212 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



be restrained. He fired and shot two of them dead upon 

 the spot. His wife, before in extreme consternation, was 

 not now to be pacified. She imagined that her husband 

 had just sealed his doom. He beseeched her to be silent. 

 * Go home,' said he, ' and send for them ; if I return not, 

 you shall have more need for them ;' but, saluting her, he 

 added, in kindlier terms, ' fear not, it shall go hard with 

 me if I am not soon with you again to have my share/ 

 The truth was, that, though threatened by the authorities, 

 there was scarcely one of the country gentlemen who would 

 not have gone any length to protect the bard from the 

 violence of the law." 



This action, and some satirical ballads written by our 

 bard, created a coolness between Rob Doun and his chief ; 

 but he obtained protection afterwards in the family of 

 Colonel Mackay. 



I conclude this notice with a short extract from one of 

 his translated songs, written after a long absence from the 

 object of his love, who eventually proved faithless : " the 

 home-sickness it expresses appears to be almost as much 

 that of the deer-stalker, as of the loving swain." 



" Oh, for the day for turning my face homeward, 



That I may see the maiden of beauty : 

 Joyful will it be to me with thee, 

 Fair girl with the long heavy locks ! 



Choice of all places for deer-hunting 

 Are the brindled rock and the ridge ! 



How sweet at evening, to be dragging the slain deer 

 Downwards along the Piper's Cairn ! 



Easy is my bed, it is easy ; 



But it is not to sleep that I incline : 

 The wind whistles northwards, northwards, 



And my thoughts move with it." 



To this account of poachers and freebooters, already I 

 fear too long, I venture only to add a notice of a very 

 singular trial which took place at Edinburgh, on the 10th 

 of June, 1754. 



Duncan Terig, alias Clerk, and Alexander Bain Mac- 

 donald, both notorious poachers, and reputed freebooters, 



