 section 21 of Waverly vol 1 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Waverly or to 60 years since volume 1 by Sir Walter Scott section 21 chapter 16 an unexpected ally appears the Baron returned at the dinner hour and had in a great measure recovered his composure and good humor he not only confirmed the stories which Edward had heard from Rose and Bailey McWebel but added many anecdotes from his own experience concerning the state of the Highlands and their inhabitants the chiefs he pronounced to be in general gentlemen of great honour and high pedigree his word was accounted as a law by all those of their own septal clan it did not indeed he said become them as had occurred in late instances to propone their procepia lineage which rested for the most part on the vein and font runs of the shenekies or beards as equiponder it with the evidence of ancient charters and droiled grants of antiquity conferred upon distinguished houses in the low country by diverse Scottish Monarchs nevertheless such was their outrequitance and presumption as to undervalue those who possess such evidence as if they held their lands in a sheep's skin this by the way pretty well explained the cause of quarrel between the Baron and his Highland ally but he went on to state so many curious particulars concerning the manners customs and habits of this patriarchal race that Edward's curiosity became highly interested and he inquired whether it was possible to make with safety an excursion into the neighbouring Highlands whose dusky barry of mountains had already excited his wish to penetrate beyond them the Baron assured his guests that nothing would be more easy providing the quarrel were first made up since he could himself give him letters to many of the distinguished chiefs who would receive him with the utmost courtesy and hospitality while they're on this topic the door suddenly opened and ushered by Saunders Saundersen a Highlander fully armed and equipped entered the apartment had it not been that Saunders acted the part of master of the ceremonies to this martial apparition without appearing to deviate from his usual composure and that in either Mr. Badwood in or Rose exhibited any emotion Edward would certainly have thought the intrusion hostile as it was he started at the sight of what he had not yet happened to see a mountaineer in his full national costume the individual Gale was a stout dark young man of low stature the ample folds of whose plaid added to their parents of strength which is person exhibited the short kilt or petticoat showed his sinewine clean made limbs the goats can purse flanked by the usual defenses a dirk and steel wrought pistol hung before him his bonnet had a short feather which indicated his claim to be treated as a junior wasle or sort of gentlemen a board sword dangled by his side a charge hung upon his shoulder and a long Spanish fouling piece occupied one of his hands with the other hand he pulled off his bonnet and the Baron who well knew their customs and the proper mode of addressing them immediately said with an air of dignity but without rising and much as Edward thought in the manner of a prince receiving an embassy welcome Evan Dew McComback what news from Fergus McIver for Fergus McIver said the ambassador in good English greets you well baron a broad wedding and holy violin and he's sorry there has been a thick cloud interposed between you and him which has kept you from seeing and considering the friendship and alliances that have been between your houses and for a bears of old and he prayers you that the cloud may pass away and that things may be as they have been heretofore between the clan Iver and the house of Bradwadine when there was an egg between them for a flint and a knife for a sword and he expects you will also say you are sorry for the cloud and no man shall hereafter ask whether it descended from the hill to the valley or rose one of Ali to the hill for they never struck with a scabbard who did not receive with a sword and water him who would lose his friend for the stormy cloud of a spring morning to this the baron of Bradwadine answered with suitable dignity that he knew the chief of clan Iver to be a well-wisher to the king and he was sorry there should have been a cloud between him and any gentleman of such sound principles for when folks are banding together feeble is he who have no brother this appearing perfectly satisfactory that the peace between these august fuzins might be duly solemnized the baron ordered a stupor busker bar and filling a glass drank to the health and prosperity of MacIver of Glenocoa upon which the Celtic ambassador to be quiet as politeness turned down a mighty bumper of the same generous liquor seasoned with his good wishes to the house of Bradwadine having thus ratified the preliminaries of the general treaty of pacification the envoy retired to adjust to with mr. McGeeble some subordinate articles with which it was not thought necessary to trouble the baron these probably referred to the discontinuance of the subsidy and apparently the Bailey found means to satisfy their ally without suffering his master to suppose that his dignity was compromised at least it is certain that after the plenipotentiaries had drunk a bottle of brandy in single-drams would seem to have no more effect upon such season vessels than if it had been poured upon the two bears at the top of the Avenue even do Macombic having possessed himself of all the information which he could procure respecting the robbery of the preceding night declared his intention to set out immediately in pursuit of the cattle which he pronounced to be not that far off they have broken the bone he observed but they have had no attuned to suck the model our hero who had attended Evan Dewar during his perquisitions was much struck with the ingenuity which he displayed in collecting information and the precise and pointed conclusions which he drew from it even do on his part was obviously flattered with the attention of Waverly the interest he seemed to take in his inquiries and his curiosity about the customs and sceneries of the Highlands without much ceremony he invited Edward to accompany him on a short walk of teen or 15 miles into the mountains and see the place where the cattle were conveyed to adding if it be as I suppose you never saw such a place in your life nor ever will unless you call with me or the like of me our hero feeling his curiosity considerably excited by the idea of visiting the den of a Highland Cacus took however the precaution to inquire if his guide might be trusted he was assured that the invitation would on no account have been given had there been the least danger and that all he had to apprehend was a little fatigue and as Evan proposed he should pass a day at his chieftain's house in returning where he would be sure of good accommodation and an excellent welcome there seemed nothing very formidable in the task he undertook rose indeed turned pale when she heard of it but her father who loved the spirit of curiosity of his young friend did not attempt to damp it by an alarm of danger which really did not exist and a knapsack with a few necessary is being bound on the shoulders of a sort of deputy gamekeeper our hero set forth with the fouling piece in his hand accompanied by his new friend even do and followed by the gamekeeper aforesaid and by two wild Highlanders the attendance of Evan one of whom had upon his shoulder a hatchet at the end of a pole called a Lockerbat acts footnote seat note 14 note 14 the town guard of Edinburgh were till a late period armed with this weapon when on their police duty there was a hook at the back of the axe which the ancient Highlanders used to assist them to climb over walls fixing the hook upon it and raising themselves by the handle the axe which was also much used by the natives of Ireland is supposed to have been introduced into both countries from Scandinavia and the other a long ducking gun even upon Edwards enquiry gave him to understand that this martial escort was by no means necessary as a guard but merely as he said drawing up and adjusting his plaid with an era of dignity that he might appear decently at tally-veolan and as the cion boards foster brother ought to do are set he if he a Saxon diana was a English gentleman so what the chief with his tail on with his tail on echoed Edward in some surprise yes that is with all his usual followers when he visits those of the same rank that is he continued to stopping and drawing himself proudly up while he counted upon his fingers the several offices of his chief's revenue there is his hunchman or right hand man then his barred or poet then his bloody or orator to make her honest to the great folks who he visits then his giddy more or I'm a bearer to carry his sword and target and his gun then his glee cast fleek the caddy some on his back through the sikes and bricks then his giddy comes then took need his harvest by the bridal and steep and difficult paths then his giddy trosh harnish to carry his knapsack under the pipe burrowing under the pipers man and it might be a dozen young lads beside but have no business but are just buys of the belt to follow the layer done to his honest bidding and does your chief regularly maintain all these men demanded Waverly are these replied even I aren't many a fair head beside that would not can wear it today itself but with a mickle barn at Glenocoque with similar tales of the grandeur of the chief in peace and war even do be gilded the way till they approached more closely those huge mountains which Edward had hit the two only senior to distance it was towards evening as they entered one of the tremendous passes which afford communication between the high and low country the path which was extremely steep and rugged wind it up a chasm between two tremendous rocks following the passage which a foaming stream that brawled far below appeared to have worn for itself in the course of ages a few slanting beams of the Sun which was now setting reached the water in its dark some bed and showed it to partially chafed by a hundred rocks and broken by a hundred falls the descent from the path to the stream was a mere precipice with hair and their projecting fragment of granite or a scathed tree which had warped its twisted roots into the fishes of the rock on the right hand the mountain rose above the path with almost equal inaccessibility but the hill on the opposite side displayed a shroud of Copswood with which some pines were intermingled this said even is the pass of Bali Borough which was kept in forum attains by 10 of the clan Adonaki against a hundred of the low country calls the grades of the slain are still to be seen in that little quarry or bottom on the opposite side of the barren if your eyes are a good you may see the green specks among the heather see there is an Aaron which used to transcon in Eagle you have no such parrots as are in England he is going to fetch his soba from the letter brother in spirit but I'll send a slug after him he fired his piece accordingly but missed the superb monarch of the feathered tribes who without noticing the attempt to annoy him continued his majestic flight to the southward a thousand birds of prey Hawks kites carrion crows and ravens disturbed from the lodgings which they had just taken up for the evening rose at the report of the gun and mingled their horse and discordant notes with the echoes which replied to it and with the roar of the mountain cataracts even a little disconcerted at having missed his mark when he meant to have displayed peculiar dexterity covered his confusion by whistling part of