Salmon Fishing. 69 



made any attempt to pull me out ; all oblivious 

 of the divine sanction most expressly given to 

 works of necessity and charity on the Lord's- 

 day. 



Not far from Inverness is a hill, pretty and 

 picturesque to behold ; indeed so much so, as to 

 induce me to make some remarks in reference to 

 it, in his hearing. 



"Ah, sir/' said he, "that's Tomna-hurich the 

 hill of the fairies." "The hill of the fairies; did you 

 ever see a fairy ?" I asked, with a smile. " See 

 one," said he, "God forbid!" and he looked as 

 angry, as though I had defamed his father. 

 After a short pause, I could not forbear returning 

 to the subject, though with a graver face. 



Very reluctant to say a syllable more than he 

 could help, I gleaned from him, that he was 

 as firm a believer in fairy-legends, as in the 

 written words of his own religious creed. In a 

 low tone of voice one or two instances fell from 

 him, how severely Archibald the smith, and 

 Donald the deer-stalker, had suffered for their 



