foot　from　Lochaber　to　Lincolnshire。　　They　are　paid　very　highly；　for　the　trust　reposed　is　of　the　last　importance；　as　it　depends　on　their　prudence；　vigilance；　and　honesty　whether　the　cattle　reach　the　final　market　in　good　order；　and　afford　a　profit　to　the　grazier。　　But　as　they　maintain　themselves　at　their　own　expense；　they　are　especially　economical　in　that　particular。　　At　the　period　we　speak　of；　a　Highland　drover　was　victualled　for　his　long　and　toilsome　journey　with　a　few　handfulls　of　oatmeal　and　two　or　three　onions；　renewed　from　time　to　time；　and　a　ram's　horn　filled　with　whisky；　which　he　used　regularly；　but　sparingly；　every　night　and　morning。　　His　dirk；　or　SKENE…DHU；　（that　is；　black…　knife）；　so　worn　as　to　be　concealed　beneath　the　arm；　or　by　the　folds　of　the　plaid；　was　his　only　weapon；　excepting　the　cudgel　with　which　he　directed　the　movements　of　the　cattle。　　A　Highlander　was　never　so　happy　as　on　these　occasions。　　There　was　a　variety　in　the　whole　journey；　which　exercised　the　Celt's　natural　curiosity　and　love　of　motion。　　There　were　the　constant　change　of　place　and　scene；　the　petty　adventures　incidental　to　the　traffic；　and　the　intercourse　with　the　various　farmers；　graziers；　and　traders；　intermingled　with　occasional　merry…makings；　not　the　less　acceptable　to　Donald　that　they　were　void　of　expense。　　And　there　was　the　consciousness　of　superior　skill；　for　the　Highlander；　a　child　amongst　flocks；　is　a　prince　amongst　herds；　and　his　natural　habits　induce　him　to　disdain　the　shepherd's　slothful　life；　so　that　he　feels　himself　nowhere　more　at　home　than　when　following　a　gallant　drove　of　his　country　cattle　in　the　character　of　their　guardian。
  Of　the　number　who　left　Doune　in　the　morning；　and　with　the　purpose　we　have　described；　not　a　GLUNAMIE　of　them　all　cocked　his　bonnet　more　briskly；　or　gartered　his　tartan　hose　under　knee　over　a　pair　of　more　promising　SPIOGS；　（legs）；　than　did　Robin　Oig　M'Combich；　called　familiarly　Robin　Oig；　that　is　young；　or　the　Lesser；　Robin。　Though　small　of　stature；　as　the　epithet　Oig　implies；　and　not　very　strongly　limbed；　he　was　as　light　and　alert　as　one　of　the　deer　of　his　mountains。　　He　had　an　elasticity　of　step　which；　in　the　course　of　a　long　march；　made　many　a　stout　fellow　envy　him；　and　the　manner　in　which　he　busked　his　plaid　and　adjusted　his　bonnet　argued　a　consciousness　that　so　smart　a　John　Highlandman　as　himself　would　not　pass　unnoticed　among　the　Lowland　lasses。　　The　ruddy　cheek；　red　lips；　and　white　teeth　set　off　a　countenance　which　had　gained　by　exposure　to　the　weather　a　healthful　and　hardy　rather　than　a　rugged　hue。　　If　Robin　Oig　did　not　laugh；　or　even　smile　frequentlyas；　indeed；　is　not　the　practice　among　his　countrymenhis　bright　eyes　usually　gleamed　from　under　his　bonnet　with　an　expression　of　cheerfulness　ready　to　be　turned　into　mirth。