a peabrock as he reloaded his piece and proceeded in silence up the pass it issued in a narrow Glen between two mountains both very lofty and covered with heath the brook continued to be their companion and they advanced up its mazes crossing them now and then on which occasions even do uniformly offer the assistance of his attendance to carry over Edward but our hero who had been always a tolerable pedestrian declined at the accommodation and obviously rose in its guides opinion by showing that he did not fear wetting his feet indeed he was anxious so far as he could without effectation to remove the opinion which even seemed to entertain of the effeminacy of the lowlanders in particularly of the English through the gorge of the screen they found access to a black bog of tremendous extent full of large pit holes which they traversed with great difficulty in some danger by treks which no one but a Highlander could have followed the path itself or rather the portion of more solid ground on which the travellers half walked half waited was rough broken and in many places quaggy and unsound sometimes the ground was so completely unsafe that it was necessary to spring from one hillock to another the space between being incapable of bearing the human weight this was an easy matter to the Highlanders who wore thin sold brogues fit for the purpose and moved with the peculiar springing step but Edward began to find the exercise to which he was unaccustomed more fatiguing than he expected the lingering twilight served to show them through the Serbonian bog but deserted them almost totally at the bottom of a steep and very stony hill which it was the travellers next toilsome task to ascend the night however was pleasant and not dark and waverly calling up mental energy to support personal fatigue held on his march gallantly though envying in his heart his Highland attendants who continued without a symptom of abated figure the rabbit and swinging pace or rather trot which according to his computation had already brought them 15 miles upon their journey after crossing this mountain and descending on the other side towards a thick wood even do you held some conference with his Highland attendants in consequence of which Edwards baggage was shifted from the shoulders of the gamekeeper to those of one of the Gillies and the former was sent off with the other mountaineer in a direction different from that of the three remaining travellers on asking the meaning of the separation waverly was told that the lowlander must go to a hamlet about three miles off for the night for unless it was some very particular friend Donald beyond then the worthy person whom they supposed to be possessed of the cattle did not much approve of strangers approaching his retreat this seemed reasonable and silenced a quarm of suspicion which came across Edwards mind when he saw himself at such a place in such an hour deprived of his only lowland to companion and even immediately afterwards added that indeed he himself had better get for it and announced their approach to Donald beyond then as the arrival of a CDR Roy red soldier made otherwise be at this agreeable surprise and without waiting for an answer in jockey phrase he trotted out and putting himself to a very round pace was out of sight in an instant Waverly was now left to his own meditations for his attendant with the battle axe spoke very little English they were traversing a thick and as it seemed an endless wood of pines and consequently the path was altogether indiscernible in the murky darkness which surrounded them the Highlander however seemed to trace it by instinct without the hesitation of a moment and Edward followed his footsteps as close as he could after joining a considerable time in silence he could not help asking was it far to the end of their journey talk of was three four made but this junior was so was a we take let Donald could ties meet would she descend to Kora this conveyed no information the carer which was promised might be a man a horse a cart or shades and no more could be got from the man with the battle axe but a repetition of it a carer but in a short time Edward began to conceive his meaning when issuing from the wood he found himself on the bank of a large river or lake where his conductor gave him to understand they must sit down for a little while the moon which now began to rise showed obscurely the expansive water which spread before them and the shapeless and indistinct forms of mountains with which it seemed to be surrounded the cool and yet mild air of the summer night refreshed away really after his rapid and toilsome walk and the perfume which had wafted from the birch trees put note it is not the weaving birch the most common species in the Highlands but the woolly leaved lowland birch that is distinguished by this fragrance bathed in the evening dew was exquisitely fragrant he had now time to give himself up to the full romance of a situation here he sat on the banks of an unknown lake under the guidance of a wild native whose language was unknown to him on a visit to the den of some renowned outlaw a second Robin Hood perhaps or Adam of Gordon and that at deep midnight through scenes of difficulty and toil separated from his attendant left by his guide what a variety of incidents for the exercise of a romantic imagination and all enhanced by the solemn feeling of uncertainty at least if not of danger the only circumstance which assorted ill with the rest was the cause of his journey the Baron's milk cows this degrading incident he kept in the background while wrapped in these dreams of imagination his companion gently touched him and pointing in a direction nearly straight across the lake said you on Stark of a small point of light was seen to twinkle in the direction in which he pointed and gradually increasing in size and luster seemed to flicker like a meteor upon the verge of the horizon while Edward watched this phenomenon the distant dash of oars was heard the measured sound approached near and more near and presently allowed whistle was heard in the same direction his friend with the battle acts immediately whistled clear and shrill in reply to the signal and about manned with four or five Highlanders pushed for a little in net near which Edward with sitting he advanced to meet them with his attendant was immediately assisted into the boat by the officious attention of two start Monday nears and had no sooner seated himself than they resumed their oars and began to row across the lake with great rapidity end of section 21 recording by Felicity Campbell Fonganui New Zealand section 22 of Waverly volume 1 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org read by Sally McConnell in Bettys Bay South Africa in February 2010 Waverly or to 60 years since volume 1 by Sir Walter Scott section 22 chapter 17 the hold of a Highland robber the party preserved silence interrupted only by the monotonous and murmured chant of a Gaelic song sung in a kind of low recitative by the steersman and by the dash of the oars which the notes seem to regulate as they dipped to them in cadence the light which they now approached more nearly assumed a broader redder and more irregular splendor it appeared plainly to be a large fire but whether kindled upon an island or the mainland Edward could not determine as he saw it the red glaring orb seemed to rest on the very surface of the lake itself and resembled the fiery vehicle in which the evil genius of an oriental tale traverses land and sea they approach nearer and the light of the fire suffice to show that it was kindled at the bottom of a huge dark crag or rock rising abruptly from the very edge of the water its front changed by the reflection to dusky red formed a strange and even awful contrast to the banks around which were from time to time fently and partially illuminated by pallid moonlight the boat now near the shore and Edward could discover that this large fire amply supplied with branches of pine wood by two figures who in the red reflection of its light appeared like demons was kindled in the jaws of a lofty cavern into which an inlet from the lake seemed to advance and he conjectured which was indeed true that the fire had been lighted as a beacon to the boatman on their return they rode right for the mouth of the cave and then shifting their oars permitted the boat to enter in obedience to the impulse which it had received the skiff past the little point or platform of rock on which the fire was blazing and running about two birth slinks father stopped where the cavern for it was already arched overhead ascended from the water by five or six broad ledges of rock so easy and regular that they might be termed natural steps at this moment a quantity of water was suddenly flung upon the fire which sunk with the hissing noise and with it disappeared the light it had hitherto afforded four or five active arms lifted waverly out of the boat placed him on his feet and almost carried him into the recesses of the cave he made a few paces in darkness guided in this manner and advancing towards him a humble voices which seemed to sound from the center of the rock at an acute turn Donald bean lean and his whole establishment were before his eyes the interior of the cave which here rose very high was illuminated by tortures made of pine tree which emitted a bright and bickering light attended by a strong they're not unpleasant odor their light was assisted by the red glare of a large charcoal fire round which was seated five or six armed highlanders while others were indistinctly seen couched on their plagues in the more remote recesses of the cavern in one large aperture which the robber facetiously called his spence or pantry they're hung by the heels the carpeters of a sheep or you and two cars lately slaughtered the principal inhabitant of the singular mansion attended by Evan do his master of the ceremonies came forward to meet his guest totally different in appearance and manner from what his imagination had anticipated the profession which he followed the wilderness in which he dwelt the wild warrior forms that surrounded him were all calculated to inspire terror from such accompaniments wavely prepared himself to meet a stern gigantic ferocious figure such as Salvatore would have chosen to be the central object of a group of banditie footnote c note 15 Donald bean lean was the very reverse of all these he was thin in person and low in stature with light sandy coloured hair and small pale features from which he derived his agnomin of bean or white and although his form was light well proportioned and active he appeared on the whole rather a diminutive and insignificant figure he had served in some inferior capacity in the French army and in order to receive his English visitor in great form and probably meaning in his way to pay him a compliment he had laid aside the Highland rest for the time to put on an old blue and red uniform and a feathered hat in which he was far from showing to advantage and indeed looked so incongruous compared with all around him that Waverly would have been tempted to laugh had laughter been either civil or safe the rubber received captain Waverly with a profusion of French politeness and Scottish hospitality seemed perfectly to know his name and connections and seemed to be particularly acquainted with his uncle's political principles on these he bestowed great applause to which Waverly judged it prudent to make a very general reply being pleaded a convenient distance from the charcoal fire the heat of which the season rendered oppressive a strapping Highland damsel placed before Waverly, Evan and