56 ANGLING SKETCHES 



given, by Hogg in ' The Spy,' 1810-11, pp. 101-3. 

 I offer an abridgment of the narrative. 



'About the end of last century Major Mac- 

 pherson^nd a party of friends went out to hunt 

 on the Grampians between Athole and Badenoch. 

 They were highly successful, and in the after^ 

 noon .they went into a little bothy, and, having 

 meat and drink, they abandoned themselves to 

 jollity. 



' During their merry-making a young man 

 entered whose appeiarance particularly struck and 

 somewhat shocked Macpherson ; the strangep 

 beckoned to the Major, and he followed him 

 instantly put of the bpthy. 



'When they parted, after apparently having 

 had sonie earnest conversation, the stranger was 

 out of sight long before the Major was half-way 

 back, though only twenty yards a\*^ay. 



' The Major showed on his return such evident 

 marks of trepidation' that the mirth was marred 

 and no one cared tO ask him questions, 

 ; ' This was early ih the weiek, and on Friday the 

 Major persuaded his friends to make a second 



