THE OLD RED SANDSTONE. 207 
beauty ; and nowhere is this more strikingly the case than in 
the province of Moray, where it leans against the granitic 
gneiss of the uplands, and slopes towards the sea in long plains 
of various fertility, deep and rich, as in the neighborhood 
of Elgin, or singularly bleak and unproductive, as in the far- 
famed “‘ heath near Forres.” Let us select the scene where 
quite as conclusive as the nature of the case admits, that when they 
ceased to be seen there it would have been vain to have looked for 
them any where else. There is a cluster of turf-built cottages 
grouped on the southern side of the ravine; a few scattered knolls, 
and a long, partially wooded hollow, that seems a sort of covered 
way leading to the recesses of the dell, interpose between them and 
the nearer edge, and the hill rises behind. Ona Sabbath morning, 
nearly sixty years ago, the inmates of this little hamlet had all gone 
to church, all except a herd-boy and a little girl, his sister, who were 
lounging beside one of the cottages; when, just as the shadow of the 
garden dial had fallen on the line of noon, they saw a long cavalcade 
ascending out of the ravine through the wooded hollow. It winded 
among the knolls and bushes; and, turning round the northern ga- 
ble of the cottage beside which the sole spectators of the scene were 
stationed, began to ascend the eminence towards the south. The 
horses were shaggy, diminutive things, speckled dun and gray; the 
riders, stunted, misgrown, ugly creatures, attired in antique jerkins 
of plaid, long gray cloaks, and little red caps, from under which their 
wild, uncombed locks shot out over their cheeks and foreheads. 
The boy and his sister stood gazing in utter dismay and astonishment, 
as rider after rider, each one more uncouth and dwarfish than the 
one that had preceded it, passed the cottage and disappeared among 
the brushwood, which at that period covered the hill, until at length 
the entire rout, except the last rider, who lingered a few yards be- 
hind the others, had gone by. ‘ What are ye, little mannie? and 
where are ye going?” inquired the boy, his curiosity getting the 
better of his fears and his prudence. ‘Not of the race of Adam,” 
said the creature, turning for a moment in his saddle; *‘ the People 
of Peace shall never more be séen in Scotland.” 
