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'Black Mail' up to the walls of the provincial capital. A garrison was then maintained in the castle of that town, and their pay (country banks being then unknown) was usually transmitted in specie, under the guard of a small escort. It chanced that the officer, who commanded this little party, was unexpectedly obliged to halt about thirty miles from Inverness, at a miserable inn. About night-fall, a stranger in the Highland dress, and of very prepossessing appearance, entered the same house. Separate accommodation being impossible, the Englishman offered the newly-arrived guest part of his supper, which was accepted with reluctance. By his conversation, he found that his new acquaintance knew well the passes of the country, which induced him eagerly to request his company on the ensuing morning. He neither disguised his business and charge, nor his apprehension of that celebrated freebooter, John Gunn. The Highlander hesitated for a moment, and then frankly consented to be his guide. Forth they set in the morning, and in travelling through a solitary and dreary glen, the discourse again turned to John Gunn. Would you like to see him?' said the guide; and without waiting an answer to this alarming question, he whistled, and the English officer with his small party was surrounded by a body of Highlanders, whose numbers put resistance out of the question, and who were all well armed. 'Stranger,' resumed the guide, 'I am that very John Gunn, whom you feared might intercept you, and not without cause, as I came to the inn last night with the express purpose of learning your route, that I and my followers might ease you of your charge by the road. But I am incapable of betraying the trust you reposed in me;

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and having convinced you that you were in my power, I can only dismiss you unplundered and uninjured.' He then gave the officer directions for his journey, and with his men disappeared among the mountains.”

Such, my young friends, are a few instances of the state of society in the days of feud and bloodshed; let us hope that eventually all such scenes may pass away from other countries as, happily, they have from our own.

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The Twa Sawnies.

THE TWA BIG PORKIES, AND THE TWICE TWICE TWA

LITTLE ONES.

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HE Scotch are a strong race-full of enterprise and industry. They have also a deep sense of religion, and can be trusted, although they make keen bargains, and sometimes "shave" so very close, that it requires some discrimination to know whether they are on the right side in a business transaction. But I must leave these particulars, to give an instance of prompt readiness of two Sawnies in a somewhat sudden difficulty.

The Highlanders of Scotland have from time to time emigrated to North America; and on the banks of the Albany river, which falls into Hudson's Bay, there was, some score years ago, a small colony settled, principally of cannie Scotchmen. Though the soil of the valleys contiguous to the river is exceedingly rich and fertile, yet the winter being long and severe, these people do not labour much in agriculture, but depend, for the most part, upon their skill in hunting and fishing for their subsistence, there being commonly abundance of game and fish.

Two young kinsmen, named MacCullock (perhaps having a clan relationship to the celebrated writing-master of that name, whose beautiful calligraphy astonishes our London University), went out one day in the boundless woods to hunt, each of them armed with a well-charged gun in his hand, and a Skene-dhu, or Highland dirk, by his side. They shaped their course towards a small stream, which descended from the mountain to the north-west of the river, on the banks of which they knew there were a few wild swine, and of all other creatures they wished most to meet with them, little doubting that they would overcome even a pair of them, if chance should direct them to their lurking-place, though the creatures were remarkable both for their strength, dexterity, and ferocity.

However, after a long walk, the twa Sawnies were by no means successful in searching for their game, and in the evening, a little before sun-set, they returned homewards, without having shot anything save one wild turkey. But, when they least expected it, to their infinite joy, they discovered a deep pit or cavern, which contained a large litter of porkers, and none of the old ones with them. This was a prize indeed; so, without losing a moment, Donald said to the other Mac, "You pe te littlest mon, creep you in and dirk te little sows, and I'll pe keeping vatch at te door." Mac complied without hesitation, leaving his gun with Donald, unsheathed his Skenedhu, and crept into the cave head-foremost; but after he was all out sight, save the brogues, he stopped short, and called back, "But, Tonald! pe sure to keep out te ould wous.”— "Ton't you pe fearing tat, mon," said Donald.

The cave was deep, but there was abundance of room in

the farther end, where Mac, with his sharp progging-iron, now commenced the settling of the little pigs. He was scarcely well begun when Donald perceived a monstrous wild boar advancing upon him, roaring and grinding his tusks, while the fire of rage gleamed from his eyes. Donald said not a word for fear of alarming his kinsman; besides, the savage beast was so soon upon him, that he had scarcely time to wink his eye. However, he set himself firm, and cocked his gun. He then took steady aim at the boar, who threatened to bore him with his hideous tusks. That the shot might prove more certain death, he did not fire till the beast was within a few paces of him; and then, click-pop; nohe gun missed fire—a flash in the pan! Donald was in what is called "a predicament."

There was little time to parley or idle. To prime again was impossible; so, as the boar made a butt at him, Donald gave him the butt-end of his piece on the nose, and immediately ran for his life. The boar pursued him only for a short space, for, having heard the shrill squalls and squeaking of the unsettled young ones, he ran direct to the den, no doubt with the intention of attacking Mac with all his fury. Most lads would have given up all for lost; but Donald had a stout heart, and knowing his kinsman's life to be in peril, he immediately turned back upon the boar; but having before this, from the horror of being torn to pieces, ran rather too far without looking back, the boar had by that oversight got considerably a-head of him. Donald, however, strained every nerve, uttered some piercing cries, and, even in all his haste, did not forget to implore assistance from Heaven. His prayer was short and pithy. "O! Lord, puir Mac! puir Mac!"

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