232 HIGHLAND SPORT 



pushed on for the mouth of the river, but the numbers of these 

 devilish traps that we met on the way was extraordinary, for 

 we had no sooner left one behind us than we were encountered 

 by another. Alas, at each we lost some of our numbers, until 

 when we arrived at Dee mouth but barely one half of our 

 original force remained, while we began to think the Foes of 

 the sea were even worse than those of the river. 



"It- is not easy to explain how I with so many others 

 escaped, but I have heard the deer say that in every herd of 

 animals, the Foes included, there are ever some who are more 

 lucky or more clever than others, and I suppose under this 

 head must be numbered all those members of our company 

 who now found themselves at the mouth of the Dee. We 

 rejoiced as we felt the fresh water pouring down on us, for we 

 recognised that the river was running bank high, so eagerly 

 pressing forward, we lost no time in dashing as fast as we could 

 through the horrid, thick, black, dirty water I remembered so 

 well, while as we again reached the clear we one and all began 

 to leap and race about for joy. 



" On the banks there were great numbers of Foes walking 

 about with their hands in their pockets, and in many places 

 they halted in crowds to watch us, while some of them stamped 

 their feet and shook their fists at us as if in a rage at our 

 innocent joy ; on the shore there were boats lying empty, while 

 beside them, stretched on rails to dry in the sunshine, were 

 long lengths of the treacherous weed that had trapped so many 

 of our comrades in the sea, which I now know the Foes call 

 nets. 



" Surprised at the quiet attitude of the Foes, we began to 

 hope their cruel natures had been changed ; but just then we 

 met a big old fish of twenty pounds, who mentioned that, 

 luckily for us, this was a day the Foes called the Sabbath, and 

 that every seventh day this festival recurred, while during it 

 they agreed to leave all birds, beasts, and fishes unmolested. 

 By the following morning we had become a good deal 



