 Chapter 9, Volume 2 of Rob Roy. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott. Volume 2, Chapter 9. An iron race the mountain cliffs maintain foes to the gentler genius of the plain who while their rocky ramparts round they see the rough abode of want and liberty as lawless force from confidence will grow insult the plenty of the veils below. Gray. What made you so late, said Mr. Jarvie, as I entered the dining parlor of that honest gentleman? It is chappet when the best fika five minutes by gain. Matty has been twice at the door with the dinner and will for you. The top's head, for that kind of suffer by delay. A sheep's head our muckle void is rank poison as my worthy father used to say. He liketh the lagoene wheel, honest man. I made a suitable apology for my breach of punctuality and was soon seated at table where Mr. Jarvie presided with great glee and hospitality, compelling, however, Owen and myself to do rather more justice to the Scottish dainties with which his board was charged than was quite agreeable to our southern palates. I escaped pretty well from having those habits of society which enable one to elude this species of well meant persecution. But it was ridiculous enough to see Owen, whose ideas of politeness were more rigorous and formal and who was willing, in all acts of lawful compliance, to evince his respect for the friend of the firm, eating with rueful complacence mouthful after mouthful of singed wool and pronouncing it excellent, in a tone in which discussed almost overpowered civility. When the cloth was removed, Mr. Jarvie compounded with his own hands a very small bowl of brandy punch, the first which I had ever fortunate to see. The lines, he assured us, were from his own little farm yonder away, indicating the West Indies with a knowing shrug of his shoulders. And he had learned the art of composing the liquor from the mild Captain Coffin Key, who acquired it, he added in a whisper, as maced they thought, among the buccaneers. But its excellent liquor said he, helping us round and good where has even come from a wicked market. And as for Captain Coffin Key, he was a decent man when I kent him, only he used to swear awfully. But he's dead and gay into his account, and I trust he's accepted, I trust he's accepted. We found the liquor exceedingly palatable, and it led to a long conversation between Owen and our host on the opening which the Union had afforded to trade between Glasgow and the British colonies in America and the West Indies, and on the facilities which Glasgow possessed of making up sortable cargos for that market. Mr. Jarvie answered some objection which Owen made on the difficulty of sorting a cargo for America without buying from England with vehemence and volubility. Nay, nay, sir, we stand on our own bottom, we pickle in our own pockny oak, we hail our own sterling surges, muscle-burrow stuffs, Aberdeen hose, Edinburgh chaloons and the like for our woolen or worsted goods, and we hail inns of all kinds better and cheaper than you hail in London itself, and we can buy your North England wares as Manchester wares, Sheffield wares, a new castle air than wares cheap as you can at Liverpool, and we are making a fair spell at cottons and muslins. Nay, nay, let every harring heen by its own head and every sheep by its own shank, and he'll find, sir, us Glasgow folk, no so far ahead but what we may follow. This is but a poor entertainment for you, Mr. Osbaldestone, observing that I had been for some time silent, but you can, cadgers mon-eye, be speaking about cart-saddles. I apologized, alleging the painful circumstances of my own situation and the singular adventures of the morning as the causes of my abstraction and absence of mind. In this manner I gained what I sought, an opportunity of telling my story distinctly and without interruption. I only omitted mentioning the wound I had received, which I did not think worthy of notice. Mr. Jarvie listened with great attention and apparent interest, twinkling his little grey eyes, taking snuff and only interrupting me by brief interjections. When I came to the account of the wrong contra, which, oh, unfolded his hands and cast up his eyes to heaven, was a very image of woeful surprise. Mr. Jarvie broken upon the narration with, rang now, clain rang, to draw a sword on your kinsmen is inhibited by the laws of God and man and to draw a sword on the streets of a royal burrow is punishable by fine and imprisonment. And the college yards are nay better privileged. They should be a place of peace and quietness, I throw. The college didn't get good 600 pound a year out to the bishops' rents, sorrow for the brood of bishops and the rents too, but at least of the Archbishopric of Glasgow, the sell-it, that they should let folks tool-z in their yards or the wild cow-ents bicker there with snowballs as the wilds do, that when Matty and I gay through we are famed to make a vape and a bow or run the risk of our hands being knocked out, it shall be looked to. But come away, we are tale, what fell maced? Readers note. The boys in Scotland used formally to make a sort of Saturnalia in a snowstorm by pelting passengers with snowballs. But those exposed to that annoyance were excused from it on the easy penalty of a bake, curtsy, from a female, or a bow from a man. It was only the refractory who underwent the storm. And Readers note. On my mentioning the appearance of Mr. Campbell, Jarvie arose in great surprise and paced the room exclaiming, Robin again, Robert's mad, clean wood and noir, Rob will be hanged and disgraced as kindred, and that will be seen and heard teller. My father, the deacon, wrought him his first hose, odd, I am thinking deacon three-ply, that ape-spinner will be twisting his last crevat, I, I, poor Robin, is a fair way of being hanged. But come away, come away, let's hear the love it. I told the whole story as pointedly as I could, but Mr. Jarvie still found something lacking to make it clear, until I went back, though with considerable reluctance, on the whole story of Morris, and of my meeting with Campbell at the House of Justice Inglewood. Mr. Jarvie inclined a serious ear to all this and remained silent for some time after I had finished my narrative. Upon all these matters I'm now to ask your advice, Mr. Jarvie, which I have no doubt will point out the best way to act for my father's advantage in my own honour. Yarrait, young man, Yarrait, said the Bailey, I take the counsel of those who are older and wiser than yourself, and bina like the goddess Rehobom, who took the advice of a wean, beardless calence, neglecting the elder counsellors who had sat at the feet of his father Solomon, and, as it was well put by Mr. Michael John, in his lecture on the chapter, were doubtless partakers of his sapience. But I'm on here nothing about honour. We can nothing here but about credit. Honour is a homicide and a blood spiller, that gangs about making a phrase in the street, but credit is a decent honest man that sits at him and makes the pat play. Assuredly, Mr. Jarvie, said our friend Owen, credit is the sum total, and if we can but save that at whatever discount. Yarrait, Mr. Owen, Yarrait, you speak will and wisely, and I trust both will row right, though they are a wee-a-gee, Ian Owl. But, touching Robin, I am of opinion he will befriend this young man if it is in his power. He has a good heart, poor Robin, and though I lost a matter of £1,200 with his former engagements, and hain a muckle expectations ever to see back my thousand pun scots that he promises me, Ian Owl, yet I will never say but what Robin means fair by men. Am I to consider him, I replied, as an honest man? Reply, Jarvie, with a precautionary sort of cough. Aye, he has a kind of highland honesty. He's honest after a sort, as they say. My father the deacon used I to laugh when he told me how that byword came up. When Captain Custlett was cracking crowds about his loyalty to King Charles and Clerk Petty grew, Yulha heard money a tale about him, asked him after what manner he served the king when he was fighting again him at Worcester in Cromwell's army, and Captain Custlett was a ready body and said that he served him after a sort. My honest father used to laugh well at that sport and say the byword came up. But do you think, I said, that this man will be able to serve me after a sort? Or should I trust myself to this place of rendezvous which he's given me? Frankly and fairly it's worth trying. You see yourself at some risk and you stay in here. This bit-body Morris has got a custom house placed down at Greenock, that support on the third down by here. And though all the world can seem to be but a twelve-egged creature, where a goose is head and a hen's heart, that goes about on the key, plaguing folks about pyramids and cockets and dockets and all that vexatious trade, yet if you lodge an information, oh, no doubt a man in magisterial duty man attend to it, and you might come to be clapped up when four hours will quite be convenient to your father's affairs. True, I observed, yet what service am I likely to render him by leaving Glasgow, which it is probable, will be the principal scene of Rachele's machinations and committing myself to the doubtful faith of a man of whom I know little, but that he fears justice and has doubtless good reasons for doing so, and that, for some secret and probably dangerous purpose, he's in close league and alliance with the very person who's like to be the author of our ruin. I, but you judge Rob hardly, said the Bailey, you judge him hardly, poor gild, and the truth is, that ye can nothing about our hill-country or highlands as we call them. They are clean and neither set for their likelihoods. There's nay Bailey courts among them, nay magistrates that dinna bear the sword in vain, like the where they deacon that's away. And I may say it like myself and other present magistrates in this city, but it's just the lair's command and the loon man loop, and the never another law have they but the length of their dirks, the broadswords pursuer or a plaintiff, as you Englishers cut, and the target is defender, the stoutest head bears longest out, and there's a highland plea for ye. Owen groan'd deeply, and I allow that the descriptions did not greatly increase my desire to trust myself in a country so lawless as he described these Scottish mountains. Now, sir, said Jarvie, we speak little of they things because they are familiar to ourselves, and where's the use of ill-fi in wain's country and bringin' a discredit on wain's kin before southerns and strangers. It's an ill-bear that files its ain nest. Well, sir, but as it is no impertinent curiosity of mine, but real necessity that obliges me to make these inquiries, I hope you will not be offended at my pressing for a little farther information. I have to deal on my father's account with several gentlemen of these wild countries, and