80 



RELICS OF POPULAR, SUPERSTITIONS. 



had never seen the canty callan. Dongal, as she supposed her 

 visitor to be, relaxed his grim, yet youthful, features into a kind 

 of smile, and settled himself more familiarl}^ by the ingle. He 

 offered her sundry baubles from his pack, shrewdly glancing at 

 her holiday attire, and told merry tales of village scandal. Mause 

 thought anxiously on her pitcher of gold, and cast a meaning 

 glance at her door-stone ; but the sky darkened suddenly, and the 

 wind rose and torrents of rain descended. The Caird seemed to 

 repose on her hospitality; and stirring up the blazing peat, began 

 that plaintive ditty, called Lord Maxwell's Good-night. He sang 

 the last verse twice, with a sad and earnest expression ; and, 

 pausing as if he waited for an echo, repeated the burthen of his 

 song distinctly — 



Adieu, Dumfries, my ain dear place ! 

 Till I come o'er the ?ea ; 

 Adieu, my ladie and only joy, 

 I may not stay with thee." 



The sweet and well-known melody fixed Mause's ear; but be- 

 tween the dismal sighings of the wind, another voice seemed to 

 rise. The waves beat tumultuously against the little pile of rocks 

 now entirely insulated, and the mournful sounds heard among 

 their clamour were like the shrieks of sinking sailors. The Caird 

 ran to the door, and climbing on the highest rock, saw a light 

 floating among the waters. Yet it was not on any mast or emi- 

 nence, and presently it glided past the edge of the isle, and sunk 

 in the dark waters, Mause saw it distinctlv, and even Doug*al 

 confessed its semblance to the copse-hghts that rise and float 

 where unhappy travellers have perished. The cries had grown 

 fainter till they ceased ; and the storm itself began to sleep. It 

 was " mirk midnight," but Dougal continued to walk on the isle 

 of rocks till morning's light shewed him a human body bound to 

 a plank of oak stuck upright in a creek, which the swell of the 

 current had covered more than ten feet deep. The swell had now 

 subsided — Mause sprang across, and beheld the body of Thorn- 

 line, dead and bleaching in the wind. At this spectacle, easily 

 explained by the shattered boat which lay among the hollows, 

 the Carline remembered his shrieks for succour, probably while 

 he lashed himself to the last plank, and she wrung her hands 

 with bitter moanings over her benefactor. The Caird hstened 

 eagerly to her confused tale of the dead lady and the house be- 



