enough to provide me with memories for my declining days and it s a droll thing too he added with a laugh the further south you go the more and merry are the people the further north the more virtuous and miserable there s a wrong balance somewhere � but where tis not easy to find out well said i can give you a direct contradiction to your theory scotland lies to the north and there s not a harvest of sinful souls anywhere between this and the day of judgment i m a and i m just proud of my country � i d back its men against all the human race � but i wouldn t say much for the of its women i would just take to my heels and run if i saw a real red big scotch making up to me there s no in they sort and no safety i will go to scotland said i feel that what do you call them f � will charm me scotland i never saw said from all i have heard it seems to me be too much like after one s eyes have rested long on these dark mountains and one likes now and then to see a fertile stretch of country such as france or the plains of of course there may be exceptions but i tell you influences have a great deal to do with the state of mind and morals now take the example of that miserable old she is the victim of � and religious together with superstition of the most foolish kind is common in it happens often during the long the people have not sufficient to occupy their minds no clergyman � not even � can satisfy the height of their they preach and pray and shriek and groan in their huts some swear that they have the spirit of prophecy � others that they are possessed of devils � others imagine like � and altogether there is such a the land of the midnight sun howling on the name of christ that i am glad to be out of it � for tis a sight to awaken the laughter and contempt of a pagan such as i am listened with a slight shadow of pain on her features � father is not a pagan she declared turning to how can one be pagan if one believes that there is good in everything � and that nothing happens except for the best it sounds to me more christian than pagan with a smile but it s no use appealing to me on such matters miss i am an advocate of the law of nothing i remember a worthy philosopher who � when he was in his cups � earnestly assured me it was all right � everything was nothing and nothing was everything you are sure that is so i would say to him my dear young friend � � i am positive i have � � worked out the problem with � v� care and he would shake me by the hand warmly with a mild and moist smile and would retire to bed walking sideways in the most amiable manner i m certain his ideas were correct as well as luminous they laughed and then looking up saw that they were passing a portion of the coast of which was more than usually picturesque facing them was a great in the rocks tinted with a curious violet hue with bronze � and in the strong sunlight these colours flashed with the brilliancy of jewels reflecting themselves in the pale slate coloured sea by s orders the speed and glided along with an almost noiseless motion � and they were silent listening to the dash and of water that fell from the that frowned above while the breathless heat and stillness of the air added to the weird solemnity of the scene they all rose from their chairs and leaned on the deck rails looking but uttering no word in one of these islands said at last very softly � it was either or � they once found the tomb of a great chief there was an inscription outside that warned all men to respect it but they laughed at the warning and opened the tomb and they saw seated in a stone chair a skeleton with a gold crown on its head and a great carved seal in its hand and at its feet there was a stone the was broken open and it was full of gold and jewels well they took all the gold and i jewels and the skeleton � and now � do you know what happens at midnight a number of strange persons are seen searching on the shore and among the rocks for the lost treasure and it is said they often utter cries of anger and despair and those who robbed the tomb all died suddenly served them right said and now they are dead i suppose the wronged ghosts don t appear any more oh yes they do said very seriously if any sailor passes at midnight and sees them or hears their cries he is doomed � but does he see or hear them asked with a smile � well i don t know returned with a grave shake of his head i m not superstitious myself but i should be sorry to say anything against the you see they may exist and it s no use offending them and what do you mean by the folk inquired they are supposed to be the souls of persons who died said and they are doomed to wander on the hills till the day of judgment it is a sort of shook his fingers emphatically in the air ah he said what droll things remain still in the world yes in spite of liberty equality you do not believe in foolish 