I must trust your good sense and experience for the requisite lights upon the subject. This little morsel of flattery was not thrown out in vain. Experience, said the Bailey, I have had experience, and I doubt, and I have made some calculations. I, and to speak quietly among ourselves, I have made some perquisitions through Andrew Wiley, my old clerk. He's with McVidian Co. now, but he wiles drinks a gill on the Saturday afternoons we his old master. And since you say are willing to be guided by the Glasgow Weaverbody's advice, I am no the man that will refuse it to the son of my old correspondent. And my father, the deacon, was named sicker for me. I have wiles thought of letting my lights burn before the Duke of Argyll or his brother Lord Ile, for wherefore should they be hidden under a bushel? But the like of they, great man, wouldn't mind the like of me, a poor wabster body. They think more of what says a thing than of what the thing is that said. The mayor's the pity, mayor's the pity. Not that I would speak only ill of this Macallan moor. Curse not the rich in your red chamber, saith the son of Syrac. For a bird of the air shall carry the clatter and pint stout's he long lugs. I interrupted these prologamina in which Mr. Jarvie was apt to be somewhat diffuse by praying him to rely upon Mr. Owen and myself as perfectly secret and safe confidants. It's no for that, he replied, for a firne man, what for should I? I spake no treason. Only the Highland men, he long grips and I whilst gang abwee bit up the glens to see some Alkin's folks, and I wouldn't unwillingly be in bad blood with any of their clans. How some ever to proceed. You man understand, I found my remarks on figures. Wilkes, Mr. Owen, hear Wilkins, is the only true demonstrable root of human knowledge. Owen readily assented to a proposition so much in his own way, in our orator preceded. These Highlands of ours, as we call them, gentlemen, are better wild kind of wild by themselves, full of heights and howls, woods, caverns, locks, rivers and mountains, that it would tire the very devil's wings to flee to the top of them, and in this country, and in the Isles, we'll car a little better or to speak the truth rather well than the mainland. There are about two hundred and thirty parakeens, including the Arknys, where, whether they speak Gaelic or no Awotna, but they are an uncivilised people. Now, sirs, I shall hold ill parakeen at the moderate estimate of eight hundred examinable persons, deducting children under nine years of age, and then adding one-fifth to stand for brands of nine years old, and under, the whole population will reach the sum of, let us add one-fifth to eight hundred to be the multiplier, and two hundred and thirty being the multiplicand. The product, said Mr Owen, who entered delightedly into the statistics of Mr Jarvie, will be two hundred and thirty thousand. Right, sir, perfectly right, and the military array of this Highland country, where are the men folk between eighteen and fifty-six, brought out that could bear arms, couldn't a come wheel sort of fifty-seven thousand five hundred men. Now, sir, it's a sadden off the truth, that there is neither work, nor the very fashion nor appearance of work, for the te half of the pure creatures, that is to say that the agriculture, the pastures, the fisheries, and every species of honest industry about the country cannot employ the one moiety of the population, let them work as lazily as they like, and if they do work as if a plough or a spade burnt their fingers. I will, sir, this moiety of unemployed bodies, amounting to two one hundred and fifteen thousand souls, said Owen, being the half of the above product. You hate, Mr. Rowan, you hate, whereof there may be twenty-eight thousand seven hundred able-bodied gillies fit to bear arms, and that do bear arms, and will touch a look at nay honest means of livelihood, even if they could get it, which lackaday they cannot. But, is it possible, said I, Mr. Javi, that this can be a just picture of so large a portion of the Isle of Britain? Sir, I'll make it as plain as Peter Paisley's pike staff. I will allow that ilk paraquine, on average, employs fifty ploughs, work as a great proportion in sick miserable soil as their creatures hate a labour, and that there may be pasture enough for player horses and elsem, and forty or fifty cows now to take care of the ploughs and cattle. We's allow seventy-five families of six lives in ilk family, and we's add fifty mare to make even numbers, and you have five hundred souls that tear half of the population, employed and maintained in assort of fashion, with some chance of sour milk and crowdy. But I would be glad to ken what the other five hundred are to do. In the name of God, said I, what do they do, Mr. Javi? It makes me shudder to think of their situation. Sir, replied the Bailey, you would maybe shudder mare if you were livin' near hand them, for admitting that the day half of them may make some little thing for themselves honestly. In the lowlands by shear and harsh drove in hay-making and the like, ye hay still money hundreds and thousands of lang-legged highland gillies that will neither work nor want, and man gang thigging and soaring about on their acquaintance, or live by doin' the laird's bidding, be to right or be to rang. Readers note, thigging and soaring was a kind of genteel begging, or rather something between begging and robbing, by which the needy in Scotland used to extort cattle, or the means of subsistence, from those who had any to give. And readers note, and mare especially, money hundreds of them come down to the birders of the low country, where there's gear to grip, by stealing, writhing, lifting cows and like depredations, a thing deplorable on any Christian country, the mare especially that they take pride in it, and reckon driving a spray, wilkiers in plain scotch, stealing heard of Nauta, a gallant manly action, and mare befitting of pretty men, as sick drivers will call themselves, than to win a day's wage by any honest thrift. Readers note, the word pretty is or was used in scotch, in the sense of the German Prachtig, and meant a gallant alert fellow, prompt and ready at his weapons. And readers note, and the lads are as bad as the loons, for if they didn't abid them, gay, rive and harry, they dial a bit, they forbid them, and they shelter them, or let them shelter themselves in their woods and mountains and strongholds, whenever the thing's done, and every one of them will maintain as money his good name, or his clan as we say, as he can rap and rend means for, or wilks the same thing as money as can in any fashion, fair or foul-maintained in cells. And there they are, with gun and pistol, Dirk and Darlach, ready to disturb the peace of the country whenever their lord likes, and that's the grievance of the Highlands, will guard and hay-ben for this thousand years by past, a bike of the mace lilas, un-Christian limbers that ever disturbed a deuce-quiet, God-fearing neighborhood, like this ours in the west here. And this kinsman of yours, and friend of mine, is he one of those great proprietors who maintain the household troops you speak of, I inquired? And hey, nay, said Bailey Jarvie, his nanny are great grandees and chiefs as they car them neither, though he is will-born and linearly descended for a old glen stray. I can his lineage, indeed he is a near kinsman, and as I said, of good gentle highland blood, though you may think will that I care little about that nonsense, it's our moonshine in water, waste threads and thrums as we say. But I could show you letters for his father that was a third off glen stray to my father, deacon Jarvie, peace be with his memory, beginning, dear deacon, and ending, your loving kinsman to command. They are most about borrowed silver, say the good deacon that's dead in gain, keep it them as documents and evidence. He was a careful man. But if he is not, I resumed, one of their chiefs of patriarchal leaders whom I've heard my father talk of, this kinsman of yours has at least much to say in the highlands, I presume. You may say that. Nay, nay, better ken between the Lennox and Bredlebane. Robin was once a well-doing painstaking drover, as you would see among ten thousand. It was a pleasure to see him in his belted plaid in brogues with his target at his back and claymore and derk at his belt, following a hundred highland stots and a dozen other gillies, as are often ragged as the beasts they drave. And he was both civil and just in his dealings, and if he thought his Chapman had made a hard bargain, he would give him a lucky penny to the men's. I had kent him give back five shillings out of the pound sterling. Twenty-five percent said Owen a heavy discount. He would get though, sir, as I tell you, mad especially if he thought the buyer was a pure man and couldn't stand by a loss. But the times came hard, and Robin was venturesome. It was not my fault, it was not my fault, he cannot white me. I I told him out, and the creditors, mad especially some great neighbours of his, gripped to his living in land, and they say his wife was turned out of the house to the hillside, and Sir misguided to the boot. Shame for, shame for, I am a peaceful man and a magistrate, but if only one had guided, say, Muckal as my servant Queen Maddie. As it's like they guided Rob's wife, I think it should have set the shabble, cutlass, that my father the deacon had at both well Brig a walking again. Will, Rob came home, and fan desolation, God pity us, where he left plenty. He looked east, west, south, north, and saw neither hog nor hope, neither bough nor shelter. Say, he ay and pulled the bonnet or his brow, belted the broadsword to his side, took to the brave side and became a broken man. Note an outlaw. The voice of the good citizen was broken by his contending feelings. He obviously, while he professed to condemn the pedigree of his Highland kinsmen, attached a secret feeling of consequence to the connection, and he spoke of his friend, in his prosperity, with an overflow of affection, which deepened his sympathy for his misfortunes, and his regret for their consequences. Thus tempted and urged by despair, said I, seeing Mr. Jarvie did not proceed in his narrative, I suppose your kinsmen became one of those depredators you have described to us. No, so bad as that, said the Glaswegian. No, ah, together an outright so bad as that. But he became a levier of blackmail, wider and farther than ever it was raised in our day. Ah, through the Lennox in Mentai, and up to the gates of Stirling Castle. Blackmail, I do not understand the phrase, I remarked. Ah, you see, Rob soon gathered an uncole band of blue bonnets at his back, for he comes o'er off name when he's kent by his aim. And a name that's held its aim for money a long year, Beth again king and parliament in Kirk too, for art I can, an held and honourable