322 NETHER LOCHABER. 



About seventy years ago, the late Colonel Maclean, grandfather of 

 the present proprietor, planted the greater part of the woods that 

 now make the place so heautiful at this moment one of the 

 loveliest spots iji all the Highlands. Shortly after the young 

 trees were planted, the field-mouse made its appearance, and in 

 a few months so rapidly increased its numbers, that they were on 

 all hands declared a nuisance that must be got rid of at any cost. 

 Their favourite food in this instance seemed to be the tender 

 rootlets and bark of the smaller trees, thousands of which straight- 

 way shrivelled up and died away owing to the little rodent's 

 unkindly attentions. Colonel Maclean, who was eminently a man 

 of action, vowed that such a state of things was beyond all bearing, 

 and must be put a stop to at all hazards. With a host of willing 

 workers, he straightway set about what for a time appeared a hope- 

 less task, employing every conceivable means that wit or ingenuity 

 could devise in order to check, and if possible stamp out 

 the mouse plague. Having heard of a plan adopted under 

 similar circumstances in the Dean and New Forests in England, 

 holes and trenches were dug in all directions, and pitfalls in- 

 geniously constructed, in which very soon scores of the marauders 

 were caught and killed every morning. The cats in every house in 

 the hamlet, purposely kept for the time on short commons at home, 

 were locked out at night and allowed to cater for themselves ; and 

 they fell upon the rodents tooth and nail, doing such execution 

 that they soon became sleek and fat as cats were never known 

 in Ardgour before or since. At convenient spots large fires were 

 kindled, on which cauldrons of water were boiled, kettles of which, 

 as hot as hot could be, were poured into such burrows as showed 

 signs of habitation, with a view to scalding the inmates to death. 

 This was generally done in the early morning, to make sure of 

 finding the enemy at home, for the field-mouse, like most of the 

 rodents, is mainly a nocturnal feeder. The keepers had orders for 



