The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Scenes oj Long Ago. 353
stage of their journey.
Although the southerner had on this occasion been rendered
hors de combat, perhaps owing to the combined result of
fasting and bad drink, he was a man of excellent qualities,
and occupied a good position in his own country. One of
his farms was situated in the vicinity of Teith Muir, and so
long as he lived he insisted that the droves of the Highland
tacksman who had thus befriended him should occupy a
field on the night previous to the tryst, free of expense.
The other anecdote which I have in view also
describes an act of friendship which fructified into an
alliance of the road.
The servants and drivers of the tacksmen already
mentioned having disposed of their drove at the tryst were
returning home. For many miles their way lay through
high mountain passes, and occasionally over ridges which
made the journey difficult and tiresome. Late in the afternoon
of a day on which they had travelled from early morn-
ing without seeing any human habitation, they descended
the long southern declivity of a \-alley, and, at length, passed
near a solitary farm house. Suddenly the}- were hailed by
a stentorian voice, which proved to be that of the tacksman
himself, who had been watching their approach. He
at once took the fatigued and famishing band of travellers
into the kitchen, where an abundant' repast had just been
prepared for harvesters who were at work on an adjoining
field. After enjoying the good man's hospitality, and were
about to resume their journey, they requested to know his
name, that they might report to their master the unexpected
kindness which they had received at his hands.
Whereupon the tacksman replied— " Tell your master,
then, that it was James Dubh Macandrew Macwilliam
More of Dalfuaran, which you visited, and who now wishes
you a good journey."
When they had taken their departure the mistress of the
house, returning from a visit to the field, beheld with dismay
the disappearance of her provision for the harvesters who
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