WALTER OF GAWICK's FATE. 117 



and the mangled body o f Gumming was found with two 

 eagles preying upon it. 



" This horrid circumstance was ascribed to witchcraft ; 

 and the eagles were supposed to be the mothers of two 

 of the young girls intended for the shearing exhibition. 

 The place where Walter was killed is called Leim-ram- 

 fian, or the Fingalian's Leap ; and a terrible break-neck 

 place it is. 



"The fate of Walter is still proverbial in the High- 

 lands ; and when any of the common people are exas- 

 perated without the power of revenge, ' May the fate 

 of Walter of Gawick overtake you ! ' is not an uncommon 

 expression. 



" The belief in ' spirits of a limited power and sub- 

 ordinate nature ' dwelling amongst woods and mountains, 

 is, as you know, common to all nations, and more par- 

 ticularly to such as are of a wild and romantic character. 

 The lonely man who journeys over a vast uninhabited 

 space feels himself almost unconnected with human 

 society, and when darkness falls upon the moor, objects 

 of dubious form loom around him and disturb his 

 imagination. 



"Thus traditions of witches and fairies are numerous 

 in the forest of Gawick ; one at least I will give you as 

 a specimen of their character. 



" Murdoch, a noted deer-stalker, went at sunrise into 

 the forest, and discovering some deer at a distance, he 

 stalked till he came pretty near them, but not quite 

 within shot. On looking over a knoll he was astonished 

 at seeing a number of little neat women dressed in 

 green, in the act of milking the hinds. These he knew 



I 3 



