76 LOCH CRERAN. 



a few yards ; so, despite its tethered limb, one plunges 

 overboard. With the customary contrariety of the clan, it 

 goes right under the boat, and starts for the centre of the 

 current, just then racing for the entrance of Loch Etive 

 with great speed. Of course there was an excess of excite- 

 ment, and great waste of eloquence, while there was row- 

 ing in hot haste after the half-mad animal, now rapidly 

 commiting suicide in the midst of the current. For it 

 never managed to Jifr its nose above the water, but con- 

 tinued to propel itself with considerable speed just on a 

 level with the surface of the water. Had it simply tilted 

 up its nose one inch or two it could have gone on 

 merrily ; but, as it was, before the stern chasers had 

 reached it and slipped a rope over it so as to keep its 

 head above the water, the current had swept them well 

 nigh through the Falls of Connel, and they could only 

 land it exhausted on the shore it had left. The pig was 

 fat, and the ordinary belief that a fat pig cuts its throat 

 in swimming would perhaps have sooner or later been 

 realised ; but does a pig in its senses, and without an 

 undue excess of flesh, really drown itself through stupi- 

 dity ? We cannot suppose so, and must put down this 

 fellow's action to the debasing influence of civilisation 

 and an over-paternal government ! 



We are all in the position of the Welsh electoral dis- 

 trict, when their member promised the electors whatever 

 weather they all agreed upon as suitable! The ferry- 

 men and seafarers were in sullen despair up till Monday 

 afternoon, while the groups hurrying on their potato digg- 

 ing were chuckling over the gales, even when these were 

 stripping their roofs ; for so long as the high winds con- 

 tinued the dreaded frosts that were threatening would be 

 kept off, and the rains that might equally suspend 



