A SUMMER RAMBLE AMONG THE HEBRIDES. 161 



of Scotland, the Edinburgh literati, the Free Church even : 

 he had been a consistent Moderate all his days, and disliked 

 renegades, he said ; and I, of course, disliked renegades too. 

 We both remembered that, though civilized nations give quar- 

 ter to an enemy overpowered in open fight, they are still in 

 the habit of shooting deserters. In short,i we agreed on a great 

 many different matters ; and, by comparing notes, we made 

 the best we could of a tedious journey and a very bad day. 

 At the inn at Garve, a long stage from Dingwall, we alighted, 

 and took the road together, to straighten our stiffened limbs, 

 while the postman was engaged in changing horses. The mi- 

 nister stopped short in the middle of a discussion. "We are 

 not on equal terms, he said : you know who I am, and I don't 

 know you : we did not start fair at the beginning, but let us 

 start fair now. Ah, we have agreed hitherto, I replied ; but 

 I know not how we are to agree when you know who I am : 

 are you sure you will not be frightened 1 Frightened ! said 

 the minister sturdily ; no, by no man. Then, I am the Editor 

 of the Witness. There was a momentary pause. " Well," said 

 the minister, " it's all the same : I'm glad we should have 

 met Give me, man, a shake of your hand." And so the con- 

 versation went on as before till we parted at Dingwall, the 

 Establishment clergyman wet to the skin, the Free Church 

 editor in no better condition ; but both, mayhap, rather less 

 out of conceit with the ride than if it had been ridden alone. 

 I had intended passing at least two days in the neighbour- 

 hood of Dingwall, where I proposed renewing an acquaintance, 

 broken off for three-and-twenty years, with those bituminous 

 shales of Strathpeffer in which the celebrated mineral waters 

 of the valley take their rise, the Old Red Conglomerate of 

 Brahan, the vitrified fort of Knockferrel, the ancient tower 

 of Fairburn, above all, the pleasure-grounds of Conon-side. 

 I had spent the greater portion of my eighteenth and nine- 

 teenth years in this part of the country ; and I was curious 



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