ON THE MOUNTAINS 175 



in their zeal to prevent needless wandering. This 

 is unusual in the Highlands, where one is left to 

 grope along as best he can, and is taken roughly to 

 task if, in his ignorance, and to his own great loss 

 of time and strength, he chance to wander. 



Now the spirit of these finger-posts is far other 

 than friendly. As soon as one learns why they 

 were put there, the very aspect alters, and they are 

 seen to glare and storm at each other. They 

 represent the very old dispute between private 

 rights and public wrongs. The property has 

 passed out of the hands of one of the old families, 

 and it is the purchaser who kindly recommends 

 the circular route. His finger-post really means, 

 " I wish to shut up the other way." 



And the jealous guardians of the sacredness of 

 paths which human feet have trod, time out of 

 mind, without so much as saying, " By your leave," 

 put up their finger-post, which flatly contradicts 

 the other, and says, " You shall not do anything of 

 the kind, if we can help it." 



In my experience, the practical victory in all 

 such breezy disputes lies with the proprietor, pro- 

 vided he makes the friction as severe and constant 

 as possible. The timid fear to venture ; and even 

 the bold, when they have gone once or twice slowly 