name. For as Sarah's it had been worried and hadn't down and oppressed. My mother was a McGregor, I care not who I can sit, and Robert had soon a gallant band, and as it to grieve Tim, he said, to see sick hairship and waste and depredation to the south of the Highland line, why, if only Hereter a farmer would pay him for a pun scott out of each hundred puns of value rent, Wilk was doubtless a moderate consideration. Rob engaged to keep them scatheless, let them send to him if they lost say muckal as a single cloup by thieving, and Rob engaged to get them again, or pay the value, and he I keep at his word, I cannot deny but he keep at his word, our men allow Rob keeps his word. That is a very singular contract of assurance, said Mr Owen. It's clain again our statute law, that must be owned said Jarvie, clain again law, the levion and the pay in black mail are both finishable, but if the law can up protect my barn and buyer, what first did I no engage with a Highland gentleman that can answer me that, but said I, Mr Jarvie. Is this contract of black mail, as you call it, completely voluntary on the part of the landlord a farmer who pays the insurance, or what usually happens, in case anyone refuses payment of this tribute? Aha, lad said the baby laughing and putting his finger to his nose, you think he had me there, troth, I would advise only friend of mine to agree with Rob, for watch as they like and do what they like, they are sad up to be hurried when the Lang Knights come on, note plundered. Some of the Graham and Cahoon gentry stood out, but what then, they lost their hails stop the verse winter, so most folk now think it best to come into Rob's terms, he's easy with a body that will be easy with him, but if you throw him, you'd better throw the devil. And by his exploits in these vocations, I continued, I suppose he has rendered himself amenable to the laws of the country. Amenable, you may say that, his Craig would ken the way to his heredies if they could get out of Rob, but he has good friends among the great folk, and I could tell you or a great family that keeps him up as far as they decently can, to be all them in a side of another. And then he's sick and old, far and long-headed, chilled as ever took up the trade of Catherine in our time, money a daft rake he has played, mere than one fill a book, and a quare when it would be, as good as Robin Hood or William Wallace, awful of venturesome dates and escapes, sick as folktale hour after winter-ingle in the daft days. It's a quare thing, a me, gentlemen, that I'm a man a peace-misselle and a peaceful man's son, for the deacon my father coiled with none out of the town council. It's a quare thing, I say, but I think the Highland below to me warms at the daft tales, and whilst I like better to hear them than a word of profit, good forgive me. But they are vanities, sinful vanities, but again the statute law, again the statute and gospel law. I now followed up my investigation by inquiring what means of influence this Mr. Robert Campbell could possibly possess over my affairs are those of my father. Why, yarat understand, said Mr. Jarvie, in a very subdued tone, I speak among friends, and under the rose, yarat understand that the Highlands have been keep it quiet since the year 89, that was kill-a-cranky year, but how have they been keep it quiet, think ye, by Scyllar, Mr. Rowan, by Scyllar, Mr. Rose-Boldestown. King William Cosbredlebane distribute 20,000-houred ponds sterling among them, and it said the old Highlander will keep it a long logitins in Sporin, and then Queen Anne, that's dead, gave the chiefs bits of pensions, said they had wherewith to support their ghillies in catcherence at work nay work, as I said afore, and they lay by quiet enough, saying some sprayer in the lowlands, wilk is their use and want, and some cotton of thrapels among the cells, that nay civilized body-canser cares on anything and ent, well, but there's a new word come up with his King George, I say God bless him for when, there's neither like to be Scyllar no pensions gown among them, they hen other means of maintaining the clans that eat them up, as ye may guess, for what I said before, the credits gain in the lowlands, and a man that can whistle ye up a thousand or 1500 Lincoln lads to do his will, would hardly get 50 pounds on his band at the cross of Glasgow. This can ast stand long, there will be an outbreak for the stewards, there will be an outbreak, they will come down to the low country like a flood as they did in the wafer wars among Troes, and that will be seen in Hardtella era 12 month gangs round, yet still, I said, I do not see how this concerns Mr Campbell much less my father's affairs. Rob can levy 500 men, sir, and therefore sir'd concern him as muckl as maced folk, replied the Bailey, for it is a faculty that is far less profitable in time of peace. Then, to tell you the truth, I doubt he has been the prime agent between Samar Highland chiefs and the gentlemen to the north of England. We all heard of the public money that was tamed for the chaild Morris somewhere about the fit to cheviot by Rob, and one of the old spaldestown lads, and to tell you the truth, word-gay, that it was you yourself, Mr Francis, and sorry it was that your father's sons sort of tamed to sick practices. Nay, you needn't say a word about it. I see well I was misdain, but I would believe anything our stage prayer which I concluded you to be. But now, I doubt not, it has been rashly himself, or some other are your cousins. They are all tired with the same stick, rank Jacobites and papists, and one thing the government's sealer and government paper's lawful prize. And the creature Morris is sick of cowardly catef, that to this hour he darnest say that it was Rob took the portmanteau of him, and troth he's right, for your custom house and excise cattle are ill like it on all sides, and Rob might get about candid lick at him before the board as they can't could help him. I have long suspected this, Mr Javi, said I, and perfectly agree with you, but as to my father's affairs, suspected it, it's certain, it's certain, I can them that saw some of the papers that were tamed off Morris, it's to say where. But to your father's affairs, you man think that in the eight twenty years by Gann, some of the highland lords and chiefs had come to some smasants of their own interest. Your father and others, hey, bought the woods of Glen Disarys, Glen Kissoch, Tobernay Kippoch, and Monimer besides, and your father's house has granted large bails in payment, and as the credit, oh, as Baldeston in Thresham was good, or I'll say before Mr Rowan's face, as I would his back, that bating misfortunes of the Lord's sending, nay men could be mere honourable in business. The highland gentlemen, holders of eight bails, have found credit in Glasgow and Edinburgh. I might almost say in Glasgow holy, for it's little the pride for Edinburgh folk do in real business, for all, or the greater part of the contents of eight bails, so that, aha, do you see me now? I confessed I could not quite follow his drift. Why did he? If these bails are not paid, the Glasgow merchant comes on the Highland lords, who, hey, dell a bottle of sillard, and will like ill to spew up what his item all spent. They will turn desperate, five hundred will rise that might have sit in a helm. The dell will gay our junk Webster, and the stopping of your father's house will hasten the outbreak that's been so long biding us. You think, then, said I, surprised at this singular view of the case, that rashly as Baldestone has done this injury to my father merely to accelerate a rising in the Highlands by distressing the gentleman to whom these bails were originally granted. Doubtless, doubtless, it has been one main reason, Mr. as Baldestone. I doubt now but what the ready money he carried off with it might be another, but that makes comparatively but a small part of your father's loss, though it might make the most part of rashly's direct gain. The assets he carried off are of more use to him than if he were to light his pipe with him. He tried if McFittian Co would give him silver on them. That I can buy Andrew Wiley. But they were our old cats to draw that stray for them. They keep it off and gay fair words. Rashly as Baldestone is better can than trusted in Glasgow, for he was here about some Jacobitical papistical troking in seventeen hundred and seven, and left debt behind him. Nay, nay, he cannot pit off the paper there. Faulk will misdoubt him how he come by it. Nay, nay, he'll hay the stuff safe at some of their haldes in the highlands, and I dare say my cousin Rob could get at it, guinea-liked. But would he be disposed to serve us in this pinch, Mr. Jarvis had I? You have described him as an agent of the Jacobite party and deeply connected in their intrigues. Will he be disposed for my sake or if you please for the sake of justice, to make an act of restitution? Which, supposing it, in his power would, according to your view of the case, materially interfere with their plans? I cannot precisely speak to that. The grandies among them are doubtful of Rob, and he's doubtful of them, and he's been well-friended with the Argyle family or stand for the present model of government. If he was freed while his hornings and captions, he would rather be on Argyle's side than he would be on Bredelbane's, for there's all deal well between the Bredelbane family and his kin and name. The truth is that Rob is for his any hand, as Henry Wyand fought. He'll take the side that suits him best. If the Del was lad, Rob would be for being tenant, and you cannot blame him, pure fellow, considering his circumstances. Readers note two great clans fought out a quarrel with thirty men of a side in presence of the king, on the north inch of Perth, on or about the year 1392. A man was a missing on one side, whose room was filled by a little bandy-legged citizen of Perth. This substitute Henry Wyand, or as the Highlanders called him, Gal Chrone, that is the bandy-legged Smith, fought well and contributed greatly to the fate of the battle, without knowing which side he fought on. So, to fight for your own hand like Henry Wyand passed into a proverb, this incident forms a conspicuous part of the subsequent novel, The Fair Maid of Perth. And Readers note, but there's a lot of things going on here. Rob has a grey mare in his stable at home. A grey mare, said I, what is that to the purpose? The wife man, the wife, an awful wife she is. She down abide the sight of a kindly scot, if he come free the lowlands, far less of an Englisher, and she'll be keen for all that can set up King James and ding down King George. It is very singular, I reply, that the mercantile transactions of London become involved with revolutions and rebellions. Not at all, man, not at all, return Mr. Jarvie, that's all your silly prejudications. I read Wilds in the Lang