QUALITIES OF WHISKEY. 161 



yer honour, that the gauger who gangs intill the poor 

 body's shieling, and taks awa his wee bit still, cannot be 

 right at heart. It is a foul raid, and he can be no Christian. 

 As for government whiskey, it is poor unhalesome stuff, 

 and I wish the gaugers may stick to it ; they will be sooner 

 out of the way of honest men. But our home-made is a 

 comfort the morn and the even, and a warm side to us 

 o'er the moor." 



" Thou art a perfect oracle, Peter ; and of course thou 

 sayest true. But it has killed many a tall fellow for all 

 that, and taken some of your best hill companions to their 

 last home. So now wipe my glass no, not the whiskey 

 glass, man, but the prospect, as you call it : one of Dol- 

 lond's best it is, but you see there's a blear on it. And 

 now let us start, for the glens are lit up, the sun rides 

 high, and the day is far on. Nay, look not for deer on 

 these heights, they will be all low down. It is useless to 

 put off time ; so forward, my lads a good hill-man's step, 

 long, quick, and lasting. No better way of walking when 

 time presses. And don't be drinking out of every burn. 

 Carry the rifles with their muzzles to the rear, and then 

 you will not drill me with one of my own balls, as Sandy 

 Macintosh there was near doing the other day." 



" Not so near, either, for the baal did na pass within 

 half a fut o' ye, and I didna pull the trigger, so it was 

 nae me that war to blame ; I joost tuk up the gun by the 

 neb, as she lay on the ground ahent you, and as I pulled 

 her alang, the heather caught the wee bit trigger, and 

 somehow or anither, she banged aff ; so I cou'd na help it." 



" Nothing can be more evident, Sandy ; but only just 



M 



