194 KILMAVONAIG BEEK. 



given, though probably his real reason was of a predatory 

 nature : 



Gumming and his wife (who were from Ruthven, or 

 Ruairm, in Badenoch,) were passing through Atholl, and 

 on their arrival at Kilmavonaig, they went to a public- 

 house to take some refreshment. On their entrance they 

 called for some beer, which was then the chief drink of the 

 Highlands ; and being exceedingly pleased with it, were 

 anxious to know where the several ingredients could be 

 procured. The landlord, who, like Boniface, was loud in 

 commendation of his own beer, told them he received the 

 malt from Perth, and the water from Aldnehearlain (a 

 small rivulet which runs through Kilmavonaig), which is 

 the best known for beer. 



Gumming then resolved in his own mind in what 

 manner he might get the same ingredients from Badenoch 

 over the pathless hills which lie between the two countries ; 

 as there was no road it seemed tedious, nay, almost im- 

 possible, to procure a ready and continued supply. Upon 

 surveying the ground, he thought it might be practicable 

 to make a road, and he resolved upon the arduous 

 undertaking. He drew a line from Kilmavonaig through 

 the woods of Craig Urrard, crossed the Bruar by 

 Riechlachrie, and so on almost in a straight line till it 

 reached Gaig in Badenoch. He hired men, and made a 

 road as far as Cum-na-feur, where the work was termi- 

 nated in the following singular manner : 



There was a man at Ard-Ghaith at Moulin named 

 Mac-Conoig, whose wife was a witch, and she resolved, 

 with the assistance of another witch who lived in Croc 

 Barrodh, a small village near her, to put a stop to Cumming's 



