FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



poison over the bristles, aud these having punctured Der- 

 raid's skin, whilst measuring the length of the boar, the 

 poison took effect and caused his instant death. 



Grana, another female devoted to Dermid, was present, 

 and, in her grief and despair, resolved not to survive her 

 lover ; and throwing herself on the point of his sword fell 

 lifeless on his body. 



The boar was hurled down the side of Ben-Loyal, and 

 buried close to a mountain stream that runs between two 

 of the scors or pinnacles of Ben-Loyal, still called Ault- 

 Torc (the Burn of the Boar) ; and the hapless Dermid and 

 his devoted Grana were buried in one grave, and under some 

 trees that grew near the spot. There lies the grey cairn at 

 this present day, still held in reverence by the natives : one 

 person alone ventured to despoil the trees, but misery and 

 misfortune befel him and his family.* 



Angus Baillie, of Uppat, was one of the most noted 

 foresters in Sutherland, of whom we have any correct 

 account : he signalised himself in many of the conflicts 

 which were of common occurrence in former times, and 

 particularly in a rocky pass, on the banks of the Black- 

 water, where he and two of his companions defeated a 

 whole host of Caithness freebooters, with the gun, called 

 Glasnabhean, at that time a novel and dreaded engine of 

 destruction. Baillie was likewise renowned for his dexterity 

 as a bowman and deer-stalker, and thus excited the jealousy 

 of one of the midland foresters who went down to Suther- 

 land to compete with him. 



This stranger, being recommended to Baillie's superiors, 

 talked boastingly of his pre-eminence over the Sutherland 

 foresters, either at open feats, or in executing cunning 

 devices for overcoming an opponent. Nay, he said he could 

 kill more deer than Baillie on his own ground, and finished 

 his rhodomontade by saying to his face, "You can no more 

 be compared to me, as a forester, than your old shaggy gar- 

 ron can, as an animal, be compared to the finest antlered 

 stag on the hills." 



* Another version of the Baa Dhiarmid, or the Death of Dermid, has 

 been given by Mr. Grant. 



