The Eighteenth Century 51 



Emigrants appear sensible, yet all the Highlanders and Islanders are so 

 superstitious, that they may be easuy imposed on, in such a thing as this; and 

 they were completely so. The wizard now ordered them to be brought up, 

 one by one blindfolded and their hands bound behind them; such was their 

 fear, that they suffered this to be done without dispute. In this situation, 

 they were to answer certain questions which he put to them; if they spoke 

 strictly truth, them he shaved them, took a small gratuity for his trouble, gave 

 them his benediction, and let them pass. But if they disguised or concealed 

 the truth, which he was supposed perfectly to know, then he tumbled them 

 into the Sea, where they perished. Prepossessed with this idea, a poor lad 

 was brought before the infernal Judge: "Answer me," said he sternly, "answer 

 me truth; what made you leave home?" "O troth sir, I dinna well ken:" "but 

 you must know," said he, "so answer me instantly." "O Dear, O Lord! I think 

 it was, because so many were going, I did not like to stay behind," "And pray 

 what are you good for in this world, to prevent me sending you to the next?" 

 "Trouth, an please your honour, e'en, very little." "What," said he, with a voice 

 like thunder, "are you good for nothing?" "O yes, yes, I am no very ill at the 

 small fishing." As this young man did not seem to overrate his own merits, the 

 wizard was satisfied, placed him on the side of the boat, which he believed 

 was the ship, being stul blind folded and bound. The wizard began to shave 

 him with a notched stick and pot-black. The sharp notches soon brought 

 blood, and the poor devil starting from the pain, tumbled into the boat 

 amongst the water, and thinking it the sea, roared with terror. And in this 

 consisted the whole wit of the entertainment. He was now unbound and re- 

 stored to the light and as keen to bring in his neighbours, who one by one, 

 went thro' the same operation. As soon as it was over, the custom licences 

 the sailors to treat the oflBcers with every degree of freedom, nor do they fail 

 to take the opportunity. The Cap*, mates, supercargo, and aU were chaced 

 round and round, and drenched in the water from the boat, which they threw 

 at them in bucket-fulls. 



We had now gone to the Cabin, and believed aU was over, when a loud 

 screaming on deck brought us up to see what was the matter, and we found 

 our Cap' had begun to act a tragedy after our comedy, and to oblige these 

 poor ruined creatures to pay five shillings for each, or be pulled up to a mast 

 and from that plunged down to the Sea. This was a sum impossible to be 

 raised, and the poor women were running with what remained of their cloths 

 to give in place of it to save their husbands and fathers. Amongst others Mar- 

 ion was going with all speed, with her aunt's popline gown; but it was need- 

 less, for John Lawson now stood at bay, his fist clinched and swearing by the 

 great God, that the first man that touched him had not another moment to 

 live, nor was there one hardy enough to encounter a fist, which had not 

 its feUow on board. But this was not the case with others, and they had one 

 man tied, and only waited to see, if his wife had as many moveables as to 

 save his life, for he was a poor weak old man, and would not have agreed 