Donald Bean three cogs or wooden vessels composed of staves and hoops containing Ian Arief footnote this was the regale presented by Rob Roy to the lad of Tallybody a sort of strong soup made out of a particular part of the inside of the beaves after this refreshment which though course fatigue and hunger rendered palatable steaks roasted on the coals were supplied in liberal abundance and disappeared before Evan do in their host with a promptitude that seemed like magic and astonished Waverly who was much puzzled to reconcile the veracity with what he had heard of the abstemiousness of the Highlanders he was ignorant that this abstinence was with the lower ranks wholly compulsory and that like some animals of prey those who practice it were usually gifted with the power of indemnifying themselves to good purpose when chance they threw plenty in their way the risky came forth in abundance to crown the chair the Highlanders drank it copiously and undiluted but Edward having mixed a little with water did not find it so palatable as to invite him to repeat the draft their host bewailed himself exceedingly that he could offer him no wine had he but known four and twenty hours before he would have had some had it been within the circle of forty miles round him but no gentleman could do more to show his sense of honor of a visit from another than to offer him the best chair his house afforded where there be no bushes there can be no nuts and the way of those you live with is that you must follow he went on regretting to Evan do the death of an aged man done a car on Amrich or Duncan with the cap a gifted Sierra who foretold through the second site visitors of every description who haunted their dwelling whether his friends or foes is not his son Malcolm tie shut a second sighted person asked Evan nothing equal to his father replied Donald Bean he told us the other day we were to see a great gentleman riding on a horse and there came nobody that whole day but shameless beg the blind harper with his dog another time he advertised us of a wedding and behold it proved a funeral and on the creche when he foretold to us we should bring home a hundred head of horned cattle we grip nothing but a fat belly of Perth from this discourse he passed to the political and military state of the country and Waverley was astonished and even alarmed to find a person of this description so accurately acquainted with the strength of the various garrisons and regiments courted north of the Tay he even mentioned the exact number of recruits who had joined Waverley's troop from his uncle's estate and observed they were pretty men meaning not handsome but start war like fellows he put Waverley in mind of one or two minute circumstances which had happened at a general review of the regiment which satisfied him that the robber had been an eyewitness of it and even do having by this time retired from the conversation and wrapped himself up in his plaid to take some repose Donald asked Edward in a very significant manner whether he had nothing particular to say to him Waverley surprised and somewhat startled at this question from such a character answered he had no motive in visiting him but curiosity to see his extraordinary place of residence donald bean lean looked him steadily in the face for an instant and then said with a significant nod you might as well have confided in me i am as much worthy of trust as either the baron of brad warden or vich en vo but you are equally welcome to my house Waverley felt an involuntary shudder creep over him at the mysterious language held by this outlawed and lawless bandit which in despite of his attempts to master it deprived him of the power to ask the meaning of his insinuations a heath palette with the flowers stuck uppermost had been prepared for him in a recess of the cave and here covered with such spare plaids as could be mustered he lay for some time watching the motions of the other inhabitants of the cavern small parties of two or three entered or left the place without any other ceremony than a few words in gaelic to the principal outlaw and when he fell asleep to a tall highlander who acted as his lieutenant and seemed to keep watch during his repose those who entered seem to have returned from some excursion of which they reported the success and went without father ceremony to the larder where cutting with their dirks their rations from the carcasses which were there suspended they proceeded to broil and eat them at their own pleasure and leisure the liquor was under strict regulation being served out either by donald himself his lieutenant or the strapping highland girl aforesaid who was the only female that appeared the allowance of whiskey however would have appeared prodigal to any but Highlanders who living entirely in the open air and in a very moist climate can consume great quantities of ardent spirits without the usual baneful effects either upon the brain or constitution at length the fluctuating groups began to swim before the eyes of our hero as they gradually closed nor did he reopen them till the morning sun was high on the lake without though there was but a faint and glimmering twilight in the recesses of ui monry or the king's cavern as the abode of donald bean lean was proudly denominated note 15 an adventure very similar to what is here stated actually befell the late mr abacromby of tally body grandfather of the present lord abacromby and father of the celebrated seraph when this gentleman who lived to a very advanced period of life first settled in sterlingshire his cattle were repeatedly driven off by the celebrated rob roy or some of his gang and at length he was obliged after obtaining a proper safe conduct to make the cat around such a visitors that have waverly to bean lean in the text rob received him with much courtesy and made many apologies for the accident which must have happened he said through some mistake mr abacromby was regaled with colapses from two of his own cattle which were hung up by the heels in the cavern and was dismissed in perfect safety after having agreed to pay in future a small sum of blackmail in consideration of which rob roy not only undertook to forbear his herds in future but to replace any that should be stolen from him by other freebooters mr abacromby said rob roy affected to consider him as a friend to the jack-o-bite interest and a sincere enemy to the union neither of these circumstances were true but the laird thought it quite unnecessary to undeceive his highland host at the risk of bringing on a political dispute in such a situation this anecdote i received many years since about 1792 from the mouth of the veneral gentleman who was concerned in it end of section 22 section 23 of waverly volume one this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox.org waverly or to 60 years since volume one by sir walter scott section 23 chapter 18 waverly proceeds on his journey when edward had collected his scattered recollection he was surprised to observe the cavern totally deserted having arisen and put his dress in some order he looked more accurately around him but all was still solitary if it had not been for the decayed brands of the fire now sunk into gray ashes and the remnants of the festival consisting of bones half burnt and half gnawed and an empty keg or two there remained no traces of donald and his band when waverly sallied forth to the entrance of the cave he perceived that the point of rock on which remained the marks of last knight's beacon was accessible by a small path either natural or roughly hewn in the rock along the little inlet of water which ran a few yards up into the cavern where as in a wet dock the skiff which brought him there the night before was still lying moored when he reached the small projecting platform on which the beacon had been established he would have believed his further progress by land impossible only that it was scarce probable but what the inhabitants of the cavern had some mode of issuing from it otherwise then by the lake accordingly he soon observed three or four shelving steps or ledges of rock at the very extremity of the little platform and making use of them as a staircase he clambered by their means around the projecting shoulder of the crag on which the cavern opened and descending with some difficulty on the other side he gained the wild and precipitous shores of a highland loch about four miles in length and a mile and a half across surrounded by heathy and savage mountains on the crests of which the morning mist was still sleeping looking back to the place from which he came he could not help admiring the address which had adopted a retreat of such seclusion and secrecy the rock round the shoulder of which he had turned by a few imperceptible notches that barely afforded place for the foot seemed in looking back upon it a huge precipice which barred all further passage by the shores of the lake in that direction there could be no possibility the breadth of the lake considered of describing the entrance of the narrow and low-browed cave from the other side so that unless the retreat had been sought for with boats or disclosed by treachery it might be a safe and secret residence to its garrison as long as they were supplied with provisions having satisfied his curiosity in these particulars waverly looked around for evan dew and his attendants who he rightly judged would be at no great distance whatever might have become of donald bean lean and his party whose motive life was of course liable to sudden migrations of a boat accordingly at the distance of about half a mile he beheld a highlander evan apparently angling in the lake with another attending him whom from the weapon which he shouldered he recognized for his friend with the battle axe much nearer to the mouth of the cave he heard the notes of a lively gaelic song guided by which in a sunny recess shaded by a glittering birch tree and carpeted with a bank of firm white sand he found the damsel of the cavern whose lay had already reached him busy to the best of her power in arranging to advantage a mourning repast of milk eggs barley bread fresh butter and honeycomb the poor girl had already made a circuit of four miles that morning in search of the eggs of the meal which baked her cakes and of the other materials of the breakfast being all delicacies which she had to beg or borrow from distant cottagers the followers of donald bean lean used little food except the flesh of the animals which they drove away from the lowlands bread itself was a delicacy seldom thought of because hard to be obtained and all the domestic accommodations of milk poultry butter etc were out of the question in this sithian camp yet it must not be omitted that although alice had occupied a part of the mourning and providing those accommodations for her guests which the cavern did not afford she had secured time also to arrange her own person in her best trim her finery was very simple a short russet colored jacket and a petticoat of scanty longitude was her whole dress but these were clean and neatly arranged a piece of scarlet embroidered cloth called the snood confined her hair which fell over it in a profusion of rich dark curls the scarlet plaid which formed part of her dress was laid aside that it might not impede her activity in attending the stranger i should forget alice's protest ornament or i to omit mentioning a pair of gold earrings and a golden rosary which her father for she was the daughter of donald bean lean had brought from france the plunder probably of some battle or storm her form though rather large for her years was very well proportioned