1 GO THE MOOES AND THE MOUNTAINS. 



somewhere on the other side of the river. Though angry 

 at the caprice and selfishness of the woman who had turned 

 us away (the man never spoke, and was supposed not to 

 be at home, though I doubt not he was lying ensconced on 

 the other side of his cruel rib), we were in good humour 

 with ourselves, and there was at least the chance of novelty 

 in the adventure. It was now nearly one in the morning, 

 fair, but dark. We passed the ruins of an old Pictish 

 tower, seen dimly shadowed on the sky. The mountains 

 were closing darkly around us as we approached the head 

 of the vale, and the river, ' hurried precipitous from steep to 

 steep/ foamed along the side of our path, or gushed in long, 

 deep, gloomy pools, not easily distinguished from the sombre 

 bank on which we travelled. But the brave Highlander 

 led the way with a light elastic step, and led us as securely 

 as if our road had been the aisle of a church. At last he 

 suid, ' We must cross here,' and immediately stepped into 

 the brawling stream. This would have been no joke nearer 

 home, and I once or twice thought I felt Isabella pulling 

 my coat-tails ; but as for Scobie, he had no tails to pull, 

 so iu he plunged deeper and deeper still. From constant 

 fishing, Captain Graham and myself were very sure of foot 

 ii] ion the slippery stones, and firm of limb to withstand 

 the downward sweeping of the torrent. But, alas ! for 

 Barry and his breadth of brim. ' Friend, art thou assured 

 of the way ? This now seemeth to me rather a perilous 



