114 UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION. 



I am as weel acquent wi' this moss by day and by nicht 

 as ony mon in Atholl, and never pool was there here 



afore." 



" In pool or ford can nane be smur'd, 

 Gin kelpie be nae there " 



To describe the toil of the party through these bogs, 

 pits, and moss hags, would be only to utter a repetition of 

 the same disasters. The darkness was so deep that the 

 men could not distinguish each other : and although their 

 footsteps fell cautiously, yet not one of the party escaped 

 continual floundering ; the individual wrath and vexation 

 was at first at a pretty high pitch ; but with the exception 

 of a slight exclamation or so^ it was most philosophically 

 suppressed. And when at length all were found to be in 

 similar perplexity, there was more merriment than anger. 

 Every thing, however, whether sweet or bitter, has an 

 end, and so at length had this their pilgrimage through 

 the Slough of Despond. 



As soon as they were fairly through, the blank moon, 

 so coy when she was courted, shone out for a brief mo- 

 ment, and gave them a glimpse of a herd of deer just 

 passing into the shadow. And now they came down to 

 a burn, which, wet as they already were, they waded 

 without hesitation. Lightfoot alone was carefully carried 

 over on Fraser's back, for the Channel was obstructed here 

 and there by large blocks of granite, which the constant 

 attrition of the water makes so slippery, that no un- 

 practised person can step on them with security; and 

 when he loses his footing (as lose it he must), down at 

 once he goes into the deep hole that the current always 

 excavates at their base. But the sinewy and well-shod 



