250 A HINT TO PROPRIETORS OF RIVERS. 



he fleed awa on it till he became inveesable. The folk 

 at Darnick pu'd down the pillar ; they did na lave ae 

 stane on anither. Aye, aye, ye may laugh and call this 

 clish-ma-claver if ye please, but it's true what I tell ye ; 

 I have seen auld Michael mysel." 



" Where, Charlie, where ? " 



" Why aince on Cowden-knows I seed his wraith, 

 and liis torch a tap o' the hill, and his muckle black 

 horse feeding below on the moor, as plain as I see ye 

 the noo ; and though he is not in life at this day, for he 

 war killed by drinking the kail made o' a breme sow, 

 yet his spirit is abraid, ye ken, and it war that which 

 sent our boat to the bottom, for ye had na a fairy 

 stane* ; but ye'll be wiser, I'm thinkin, afore ye burn that 

 cast again." 



" Aye, that will I ; but courage, man ; all is set to 

 rights, so let us have the whiskey, for with that and the 

 blazing brands we shall be warm both within and with- 

 out, and fear no wizards. But if wizards ever visit 

 rivers, I hope they will open a slap in every cauld where 

 there is no local act, so as to admit of the free run of 

 fish ; for there are many fine-looking streams that are 

 ' bridled with a curb of stone.' I do not wish to hurt 

 the property of mill-owners ; but how easy it would be 

 in such cases to accommodate all parties by making an 

 opening at every barrier, and a proper sloj^e constructed 

 with rolling stones at the back of it ; a hatch to be put 

 in at the opening, and drawn only when there Avas a 

 superfluity of water for the mill. This plan would 



* See note at page 226. 



