208 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP. xxvi. 



still he remained invisible. As it got dark, the weather sud- 

 denly changed, and I was glad enough to let Donald seek for 

 the bearings of a "whisky bothie" which he had heard of at 

 our last stopping-place. While he was seeking for it the rain 

 began to fall heavily, and through the darkness we were just 

 able to distinguish a dark object, which turned out to be a horse. 

 " The lads with the still will no be far off," said Donald. And 

 so it turned out. But the rain had increased the darkness so 

 much, that we should have searched in vain if I had not distin- 

 guished at intervals, between the pelting of the rain and the 

 heavy rushing of a black burn that ran beside us, what appeared 

 to me to be the shrill treble of a fiddle. I could scarcely be- 

 lieve my ears. But when I communicated the intelligence to 

 Donald, whose ears were less acute, he jumped with joy. " It 's 

 all right enough, sir ; just follow the sound ; it 's that drunken 

 deevil, Sandy Ross ; ye '11 never haud a fiddle frae him, nor him 

 frae a whisky-still." It was clear the sound came from across 

 the black stream, and it looked formidable in the dark. How- 

 ever, there was no remedy. So grasping each the other's collar, 

 and holding our guns high over head, we dashed in, and stag- 

 gered through in safety, though the water was up to my waist, 

 running like a mill-race, and the bottom was of round slippery 

 stones. Scrambling up the bank, and following the merry sound, 

 we came to what seemed a mere hole in the bank, from which it 

 proceeded. The hole was partially closed by a door woven of 

 heather ; and, looking through it, we saw a sight worthy of 

 Teniers. On a barrel in the midst of the apartment half hut, 

 half cavern stood aloft, fiddling with all his might, the identical 

 Sandy Ross, while round him danced three unkempt savages ; 

 and another figure was stooping, employed over a fire in the 

 corner, where the whisky-pot was in full operation. The fire, 

 and a sliver or two of lighted bog-fir, gave light enough to see 

 the whole, for the place was not above ten feet square. We 

 made our approaches with becoming caution, and were, it is 

 needless to say, hospitably received ; for who ever heard of 

 Highland smugglers refusing a welcome to sportsmen ? We got 

 rest, food, and fire all that we required and something more ; 

 for long after I had betaken me to the dry heather in the corner, 

 I had disturbed visions of strange orgies in the bothy, and of 