  The　departure　of　Robin　Oig　was　an　incident　in　the　little　town；　in　and　near　which　he　had　many　friends；　male　and　female。　　He　was　a　topping　person　in　his　way；　transacted　considerable　business　on　his　own　behalf；　and　was　entrusted　by　the　best　farmers　in　the　Highlands；　in　preference　to　any　other　drover　in　that　district。　He　might　have　increased　his　business　to　any　extent　had　he　condescended　to　manage　it　by　deputy；　but　except　a　lad　or　two；　sister's　sons　of　his　own；　Robin　rejected　the　idea　of　assistance；　conscious；　perhaps；　how　much　his　reputation　depended　upon　his　attending　in　person　to　the　practical　discharge　of　his　duty　in　every　instance。　　He　remained；　therefore；　contented　with　the　highest　premium　given　to　persons　of　his　description；　and　comforted　himself　with　the　hopes　that　a　few　journeys　to　England　might　enable　him　to　conduct　business　on　his　own　account；　in　a　manner　becoming　his　birth。　　For　Robin　Oig's　father；　Lachlan　M'Combich　（or　SON　OF　MY　FRIEND；　his　actual　clan　surname　being　M'Gregor）；　had　been　so　called　by　the　celebrated　Rob　Roy；　because　of　the　particular　friendship　which　had　subsisted　between　the　grandsire　of　Robin　and　that　renowned　cateran。　　Some　people　even　said　that　Robin　Oig　derived　his　Christian　name　from　one　as　renowned　in　the　wilds　of　Loch　Lomond　as　ever　was　his　namesake　Robin　Hood　in　the　precincts　of　merry　Sherwood。　　〃Of　such　ancestry；〃　as　James　Boswell　says；　〃who　would　not　be　proud？〃　Robin　Oig　was　proud　accordingly；　but　his　frequent　visits　to　England　and　to　the　Lowlands　had　given　him　tact　enough　to　know　that　pretensions　which　still　gave　him　a　little　right　to　distinction　in　his　own　lonely　glen；　might　be　both　obnoxious　and　ridiculous　if　preferred　elsewhere。　　The　pride　of　birth；　therefore；　was　like　the　miser's　treasurethe　secret　subject　of　his　contemplation；　but　never　exhibited　to　strangers　as　a　subject　of　boasting。
  Many　were　the　words　of　gratulation　and　good…luck　which　were　bestowed　on　Robin　Oig。　　The　judges　commended　his　drove；　especially　Robin's　own　property；　which　were　the　best　of　them。　Some　thrust　out　their　snuff…mulls　for　the　parting　pinch；　others　tendered　the　DOCH…AN…DORRACH；　or　parting　cup。　　All　cried；　〃Good…　luck　travel　out　with　you　and　come　home　with　you。　　Give　you　luck　in　the　Saxon　marketbrave　notes　in　the　LEABHAR…DHU；〃　（black　pocket…book）；　〃and　plenty　of　English　gold　in　the　SPORRAN〃　（pouch　of　goat…skin）。
  The　bonny　lasses　made　their　adieus　more　modestly；　and　more　than　one；　it　was　said；　would　have　given　her　best　brooch　to　be　certain　that　it　was　upon　her　that　his　eye　last　rested　as　he　turned　towards　the　road。
  Robin　Oig　had　just　given　the　preliminary　〃HOO…HOO！〃　　to　urge　forward　the　loiterers　of　the　drove；　when　there　was　a　cry　behind　him：
  〃Stay；　Robinbide　a　blink。　　Here　is　Janet　of　Tomahourichauld　Janet；　your　father's　sister。〃
  〃Plague　on　her；　for　an　auld　Highland　witch　and　spaewife；〃　said　a　farmer　from　the　Carse　of　Stirling；　〃she'll　cast　some　of　her　cantrips　on　the　cattle。〃
  〃She　canna　do　that；〃　said　another　sapient　of　the　same　profession。　〃Robin　Oig　is　no　the　lad　to　leave　any　of　them　without　tying　Saint　Mungo's　knot　on　their　tails；　and　that　will　put　to　her　speed　the　best　witch　that　ever　flew　over　Dimayet　upon　a　broomstick。〃
  It　may　not　be　indifferent　to　the　reader　to　know　that　the　Highland　cattle　are　peculiarly　liable　to　be　TAKEN；　or　infected；　by　spells　and　witchcraft；　which　judicious　people　guard　against　by　knitting　knots　of　peculiar　complexity　on　the　tuft　of　hair　which　terminates　the　animal's　tail。
