Sheep and Collies. 269 



tinted with its richest glow of color. This was our 

 introduction to it. The heathery moor was new to 

 most of the party and many were the exclamations pro- 

 duced by its beauty. There's " meat and drink " to a 

 Scotchman in the scent of the heather. 



About luncheon time we began to look longingly 

 for the expected inn, but there was no habitation 

 to be seen, and we became suspicious that, notwith- 

 standing the mile-stones, which stood up and told us the 

 lie which was half the truth (ever the blacker lie), we 

 were not upon the right road to Edinburgh. At this 

 juncture we met a shepherd with his collies, and learnt 

 from him that we were still twelve miles from an inn. 

 It was a cool, breezy day ; the air had the " nip " in it 

 which Maggie missed so in England, and we were fam- 

 ishing. There was nothing else to do but to stop where 

 we were, at the pretty burn, and tarry there for enter- 

 tainment for man and beast. 



As proof of our temperance, please note that the 

 flasks filled with sherry, whiskey, and brandy, at Brigh- 

 ton, I believe, as reserve forces for emergencies, still had 

 plenty in them when called for to-day ; and rarely has a 

 glass of spirits done greater good, the ladies as well as 

 v/e of the stronger sex feeling that a glass was necessary 

 to keep ofT a chill. We were *' o'er the moors among the 

 heather " in good earnest to-day, but how soon we were 

 all set to rights and laughing over our frolic ! The shep- 

 herd and his dogs lunched with us, and many a glint of 