and her demeanor had a natural and rustic grace with nothing of the sheepishness of an ordinary peasant the smiles displaying a row of teeth of exquisite whiteness and the laughing eyes with which in dumb show she gave waverly that mourning greeting which she wanted english words to express might have been interpreted by a coxcomb or perhaps a young soldier who without being such was conscious of a handsome person as meant to convey more than the courtesy of an hostess nor do i take it upon me to say that the little wild mountaineer would have welcomed any stayed old gentleman advanced in life the baron of brad were dying for example with the cheerful pains which she bestowed upon edwards accommodation she seemed eager to place him by the meal which she had so sedulously arranged and to which she now added a few bunches of cranberries gathered in an adjacent morass having the satisfaction of seeing him seated at his breakfast she placed herself demerly upon a stone at a few yards distance and appeared to watch with great complacency for some opportunity of serving him evan and his attendant now returned slowly along the beach the latter bearing a large salmon trout the produce of the morning sport together with the angling rod while evan strolled forward with an easy self-satisfied and important gate towards the spot where waverly was so agreeably employed at the breakfast table after morning greetings had passed on both sides and evan looking at waverly had said something in gaelic to alice which made her laugh yet color up to her eyes though a complexion well and brown by sun and wind evan intimated his commands that the fish should be prepared for breakfast a spark from the lock of his pistol produced a light and a few withered fur branches were quickly inflamed and as speedily reduced to hot embers on which the trout was broiled in large slices to crown the rapast evan produced from the pocket of his short jerkin a large scallop shell and from under the folds of his plaid a ram's horn full of whiskey of this he took a copious dram observing he had already taken his morning with donal bean lean before his departure he offered the same cordu to alice and to edward which they both declined with the bounteous air of a lord evan then proffered the scallop to doogled mohoney his attendant who without waiting to be asked a second time drank it off with great gusto evan then prepared to move towards the boat inviting waverly to attend him meanwhile alice had made up in a small basket what she thought worth removing and flinging her plaid around her she advanced up to edward and with the utmost simplicity taking hold of his hand offered her cheek to his salute dropping at the same time her little curtsy evan who was esteemed a wag among the mountain fair advanced as if to secure a similar favor but alice snatching up her basket escaped up the rocky bank as quickly as a row and turning round and laughing called something out to him in gaelic which he answered in the same tone and language then waving her hand to edward she resumed her road and was soon lost among the thickets though they continued for some time to hear her lively carol as she proceeded gaily on her solitary journey they now again entered the gorge of the cavern and stepping into the boat the highlander pushed off and taking advantage of the morning breeze hoisted a clumsy sort of sail while evan assumed the helm directing their course as it appeared to waverly rather higher up the lake than towards the place of his embarkation on the preceding night as they glided along the silver mirror evan opened the conversation with a panageric upon alice who he said was both canny and fendi and was to the boot of all that the best dancer of a straff spay in the whole strath edward ascended to her praises so far as he understood them yet could not help regretting that she was condemned to such a perilous and dismal life oich for that said evan there is nothing in posture that she need want if she asked her father to fetch it unless it be too hot or too heavy but to be the daughter of a cattle stealer a common thief common thief no such thing donald bean lean never lifted less than a drove in his life do you call him an uncommon thief then no he that steals a cow from a poor widow or a sterk from a cotter is a thief he that lifts a drove from a sense and ash laird is a gentleman drover and besides to take a tree from the forest a salmon from the river a deer from the hill or a cow from a lowland straith is what no highlander need everything shame upon but what can this end in were he taken in such an appropriation to be sure he would die for the law as many a pretty man has done before him die for the law i that is with the law or by the law be strapped up on the kind gallows of grief footnote c note 16 where his father died and his good sire died and where i hope he'll live to die himself if he's not shot or slashed in a cray you hope such a death for your friend evan and that do i hean would you have me wish him to die on a bundle of wet straw in yon den of his like a mangy tyke but what becomes of alice then trough if such an accident were to happen as her father would not need her help any longer i cannot to hinder me to marry her myself gallantly resolved said edward but in the meanwhile evan what has your father-in-law that shall be if he have the good fortune to be hanged done with the baron's cattle oich answered evan they were all trudging before your lad and alan kennedy before the sun blinked or then lawyers this morning and they'll be in the pass of belly brugue by this time in their way back to the parks of tally veolan all but two that were unhappily slaughtered before i got last night to whim unre and where are we going evan if i may be so bold as to ask said waverly where would you be gonging but to the lairds aean house at glenik oich he would not think to be in his country without ganging to see him it would be as much as a man's life's worth and are we far from glenik oich but five bits of miles and vich e and vor will meet us in about half an hour they reached the upper end of the lake where after landing waverly the two highlanders drew the boat into a little creek among thick flags and reeds where it lay perfectly concealed the oars they put in another place of concealment both for the use of donal bean lean probably when his occasions should next bring him to that place the travelers followed for some time a delightful opening into the hills down which a little brook found its way to the lake when they had pursued their walk a short distance waverly renewed his questions about their host of the cavern does he always reside in that cave out no it's past the skill of man to tell where he's to be found at a times there's not a dirt nook or cove or quarry in the whole country that he's not acquainted with and do others beside your master shelter him my master my master is in heaven answered evan haughtily and then immediately assuming his usual civility of manner but you mean my chief no he does not shelter donald bean lean nor any that are like him he only allows him with a smile wood and water no great boon i should think evan when both seem to be very plenty ah but you didn't see through it when i say wood and water i mean the loch and the land and i fancy donald would be put till to if the laird were to look for him with three score men in the wood of killy chat yonder and if our boats with a score or to amer were to come down the lock to whim unre headed by missel or any other pretty man but suppose a strong party came against him from the low country would not your chief defend him nah he would not wear the spark of a flint for him if they came with the law and what must donald do then he behoved to rid this country of himself and fall back it may be over the mount upon letter scriven and if he were pursued to that place isa warrant he would go to his cousins at rannock well but if they followed him to rannock that quote evan is beyond all belief and indeed to tell you the truth their durst not a lowlander in all scotland follow the fray a gunshot beyond ballybrook unless he had the help of the city or do whom do you call so the city or do the black soldier that is what they call the independent companies that were raised to keep peace and law in the highlands vichy and war commanded one of them for five years and i was sergeant myself i shall warrant ye they call them city or do because they wear the tartans as they call your men king george's men city or roy or red soldiers well but when you were in king george's pay evan you were surely king george's soldiers trough and you must ask vichy and war about that for we are for his king and care not much which of them it is at only rate nobody can say we are king george's men now when we have not seen his pay this twelve month this last argument admitted no reply nor did edward attempt any he rather chose to bring back the discourse to donald bean lean does donald confine himself to cattle or does he lift as you call it anything else that comes his way trough he's nay a nice body and he'll just talk anything but most readily cattle horse or live christians for sheep or slow of travel and inside planishing is cumbersome to carry and not easy to put away for sciller in this country but does he carry off men and women out i did not ye hear him speak o the perth bailey it cost that body five hundred mercs ere he got to the south of bailey brogue and aunts donald played a pretty sport footnote c note 17 there was to be a blithe bridal between the lady chem freezer in the how o the mirrors she was the old lairds widow and no say young as she had been herself and young gilly wackett who had spent his airship and movables like a gentleman at cock matches bull baitings horse races and the like now donald bean lean being aware that the bridegroom was in request and wanting to click the kunzi that is to hook the sciller he candidly carried off gilly wackett i eat night when he was riding dovering haim we the malt rather a boon the meal and with the help of his gillies he got him into the hills with the speed of light and the first place he wakened in was the cove of weyham anry so there was old to do about ransoming the bridegroom for donald would not lower a farthing of a thousand pounds the devil puns scottish ye shall understand and the lady had not the sciller if she had pawned her gown and they applied to the governor o sterling castle and to the major o the black watch and the governor said it was over far to the northward and out of his district and the major said his men were gain haim to the shearing and he would not call them out before the victor was got in for all the cram freezers in christendom let alone the mirns for that it would prejudice the country and in the meanwhile you'll know hinder gilly wackett to take the smallpox there was not a doctor in perth or sterling would look near the poor lad and i cannot blame them for donald had been misjuggled by any of these doctors about paris and he swore he would fling the first into the lock that he catched beyond the pass however some kaileaks that is old women that were about donald's hand nursed gilly wackett say well that between the free open air in the cove and the fresh way deal and he did not recover maybe as wheel as if he had been closed in a glazed chamber and a bed with curtains and fed with red wine and white meat and donald was say vexed about it that when he was stout and wheel he even sent him free home and said he would be pleased with anything they would like to gie him for the plague and trouble which he had about gilly wackett to an uncanned