Dark Nights, and I read in Baker's Chronicle that the merchants of London could guard the banker Genoa break their promise to advance some mighty sum to the King of Spain, whereby the sailings of the great Spanish Armata was put out for a year. What do you think of that, sir? That the merchants did their country golden service, which ought to be honourably remembered in our histories. I think so, too. They would do will and deserve will-bath of a state and a humanity. That would save three or four honest Highland gentlemen for a loop in heads or a healer, for a loop in heads or a healer, for a loop in heads or a healer, for a loop in heads or a healer, for a loop in heads or a healer, for a loop in heads or a healer, for a loop in heads or a healer into destruction, we all they appear sacch cranklist followers just because they kinda pay back the silver they had reason to count upon as the realm and save your father's credit and my own good silver that Osboldo stone and networks shouldвe miles me into the bargain. Not, sacch list, that is, innocent. I say if Wain could manage all this I think it should be done and said unto him that even if he were a looking delighteth to honour. I cannot pretend to estimate the extent of public gratitude, I replied, but our own thankfulness, Mr Javi, would be commensurate with the extent of the obligation. Which added Mr Owen. We would endeavour to balance with a pair contra the instant our Mr Oswaldestown returns from Holland. I doubt not. I doubt not. He is a very worthy gentleman and is responsible, and with some of my lights might do mockal business in Scotland. Well, sir, if these assets could be redeemed out of the hands of the Philistines, they are good paper, they are the right stuff when they are in the right hands, and that's yours, Mr Owen. And I find you three men in Glasgow for as little as you may think of us, Mr Owen. That's Sandy Steenson in the trade sand, and John Peary in candle rigs, and another that shall be nameless at this present, shall advance what sums are sufficient to secure the credit of your house, and seek nay better security. Owen's eyes sparkled at this prospect of extrication, but his countenance instantly fell on recollecting how improbable it was that the recovery of the assets, as he technically called them, should be successfully achieved. Dinner to spare, sir, dinner to spare, said Mr Javi. I hate and say mockal concern with your affairs already, that it may only be overshown our boots with me now. I am just like my father, the deacon, praise be with him. I can't a metalware friend's business, but I, I end with making it mine. Today, I'll eon pit on my boots in the morn, and be jogging our driven mure with Mr Frank here. And if I can a make Rob here reason, and his wife too, I dint a can what can. I have been a kind friend to them afore now, to say nothing o'er looking him last night, when naming his name would a cost in his life. I'll be hearing of this in the council, may be for Bailey Graham and McVitie, and some of them. They have cussed up my kindred to Rob. To me already, set up their Nash gabs, I told them I would vindicate Nay men's faults, but set apart what he had done again the law of the country, and the hairship of the Linux, and the misfortune of some folks losing life by him. He was an honester man, then stood on only of their shanks. And what for, said I, mind their clavours, if Rob is an outlaw, to him sell be it said, there isn't a laws now about the reset of inter-commune persons, as there was in the ill times of the last yearts. I trow a house scotch-tong in my head, if they speak, I's answer. It was with great pleasure that I saw the Bailey gradually surmount the barriers of caution, under the united influence of public spirit and good-natured interest in our affairs, together with his natural wish to avoid loss and acquire gain, and not a little harmless vanity. Through the combined operation of these motives, he at length arrived at the dowdy resolution of taking the field in person to aid in the recovery of my father's property. His whole information led me to believe that if the papers were in possession of this Highland adventurer, it might be possible to induce him to surrender what he could not keep with any prospect of personal advantage. And I was conscious that the presence of his kinsmen was likely to have a considerable weight with him. I therefore cheerfully acquiesced in Mr. Jarvie's proposal that we should set out early next morning. That honest gentleman was indeed as vivacious and alert in preparing to carry his purpose into execution, as he had been slow and cautious in forming it. He roared to Maddie, to Addie's trot cozy, have his jackboots graced and set before the kitchen fire all night, and to see that his bass'd be corned, and now his riding gear in order. Having agreed to meet him at five o'clock next morning, and having settled that Owen, whose presence could be of no use to us upon this expedition, should await our return at Glasgow, we took a kind farewell of this unexpectedly zealous friend. I installed Owen in an apartment in my lodgings, contiguous to my own, and giving orders to Andrew fair service to attend me next morning at the hour appointed, I retired to rest, with better hopes than it had lately been my fortune to entertain. End of Book 2, Chapter 9. Volume 2, Chapter 10 of Our Boy. This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Far as the eye could reach, no tree was seen. Earth, clad in russet, scorn'd the lively green, no birds, except as birds of passage flew. No bee was heard to hum, no dove to coo. No streams, as amber smooth, as amber clear, were seen to glide, or heard to wobble here. Prophecy of Famine. It was in the bracing atmosphere of a harvest morning that I met by appointment fair service with the horses at the door of Mr Javi's house, which was but little space distant from Mrs Flight's hotel. The first matter which caught my attention was that whatever were the deficiencies of the pony, which Mr Fair Service's legal advisor, Clark Toothhope, generously bestowed upon him in exchange for Thorncliffe's mare, he had contrived to part with it, and procure in its stead an animal with so curious and complete alameness that it seemed only to make use of three legs for the purpose of progression, while the fourth appeared as if meant to be flourished in the air by way of accompaniment. What do you mean by bringing such a creature as that here, sir? And where is the pony you rode to Glasgow upon? Were my very natural and impatient inquiries? I sell to the sir. It was a slink of best, and what I eat in its head I have standing at Lucky Flight's utter levity, and I have bought this on your honour's account. It's a garand bargain, course for a pooned stalling the food. That's for all the gather. This string-hold would gay off when it's gain a mile. It's a well-ken gang, they call it suppletarm. On my soul, sir, said I, you will never rest until my supplejack and your shoulders become acquainted. If you do not go instantly and procure the other brute, you shall pay the penalty of your ingenuity. Andrew, notwithstanding my threats, continued to battle the point. As he said it would cost him a guinea of roue bargain to the man who had bought his pony before he could get it back again. Like a true Englishman, though sensible I was duped by the rascal, I was about to pay his exaction rather than lose time, when forth salad Mr. Javi, cloaked, mantled, hooded and booted, as if for a Siberian winter. While, to apprentices, under the immediate direction of Matty, led forth the decent ambling steed which had the honour on such occasions to support the person of the Glasgow magistrate. ere he clombered to the saddle, an expression more descriptive of the Bailey's mode of mounting than that of the knight's errant to whom Spence applies it, he inquired the cause of the dispute, betwixt my servant and me. Having learned the nature of honest Andrew's manoeuvre, he instantly cut short all debate by pronouncing that a fair service did not forthwith return the three-legged poultry and produced the more useful quadruped which he had discarded, he would send him to prison, and immerse him in half his wages. Mr. O'Baldestone said he contracted for the saddle of his both your horse and year, to how brutes advance, your unconscionable rascal, but I is a leg wheel after year during this journey. It will be nought since finding me, said Andrew doubly, that hath not a gray groat to pay a fine, where it's ill-taking the bricks of a healing man. If he ain't a Paris to fine, you have flesh to pay him, replied the Bailey, and I would look weelty getting yet a desert to tear where o'er the tither. To the commands of Mr. Javi, therefore, Andrew was compelled to submit, only muttering between his teeth, o'er money masters, o'er money masters, as the paroxied to the harrow, whenever he tooth gheher a teak. Apparently he found no difficulty in getting rid of supple tam, and recovering possession of his former pucephalus, for he accomplished the exchange without being many minutes absent, nor did I hear further, of his having paid any smart money for breach of bargain. Menal said forward, but had not reached the top of the street in which Mr. Javi dwelt, when a loud hallowing and breathless call of Stop! Stop! was heard behind us. We stopped accordingly, and were overtaken by Mr. Javi's two lads, who bore two parting tokens of Matty's care for her master. The first was conveyed in the form of a voluminous silk handkerchief, like the main sail of one of his own West Indiemen, which Mrs. Matty particularly desired he would put about his neck, and which, thus entreated, he added to his other enticements. The second youngster brought only a verbal charge. I thought I saw the rogue disposed to laugh as he delivered it, on the part of the housekeeper, that her master would take care of the waters. Poh! Poh! See, hussy! answered Mr. Javi, but added, turning to me, it shores a kind heart, though, it shores a kind heart, and see, young a queen, Matty's a careful lass. So, speaking, he put the sides of his poultry, and left the town without further interruption. While we paced easily forward, by a road which conducted us north-eastward from the town, I had an opportunity to estimate and admire the good qualities of my new friend. Although, like my father, he considered commercial transactions the most important objects of human life, he was not wedded to them so as to undervalue more general knowledge, on the contrary, with much oddity and vulgarity of manner, with a vanity which he made much more ridiculous by disguising it now and then under a thin veil of humanity, and devoid, as he was, of all the advantages of a learned education. Mr. Javi's conversation showed tokens of a shrewd, observing, liberal, and, to the extent of its opportunities, a well-improved mind. He was