160 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



declares that these eagles were the transformed mothers of 

 the girls whom he had commanded to reap stark naked on 

 the following day. 



Whatever they were, however, they took their flight till 

 they came to Cumming's workmen, and by some charm, 

 they dispersed the men, and put the horses and oxen to 

 flight, till they were driven over a great precipice, which 

 was then called Cum-na-feur, or the Cart's Precipice. 



Gumming, affrighted at the catastrophe, took to flight 

 and galloped off, pursued by the two winged witches ; he 

 did not, however, acquit himself as well as Tarn O'Shanter, 

 for his body was torn from his horse by the eagles, the 

 flesh stripped off, and nothing remained in the stirrup but 

 one of his legs. The horse stopped for a space on the banks 

 of the Tarff ; and the spot where he paused is still called 

 Lechois (one foot). 



Thus terminated, according to tradition, the extravagant 

 speculation with which Gumming was to supply Badenoch 

 with Kilmavonaig beer ; the length he proceeded with his 

 work may be easily discerned at the present day ; no person 

 doubts that there was a road. 



The belief in witches, fairies, and other supernatural 

 powers has very much decreased of late years in Scotland ; 

 but it is a great mistake to consider it as wholly extirpated. 

 Those who come in contact with passing strangers will 

 naturally be reluctant to confess any superstition, for fear 

 of being derided ; but such as live in the country, and have 

 free intercourse with the cottagers, well know with what 

 deep reverence they relate such stories as these. They 

 have descended from their ancestors, and they regard them 

 as part of their creed. In a family in Atholl where there 

 is now an old man residing, many of the long winter nights 

 are spent in telling stories about ghosts, fairies, witches, 

 warlocks, etc., which are solemnly listened to, and most 

 religiously believed ; and should any one of the company 

 attempt to discredit these stories, or to try to account for 

 them on natural principles, the hoary sage would treat such 

 incredulity with ridicule, and regard the person as a most 

 infatuated sceptic. 



There is great talk of a witch that still haunts Ben-y- 