  But　the　old　woman　who　was　the　object　of　the　farmer's　suspicion　seemed　only　busied　about　the　drover；　without　paying　any　attention　to　the　drove。　　Robin；　on　the　contrary；　appeared　rather　impatient　of　her　presence。
  〃What　auld…world　fancy；〃　he　said；　〃has　brought　you　so　early　from　the　ingle…side　this　morning；　Muhme？　　l　am　sure　I　bid　you　good…　even；　and　had　your　God…speed；　last　night。〃
  〃And　left　me　more　siller　than　the　useless　old　woman　will　use　till　you　come　back　again；　bird　of　my　bosom；〃　said　the　sibyl。　　〃But　it　is　little　I　would　care　for　the　food　that　nourishes　me；　or　the　fire　that　warms　me；　or　for　God's　blessed　sun　itself；　if　aught　but　weel　should　happen　to　the　grandson　of　my　father。　　So　let　me　walk　the　DEASIL　round　you；　that　you　may　go　safe　out　into　the　far　foreign　land；　and　come　safe　home。〃
  Robin　Oig　stopped；　half　embarrassed；　half　laughing；　and　signing　to　those　around　that　he　only　complied　with　the　old　woman　to　soothe　her　humour。　　In　the　meantime；　she　traced　around　him；　with　wavering　steps；　the　propitiation；　which　some　have　thought　has　been　derived　from　the　Druidical　mythology。　　It　consists；　as　is　well　known；　in　the　person　who　makes　the　DEASIL　walking　three　times　round　the　person　who　is　the　object　of　the　ceremony；　taking　care　to　move　according　to　the　course　of　the　sun。　　At　once；　however；　she　stopped　short；　and　exclaimed；　in　a　voice　of　alarm　and　horror；　〃Grandson　of　my　father；　there　is　blood　on　your　hand。〃
  〃Hush；　for　God's　sake；　aunt！〃　　said　Robin　Oig。　　〃You　will　bring　more　trouble　on　yourself　with　this　TAISHATARAGH〃　（second　sight）　〃than　you　will　be　able　to　get　out　of　for　many　a　day。〃
  The　old　woman　only　repeated；　with　a　ghastly　look；　〃There　is　blood　on　your　hand；　and　it　is　English　blood。　　The　blood　of　the　Gael　is　richer　and　redder。　　Let　us　seelet　us〃
  Ere　Robin　Oig　could　prevent　her；　which；　indeed；　could　only　have　been　by　positive　violence；　so　hasty　and　peremptory　were　her　proceedings；　she　had　drawn　from　his　side　the　dirk　which　lodged　in　the　folds　of　his　plaid；　and　held　it　up；　exclaiming；　although　the　weapon　gleamed　clear　and　bright　in　the　sun；　〃Blood；　bloodSaxon　blood　again。　　Robin　Oig　M'Combich；　go　not　this　day　to　England！〃
  〃Prutt；　trutt；〃　answered　Robin　Oig；　〃that　will　never　do　neither　it　would　be　next　thing　to　running　the　country。　　For　shame；　Muhmegive　me　the　dirk。　　You　cannot　tell　by　the　colour　the　difference　betwixt　the　blood　of　a　black　bullock　and　a　white　one；　and　you　speak　of　knowing　Saxon　from　Gaelic　blood。　　All　men　have　their　blood　from　Adam；　Muhme。　　Give　me　my　skene…dhu；　and　let　me　go　on　my　road。　　I　should　have　been　half　way　to　Stirling　brig　by　this　time。　　Give　me　my　dirk；　and　let　me　go。〃
  〃Never　will　I　give　it　to　you；〃　said　the　old　woman〃Never　will　I　quit　my　hold　on　your　plaidunless　you　promise　me　not　to　wear　that　unhappy　weapon。〃
  The　women　around　him　urged　him　also；　saying　few　of　his　aunt's　words　fell　to　the　ground；　and　as　the　Lowland　farmers　continued　to　look　moodily　on　the　scene；　Robin　Oig　determined　to　close　it　at　any　sacri