degree and i cannot tell you precisely how they sorted but they agreed say right that donald was invited to dance at the wedding in his highland trues and they say that there was never say makle siller clinked in his purse either before or since and to boot of all that gilly wackett said that be the evidence what it liked if he had the luck to be on donald's inquest he would bring him in guilty of nothing whatever unless it were willful arson or murder under trust with such bald and disjointed chat evan went on illustrating the existing state of the highlands more perhaps to the amusement of waverly than that of our readers at length after having marched over bank and bray moss and heather edward though not unacquainted with the scottish liberality in computing distance began to think that evan's five miles were nearly doubled his observation on the large measure which the scottish allowed of their land in comparison to the computation of their money was readily answered by evan with the old jest the deal take them will have the least pint stoop footnote the scottish are liberal in computing their land and liquor the scottish pint corresponds to two english quarts as for their coin everyone knows the couplet how can the rogues pretend to sense their pound is only 20 pence and now the report of a gun was heard and a sportsman was seen with his dogs in attendant at the upper end of the glen shog said do gold mahogany tats to chief it is not said evan imperiously do you think he would come to meet a sensinesh duena wassel in such a way as that but as they approached a little nearer he said with an appearance of mortification and it is even he sure enough and he has not his tail on after all there is no living creature with him but callum beg in fact fergus macivore of whom a frenchman might have said as truly as of any man in the highlands keel can walk in segan had no idea of raising himself in the eyes of an english young man of fortune by appearing with a retinue of idol highlanders disproportion to the occasion he was well aware that such an unnecessary attendance would seem to edward rather ludicrous than respectable and while few men were more attached to ideas of chieftainship and feudal power he was for that very reason cautious of exhibiting external marks of dignity unless at the time and in the manner when they were most likely to produce an imposing effect therefore although had he been to receive a brother chieftain he would probably have been attended by all that retinue which evan described with so much unction he judged it more respectable to advance to meet waverly with a single attendant a very handsome highland boy who carried his master's shooting pouch and his broadsword without which he sold him when abroad when fergus and waverly met the latter was struck with the particular grace and dignity of the chieftain's figure above the middle size and finally proportioned the highland dress which he wore in its simplest mode set off his person to great advantage he wore the trues or close trousers made of tartan checked scarlet and white in other particulars his dress strictly resembled evans accepting that he had no weapon save a dark very richly mounted with silver his page as we have said carried his claymore and the fouling piece which he held in his hand seemed only designed for sport he had shot in the course of his walks and young wild ducks as though close time was then unknown the broods of grouse were yet too young for the sportsman his confidence was decidedly Scottish with all the particularities of the northern physiognomy but yet had so little of its harshness and exaggeration that it would have been pronounced in any country extremely handsome the martial air of the bonnet with a single eagles feather as a distinction added much to the manly appearance of his head which was besides ornamented with a far more natural and graceful cluster of close black curls than ever were exposed to sale in Bond Street an air of openness and increase the favorable impression derived from this handsome and dignified exterior yet a skillful physiognomist would have been less satisfied with the countenance on a second than on a first view the eyebrow and upper lip bespoke something of the habit of peremptory command and decisive superiority even his courtesy though open frank and unconstrained seem to indicate a sense of personal importance and upon any check or accidental excitation a sudden though transient laura of the eye showed a hasty haughty and vindictive temper not less to be dreaded because it seemed much under its owner's command in short the countenance of the chieftain resembled a smiling summer's day in which notwithstanding we are made sensible by certain those slight signs that it may thunder and lighten before the close of evening it was not however upon their first meeting the edward had an opportunity of making these less favorable remarks the chief received him as a friend of the baron of bradwardine with the utmost expression of kindness and obligation for the visit operated him gently with choosing so rude and abode as he had done the night before and entered into a lively conversation with him about donald bean's housekeeping but without the least hint as to his predatory habits or the immediate occasion of waverly's visit a topic which as the chief did not introduce it our hero also avoided while they walked merrily on towards the house of glenquich evin who now fell respectfully into the rear followed with callum bag and dugald mahogany we shall take the opportunity to introduce the reader to some particulars of fergus maivore's character and history which were not completely known to waverly till after a connection which though arising from a circumstance so casual had for a length of time the deepest influence upon his character actions and prospects but this being an important subject must form the commencement of a new chapter note 16 this celebrated gibbet was in the memory of the last generation still standing at the western end of the town of grief in Perthshire why it was called the kind gallows we are unable to inform the reader with certainty but it is alleged that the highlanders used to touch their bonnets as they passed a place which had been fatal to many of their countrymen with the ejaculation god bless her name in cell and the teal tamu it may therefore have been called kind as being a sort of native or kindred place of doom to those who suffered there as in fulfillment of a natural destiny note 17 the story of the bridegroom carried off by catarans on his bridal day is taken from one which was told to the author by the late lair of McNabb many years since to carry off persons from the lowlands and to put them to ransom was a common practice with the wild highlanders as it is said to be at the present day with the bandit in the south of Italy upon the occasion alluded to a party of catarans carried off the bridegroom and secreted him in some cave near the mountains of she halyan the young man caught the smallpox before his ransom could be agreed on and whether it was the fine cool air of the place or the want of medical attendance McNabb did not pretend to be positive but so it was that the prisoner recovered his ransom was paid and he was restored to his friends and bride but always considered the highland robbers as having saved his life by their treatment of his malady end of section twenty three section twenty four of Waverly volume one this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Waverly or to sixty years since volume one by Sir Walter Scott section twenty four chapter nineteen the chief and his mansion the ingenious licentiate Francisco de Ubeda when he commenced his history of La Pecara Justina Diaz which by the way is one of the most rare books of Spanish literature complained of his pen having caught up a hair and forthwith begins with more eloquence than common sense and affectionate expostulation with that useful implement upgrading it with being the quill of a goose a bird inconstant by nature as frequently the three elements of water earth and air indifferently and being of course to one thing constant never now I protest to the general reader that I entirely dissent from Francisco de Ubeda in this matter and hold it the most useful quality of my pen that it can speedily change from grave to gay and from description and dialogue to narrative and character so that if my quill display no other properties of its mother goose than her mutability truly I shall be well pleased and I conceive that you my worthy friend will have no occasion for discontent from the jargon therefore of the Highland Gillies I pass to the character of their chief it is an important examination and therefore like dogberry we must spare no wisdom the ancestor of Fergus McIvor about three centuries before had set up a claim to be recognized as chief of the numerous and powerful clan to which he belonged the name of which is unnecessary to mention being defeated by an opponent who had more justice or at least more force on his side he moved southwards with those who adhered to him in quest of new settlements like a second anise the state of the Pershar Highlands favored his purpose a great bearing in that country had lately become traitor to the crown Ian which was the name of our adventurer united himself with those who were commissioned by the king to chastise him and did such good service that he obtained a grant of the property upon which he and his posterity afterwards resided he followed the king also in war to the fertile regions of England where he employed his leisure hours so actively in raising subsidies among the boars of Northumberland and Durham that upon his return he was enabled to erect a stone tower or Fort Alice so much admired by his dependents and neighbors that he who had hitherto been called Ian McIvor or John the son of Ivor was thereafter distinguished both in song and genealogy by the high title of Ian non chastle or John of the tower the descendants of this worthy were so proud of him that the reigning chief always bore the patronomic title of Vich Ian vor ie the son of John the Great while the clan at large to distinguish them from that from which they had seceded were denominated Sliacht non Ivor the race of Ivor the father of Fergus the tenth in direct descent from John of the tower engaged heart and hand in the insurrection of 1715 and was forced to fly to France after the attempt of that year in favor of the stewards had proved unsuccessful more fortunate than other fugitives he obtained deployment in the French service and married a lady of rank in that kingdom by whom he had two children Fergus and his sister Flora the Scottish state had been forfeited and exposed to sale but was repurchased for a small price in the name of the young proprietor who in consequence came to reside upon his native domains footnote c note 18 it was soon perceived that he possessed a character of uncommon acuteness fire and ambition which as he became acquainted with the state of the country gradually assumed a mixed and peculiar tone that could only have been acquired 60 years since had Fergus MacGyver lived 60 years sooner than he did he would in all probability have wanted the polished manner and knowledge of the world which he now possessed and had he lived 60 years later his ambition and love of rule would have lacked the fuel which his situation now afforded he was indeed within his little circle as perfect a politician as Castrucio Castracani himself he applied himself with great earnestness to appease all the feuds and dissensions which often arose among other clans in his