58 
MISCELLANEA. 
this, ’tis easy to try another.” Then turning to the ostler, Mr. T. 
said in the same breath — “ Here, ostler ! take my horse by the 
bridle, and run him against that wall,” pointing to the gable side 
of the inn. The man did as he was ordered ; but the animal took 
good care to avoid collision. “ Now !” said Mr. T., addressing 
himself again to the gentleman, “ will you command the ostler to 
serve your horse in like manner. “ Certainly !” quickly rejoined 
the latter. The command was given and obeyed, and the conse- 
quences were frightful. The stunned animal lay prostrate, and it 
took several minutes to revive him; Mr. T. regretting that he had 
suffered matters to go so far, and the gentleman, in lugubrious 
accents, declaring that Mr. T. had for ever destroyed his confidence 
in his favourite horse. 
The Courage of Sheep. 
From the Rev. JAMES HALLS Travels in Scotland. 
He was one day climbing Belrinnis, a high mountain bordering 
on the valley of the Spey. On reaching the top “ I found my- 
self,” says he, “ enveloped in a cloud, whence I could not see any 
object distinctly only at a few yards distant. Perceiving a fine 
breeze as I was ascending, I hoped the cloud would disperse ; and, 
therefore, though I felt it extremely cold and was very hungry, I 
resolved to remain there some time. While I was stepping about 
to keep myself warm I perceived something of an uncommon ap- 
pearance through the mist at the distance. I approached it — not, in- 
deed, without fear, and at length found it to be a phalanx of wed- 
ders or sheep three years old at the top of the hill, ready to defend 
themselves from every attack. They were arranged in a line form- 
ing a blunt ivedge, with an extremely large one in the middle, hav- 
ing a large black forehead and a pair of tremendous horns. There 
were about a hundred in front and fifty on each side of him. A 
number of weaker ones were in the rear, not one of them eating, 
but looking sternly at me. I was not afraid, knowing them only 
to be sheep ; nor yet perfectly easy, as, if any fox had appeared, 
in chasing him they might have killed me. 
“ These wedders are sent up on to the hill at the end of April or 
the beginning of May. The owners never look after them till the 
end of October. They never sleep all at a time, but there is al- 
ways one at a distance on the look-out. They never rest in a hol- 
low even on the most stormy night, but upon rising ground, where 
they can look around them ; and when they are attacked by foxes 
or dogs, their assailants never fail to be killed. When furiously at- 
tacked they form themselves into a circle, their heads all outwards, 
