A HIGHLAND SHIELING. 65 



over which he threw an antique plaid. We took the 

 seat allotted to us ; and while Donald and our host were 

 conversing in a jargon incomprehensible to us, I had 

 leisure to look about me. 



The interior of the cottage, like Highland shielings 

 in general, was walled round with rude rafters of pine, 

 well seasoned by peat smoke, with which same smoke 

 the atmosphere of the apartment was unpleasantly 

 overcharged. One side of the room was composed 

 almost entirely of doors, the centre ones being, I 

 suppose, the folding doors of the bedroom or closet 

 where the occupant slept ; the others opening into 

 cupboards and omnium gatherum whatnots. A huge 

 fireplace Gaelic*}, tein-tein occupied nearly the whole 

 of one end of the apartment, the peat lying smouldering 

 on the hearth in the true primitive fashion ; and above 

 the rough-hewn stone mantlepiece was suspended an 

 old flint gun, towards which the eyes of Donald were 

 ever and anon directed with a look of devout reverence. 

 The third side was occupied with the door and one 

 small window, through the glass of which, though 

 sufficiently transparent to admit the light in scant 

 measure, no objects could possibly be distinguished. 

 The remaining side was overhung with the drapery 

 (still in character) of sundry time-hallowed coats, 

 weather-worn plaids, faded bonnets, and huge boots. 



Our host himself was a man of middle height, now 

 much bent by years ; his countenance, however, not- 

 withstanding the many deep furrows graven by the 

 hand of time, had an appearance much younger than 

 accorded with his actual age, from the ruddy hue which 

 still mantled the cheek, and the bright glitter which 

 still flashed from the eye. His locks, white as the 

 driven snow, straggled at random over his shoulders, 

 and his long grey whiskers joined in the same stream. 