a good local antiquary. And entertained me as we passed along, with an account of remarkable events which had formerly taken place in the scenes through which we passed. And, as he was well acquainted with the ancient history of his district, he saw, with the prospective eye of an enlightened patriot, the buds of many of those future advantages which have only blossomed and ripened within these few years. I remarked also, and with great pleasure, that although a keen Scotchman, and abundantly zealous for the honour of his country, he was disposed to think liberally of the sister kingdom. When Andrew Fair-Service, whom, by the way, the Bailey could not abide, chose to impute the accident of one of the horses casting his shoe to the deteriorating influence of the union, he incurred a severe rebuke for Mr. Javi. Wished, Sarah! Wished! You inscribed tongues like eras that make mischief between neighbourhoods and nations. There's nothing so good on this side of time, but it might have been better. And that may be said of the union. Nain Mckina against it than the Glasgow folk, with their rubblings and their risings and their remobbs, as they call them nowadays. But it's an ill wind and nobody's good. Let Ilke in, hoarse the fort as they find it. As they let Glasgow flourish, Wilkes judiciously and elegantly puttin' around the toons' irons, by way of byword. No, since St. Mungo catched herrings in the Clyde, what was ever like to garras fallow-ish, like the sugar and tobacco thread. Will anybody tell me that, and grumble at the treaty that opened us a road with our yonder? Andrew Fair-Service was far from acquiescing in these arguments of experience, and even ventured to enter a grumbling protest, that it was an uncalled change to her Scotland's laws made in England, and that for his share he would never hold the herring-barrels in Glasgow, and all the tobacco-caste boot, he'd given up the riding of the Scots' Parliament, or sent our crown and our sword and our sceptre, and mourns make to be kept by the English Puck-Puddins in the Tower of London. What would say William Wallace, or old Debbie Lindsay, he said to the Union, or them that made it? The road which we travelled, while diverting the way with these discussions, had become wild and open, as soon as we had left Glasgow a mile or two behind us, and was growing more dreary as we advanced. Huge continuous heaths spread before, behind, and around us, in hopeless barrenness, now level and interspersed with swamps, green with treacherous verger, or sable with turf, or as they call them in Scotland, Pete Boggs, and now swelling into huge heavier scents which wanted the dignity and form of hills, while they were still more toilsome to the passenger. There were neither trees nor bushes to relieve the eye from the russet-nivery of absolute sterility. The very heath was of that stinted imperfect kind which has little or no flower, and affords the coarsest and meanest covering, which as far as my experience enables me to judge, Mother Earth is ever arrayed in, living a thing we saw none, except occasionally a few straggling sheep of a strange diversity of colours, as black, bluish, and orange. The sable hue predominated, however, in their faces and legs. The very birds seemed to shun these wastes, and no wonder since they had an easy method of escaping from them. At least I only heard the monotonous and painful cries of the lapwing and curlew, which my companions denominated the peace-weep and warp. At dinner, however, which we took about noon at a most miserable ale-house, we had the good fortune to find that these tiresome scurremers of the morass were not the only inhabitants of the moors. The good wife told us that the good man had been at the heel, and well for us that he had been so, for we enjoyed the product of his chasse in the shape of some boiled moor game, a dish which gallantly egged out the ewe milk cheese, dried salmon, and oat and bread, being all besides that the house afforded. Some very indifferent, tuppany ale, and a glass of excellent brandy, crowned our repast, and, as our horses had in the meantime, discussed their corn, we resumed our journey with renovated figure. I had need of all the spirits a good dinner could give to resist the detection which crept insensibly on my mind, when I combined the strange uncertainty of my errand with the disconsolate aspect of the country through which it was leading me. Our road continued to be, if possible, more waste and wild than we had travelled in the forenoon. The few miserable hovels that showed some marks of human habitation were now of still rarer occurrence, and at length as we began to ascend an uninterrupted swell of the moorland, they totally disappeared. The only exercise which my imagination received was, when some particular turn of the road gave us a partial view, to the left, of a large assemblage of dark blue mountains stretching to the north and northwest, which promised to include within their recesses a country as wild perhaps, but certainly differing greatly in point of interest from that which we now travelled. The peaks of this green of mountains were as wildly varied and distinguished as the hills which we had seen on the right were tame and lumpish, and while I gazed on this alpine region I felt a longing to explore its recesses, though accompanied with toil and danger, similar to that which a sailor feels when he wishes for the risks and animation of a battle or a gale, in exchange for the insupportable monotony of a protracted calm. I made various inquiries of my friend Mr Javi, respecting the names and positions of these remarkable mountains, but it was a subject in which he had no information or did not choose to be communicative. They're the Heeland Hills. The Heeland Hills. You'll see and hear a note about them before you see Glasgow cross again. I don't look at them. I never see them, but they guard me good. It's no for fear, no for fear, but just for grief for the pure, blinded, half-starved creatures that inhabit them. But say no more about it. It's ill speaking of Heeland men. Say no other line. I hackened money and honest man when I have ventured this length without he had made his last will in testament. Matty had ill willed to see me set awar on the charade and gratt away with silly torpy. But it's no more fairly to see a woman greet than to see a goose gung bare a fit. I next attempted to lead the discourse on the keratin history of the person whom we were going to visit. But on this topic Mr Javi was totally inaccessible, I mean perhaps in part to the attendance of Mr Andrew Fair Service who chose to keep so close in our rear that his ears could not fail to catch every word which was spoken, while his tongue assumed the freedom of mingling in our conversation as often as he saw an opportunity. For this he occasionally incurred Mr Javi's reproof. Keep a buck, sir, as best set ye, said the Bailey, as Andrew pressed forward to catch the answer to some question I had asked about Campbell. He would then ride the forer horse and he was too. That child's eye for being out of the cheese fat he was moulded in. No, as for your questions, Mr Osboldestorn, knew that child's out of air a shot, he'll just tell you, it's free to you to spare and it's free to me to answer oh no. Good I cannot say Michael or Rob, poor a child. He'll, I will not say to him, for, for be that he's my cousin, we're coming near his own country and there may be one of his guillies and every whinbush who I can and if he'll be guided by my advice, the less ye speak butum or where we are going or what we are going to do, we'll be the mere likely to spead us in our errand. For it's like me may far in with some of his unfriends, there are even all my money are them a boot and his born it sits even on his bro yet for all that, but I doubt there'll be upsides we rob at the last erete or let the fox's hide finds a the fleeing knife. I will certainly, I replied, be entirely guided by your experience. Right, Mr. Oswaldstorn, right, but I won't speak to this garbling skite too, for barons and furls speak at the cross what they hear at the engleside. Do you hear you, Andrew? What's your name? Fairer service. Andrew, who at the last rebuff had fallen a good way behind, did not choose to acknowledge the summons. Andrew, you skinger. Repeated, Mr. Javi. Here, sir, here. Here is for the dog, said Andrew, coming up selfly. I'll give you dog's wages, you rascal. If you didn't attend to what I said here, we are going into the healings a bit. I judged as Mockel, said Andrew, heard your piece, you knave, and here what I have to say to you, we are going a bit into the healings. You told me, sir, ready, replied the incorrigible Andrew. I'll break your head, said the baby, rising and wroth, if you didn't hold your tongue. A hardened turn, replied Andrew, makes a slubbered muth. It was now necessary I shouldn't appear, which I did by commanding Andrew with an authoritative tone to be silent at his peril. I am silent, said Andrew, as to all your lawful wooden, without an essay, my poor and middle east eye to tell me, be it better, be it worse, be ruled by him that has the Paris, say you may even speck as long as you leak, beth a ten in the tether, all you, for Andrew. Mr Javi took the advantage of his stopping after quoting the above proverb to give him the requisite instructions. New sir, it's as muckeled as your life's worth, that would be dear a little silly to be sure, but it is as muckeled as our life's worth, if you didn't mind what I say to you. In this public war we are going to, it is like we may hate to stay a night, men are all clans and kindred, healing in lowland, take up their quarratus, and whilst their ra-mer-dron-decks, then open bibles and meng them, when the uskaba gets uppermost, say you neither meddle nor meng, nor gine offence with that clovering tongue of yours, but keep a calm soft, and let eagle cock fight his own battle. Muckeled needs to tell me that, said Andrew contemptuously, as if I had never seen a healing man before, and can now how to manage them, ne man a life can cootle up dawnum better than myself, I have bought with them, sold with them, eaten with them, trucking with them, did you ever fight with them, said Mr. Javi. Na, na, answered Andrew, I took care of that, yet what Eliha said to me, that I am an artist in half a school to my trade, to be fightin' a meng of wean, keelted leans that dinner came the name of a single herb or flower, in bread scuts, let it be in a latentong. Then, said Mr. Javi, as ye what, keep either ye tongue in ye muth, or ye logs in ye head, and ye mate mist them for as saucy members as they are, I charge ye to say, no word, good or bad, that ye can wheel goodbye to anybody that may be in the klachen, and ye'll specially understand that ye're in there to be blazin' and blastin' about your master's name in mind, or saying that this is