154 NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 



Theoph. The priest, I perceive, was in a very 

 bad pickle. 



Am. And so would you, had you been in his 

 case ; but this meditation no sooner expires, when 

 the bogs and moors ecchoe again with such hi- 

 deous shouts, and dismal cries from the terrified 

 priest, as if some evistre or apparition had pre- 

 sented before him the horrible and terrible ap- 

 prehensions of death : but it happened otherwise, 

 (and it's well it did) for some natives and inha- 

 bitants of the fields in Angus (were breaking of 

 earth, and digging for turf) who hearing a noise, 

 and an imperfect sound, as they thought, breath- 

 ing from the bowels of the earth, it dreadful- 

 ly startled them at first : but after some time de- 

 liberating among themselves, and resolving, if 

 possible, to sum up the cause of these horrible 

 cries ; their ears were a second time assaulted, 

 by a fresh supply of miserable lamentations that 

 sprung from the repeated complaints of the poor 

 pensive priest, who was almost come to a period, 

 and winding up the bottoms of his dolorous 

 howlings. 



Theoph. But the priest, I hope, got relief at 

 last, who it may be till then had forgot how to 

 pray. 



Am. You cannot forbear jerking the priest, 

 who by this time seem'd destitute of all moral 

 comforts, and as little hopes of relief, notwith- 



