Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

482 coRUisK.
sound of the distant cascade of Scavig, which, coming"
by fits on the breeze, rendered the universal silence
more impressive. At length three of the men appeared:
they had gone in search of me, fearing that I was lost;
and it was easy to see, by their joy at finding me, that
they had been under considerable alarm. 1 had forgot-
ten that the lake was considered the haunt x)f the Water
Demons ; but I was soon reminded of it by the arrival of
the fourth man, who came back shortly after, running
as if the Kelpie had been at his heels. It was not till he
found himself once inore in the boat, that he seemed to
consider himself safe. " Ech !" said he, as he came to
his breatli again, " this is an awfu-like place." We dis-
covered that he had taken fright when he found himself
left alone, and that, leaving the boat to its fate, he had
set out to seek his companions. As we rowed back to
our vessel, I observed an unusual silence and air of
mystery among the men ; while they pulled as if an enemy
had been behind them, looking about at every moment,
and then at each other, till, as we gained the opener
sea, their terrors seemed to disappear. But as I paced
the deck afterwards, 1 overheard much serious and fear-
ful talk; in which was distinguishable, among some
praises of my courage, no small wonder at the ineredulity
of the infidel Southron in thus venturing alone among
tlie spirits ef Coruisk.
In spite of all my patriotic attempts, I suspect that
the knowledge of tbis place is still limited to half a dozen
persons exclusive of yourself and me. But as travellers
become more adventurous, and as Englishmen discover
Irhat the people of Sky have the usual proportion of legs
and arms, it will become known. Then the loungers
and the what-thens will return angry and disappointed
dinncrless, per chance, and dry within, and wet without;
grumbling at their guide, complaining that it is nothing
;