THE COLONEL. 171 



spirit, obliged the herdsman to abandon his dwelling, and reside 

 in ar. adjacent village. The night of the day upon which he 

 had removed his family and effects, a flash of lightning fell 

 upon the cabin, and consumed the roof; and next morning 

 nothing remained but black and rifted walls. Since that 

 time the well is only used for penance. The peasant 

 approaches not the desecrated burying-place if he can avoid it. 

 The cattle are never known to shelter underneath the ruined 

 walls and the curse of God and man have fallen on Knock-a- 

 thampie. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



Visit to the mountain hut The Colonel An argument and a wager No 

 honesty among anglers State of the river Mogh-a-dioul Father 

 Andrew's flies Splendid scenery Its effect upon me and my com- 

 panion Beautiful pool The otter A curious scene The Colonel's 

 troubles Wager decided A new bet A salmon killed Conversa- 

 tion The Colonel outmanoeuvred. 



THE Colonel has girded up his loins for the mountains, and 

 with the assistance of Mogh-a-dioul, a pony of unhappy 

 name, but good and enduring qualities, he purposes to favour 

 us with his company during our sojourn at the cabin in the 

 hills. While we traverse the moors, the commander will 

 infest the river ; or, if the day be questionable, like honest 

 Sancho, he will patiently remain beside the flesh-pots. To 

 him the " meminisse juvabit" will apply. Thirty years ago, 

 with his lamented contemporary, our host's father, the soldier, 

 who was then a keen and accomplished sportsman, spent many 

 a happy hour upon the heath. To his memory every dell and 

 hillock is still green ; and hence our evening details will recall 

 to him those happier recollections of youthful pastime, which, 

 when " life was new," he had once delighted to indulge in. 



The Colonel fishes well ! and I, at least my vanity believes 

 it, have improved marvellously I really can throw a line, and 

 this the priest avers upon the word of a churchman. I begin 

 also to have what the Scotch call a gloamin' of what forms the 

 composition of a killing fly. But my pride has sadly abated. 

 Last night, during a stormy controversy, touching the com- 

 parative merits of Pull-garrow and Pull-bouy, upon which the 

 host and commander held opinions opposite as the an- 



