WALTER OF GAWICK'S FATE. 109 



remarkably steep, with very little rock, and of considerable 

 altitude. On the western extremity there is a hill of a very 

 striking appearance ; its length is about a mile, its height 

 about one thousand feet from the base of the plain ; its 

 shape resembles that of a house. The hill is called the 

 Douue, and forms the southern limit of the forest. So 

 much for the boundaries and locality ; now for a tale of 

 other times. 



" Walter Gumming was killed by a fall from his horse in 

 the forest of Gawick ; he was the son, I believe, of one of 

 the Cummin gs of Badenoch, and certainly a very profli- 

 gate young fellow. Tradition says that he determined on 

 making a number of young women shear stark naked 

 in the farm of Ruthven, which was the residence of the 

 Cummings in Badeuoch. In the meantime he was called 

 away on business in Atholl, and the day of his return 

 was fixed for this infamous exhibition. When that day 

 arrived, his horse galloped up to the court-yard, stained 

 with soil and blood, with one of his master's legs alone 

 hanging in the stirrup. Search was instantly made, and 

 the mangled body of Gumming was found with two eagles 

 preying upon it. 



" This horrid circumstance was ascribed to witchcraft ; 

 and the eagles were supposed to be the mothers of two of 

 the young girls intended for the shearing exhibition. The 

 place where Walter was killed is called Leim-ramfian, or the 

 Fingalian's Leap ; and a terrible break-neck place it is. 



" The fate of Walter is still proverbial in the Highlands ; 

 and when any of the common people are exasperated with- 

 out the power of revenge, * May the fate of Walter of 

 Gawick overtake you,' is not an uncommon expression. 



" The belief in ' spirits of a limited power and subordinate 

 nature ' dwelling amongst woods and mountains, is, as you 

 know, common to all nations, and more particularly to such 

 as are of a wild and romantic character. The lonely man 

 who journeys over a vast uninhabited space, feels himself 

 almost unconnected with human society ; and when dark- 

 ness falls upon the moor, objects of dubious form loom 

 around him and disturb his imagination. 



" Thus traditions of witches and fairies are numerous in 