Mr. Bailey, Nickel Javi of the South Market, son of the worthy Dean Nickel Javi, that our body has heard about, and this is Mr. Frank Osbaldestorn, son of the managing partner of the great house of Osbaldestorn and Tresham in the city. In ye said, answered Andrew, in ye said, what do ye think I would be speakin' about your name's forer? I have many things of mere importance to speak about I true, and they vary things of importance that I'm feared for, ye blathering goose, ye want to speak any thing, good or bad, that ye can by any possibility help. If ye didn't think me fit, replied Andrew in a hug, to speak like either folk, give me my wages and my borrowed wages, and I shall go back to Glasgow. There's my sorrow at all parten, as the old mayor said to the broken car. Finding Andrew's perverseness again at rising to a point which threatened to occasion me inconvenience, I was under the necessity of explaining to him that he might return if he thought proper, but that in that case I would not pay him a single farthing for his past services. The argument at Cruminham, as it has been called by jocular logicians, has wait with a greater part of mankind, and Andrew was in that particular, far from affecting any trick of singularity. He drew in his horns, to use the Bailey's phrase on the instant, professed no intention whatsoever to disablige, and a resolution to be guided by my commands, whatever they might be. Concord, being thus happily restored to our small party, we continued to pursue our journey. The road which had ascended for six or seven English miles now began to descend for about the same space, through a country which neither in fertility nor interest could boast any advantage over that which we had passed already, and which afforded no variety, unless when some tremendous peak of a highland mountain appeared at a distance. We continued, however, to ride on without pause, and even when night fell and overshadowed the desolate wilds which we traversed, we were, as I understood from Mr Javi, still three miles in a bit like distant from the place where we were to spend the night. End of Volume 2, Chapter 10. Recording by Felicity Campbell, Whanganui, New Zealand. Volume 2, Chapter 11 of Rob Roy. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Chapter 11. Baranov Baklivi. May the vile fiend drive ye, and all to pieces arrive ye. For buildings stick a tune, where there's neither horus meet, nor man's meet, nor a chair to sit down. Scottish popular rhymes on a bad end. The night was pleasant, and the moon afforded us good light for our journey. Under her rays, the ground over which we passed assumed a more interesting appearance than during the broad daylight, which discovered the extent of its wasteness. The mingled light and shadows gave it an interest which naturally did not belong to it, and, like the effect of a veil, flung over a plain woman, irritated our curiosity on a subject which had in itself nothing gratifying. The descent, however, still continued, turned, winded, left more open-heaths, and got into steeper ravines, which promised soon to lead us to the banks of some brook or river, and ultimately made good their presage. We found ourselves at length on the bank of a stream which rather resembled one of my native English rivers than those I had had the two seen in Scotland. It was narrow, deep, still, and silent, although the imperfect light as it gleamed on its placid waters showed also that we were now among the lofty mountains which formed its cradle. That's the Forth, said the Bailey, with an air of reverence, which I have observed the Scotch distinguished rivers, the Clyde, the Tweed, the Forth, the Spay. I usually named by those who dwell on their banks with a sort of respect and pride, and I have known duels occasioned by any word of disparagement. I cannot say I have the least quarrel with a sort of harmless enthusiasm. I received my friend's communication with the importance that she seemed to think appertain to it. In fact, I was not a little pleased after so long and dull a journey to approach a region which promised to engage the imagination. My faithful squire, Andrew, did not seem to be quite of the same opinion, for he received the solemn information that is the Forth with a, and he had said that the public case it would have been matter to the Puripas. The Forth, however, as far as the imperfect light permitted me to judge, seemed to merit the admiration of those who claimed an interest in its stream, a beautiful eminence of the most regular round shape, and a clothed with copswood of hazels, mountain-assioned dwarf oak, intermixed with a few magnificent old trees, which, rising above the Underwood, exposed their forked and bare branches to the silver moonshine, seemed to protect the sources from which the river sprung. If I could trust the tale of my companion, which, while professing to disbelieve every word of it, he told, under his breath, and with an air of something like intimidation, this hill, so regularly formed, so richly verdant, and garlanded with such a beautiful variety of ancient trees and thriving copswood, was held by the neighborhood to contain, within its unseen caverns, the palaces of the fairies, a race of airy beings, who formed an intermediate class between men and demons, and who, if not positively malignant to humanity, were yet to be avoided and feared on account of their capricious, vindictive, and irritable disposition. They call them, said Mr. Javi, in a whisper, Da Anche, which simplifies, as I understand, man of peace, meaning thereby to make their good will, and we may in his will call them that too, Mr. Osboldestorn, for there's near good in speaking ill of the Lord within his own bones. But he added presently after, on seeing one or two lights which twinkled before us, this deceitful satan after our, and I fairer not to say it, for we are near the months new, and yonder are the lights in the clucken of Aberfoil. I own I was well pleased at the circumstance to which Mr. Javi alluded, not so much that it set his tongue at liberty, in his opinion, with all safety, to declare his real sentiment with respect, to the Da Anche, or fairies, as that it promised some hours repose to ourselves and our horses, of which, after a ride of fifty miles and upwards, both stood in some need. We crossed the infant forth by an old-fashioned stone bridge, very high and very narrow. My conductor, however, informed me that to get through this deep and important stream, and to clear all its tributary dependencies, the general passed from the highlands to the southward, lay by what was called the Fords of Fru, at all times deep and difficult of passage, and often altogether unfordable. Beneath these forts there was no pass of general resort until so far east as the bridge of Sterling, so that the river of forth forms a defensible line between the highlands and lowlands of Scotland, from its source nearly to the Firth, or in net of the ocean, in which it terminates. The subsequent events which we witnessed led me to recall with attention what the shrewdness of Bailey Jarvie suggested in this proverbial expression that, forth bridles the wild highland man. About half a mile's riding after we crossed the bridge, placed us at the door of the public house, where we were to pass the evening. It was a hovel rather worse than better than that in which we had dined, but its little windows were lighted up, voices were heard from within, and all intimated a prospect of food and shelter to which we were by no means indifferent. Andrew was the first to observe that there was a peeled willow wand placed across the half-open door of the little inn. He hung back and advised us not to enter. For, said Andrew, some of their chiefs and great men are burling at the oscuba inn by there, and dinner want to be disturbed, and the least we'll get, if we can ram-stam in on them, we'll be a broken head to learn us better harvings. If we didn't come by the length of a cool's dick in our arm, Wilk is just as likely. I looked at the Bailey, who acknowledged in a whisper that the goke had some reason for singing aunts in the air. Meanwhile, a staring half-clad wench or two came out of the inn and the neighbouring cottages on hearing the sound of our horses' feet. No one bade us welcome, nor did anyone offer to take our horses from which we had alighted, and to our various inquiries, the hopeless response of, Ha, Neil, Sushinuck! was the only answer we could extract. The Bailey, however, found in his experience a way to make them speak English. If I gear you a borby, said he to an urchin of about ten years old with a fragment of a tattered blade about him, will you understand Sushinuck? I, I, that will I, replied the brat in very decent English. Then, going and telling a mommy of my man, there's Sushinuck, a gentleman, come to speak with her. The landlady presently appeared with a lighted piece of spit fur blazing in her hand. The turpentine and the species of torch, which is generally dug from out of the turf bogs, makes it blaze and sparkle readily so that it is often used in the highlands in lieu of candles. On this occasion such a torch illuminated the wild and anxious features of a female, pale, thin, and rather above the usual size, whose soiled and ragged dress, though aided by a plaid or tartan screen, barely served the purposes of decency and certainly not those of comfort. The black hair, which escaped an uncombed elf-locks from unto her quaff, as well as the strange and embarrassed look with which she regarded us, gave me the idea of a witch, disturbed in the midst of her unlawful rites. She plainly refused to admit us into the house. We remonstrated anxiously and pleaded the length of our journey, the state of our horses, and the certainty that there was not another place where we could be received nearer than Calender, which the baby stated to be seven scots miles distant. How many these may exactly amount to an English measurement, I have never been able to ascertain, but I think the double ratio may be pretty safely taken as a medium computation. The obdurate hostess treated our expostulation with contempt. Better gang, father, than ferre warre, she said. Speaking the Scottish lowland dialect and being indeed a native of the Lenox district, her house was taken up with them, would not like to be intruded on with stranges. She did not care whom it might be there, red-colts it might be, fred the garisong. These last words she spoke unto her breath and with very strong emphasis. The knight, she said, was fared a boon-head. A night to man the heather, would colour our bloods, we might sleep in our claws, as money a good-blood does in the scubart. There was no muckle from us in the shore, if we took up our quarters right, and we might put up our hostess to the hill, nobody would say nothing against it. But, my good woman, said I, while the Bailey