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CHAPTER XIV. 



The moon rose in great splendour over the bold chain 

 of mountains which belts the valley where we are 

 cantoned. The piper is merrily at work, for some of 

 the peasant girls have come to visit us, attracted by the 

 joyful news that a pieberagh* was included in our suite. 

 The fondness of these mountain maidens for dancing 

 is incredible ; at times of festival, on the occasion of a 

 wedding, or draggmg-home,-f or whenever a travelling 

 musician passes through these wilds, they assemble 

 from prodigious distances, and dance for days and 

 nights together. 



My kinsman and I having duly executed a jig with 

 a brace of Nora Crinas, left the hut and strolled a short 

 way up the river. The quiet of " lonely night " con- 

 trasted strikingly with the scene of turbulent and vivacious 

 mirth we had but just quitted. A jutting bank suddenly 

 shut the cabin from our view, and its lights and music 

 ceased to be seen or heard. A deep, unbroken silence 

 reigned around. The moon's disc appeared of unusual 

 size, as she rose in cloudless majesty over the mountain 

 masses which earlier in the evening had concealed her. 

 Not a cloud was in the sky, and the unequal outline of 

 the hills displayed a fine picture of light and shadow 

 — and the stream rippled at our feet, as, " tipped with 

 silver," we traced its wanderings for miles, while its 

 sparkling current was lost or seen among the moor-land. 



* Anglice, piper. 



t " Dragging home " is the bringing the bride for the first time to 

 her husband's house. An immense mob of relatives and defines 

 of " both the houses," are collected on the occasion, and as an awful 

 quantity of whisky must of necessity be distributed to the company, 

 this " high solemnity " seldom concludes without subjecting the 

 host's person and property to demolition. 



