A HIGHLAND SHIELING. 55 



was a long low hut, with thick heather thatch, and a 

 chimney built of sods, the whole erection looking 

 more like a stack of peat than a human habitation, we 

 entered, and were introduced by Donald. Rob rose 

 from his seat, bade us a Gaelic welcome, and invited us 

 to sit down, pointing to a long clumsily-made trunk-box, 

 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 Gaelice, 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 mantelpiece 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- 