groaned and remained undecided, it is six hours since we dined, and we have not taken a morsel since. I am positively dying with hunger, and I have no taste for taking up my abode suppalus among these mountains of yours. I positively must enter and make the best apology you can to your guests for adding a stranger or two to their number. Andrew, you will see the horses put up. The hekkity looked at me with surprise and then ejaculated. A wooful man will hay his way, but will to Cuba, more on to Cuba, to see their English-belly gods. He has had a very meal the day already, and he'll venture life and liberty rather than he'll want a head-suba. Set a roasted beef and pudding on the opposite side of the pit of Tofean, an Englishman will mark a spang at it. But I wash my hands out. Follow me, Sarah, to Andrew, and I'll show you where to pit the beast. I own. I was somewhat dismayed at my landlady's expressions, which seemed to be ominous of some approaching danger. I did not, however, choose to shrink back after having declared my resolution, and accordingly, I boldly entered the house, and, after narrowly escaping, breaking my shins over a turf-back and assaulting tub, which stood on either side of the narrow exterior passage, I opened a crazy half-decade door, constructed not of plank but of wicker, and, followed by the bailey, entered into the principal apartment of the Scottish caravancery. The interior presented a view which seemed singular enough to southern eyes. The fire, fed with blazing turf and branches of dried wood, blazed merrily in the centre, but the smoke, having no means to escape but through a hole in the roof, eddied round the rafters of the cottage and hung in sable folds at the height of about five feet from the floor. The space beneath was kept pretty clear by innumerable currents of air which rushed towards the fire from the broken panel of basket work, which served as a door. From two square holes, designed as ostensible windows, through one of which was thruster plaid and through the other, a tattered greatcoat and, moreover, through various less distinguishable apertures in the walls of the tenement, which, being built of round stones and turf cemented by mud, let in the atmosphere at innumerable crevices. At an old, oaken table adjoining to the fire sat three men, guests, apparently, whom it was impossible to regard with indifference. Two were in the highland dress, the one, a little dark complexion to man with a lively, quick and irritable expression of features or the trues or close pantaloons wove out of a sort of checkered stocking stuff. The bailey whispered me that he behooved to be a man of some consequence for that ne'erbity bought their due and hair wussles or the trues. They were edled to weave exactly to the highland pleasure. The other mountaineer was a very tall, strong man with a quantity of reddish hair, freckled face, high cheekbones and long chin, a sort of caricature of the national features of Scotland. The tartan which he wore differed from that of his companion as it had much more scarlet in it, whereas the shades of black and dark green predominated in the checkers of the other. The third who sat at the same table was in the lowland dress. A bold, stout-looking man with a cast of military daring in his eye and manner, his riding dress showily and profusely laced and his cocked hat of formidable dimensions, his hanger and a pair of pistols lay on the table before him. Each of the highlanders had their naked dirks stuck upright in the board beside him. An emblem, I was afterwards informed but surely a strange one, that their computation was not to be interrupted by any brawl. A mighty pewter measure containing about an English court of Uskaba, a liquor nearly as strong as brandy, which the highlanders distilled from malt and drink undiluted in excessive quantities was placed before these were these. A broken glass with a wooden foot served as a drinking cup to the whole party and circulated with a rapidity which, considering the potency of the liquor, seemed absolutely marvellous. These men spoke loudly and eagerly together, sometimes in Gaelic, at other times in English. Another highlander, wrapped in his plaid, reclined on the floor, his head resting on a stone from which it was only separated by a whispered straw and slept or seemed to sleep without attending to what was going on around him. He also was probably a stranger, for he lay in full dress and accouted with a sword and target, the usual arms of his countrymen, when on a journey. Groups there were of different dimensions beside the walls, formed some of fractured boards, some of shattered wicker work or platted bowels, in which slumbered the family of the house, men, women and children. Their places of repose only concealed by the dusky wreaths of labour which arose above, below and around them. Our entrances made so quietly and the corralses I have described were so eagerly engaged in their discussions that we escaped their notice for a minute or two. But I observed the highlander, who lay beside the fire, raised himself on his elbow as we entered and, drawing his plaid over the lower part of his face, fixed his look on us for a few seconds, after which he resumed his recumbent posture and seemed again to be taken self to the repose which our entrances had interrupted. We advanced to the fire, which was an agreeable spectacle after our late ride during the chillness of an autumn evening among the mountains and first attracted the attention of the guests who had preceded us by calling for the landlady. She approached, looking doubtfully and timidly, now at us, now at the other party and returned a hesitating and doubtful answer to our request to have something to eat. She didn't again, she said, she was not sure there was only thing in the house and then modified her refusal with the qualification. That is, only thing fit for the like of us. I assured her we were indifferent to the quality of our supper and looking round for the means of accommodation which were not easily to be found, I arranged an old hen coop as a seat for Mr Javi and turned down a broken tub to serve for my own and your fair service entered presently afterwards and took a place in silence behind our backs. The natives, as I may call them, continued staring at us with an air as if confounded by our assurance and we, at least I myself, disguised as well as we could under an appearance of indifference any secret anxiety we might feel concerning the mode in which we were to be received by those whose privacy we had disturbed. At length, the lesser Highlander, addressing himself to me, said in very good English and in a tone of great haughtiness, Yeah, make yourself at home, Sarah, I see. I usually do so, I replied, when I come into a house of public entertainment. And did she not see, said the taller man, by the white wand at the door that gentlemen's heart had taken of the public house on their own business. I do not pretend to understand the customs of this country, but I am yet to learn, I replied, how three persons should be entitled to exclude all other travellers from the only place of shelter and refreshment for miles round. There's no reason for it, gentlemen, said the Bailey. We mean no offense, but there's neither law nor reason for it. But as far as a stoop of good brandy would make up the quarrel, we, being peaceable folk, would be willing. Darn your brandy, sir, said the lowlander, adjusting his cocked hat fiercely upon his head. We desire neither your brandy nor your company. And up he rose from his seat. His companions also arose, muttering to each other, drawing up their plaids and snorting and snuffing the air after the manner of their countrymen, when working themselves into a passion. A tall tea was what come, gentlemen, said the landlady. Arnie would have been talled. Get away with you out of my house and make no disturbance here. There's no gentleman to be disturbed at Jeannie McCallpine's aunt she can't hinder. Have been idle English dunes, going about the country under clue tonight, undisturbing honest, peaceable gentlemen that are drinking their trap drink at the fireside. At another time, I thought of the old Latin adage, Dart venum corvus vexit censure Columbus. But I had not any time for classical quotation, for there was obviously a fray about to ensue, at which feeling myself indignant at the inhospitable insolence with which I was treated, I was totally indifferent, unless on the Bailey's account whose person and qualities were ill-qualified for such an adventure. I stood up, however, on seeing the other's rise, and dropped my cloak for my shoulders that I might be ready to stand on the defensive. We are three to three, said the lesser Highlander, glancing his eyes at our party. If ye be pretty men, draw! And, unsheathing his broadsword, he advanced on me. I put myself in a posture of defense, where, of the superiority of my weapon, a rapier or smallsword, was little afraid of the issue of the contest. The Bailey behaved with the unexpected mettle. As soon as he saw the gigantic Highlander confront him with his weapon drawn, he tugged for a second or two at the hilt of his shovel, as he called it, but finding it loath to quit the sheath to which it had long been secured by rust and disuse, he seized as a substitute on the red hot quarter of a plow, which had been employed in arranging the fire by way of a poker, and brandished it with such effect that at the first pass he said the Highlander's played on fire, and compelled him to keep a respectful distance till he could get it extinguished. Andrew, on the contrary, who ought to have faced the lowland champion, had, I grieve to say, had vanished at the very commencement of the fray, but his antagonist, crying, fair play, fair play, seemed courteously disposed to take no share in the scuffle. Thus we commenced our encounter on fair turns as to numbers. My own aim was to possess myself, if possible, of my antagonist's weapon, but I was deterred from closing for fear of the dirk which he held in his left hand, and used in parrying the thrusts of my rapier. Meantime, the Bailey, notwithstanding the success of his first onset, was sorely bested, the weight of his weapon, the corpulence of his person, the very effervescence of his own passions, were rapidly exhausting both his strength and his breath, and he was almost at the mercy of his antagonist. When up started the sleeping Highlander from the floor on which he reclined, with his naked sword and target in his hand, and threw himself between the discomfited magistrate and his assailant, exclaiming, her name-cell has eaten the tone-bread at the cross of Glasgow, and pie her throat, she fight for Bailey-Sharvey at the cluckin' of Aberfoil, tight will she in. And, seconding his words with deeds, this unexpected auxiliary made his sword whistle about the heirs of his tall