208 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. ‘[cuar. xxvr. 
still he remained invisible. As it got dark, the weather sud- 
denly changed, and I was glad enough to let Donald seek for 
the bearings of a “whisky bothie” which he had heard of at 
our last stopping-place. While he was seeking for it the rain 
began to fall heavily, and through the darkness we were just 
able to distinguish a dark object, which turned out to be a horse, 
‘©The lads with the still will no be far off,” said Donald. Aud 
so it turned out. But the rain had increased the darkness so 
much, that we should have searched in vain if I had not distin- 
guished at intervals, between the pelting of the rain and the 
heavy rushing of a black burn that ran beside us, what appeared 
to me to be the shrill treble of a fiddle. I could scarcely be- 
lieve my ears. But when I communicated the intelligence to 
Donald, whose ears were less acute, he jumped with joy. ‘It’s 
all right enough, sir; just follow the sound; it’s that drunken 
deevil, Sandy Ross; ye ’ll never haud a fiddle frae him, nor him 
frae a whisky-still,”” It was clear the sound came from across 
the black stream, and it looked formidable in the dark. How- 
ever, there was no remedy. So grasping each the other’s collar, 
and holding our guns high over head, we dashed in, and stag- 
gered through in safety, though the water was up to my waist, 
running like a mill-race, and the bottom was of round slippery 
stones. Scrambling up the bank, and following the merry sound, 
we came to what seemed a mere hole in the bank, from which it 
proceeded. The hole was partially closed by a door woven of 
heather; and, looking through it, we saw a sight worthy of 
Teniers. On a barrel in the midst of the apartment—half hut, 
half cavern—stood aloft, fiddling with all his might, the identical” 
Sandy Ross, while round him danced three unkempt savages; 
and another figure was stooping, employed over a fire in the 
corner, where the whisky-pot was in full operation. The fire, 
and a sliver or two of lighted bog-fir, gave light enough to see 
the whole, for the place was not above ten feet square. We 
made our approaches with becoming caution, and were, it is 
needless to say, hospitably received; for who ever heard of 
Highland smugglers refusing a weleome to sportsmen? We got 
rest, food, and fire—all that we required—and something more; 
for long after I had betaken me to the dry heather in the corner, 
I had disturbec visions of strange orgies in the bothy, and of 
