94 DEER-STALKING. CH. XXV. 



extensive damsel ; and the latter a giant like Mal- 

 colm himself, equally good-looking, and equally 

 respected in his own rank of life. The old man 

 having looked off his book for a moment, without 

 pausing in his reading, continued his chapter. Fol- 

 lowing Malcolm's example, I took off my cap, and 

 sat down on a chest in the room, and though of 

 course not understanding a word of what was read, 

 instead of being inclined to smile at the peculiar 

 twang and bagpipe-like drawl with which the old 

 man read, I was struck by the appearance of real 

 devotion and reverence of the whole group, and 

 looked on with feelings of interest and respect till 

 he came to the end of a somewhat lengthy chapter. 

 This finished, the old man, resting his head on his 

 hands, which his long gray hair entirely covered, 

 uttered a short prayer in the same language. The 

 moment this was done he handed the Bible to his 

 daughter, who, wiping it with her apron, deposited 

 it in' a chest. I was then received with great 

 kindness, and preparations were made for Mal- 

 colm's and my supper, which consisted of tea, oat- 

 cake, eggs, and some kippered trout, caught in a 

 stream running out of the large loch, and which 

 when alive must have weighed at least twelve 

 pounds : such cream and milk, too, as is met with, 

 or at any rate enjoyed, only in the Highlands. 