neighborhood so that he became a frequent umpire in their quarrels his own patriarchal power he strengthened at every expense which his fortune would permit and indeed stretched his means to the utmost to maintain the rude and plentiful hospitality which was the most valued attribute of a chieftain for the same reason he crowded his estate with a tenancy hardy indeed and fit for the purposes of war but greatly outnumbering what the soil was calculated to maintain these consist the chiefly of his own clan not one of whom he suffered to quit his lands if he could possibly prevent it but he maintained besides many adventurers from the mother sect who deserted a less warlike though more wealthy chief to do homage to Fergus MacGyver other individuals too who had not even that apology were nevertheless received into his allegiance which indeed was refused to none who were like points proper men of their hands and were willing to assume the name of Mac Ivor he was unable to discipline these forces from having obtained command of one of the independent companies raised by the government to preserve the peace of the Highlands while in this capacity he acted with vigor and spirit and preserved great order in the country under his charge he caused his vassals to enter by rotation into his company and serve for a certain space of time which gave them all in turn a general notion of military discipline in his campaigns against the banditi it was observed that he assumed an exercise to the utmost the discretionary power which while the law had no free course in the highlands was conceived to belong to the military parties who were called in to support it he acted for example with great and suspicious lenity to those free booters who made restitution on his summons and offered personal submission to himself while he rigorously pursued apprehended and sacrificed to justice all such interlopers as dared to despise his admonitions or commands on the other hand if any officers of justice military parties or others presumed to pursue thieves or marauders through his territories and without applying for his consent and concurrence nothing was more certain than that they should meet with some notable foil or defeat upon which occasions Fergus MacGyver was the first to condol with them and after gently blaming their rashness never failed deeply to lament the lawless state of the country these lamentations did not exclude suspicion and matters were so represented to the government that our chieftain was deprived of his military command footnote c note 19 whatever Fergus MacGyver felt on this occasion he had the art of entirely suppressing every appearance of discontent but in a short time the neighboring country began to feel bad effects from his disgrace donald bean lean and others of his class whose depredations had hitherto been confined to other districts appeared from thence forward to have made a settlement on this devoted border and their ravages were carried on with little opposition as the lowland gentry were chiefly Jacobites and disarmed this forced many of the inhabitants into contracts of blackmail with Fergus MacGyver which not only established him their protector and gave him great weight in all their consultations but moreover supplied funds for the waste of his feudal hospitality which the discontinuance of his pay might have otherwise essentially diminished in following this course of conduct Fergus had a further object than merely being the great man of his neighborhood and ruling despotically over a small clan from his infancy upward he had devoted himself to the cause of the exalt family and had persuaded himself not only that their restoration to the crown of Britain would be speedy but that those who assisted them would be raised to honor and rank it was with this view that he labored to reconcile the highlanders among themselves and augmented his own force to the utmost to be prepared for the first favorable opportunity of rising with this purpose also he conciliated the favor of such lowland gentlemen in the vicinity as were friends to the good cause and for the same reason having in cautiously quarreled with Mr. Bradwardine who notwithstanding his peculiarities was much respected in the country he took advantage of the foray of Donald Bean Lean to solder up the dispute in the manner we have mentioned some indeed surmised that he caused the enterprise to be suggested to Donald on purpose to pave the way to a reconciliation which supposing that to be the case cost the Laird of Bradwardine two good milk cows this seal in their behalf the house of steward repaid with a considerable share of their confidence an occasional supply of Louis Dore abundance of fair words and a parchment with a huge wax and seal appended purporting to be an Earl's patent granted by no less a person than James the third king of England and eighth king of Scotland to his right feel trusty and well-beloved Fergus MacGyver of Glenocoitch in the county of Perth and kingdom of Scotland with this future coronet glittering before his eyes Fergus plunged deeply into the correspondence and plots of that unhappy period and like all such active agents easily reconciled his conscience to going certain lengths in the service of his party from which honour and pride would have deterred him had his sole object been the direct advancement of his own personal interest with this insight into a bold ambitious and ardent yet artful and politic character we resume the broken thread of our narrative the chief and his guest had by this time reached the house of Glenocoitch which consisted of Ian Nanchisle's mansion a high rude looking square tower with the addition of a lofted house that is a building of two stories constructed by Fergus's grandfather when he returned from that memorable expedition well remembered by the western shires under the name of the Highland host upon occasion of this crusade against the air shire wigs and covenanters the bitch Ian vor of the time had probably been as successful as his predecessor was in harrying northumberland and therefore left to his posterity a rival edifice as a monument of his magnificence around the house which stood on an eminence in the midst of a narrow Highland valley there appeared none of that attention to convenience far less to ornament and decoration which usually surrounds a gentleman's habitation an enclosure or two divided by drystone walls were the only part of the domain that was fenced as to the rest the narrow slips of level ground which lay by the side of the brook exhibited a scanty crop of barley libel to constant depredations from the herds of wild ponies and black cattle that grazed upon the adjacent hills these ever an anon made an incursion upon the arable ground which was repelled by the loud uncouth and dissonant shouts of half a dozen Highland Swains all running as if they had been mad and everyone hallowing a half starved dog to the rescue of the forage at a little distance up the Glen was a small stunted wood of birch the hills were high and heathy but without any variety of surface so that the whole view was wild and desolate rather than grand and solitary yet such as it was no genuine descendant of Ian Nanchistle would have changed the domain for stow or blend him there was a site however before the gate which perhaps would have afforded the first owner of blend him more pleasure than the finest view in the domain assigned to him by the gratitude of his country this consisted of about a hundred Highlanders in complete dress and arms at the site of a whom the chieftain apologized to Waverly in a sort of negligent manner he had forgot he said that he had ordered a few of his clan out for the purpose of seeing that they were in a fit condition to protect the country and prevent such accidents as he was sorry to learn had befallen the barren of Brad were dying before they were dismissed perhaps captain Waverly might choose to see them go through a part of their exercise Edward ascended and the men executed with agility and precision some of the ordinary military movements they then practiced individually at a mark and showed extraordinary dexterity in the management of the pistol and firelock they took aim standing sitting leaning or lying prostrate as they were commanded and always with effect upon the target next they paired off for the broadsword exercise and having manifested their individual skill and dexterity united in two bodies and exhibited a sort of mock encounter in which the charge the rally the flight the pursuit and all the current of a heady fight were exhibited to the sound of the great warbag pipe on the signal made by their chief the skirmish was ended matches were then made for running wrestling leaping pitching the bar and other sports in which this feudal militia displayed incredible swiftness strength and agility and accomplish the purpose which their chieftain had at heart by impressing on Waverly no light sense of their merit as soldiers and of the power of him who commanded them by his nod footnote c note 20 and what number of such gallant fellows have the happiness to call you leader asked Waverly in a good cause and under a chieftain whom they loved the race of Ivor have seldom taken the field under 500 claymores but you are aware captain Waverly that the disarming act passed about 20 years ago prevents their being in the complete state of preparation as in former times and I keep no more of my clan under arms than may defend my own or my friend's property when the country is troubled with such men as your last night's landlord and government which has removed other means of defense must connive at our protecting ourselves but with your force you might soon destroy or put down such gangs as that of Donald bean lean yes doubtless and my reward would be a summons to deliver up to general blackening at sterling the few broadswords they have left us there were little policy in that me thinks but come captain the sound of the pipes informs me that dinner is prepared let me have the honor to show you into my rude mansion note 18 this happened on many occasions indeed it was not till after the total destruction of the clan influence after 1745 that purchasers could be found who offered a fair price for the estates forfeited in 1715 which were then brought to sale by the creditors of the York buildings company who had purchased the whole were greater part from government at a very small price even so late as the period first mentioned the prejudices of the public in favor of the heirs of the forfeited families through various impediments in the way of intending purchasers of such property note 19 this sort of political game ascribed to MacGyver was in reality played by several highland chiefs the celebrated lord love it in particular who used that kind of finesse to the uttermost the lair of Mac was also captain of an independent company but valued the sweets of present pay too well to incur the risk of losing them in the jacobite cause his marital consort raised his clan and headed it in 1745 but the chief himself would have nothing to do with king making declaring himself for that monarch and no other who gave the lair of Mac half a guinea the day and half a guinea the morn note 20 in explanation of the military exercise observed at the castle of Glenicoich the author begs to remark that the highlanders were not only well practiced in the use of the broad sword firelock and most of the manly sports and trials of strength common throughout scotland but also used a particular sort of drill suited to their own dress and mode of warfare there were for instance different modes of disposing the plat