38 A WET DAY. 



probably save you that trouble. The skeleton of the once 

 plump animal for, poor beast, it perished from hunger, 

 being incapacitated from blindness to procure its customary 

 food was buried in a sand-hill, and from that moment mis- 

 fortunes followed the abettors and perpetrators of this in- 

 human deed. The detestable hag who had denounced the 

 inoffensive seal, was, within a twelvemonth, hanged for mur- 

 dering the illegitimate offspring of her own daughter. Every 

 thing about this devoted house melted away: sheep rotted, 

 cattle died, ' and blighted was the corn/ Of several children, 

 none reached maturity, and the savage proprietor survived 

 every thing he loved or cared for. He died blind and 

 miserable. 



" There is not a stone of that accursed building standing 

 upon another. The property has been passed to a family 

 of a different name, and. the series of incessant calamity 

 which pursued all concerned in this cruel deed is as romantic 

 as true." 



It was midnight : I laid down my pipe, took a candle 

 from the sideboard, wished my cousin " a good night, 

 and went to bed, full of pity for the gentle and affectionate 

 seal. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



A wet day Fly-tying Piscatory disquisitions The tinker Lessons in 

 the " gentle art" An unexpected ally. 



THE night throughout continued wild and blustrous ; the 

 squalls which shook the casements became less frequent and 

 violent towards morning ; the wind settled in the south, and 

 dying gradually away, was succeeded by a heavy and constant 

 fall of rain. To stir out of doors was impossible ; the Lodge 

 is unprovided with a billiard- table, and it requires ingenuity 

 to contrive some occupation for the long duration of a sum- 

 mer's day. 



The breakfast was prolonged as much as possible ; it 

 ended, however, and my kinsman left me to give some 

 necessary directions to his household. I seated myself in 

 the window ; the view seaward was interrupted by the thick- 



