault : an indolence which too 
 often counteracted all right feeling, and turned to 
 evil that single-heartedness which was one of its 
 owner's most amiable qualities. As for the bold 
 lieutenant, little did he care about the lady; 
 the solid advantages of the connexion were 
 what swayed his mind. But no sooner had 
 the daughter of Airdruthmore made her appear- 
 ance on her return from England, to occupy her 
 fitting place in her father's house, radiant in all 
 the charms of feminine loveliness, than another 
 motive was added to his anxiety for the connexion ; 
 for all of passion which a mind Hke his could 
 feel, was excited to the highest pitch by the sight 
 of so much beauty.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 And well indeed might the laird of Ballytully 
 be contented with his promised destiny ; for as- 
 suredly it would have been no easy matter to dis- 
 cover in any one daughter of Eve a more attrac- 
 tive combination of bodily and mental perfections, 
 than were united in the person of Isabelle Stewart. 
 At the period in question she was scarcely nine- 
 teen ; a time when the female form has usually 
 attained that rich and rounded contour which is 
 the perfection of beauty, without losing aught of 
 the nymph-like slenderness which is so indispen- 
 sable to grace. In stature she scarcely rose above 
 the middle height ; but the just proportions of her 
 form, and the swan-like rise of her beautiful neck, 
 lent to her person an air of loftiness and majesty, 
 which height alone would never have bestowed. 
 
 Her features and complexion were those of her 
 mother. Eyes of so dark and rich a hazel, fringed 
 with such long silken lashes, as to cheat the be- 
 holders into the belief that they were black, 
 beamed softly and timidly from under arches of 
 their own hue. Above these rose a brow, open, 
 calm, and dazzlingly white, in happy contrast to 
 the rich tints of her polished clieek, where " the 
 pure and eloquent blood" played with a varying 
 current at every change of feeling. These, and 
 the dark profusion of chesnut hair which clus- 
 tered in glossy ringlets about her neck and fore- 
 head, belonged to the decided brunette.
 
 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 357 
 
 It was in the frank, joyous, sunny smile that 
 irradiated her countenance when she spoke, that 
 the likeness and expression of her father was 
 chiefly to be recognized. A severe critic might 
 possibly have been disposed to blame the size of 
 lier mouth ; but the beauty of its ripe and well- 
 formed lips, no less than the rows of pearly teeth 
 which their smile disclosed, would have disarmed his 
 censure, while they offered an undeniable pledge for 
 the good-humour and kind-heartedness of their 
 possessor. The character and disposition of Isa- 
 belle Stewart did in truth shine forth conspi- 
 cuously and irrepressibly in her countenance and 
 deportment. To an innate delicacy of sentiment, 
 and a nice sense of propriety, she united a firmness 
 of mind, a soundness of judgment, and a quick 
 intuitive perception of right and wrong, which, 
 while it derogated in no degree from true feminine 
 gentleness, imparted to her conduct a dignified cor- 
 rectness rarely to be met with in one so young. 
 Yet it was a dignity immeasurably removed from 
 any shade of prudery or harshness ; on the con- 
 trary, there was a mild and winning courtesy in 
 her demeanour, and in the silver tones of her voice, 
 which exerted an irresistible influence over those 
 whom she addressed. She moved with the elastic, 
 buoyant, and almost bounding step of a mind 
 happy in itself, and at peace with all around her.
 
 358 THE HIGHLAND SMUGGLERS. 
 
 Blessings from young and old followed her light 
 and graceful form, as it passed along on errands of 
 charity and beneficence to the poor and distressed 
 around her ; and the old laird her father was used 
 to declare, that he could tell the sound of his Isa- 
 belle's footsteps among a thousand, for that they went 
 to his very heart, like the voice of joyful tidings. 
 Such as we have faintly attempted to sketch her 
 was Isabelle Stewart at the period of which we 
 are now speaking; and if we have been at all suc- 
 cessful in our description, the reader will scarcely 
 wonder that lieutenant Macaskill should desire, as 
 far as in him lay, to expedite the fulfilment of that 
 arrangement which had for its object his union 
 with so admirable a person. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND.
 
 
 
 ^^3