LEGEND OF KNOCK- A-THAMPLE. . 101 



gunner. This mode of shooting the Colonel recommends, 

 provided the day and the debate be warm. In winter, he may 

 no induced occasionally to take the side of a sunny cover, bnt 

 gout and rheumatism are ever present to his imagination, 

 and he would not "wet a foot for all the birds upon Brae 

 Mur." 



After dinner, I reminded my kinsman of the promised 

 legend of Knoek-a-thample, and the otter-killer was ordered 

 to the presence. But on inquiry, Antony had been profes- 

 sionally called off to a distant village upon the coast, to 

 minister to a broken head, and had taken his departure in a 

 four-oared boat, with as much ceremony as though he had 

 been surgeon-goMrul. I felt, and expressed my disappointment. 

 "And are you really curious about this wild tradition?" 

 asked our host. " I believe this is one of many legends , 

 which, during a terrible winter, 1 amused myself by transcrib- 

 ing." Opening a drawer he took out a common-place book, 

 and marked the page. Finding no inclination to sleep when 

 I retired for the night, I heaped more bog- wood on the lire, 

 and, before I slept, road the following specimen of the " wild 

 and wonderful." 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



THE LEGEND OF KNOCK- A-THAMPLE. 



IN the valley of Knock-a-thample, beside a ruined 

 and holy well, the shattered walls of what had been once K 

 an habitation, are still visible. They stand at a bow- 

 distance from the fountain, which, instead of a place of 

 I -mance for ancient crones and solitary devotees, was visited 

 i wo centuries since for a very different purpose. 



The well, although patronised by St. Catharine, a lady of 

 as determined celibacy as ever underwent canoni/ation, had 

 one peculiar virtue, which, under her especial superintendanee, 



been made at other plaees in Catalonia and Hiseay, with the names 

 anil marks of the Madrid gunsmiths; they are also eoi'.nteriViie.l at 

 Liege, Prague, Mnnieh, \e., and a person must be a good judge not to 

 be deceived by these spurious barrels. 