countrymen. Who nothing abashed returned his blows with interest, but both being accuted with round targets made of wood, studded with brass, and covered with leather, with which they readily parried each other's strokes, their combat was attended with much more noise and clatter than serious risk of damage. It appeared, indeed, that there was more of bravado than of serious attempt to do us any injury, for the lowland gentleman, who, as I mentioned, had stood aside for want of an antagonist, when the brawl commenced, was now pleased to act the part of moderator and peacemaker. Oh, your hands! Oh, your hands! Enough done! Enough done! The quarrel's no mortal. The strange gentleman has shown themselves men of honour and get reasonable satisfaction. I'll stand on my own honour as kiddler's only man, but I had on necessary blue edged shed. It was not, of course, my wish to protract the fray. My adversary seemed equally disposed to sheath his sword. The bany gasping for breath might be considered as odocomba, and our two sword and bucklemen gave up their contest with as much indifference as they had entered into it. And to do, said the worthy gentleman, who acted as its umpire, let us drink and grieve like honest fellows. The house will hold us all. I propose that this good little gentleman that seems serer for fifth one, as I may say, in this deusie, shall stand for a toss of brandy and I'll pay for a neither by way of Archelor. And then we'll burl our borbys our round boot, like brethren, and far as to pair my new pony plaid, said the larger Highlander, where a hole burned and, and might put a keel part through, saw her ever only body, a decent gentleman, fight with a fey brand before. Let that be no hindrance, said the belly, who had now recovered his breath and was at once disposed to enjoy the triumph of having behaved with spirit and avoid the necessity of again resorting to such hard and doubtful arbitrement. Again I have broken the head, he said, I shall find the plaidster, a new plaid salihe, and all the best, your own clan, Colusmon, and you tell me where it can be sent to you. Freclasco, I needn't a name at my clan, I am of a king's clan as is wheel-canned, said the Highlander, but you may talk a bit of the plaid, fey, she smells like a singet sheep's head, and that will learn you the sit, and a gentleman at the cousin of my inn, that carries the eggs doomed from Glencraw, will call foot about Martin Mouse and you will tell her where you buy it. But, honest gentleman, next time you fight, only I only respect for your adversary, let it be with your sword-man, since you wear one, and not with the head-cultures and fire-prons like a wild Indian. Conscience, replied the baby, every man won't do as he do, my sword has not seen the light since both will break when my feather that's dead will again wear it, and I can't wail if it was forthcoming then either, for the battle was of the briefest. What any red, it's glued to the scabbard now, beyond my power to part them, and, finding that, I ain't gripped it at the first thing I could make a feigned way. I throw my fighting-daisies down, though I like ill to take the scorn for all that, but, with the honest lad that took my quarrel on himself, say frankly, I still bestow a guillacquivite on him, and I should net a car for another. The champion for whom he looked around was, however, no longer to be seen. He had escaped unobserved by the baile immediately when the brawl was ended, yet not before I had recognised in his wild features and shaggy red hair our acquaintance Dougal, the fugitive turnkey of the Glasgow jail. I communicated this observation in a whisper to the baile, who answered in the same tone, Well, well, I say to him that he can or said very right. There is some glimmering of common sense about that creature Dougal. I more see him think of something that will do him some good. Thus saying he sat down, and fetching one or two deep aspirations by way of recovering his breath, called to the landlady, I think it lucky, know that I find this nay who, in my wild will kind mock a reason to doubt feign the doings of your hoose, a way to be the but of something to put into it. The dame, who was all officiousness, so soon as the storm had blown over, immediately undertook to broil something comfortable for our supper. Indeed, nothing surprised me more in the course of the whole matter than the extreme calmness with which she and her household seemed to regard the martial tumult that had taken place. The good woman was only heard to call to some of her assistants, Steak the door, Steak the door, kill or be killed. Let nobody pass out till they have peed the loan. And as for the slumberers in those layers by the wall, which served the family for beds, they only raised their shirtless bodies to look at the fray, ejaculated ah, ah, in the tone suitable to their respective sex and ages, and were I believe, fast asleep again, ere our swords were well returned to their scapids. The landlady, however, now made a great bustle to get some vittles ready. And to my surprise, very soon began to prepare for us in the frying pan a savoury mess of venison collops, which she dressed in a manner that might well satisfy hungry men, if not epicures. In the meantime, the brandy was placed on the table, to which the Highlanders, however partial to their native strongwaters, showed no objection, but much the contrary. And the lowland gentlemen, after the first cup had passed round, became desirous to know our profession and the object of our journey. We are pits of glass-core bodies, if it please your honor, set the belly with an affectation of great humility, travelling to sterling to get in some cellar that is all in us. I was so silly as to feel a little disconcerted at the unassuming account which he chose to give of us, but I recollected my promise to be silent and allow the Bailey to manage the matter his own way. And really, when I recollected will, that I had not only put the honest man a long journey from home, which even in itself had been some inconvenience, if I were to judge from the obvious pain and reluctance with which he took his seat, or arose from it, but had also put him within a hair's breadth of the loss of his life, I could hardly refuse him such a compliment. The spokesman of the other party, snuffing up his breath through his nose, repeated the words with a sort of sneer. Yer glas go threads for ain't nothing to do, but the gangfrey, the tea-end, o' the west of Scotland, tea the other, depleg honest false, that may chance to be away a hint at the hand like me. If our debtors were all sick, honest, gentle men as they believed to bear gosh-shatter-chin, replied the Bailey, conscience, we might save ourselves a labour, for they would come to seek us. Eh? What? How? exclaimed the person whom he had addressed. As I live by bread, not forgetting beef and baranti, it's my old friend, Nikol Javi. The best man I ever came to do makes on a bond, till at a stressed gentleman. Where are you now coming up my way? Where are you now coming up the end, Rick, to gosh-shatter-chin? Throath-north, Mr Galbreath, replied the Bailey, I had o' the eggs on a spit, and I thought to what be saying, I came to look about the annual rent, that's due on that bit, heritable bond, that's between us. Darn the annual rent, said the lad, with an appearance of great hardiness, deal the wood to business with you, or I suspect, now that year is soon near in my country. To see how a throth-cozy and a jaws-of can disguise a man, that I soon became my old, feel-friend, the daekon. The Bailey, if you please, resumed my companion, but I came to a garishly mistake. The bond was granted to my father, that's happy, and he was deacon, but his name was nickel, as well as mine. I didn't mind that there's been a payment, a principal sum, or annual rent on it in my day. Endudeless, that has made the mistake. Well, the devil take the mistake, and all that occasioned it, replied Mr. Galbraith, but I'm glad you are a Bailey. Gentlemen, fill a brimmer. This is my excellent friend, Bailey Nickel Jarvey's health. I can't him and his father these twenty years, are ye a clear to kill the aft, fill in nither. Here is to his been seen provost. I say provost, Lord provost Nickel Jarvey, unto them that afference, there's the man walks the heath street, a glass score that's fitter for the office. They will do well not to let me, Duncan Galbraith, of gosh, shut it, and hear them say so. That's all. And therewith, Duncan Galbraith, marshally copped his hat and placed it on one side of his head with an air of defiance. The brandy was probably the best recommendation of their complimentary toasts to the two Highlanders, who drank them without appearing anxious to comprehend their purport. They commenced a conversation with Mr Galbraith and Gaelic, which he talked with perfect fluency, being, as I afterwards learned, a near neighbor to the Highlands. I can't that scant a great well enough for the very outset, said the Bailey, in a whisper to me. But when blued was warren and swords were out at the ony red, her kins were where he might have thought of paying his debts. It will be lang, he does it in common form, but he's an honest lad, and has a warren heart too. He doesn't come often to the cross at Glasgow, but morning a book unblocked cock he sends us due for either hence. And I can want my silly well enough. My father, the Deacon, had a greater regard for the family of Gaelic, shut it, supper being now nearly ready, I looked round for Andrew Fair's service, but that trusty follower had not been seen by anyone since the beginning of the ring-conter. The hostess, however, said that she believed our servant had gone into the stable, and offered to light me to the place, saying that, nor in three days of the barrens of hers could make him give any answer, and that truly she cared it not to gang into the stable herself at this hour. She was a lawn-woman, and it was weel-kent who the brownie of Benny Gask gated the good-wife at Arnogorn, and it was a-judged there was a brownie in O's stable, which was just which carved me key over keeping in a hustler. As, however, she lighted me towards the miserable hovel into which they had crammed unlucky steeds, to regale themselves on, hey, every fibre of which was as thick as an ordinary goose quill, she plainly showed me that she had another reason for drawing me aside from the company than that which her words implied. Rida, she said, slipping a piece of paper into my hand, as we arrived at the door of the shed. I bless God, I'm a redot, between soldiers and Clarksons, and Qatarans, and cartel-lifters, and Hattership and Bleachet, an honest woman, would live quater in hell than on the Heeland line, so saying, she put the pine torch into my hand, and returned into the house. End of Volume 2 Chapter 11 Recording by Felicity Campbell Whanganui, New Zealand