126 WILD ANIMALS. 



alive within half a century, it is said that ""n his youth he killed 

 the last wolf that infested this district. ,The prevailing story is 

 this : — A poor woman, crossing the mountains with two children, 

 was assailed by the wolf and her infants devoured, and she escaped 

 with difficulty to Moyhall, The chief of Mackintosh no sooner 

 heard of the tragical fate of the babes, than, moved by pity and 

 rage, he dispatched orders to all his clan and vassals to assemble 

 the next day, at twelve o'clock, to proceed in a body to destroy 

 the wolf. PoUochock was one of those vassals, and being then in 

 the vigour of youth, and possessed of gigantic strength and deter- 

 mined courage, his appearance was eagerly looked for to take a 

 lead in the enterprise. But the hour came, and all were assembled 

 except him to whom they most trusted. Unwilling to go without 

 him, the impatient chief fretted and famed through the hall ; till 

 at length, about an hour after the appointed time, in stalked 

 PoUochock, dressed in his full Highland attire. ' I am little used 

 to wait thus for any man,' exclaimed the chafed chieftain, ' and 

 still less for thee, PoUochock, especially when such game is afoot 

 as we are boune (i.e. going) after ! ' ' What sort of game are 

 ye after. Mackintosh ? ' said PoUochock, simply, and not quite 

 understanding his allusion. ' The wolf, sir,' replied Mackintosh ; 

 'did not my messenger instruct you?' ' Ou aye, that's true,' 

 answered PoUochock, with a good-humoured smile ; ' troth, I had 

 forgotten. But as that be a',' continued he, groping among the 

 ample folds of his plaid, ' there's the wolf's head ! ' Exclamations 

 of astonishment and admiration burst from chief and clansmen, 

 as he held out the grim and bloody head of the monster at arm's 

 length, for the gratification of those who crowded around him. 

 ' As I came the Slochk (i.e. the ravine) by east the hiU there,' said 

 he, as if talking of some every-day occurrence, ' I foregathered wi' 

 the beast. My long dog there turned him. I buckled wi' him and 

 dirkit him, and syne whuttled his craig (i.e. cut his throat), and 

 brought away his countenance for fear he might come alive again, 

 for they are very precarious creatures.' ' My noble PoUochock,' 

 cries the chief in ecstasy ; ' the deed was worthy of thee ! In 

 memorial of thy hardihood, I here bestow upon thee Sennachan, 

 to yield meal for thy good greyhound in all time coming.' " 



