IN THE HIGHLANDS 219 



their sheep. They had heard of a sermon to be preached 

 at Shieldaig, of Applecross, on a week-day, and, there 

 being only four tenants at Craig township, were surprised 

 when the fourth refused to take the fourth oar and go 

 with them on the ground that he was not well. When 

 they reached Shieldaig they found the preacher had 

 Hot come, so they turned home, and were there too 

 early for * number four,' whom they found, though 

 he had told them in the morning he was poorly, coming 

 down the hill by the peat path with a creel on his back, 

 which, of course, could not contain peats, as that drudgery 

 was left to the inferior animals, the women. The three 

 were soon alongside of their friend, and, lifting some 

 heather from the top of the creel, there they found a 

 sheep-skin belonging to one of the anxious enquirers, 

 and below it the sheep cut up for the salt cask. Then 

 they made him take them to where he had left the head, 

 etc. They had often missed sheep before, and, seeing 

 wool so over-plentiful with number four, were satisfied 

 he was too fond of mutton ! 



" A Sassenach may doubt our west-coast crofters being 

 able to catch sheep by running them down on the open 

 moor or hill, but it is constantly done when they need 

 wool and have no sheep-dog, and at night sheep are 

 quite easily handled when sleeping. So next morning 

 the criminal, with his head low enough, was brought 

 before me; and, not having in these degenerate times 

 the power of pit and gallows at my command, I had 

 after examination to issue a warrant sending him to 

 Dingwall gaol for trial. He made no defence, but when 

 I asked what possessed him to kill the sheep he replied, 

 * The devil !' The end of the story is that he was home 



