140 WALK TO THE COTTAGE. 



moments they were at my side, having " gralloched " 

 my stag, and deposited him safely in a snug cleft of the 

 rock, until further assistance in removing it could be 

 procured on the morrow. 



On seeing the second animal dead and floating in the 

 loch, Gillespie gave vent to his feelings in sundry 

 rapturous expressions and animated gesticulations ; 

 then stepping into the water, regardless alike of wet 

 and cold, lj,e quickly brought the body ashore. To drag 

 it to the shelter of a neighbouring cliff, and there cover 

 it with stones and heather, was but the work of a few 

 moments. Then taking a " nip " of whisky all round, 

 we started for the cottage in high spirits and at a brisk 

 pace. Though the day had been long and tiring, and 

 we had yet fully seven miles before us, the walk proved 

 most enjoyable. The night was very beautiful, and the 

 whole scene impressive in the extreme. As I passed 

 along, and marked the moonbeams, now dancing in the 

 spray of some mountain torrent, or anon piercing the 

 mist, which rolled like drapery over the loch, I could 

 well understand how the vivid imagination of the Gael, 

 as he lingered in pensive moments among such scenes, 

 had peopled his native hills with a shadowy world ; 

 how the water-wraith, the kelpie, and the fairy had 

 sprung Minerva-like from his brain, and become almost 

 inseparably entwined with his creed. 



We reached the cottage, just as Murdoch, whom we 

 had sent off in the morning to bring a fresh supply of 

 provisions from the Laird's, had arrived. He brought 

 sufficient for the demands of the night and following 

 morning, but no more ; being the bearer of a message, 

 to the effect that our presence was requested at home 

 on the morrow evening, when our host expected his 

 nearest neighbours (who by-the-bye lived sixteen miles 



