ASCENT OF BEN DAIEG. 



your interest. The men are ready, and the dogs are in the 

 leash, so let us sally forth. See, we must ascend this moun- 

 tain ; it is called Ben Dairg, which means the red hill ; and, 

 when we are near its summit, we shall be at the head of 

 our cast." 



" That will not take us long, I think, though it seems 

 pretty steep ; but the top is not far off." 



" You cannot see the top from hence ; but when we 

 arrive at the point, which you mistake for it, which is 

 a mere brae, the ascent is somewhat steeper, till you come 

 to a naked point of rock, and sundry large uncomfortable 

 stones." 



" Well, thank heaven, there it ends at last." 



"Wait a moment. Having reached this rock, a little 

 cairn serves as a mark for our course, and guides us to the 

 bare thin soil ; and when we are at that spot, why, then, 

 we shall see the top of the mountain. In fact, you must 

 have seen it yourself yesterday, if it was clear, which I 

 should doubt." 



" I certainly did see a great mountain all the way before 

 me, which blocked out the hills to the north, and grew 

 bigger and bigger as I advanced, like a giant in a dream. 

 A thick mist clung around its summit, and I pitied the poor 

 eagles that were wheeling in the vapour. It made me dream 

 of precipices and vultures all night long. You don't mean 

 to say that we are to go there without a balloon. Why, 

 Chimborazo is a mole-hill to it !" 



" No, we shall not go to the very summit; buff you are 

 walking so stoutly, that I am sure you will not be the last 

 of the party ; and, to say truth, the mist that sits on the 

 peak makes it look higher than it really is." 



" Well, Davy, I see you have got Corrie and Tarff, and 

 you are right, for that eager devil Ossian pulled so hard 

 yesterday in the couples, that he must be quite unfit to go 

 out to-day. It was worse for him than running ten chases ; 

 why, you could scarcely hold him." 



" I dinna ken what sort of work it war to him, but I ken 

 weel enough what it war to me, for he pulled me heels over 

 head twice, in rinning down Ben-y-gloe, to turn the deer, 

 him and anither, that's Oscar." 