one when they were on a peaceful journey another when danger was apprehended one way of enveloping themselves in it when expecting undisturbed repose and another which enabled them to start up with sword and pistol in hand on the slightest alarm previous to 1720 or thereabouts the belted plaid was universally worn in which the portion which surrounded the middle of the wearer and that which was flung around his shoulders were all the same piece of tartan in a desperate onset all was thrown away and the clan charged bear beneath the doublet save for an artificial arrangement of the shirt which like that of the irish was always ample and for the sporn malloch or goat skin purse the manner of handling the pistol and dirk was also part of the highland manual exercise which the author has seen gone through by men who had learned it in their youth end of section 24 section 25 of waverly volume 1 this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org read by sally mcconnell in betty's bay south africa in february 2010 waverly all it is 60 years since volume 1 by so welter scott section 25 chapter 20 a highland feast our waverly entered the banqueting hall he was offered the patriarchal refreshment of a bath for the feet which the sultry weather and the marassus he had traversed rendered highly acceptable he was not indeed so luxuriously attended upon this occasion as the heroic travelers in the odyssey the task of ablution and abstortion being performed not by a beautiful damsel trained to chafe the limmon and pour the fragrant oil but by a smirk dried skinny old highland woman who did not seem to think herself much honored by the duty imposed upon her but muttered between her teeth our fathers herds did not feed so near together that i should do you this service a small donation however amply reconciled this ancient handmaiden to the supposed degradation and as edward proceeded to the hall she gave him her blessing in the gaelic proverb may the open hand be filled the fullest the hall in which the feast was prepared occupied all the first story of land and chastel's original erection and a huge oaken table extended through its whole length the apparatus for dinner was simple even to rudeness and the company numerous even to crowding at the head of the table was the chief himself with edward and two or three highland visitors of neighboring clans the elders of his own tribe wadsetters and taxmen as they were called who occupied portions of his estate as mortgages or lessees sat next in rank beneath them their sons and nephews and foster brethren then the officers of the chief's household according to their order and most of all the tenants who actually cultivated the ground even beyond this long perspective edward might see upon the green to which a huge pair of folding doors opened a multitude of highlanders of yet inferior description who nevertheless were considered as guests and had their share both of the countenance of the entertainer and of the chair of the day in the distance and fluctuating round this extreme verge of the banquet was a changeful group of women ragged boys and girls beggars young and old large gray harnes and terriers and pointers and curves of low degree all of whom took some interest more or less immediate in the main action of the piece this hospitality apparently unbounded had yet its line of economy some pains had been bestowed in dressing the dishes of fish game etc which were at the upper end of the table and immediately under the eye of the english stranger lower down stood immense clumsy joints of mutton and beef which but for the absence of pork footnote c-note 21 a board in the highlands resembled the rude festivity of the banquet of panellope suitors but the central dish was a yearling lamb called a hog in haste roasted whole it was set upon its legs with a bunch of parsley in its mouth and was probably exhibited in that form to gratify the pride of the cook who peaked himself more on the plenty than the elegance of its master's table the sides of this poor animal were fiercely attacked by the clansmen some with dirks others with the knives which were usually in the same sheath with the dagger so that it was soon rendered a mangled and rueful spectacle lower down still the victual seemed of yet course equality though sufficiently abundant broth onions cheese and the fragments of the feast regaled the sons of ivor who feasted in the open air the liquor was supplied in the same proportion and under similar regulations excellent clariton champagne were liberally distributed amongst the chief's immediate neighbors whiskey plain or diluted and strong beer refreshed those who sat near the lower end nor did this inequality of distribution appear to give the least offense everyone present understood that his taste was to be formed according to the rank which he held at table and consequently the taxman and their dependence always professed the wine was too cold for their stomachs and called apparently out of choice for the liquor which was assigned to them from economy footnote c note 22 the bagpiper srian number screamed during the whole time of dinner a tremendous war tune and the echoing of the vaulted roof and clang of the Celtic tongue produced such a babel of noises that waverly dreaded his ears would never recover it magyber indeed apologized for the confusion occasion by so larger party and pleaded the necessity of his situation on which unlimited hospitality was imposed as a paramount duty these start idle kinsmen of mine he said account my estate as held in trust for their support and i must find them beef and ale while the rogues will do nothing for themselves but practice the broadsword or wonder about the hill shooting fishing hunting drinking and making love to the lasses of the strap but what can i do captain waverly everything will keep after its kind whether it be a hawk or a highlander edward made the expected answer in a compliment upon his possessing so many bold and attached followers why yes replied the chief where i disposed like my father to put myself in the way of getting one blow on the head or two on the neck i believe the loons would stand by me but who thinks of that in the present day when the maxim is better an old woman with a person her hand than three men with beltered brands then turning to the company he proposed the health of captain waverly a worthy friend of his kind neighbor and ally the baron of bradwardine he is welcome hither said one of the elders if he come from cosmo command bradwardine i say nay to that said an old man who apparently did not mean to pledge the toast i say nay to that while there is a green leaf in the forest there will be a fraud in a commane there is nothing but honor in the baron of bradwardine answered another ancient and the guest that comes hither from him should be welcome though he came with blood on his hand unless it were blood of the ray survivor the old man whose cup remained full replied there has been blood enough of the ray survivor on the hand of bradwardine ah bellen kaira replied the first you think rather of the flash of the carbine at the mains of tally the urlan than the glance of the sword that fought for the cause of pristan and well i may answered bellen kaira the flash of the gun cost me a fair haired son and the glance of the sword has done but little for king james the chieftain in two words of french explained to waverly that the baron had shot his old man's son in a fray near tally the urlan about seven years before and then hastened to remove bellen kaira's prejudice by informing him that waverly was an Englishman unconnected by birth or alliance with the family of bradwardine upon which the old gentleman raised the hither untasted cup and curfewsly drank to his health this ceremony being requited in kind the chieftain made a signal for the pipes to cease and said aloud where is the song hidden me friends that mac murrach cannot find it mac murrach the family baird an aged man immediately took the hint and began to chant with low and rapid utterance a profusion of Celtic verses which were received by the audience with all the applause of enthusiasm as he advanced in his declamation his orders seemed to increase he had at first spoken with his eyes fixed on the ground he now cost them around as if beseeching and unknown as if commanding the tension and his tones rose into wild and impassioned notes accompanied with appropriate gestures he seemed to edward who attended to him with much interest to recite many proper names to lament the dead to apostrophize the absent to exhort and entreat and animate those who were present Waverly thought he even discerned his own name and was convinced his conjecture was right from the eyes of the company being at that moment turned towards him simultaneously the order of the poet appeared to communicate itself to the audience their wild and sunburned countenances assumed a fiercer and more animated expression all bent forwards towards the reciter many sprung up and waved their arms in ecstasy and some laid their hands on their swords when the song ceased there was a deep pause while the aroused feelings of the poet and of the hearers gradually subsided into their usual channel the chieftain who during the scene had appeared rather to watch the emotions which were excited than to partake their high turn of enthusiasm filled with claret a small silver cup which stood by him give this he said to an attendant to mak marach nann fon i.e. of the songs and when he has drank the juice bid him keep for the sake of vich yann vor the shell of the gourd which contained it the gift was received by mak marach with profound gratitude he drank the wine and kissing the cup shrouded it with reverence in the plaid which was folded on his bosom he then burst forth into what edward justly supposed to be an extemporaneous effusion of thanks and praises of his chief it was received with applause but did not produce the effect of his first poem it was obvious however that the clan regarded the generosity of their chieftain with high approbation many approved gaelic toasts were then proposed of some of which the chieftain gave his guests the following versions to him that will not turn his back on friend or foe to him that never foresook a comrade to him that never bought or sold justice hospitality to the exile and broken bones to the tyrant the lads with the kilts highlanders shoulder to shoulder and with many other pity sentiments of the like nature edward was particularly solicitous to know the meaning of that song which appeared to produce such effect upon the passions of the company and hinted his curiosity to his host as i observed said the chieftain that you have passed the bottle during the last three rounds i was about to propose to you to retire to my sister's tea table who can explain these things to you better than i can although i cannot stint my clan in the usual current of their festivity yet i neither am addicted myself to exceed in its amount nor do i added he smiling keep a bear to devour the intellects of such as can make good use of them edward readily assented to this proposal in the chieftain saying a few words to those around him left the table followed by waverly as the door closed behind them edward heard vicky and vaude's health invoked with a while and animated chair that expressed the satisfaction of the guests and the depth of their diversion to his service note 21 pork or swine's flesh in any shape was till of late years much abominated by the scotch nor is it yet a favorite food amongst them king jamie carried this prejudice to england and is known to have a board pork almost