The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

The Legend of the Dark Loch. 733
of bygone days. For is it not equally true of the imagina-
tion as of the e\e that " distance lends enchantment to the
\ie\v ?" The next words spoken by the old man proved
that my surmises were correct. Turning to me, and offering
me a large silver snuff-box, he said " Now, Mister Alick,,
have you seen a finer view than that since you were here
last ?" " No, indeed," I replied, " I have not, and I don't
think a finer view can be had anywhere." My reply gave
him evident satisfaction, for he smiled graciousi)' and con-
tinued.
" Ah ! but
if you had passed as many days among those
glens, corries, and mountains as I have, you would think
them prettier still. Would you believe that every stream,
and rock, and hill seem to me to be endowed with life ? I
was born among them, and I passed my youth, manhood
and old age wandering among them, till now ever>' object
seems like the face of an old friend, and to smile a
welcome to me as I approach it. Look at the corrie
beneath that shoulder of Coulmore," he added, turning
round to the mountain in question, " many a night have I
passed there during the snows of winter and heat of summer
with my terriers fox-hunting, and many a splendid fox have
I both shot and snared there, for that corrie used to be a
favourite haunt of these animals ;
and
then when the
sportsmen came north in autumn, who knew better than I
where a 'royal' was to be found, i^ut those days are past,
never more to return. On fine da)-s I still wander in the
glens, and among the lochs and streams, for I cannot now
climb the mountains." And he recited in a soft voice and
mournful manner the following verse from Duncan Ban
Macintyre's " Cead Deireannach nam Beann " :
" Ged tha mo cheann air liathadh,
'Smo chiabhagan air tanachadh,
'S trie a leig mi mial-chu
Ri fear fiadhaich ceannartach ;
Ged bu toigh leam riamh iad,
'S ged' fhaicinn air an t-sliabh iad,
Cha teid mi 'nis' ga 'n iarraidh
O'n chain mi trian na h-analach."
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