INVERNESS-SHIRE. 153 



represented only by his horse, which arrived bathed 

 in blood, while from a stirrup there hung one of 

 Comyn's legs still in its boot. A search was at 

 once made, and his body was discovered at the spot 

 where this ancient track descends sharply into the 

 Gairb-Gaick ravine, and seated on it and busily 

 engaged in tearing it to pieces were two large eagles ; 

 and though there is nothing surprising in these birds 

 making a meal from a dead body, yet the country 

 folk, one and all, agreed that they were two of 

 the mothers of two of the girls who were to have 

 reaped the corn, and that magic power had been 

 granted them to assume eagle shapes on purpose 

 to attack Comyn, and defeat the accomplishment 

 of his barbarous design, while to this day the fate 

 of Walter is yet proverbial amongst the Highlanders, 

 for when any of them are much incensed, without 

 the means of revenge, it is not uncommon to hear 

 them utter, " May the fate of Walter in Gaick 

 overtake you." At the time of the avalanche there 

 was an idea then prevalent, which is even now not 



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