"Cbrfstopbcr mortb" 179 



Stewart, in his " Highland Sketches," gives this graphic 

 picture of the two pedestrians : 



" On a fine summer evening, the eyes of a primitive 

 northern village were attracted by the appearance of two 

 travellers, apparently man and wife, coming into the 

 village, dressed like cairds or gipsies. The man was 

 tall, broad-shouldered, and of stalwart proportions ; his 

 fair hair floated redundant over neck and shoulders, 

 and his red beard and whiskers were of portentous 

 size. He bore himself with the assured and careless 

 air of a strong man rejoicing in his strength. On his 

 back was a capacious knapsack, and his slouched hat 

 garnished with fishing hooks and tackle, showed he was 

 as much addicted to fishing as to making spoons : 



A stalwart tinkler wight seemed he, 

 That weel could mend a pot or pan; 



And deftly he could thraw the flee, 

 Or neatly weave the willow wan'. 



The appearance of his companion contrasted 

 strikingly with that of her mate. She was of slim and 

 fragile form, and more like a lady in her walk and 

 bearing than any wife of a caird that had ever been 

 seen in those parts. The natives were somewhat 

 surprised to see this great caird making for the head 

 inn, the ' Gordon Arms,' where the singular pair actually 

 took up their quarters for several days. Thence they 

 were in the habit of sallying forth, each armed with a 

 fishing-rod, to the river banks, a circumstance the 

 novelty of which, as regarded the tinker's wife, excited 

 no small curiosity, and many conjectures were hazarded 

 as to the real character of the mysterious couple. 