as much as he did tobacco ben johnson has recorded this peculiarity where the gypsy in a mask examining the king's hand says you should by this line love a horse in a hand but no part of a swine the gypsies metamorphosed james's own proposed banquet for the devil was a loin of pork and a pole of ling with a pipe of tobacco for digestion note 22 in the number of persons of all ranks who assembled at the same table though by no means to discuss the same fare the highland chiefs only retained a custom which had been formally universally observed throughout scotland i myself says the traveller fine morrison in the end of queen elizabeth's reign the scene being the lowlands of scotland was at a night's house who had many servants to attend him that brought in his meat with their heads covered with blue caps the table being more than half furnished with great platters of porridge each having a little piece of sodden meat and when the table was served the servants did sit down with us but the upper mess instead of porridge had a bullet with some prunes in the broth travels page 155 till within this last century the farmers even have a respectable condition dined with their work people the difference betricks those of high degree was ascertained by the place of the party above or below the salt or sometimes by a line drawn with chalk on the dining table lord love it who knew well how to feed the vanity and restrain the appetites of his clansmen allowed each sturdy fraser who had the slightest pretensions to be a diner vessel the full honor of the sitting but at the same time took care that his young kinsmen did not acquire at his table any taste for outlandish luxuries his lordship was always ready with some honorable apology while foreign wines and french brandy delicacies which he conceived might sap the hardy habits of his cousins should not circulate past an assigned point on the table end of section 25 section 26 of waverly volume one this is a liver box recording all liver box recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liver box dot org waverly or to 60 years since volume one visor walter scott section 26 chapter 21 the chieftain sister the drawing room of floor mchiver was furnished in the plainest and most simple manner flert plenicoic every other sort of expenditure was retrenched as much as possible for the purpose of maintaining in its full dignity the hospitality of the chieftain and retaining and multiplying the number of his dependence and adherence but there was no appearance of this parsimony in the dress of the lady herself which was in texture elegant and even rich and arranged in a manner which partook partly of the peresian fashion and partly of the more simple dress of the highlands blended together with great taste her hair was not disfigured by the art of the friseur but fallon jetty ringlets on her neck confined only by a circlet richly set with diamonds this peculiarity she adopted in compliance with the highland prejudices which could not endure that a woman's head should be covered before wedlock floor mchiver bore a most striking resemblance to her brother furgus so much so that they might have played viola and sebastian with the same exquisite effect produced by the appearance of mrs. henry siden's and her brother mr. william murray in these characters they had the same antique and regular correctness of profile the same dark eyes eyelashes and eyebrows the same clearest of complexion accepting that furgus's was imbrowned by exercise and floris possessed the utmost feminine delicacy but the haughty and somewhat stern regularity of furgus's features was beautifully softened in those of flora their voices were all so similar in tone though differing in the key that of furgus especially while issuing orders to his followers during their military exercise reminded edward of a favorite passage in the description of ametrius whose voice was heard around loud as a trumpet with a silver sound that of flora on the contrary was soft and sweet an excellent thing in woman yet in urging any favorite topic which she often pursued with natural eloquence that possessed as well the tones which impress and awe and conviction as those of persuasive insinuation the eager glance of the keen black eye which in the chieftain seemed impatient even of the material obstacles encountered had in his sister acquired a gentle pincetness his looks seemed to seek glory power and all that could exalt him above others in the race of humanity while those in his sister as if she were already conscious of mental superiority seemed to pity rather than envy those who were struggling for any father distinction her sentiments corresponded with the expression of her countenance early education had impressed upon her mind as well as on that of the chieftain the most devoted attachment to the exiled family of stewart she believed it the duty of her brother of his clan of every man in britain at whatever personal hazard to contribute to that restoration which the partisans of the chevalier st. george had not ceased to hope for for this she was prepared to do all to suffer all to sacrifice all but her loyalty as it exceeded her brothers and fanaticism excelled it also in purity accustomed to petty intrigue and necessarily involved in a thousand paltry and selfish discussions ambitious also by nature his political faith was tinctured at least if not tainted by the views of interest in advancement so easily combined with it and at the moment he should unsheathe his claymore it might be difficult to say whether it would be most with the view of making james stewart king or fergus macgyver and url this indeed was a mixture of feeling which he did not avow even to himself but it existed nevertheless and powerful degree and floris bosom on the contrary the zeal of loyalty burnt pure and unmixed with any selfish feeling she would have assumed made religion the mask of ambitious and interested views as have shrouded them under the opinions which she had been taught to think patriotism such instances of devotion were not uncommon among the followers of the unhappy race of stewart of which many memorable proofs will recur to the minds of most of my readers but peculiar attention on the part of the chevalier de st. george and his princess to the parents of fergus and his sister and to themselves when orphans had riveted their faith fergus upon the death of his parents had been for some time a page of honor in the train of the chevalier's lady and from his beauty and sprightly temper was uniformly treated by her with the utmost distinction this was also extended to flora who has maintained for some time at a convent of the first order at the princess's expense and removed from thence into her own family where she spent nearly two years both brother and sister retain the deepest and most grateful sense of her kindness having this touched upon the leading principle of flora's character i may dismiss the rest more slightly she was highly accomplished and had acquired those elegant manners to be expected from one who in early youth had been a companion of a princess yet she had not learned to substitute the gloss of politeness for the reality of feeling when settled in the lonely regions of glenocoic she found that her resources in french english and italian literature were likely to be few and interrupted and in order to fill up the vacant time she bestowed a part of it upon the music and poetical traditions of the highlanders and began really to feel the pleasure in the pursuit which her brother whose perceptions of literary merit were more blunt rather affected for the sake of popularity than actually experienced her resolution was strengthened in these researches by the extreme delight which her inquiries seem to afford those to whom she resorted for information her love of her clan in attachment which was almost hereditary in her bosom was like her loyalty a more pure passion than that of her brother he was too thorough a politician regarded his patriarchal influence too much as the means of accomplishing his own aggrandizement that we should term him the model of a highland chieftain flora felt the same anxiety for cherishing and extending their patriarchal sway but it was with the generous desire of vindicating from poverty or at least from want and foreign oppression those whom her brother was by birth according to the notions of the time and country entitled to govern the savings of her income for she had a small pension from the princess sobiesky were dedicated not to add to the comforts of the peasantry for that was a word which they neither knew nor apparently wished to know but to relieve their absolute necessities when in sickness or extreme old age at every other period they rather toil to procure something which they might share with the chief as a proof of their attachment then expected other assistance from him save what was afforded by the rude hospitality of his castle and the general division and subdivision of his estate among them flora was so much beloved by them that when mcmural composed a song in which he enumerated all the principal beauties of the district and intimated her superiority by concluding that the fairest apple hung on the highest bow he received in donations from the individuals of the clan more seed barley than would have sewed his highland parnassus the bardscroft as it was called ten times over from situation as well as choice ms mckyver society was extremely limited her most intimate friend had been rose bradwarding to whom she was much attached and when seen together they would have afforded an artist two admirable subjects for the gay and the melancholy muse indeed rose was so tenderly watched by her father and her circle of wishes was so limited that none arose but what he was willing to gratify and scarce any which did not come within the compass of his power with flora it was otherwise while almost a girl she had undergone the most complete change of scene from gaity and splendor to absolute solitude and comparative poverty and the ideas and wishes which she chiefly fostered and respected great national events and changes not to be brought round without both hazard and bloodshed and therefore not to be thought of with levity her manner consequently was grave though she readily contributed her talents to the amusement of society and stood very high in the opinion of the old baron who used to sing along with her such french duets of lindor and clorice etc as which were in the fashion about the end of the reign of old louis lebron it was generally believed though no one durst have hinted it to the baron of brad redeem the florist and treaties had no small share in laying the wrath of fergus upon occasion of their quarrel she took her brother on the assailable side by dwelling first upon the baron's age and then representing the injury which the cause might sustain and the damage which must arise to his own character and point of prudence so necessary to a political agent if he persisted in carrying it to extremity otherwise it is probable it would have terminated and dual both because the baron had on former occasion shed blood of the clan though the matter had been timely accommodated and of account of his high reputation for address at his weapon which fergus almost condescended to envy for the same reason she had urged their reconciliation which the chieftain the more readily agreed to as it favored some ulterior projects of his own to this young lady now presiding at the female empire of the table fergus introduced captain waverly whom she received with the usual forms of politeness end of section 26 chapter 21