BOTANICAL WANDERINGS IN THE SOUTH. 235 



the lateness of the hour, he was obliged to remain over 

 night. The farmer refused to provide him with other accom- 

 modation, and used him very scurvily, perhaps annoyed 

 by the presence of his companions, or identifying him with 

 them. To his surprise, on the other hand, the tinklers 

 treated him very kindly, giving him of the brose and milk 

 they provided for themselves ; and though, in the Gaelic 

 which they spoke, he expected them to be planning robbery 

 or worse, while he slept in the same barn with the gang, he 

 rose with all his possessions untouched. He got breakfast 

 from them, and left them with a new and higher impression 

 of the innate dignity and goodness of human nature, even 

 with the most unlikely surroundings. 



