CHAP, xxii.] HIGHLAND SHEPHERDS. 179 



emptied out into a large earthen dish, and placed smoking on the 

 lid of a chest. Each man then produced from some recess of his 

 plaid a long wooden spoon ; whilst my companion assisted in the 

 ceremony by fetching some water from the river in a bottle. 

 They all three, then, having doffed their bonnets, and raising 

 their hands, muttered over a long Gaelic grace. Then, without 

 saying a word, set to with good will at the scalding mess before 

 them, each attacking the corner of the dish nearest him, shovelling 

 immense spoonfuls down their throats ; and when more than 

 usually scalded their throats must have been as fire-proof as 

 that of the Fire King himself taking a mouthful of the water in 

 the bottle, which was passed from one to the other for that pur- 

 pose. Having eaten a most extraordinary quantity of the pottage, 

 each man wiped his spoon on the sleeve of his coat, and again 

 said a grace. The small remainder was then mixed with more 

 water and given to the dogs, who had been patiently waiting for 

 their share. After they had licked the dish clean, it was put 

 away into the meal-chest, the key of which was then concealed 

 in a hole of the turf wall. I divided most of my cigars with the 

 men to smoke in their pipes, and handed round my whisky-flask, 

 reserving a small modicum for my own use during the day. 



From this place to its source the river is very narrow, and 

 confined between steep and rocky hills that come down to the 

 edge of the water ; varied here and there by less abrupt ascents, 

 covered with spreading juniper-bushes and green herbage. On 

 one of these bright spots we saw a hind and her calf, the former 

 standing to watch us as we passed up the opposite side of the 

 river, while her young one was playing about her like a lamb. 

 They did not seem to care much for our coming there ; ami 

 having watched us for some time, and seeing that we had no evil 

 intention towards them, the hind recommenced feeding, only 

 occasionally stopping to see that we did not turn. The ring- 

 ouzel, that near cousin of the blackbird, frequently flitted acro.vs 

 the glen, am 1 , perching on a juniper-bush, saluted us with its wild 

 and sweet song. 



The morning was bright, and the river sparkled and danced 

 over its stony bed ; while every little pool was dimpled by the 

 rising of the trout, who jumped without dread of hook and line 

 at the small black gnats tliat were playing about the surface of 



K 2 



