SEPTEMBER, 1881. 59 



chances are that Nemo me impune lacessit, thus strongly 

 adopted as a motto, meant some foe of a most distinct 

 and persecuting character at no distant date ; if not in 

 some other habitat even at the present day itself. 



This has been the week of the Oban Games, in which 

 the athletes of the district turn out in force. We cannot 

 help being astonished at the marked deficiency of the 

 neighbourhood in men of physical mark. This is the 

 more to be noted as there are certain local families who 

 would be remarkable anywhere in the world for the 

 magnificence of their physique, more especially among 

 the well-to-do class. But the great proportion of the 

 original inhabitants, although hardy and sturdy, are of 

 the small, dark, so-called Iberian race, incapable of 

 comparing favourably with the men of the East Coast or 

 many parts of the Hebrides. Athletics are also of quite 

 recent introduction, and have not taken firm root or 

 grown kindly as yet among a population who are too 

 hard pressed to acquire mere subsistence to have much 

 energy left for special culture. 



We stop the children and empty their pockets of the 

 pods of the laburnum, which are always understood to be 

 most injurious. Yet the friend at our elbow asserts he 

 has eaten at least a whole pod with impunity, while his 

 school fellow ate still more. Are they really as dangerous 

 as they are supposed to be, or will some youthful stomachs 

 defy the most outrageous treatment ? 



Curving high over the road is a fine tree, graceful and 

 uncommon, and, looking upwards, we discover it to be 

 laden with russet-cheeked fruit of a very tempting appear- 

 ance. We will tempt the children with the gay apples of 

 the wild apple tree, or crab, we say ; and a stick tossed 

 upwards brings down quite a shower of little beauties. 



