against him by the foresters that he "kent" every favoured track as well as themselves. He was also a first-rate marksman with a ball, and generally carried off the prize at the St Fillan's games. When talking to him, it was impossible not to be struck with the point of what he said; and his superiority in these sports, over his fellows, no doubt lay in bringing to bear upon them the full weight of his original mind.

Alas

It was a constant remark in summer, that, whenever you "kent whuskey on Gregor," you might be sure he had taken a salmon. To eat his fish was, to say the least, improvident, as bringing no supply when the fishing was over and he unable to work. But to drink them! for poor Gregor in the winter! Want, of course, came then, and I was apprised of his destitute circumstances. I sent a man on whom I could rely to procure him food; but upon no account to give him the money to spend for himself. About new-year, however, when whisky is free, Gregor and another man quarrelled about some flies, which the former had agreed to dress. Every one said that the man behaved shamefully, considering that Gregor's hands were in a manner tied. He set up an awfu' tongue," till at last Gregor's blood boiled, and he chased him out of the house into the village. The constables apprehended Gregor; he was tried, and sentenced to be transported. But, poor fellow, his shattered frame pined in the confinement of a gaol. He soon broke completely down when deprived of the fresh air on the banks of his own Teith; and, before the time for his embarkation arrived, he was

summoned to take a longer voyage, and to a country from which he should never return.*

Very unlike Gregor More was

Strange

to say, he had once been a "placed minister of the Kirk," (answering to a beneficed clergyman,) and, although he often returned late on the Saturday night, after being all the week poaching the deer, his sermons were both clever and popular. I met him once when traversing a wild range of hills, and was impressed both with his general information and the courtesy of his address. He had much to say, and said it well; yet, notwithstanding the blandness of his manners, you could not help feeling that interest or passion were the mainsprings of all his actions; and that as for principle he would inwardly sneer at the very name. He was an athletic, handsome man; but his expression, though bold and confident, was selfish and wily. The following anecdotes, illustrative of his character, are capital specimens of the man.

He had shot a deer in a very out-of-the-way recess among the hills. While comfortably seated upon his quarry, enjoying a pinch of snuff in all the luxury of success, an intrusive face, followed by a gun, poked over the adjoining dike.* "Leave that deer, or I'll blow your harns aboot your lugs." had neglected to

*To my shame and sorrow I record it-I did not see poor Gregor in his prison. It was eleven miles distant, and, though I always meant to visit him, I never did. The remembrance has often grieved me. May this be a lesson to all who read it," Never to put off till to-morrow what ought to be done to-day."

Stone wall without lime.

Z

reload his rifle; so, without a moment's hesitation, he shouldered it, and paced slowly up the glen. As soon as he got a knoll between him and the unceremonious stranger, he loaded as quickly as possible-took a long circuit, and came down behind the identical treacherous dike. Quickly showing the same startling apparition of a face and rifle, he commanded his rival instantly to take himself off, but to leave his gun. The man was in the act of "gralloching" the deer, and at once saw there was nothing for it but to obey. kept his gun for some time, and often said, had he asked for a bit of the deer as a favour, he would have been welcome to a side of the venison, as the other was all he needed; and, indeed, the stranger's assistance in conveying it was of far more consequence at that time than half of the deer.

The next adventure of this worthy licentiate is a melancholy one. He and a friend, equally partial to a bit of fat venison, had agreed upon a night expedition, for the purpose of stealing a deer. They were rather at a loss for a driver; so, partly by threats and partly by persuasion, they almost forced a young shepherd to accompany them. Their guns were loaded with "swan post," to make sure work; and they were each placed under the ridge of the hill, to command the sky line, and thus have the deer between them and the light. The shepherd appeared on the ridge, and, extending both his arms above his head, as a signal that the deer were * Cleaning.

for a stag's head

coming below, was mistaken by and horns, and shot dead upon the spot. Quickly perceiving his mistake, he rushed up, and, carrying the dead man upon his shoulders, he pitched him over the adjoining precipice, and made his companion take an oath that he would never divulge the secret. The Highlanders are a quick-witted people, however, and it was whispered that there was a little round hole in the shepherd's bonnet, which corresponded with another in his forehead, that was never made by a dash against the rocks. Some time after, the quondam minister's friend let out, in his cups, the above particulars. But few care to deny that the "puir lad's" death was occasioned by a false step over the ravine, and the night wind still howls round his lonely cairn at the foot of the rocks.

THOMAS A' THING

AMONG the Scottish peasantry, one very often meets with what is called "a character." Traits of individuality, whether personal or national, are more apt to be rubbed off among the trading ranks, their outward deportment and speech being so much borrowed from each other.

The Scotch peasant, feeling himself perfectly independent of every one, except his laird, is not very lavish of his courtesy towards strangers. Indeed, his manner is often far more surly than he intends; but whatever civility he does yield is pretty sure to come from the heart. Any one accustomed to speak much with these people must be very unlucky if he does not often meet with something original; and the following is barely an average specimen of what may be expected.

Thomas a' Thing (all things) was a native of Perthshire, and when very young came to settle upon my father's estate. He had a code of honesty which, I have heard it pretty broadly asserted, was a convenient one for himself, as he allowed no law or licence except to