The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-08-20

| Old Lewis was the be 81 angler III the high
land, and he knew all the streams, rivers,
and lochs. Many thousand grouse had
tsmbed on the heath beneath his unerrlng
| aim; and the roe was afraid TO show her
| face oiit of a thieket.--But the red deer was
his delight--he had been keeper to Loehiel
once--and many long day, from sunrise
to sunset, had he stalked ike shadow o.
yer ranges Of mountains till he found him
self at night far away from his sheallng.--
He was guide, toe, 10 botanlsts, mineral
ogists, pa ntefs, poets, and prosers.--Phllo-
! soplers, men of science, lovers of the muse,
hunters Of the picturesque, men eager alter
| paraliel roads and yitrih.d forts, and town
gentlemen sent from garfcts to describe, for
| the delight and instruction Of their fellow cl-
tizens, the grand features OF nature-all
came right TO old Lewis Cameron. Many
sweat did he give them, painting in pur-
| SUIT Of knowledge, over tire large loose
stones and the pointed crags, and up to the
middle IN heather beneath the sultry sun,
toilins up the perpendicular sides Of hill and
mountain. But above all, he loved the
young Sasssnach, when, with their rifles,
they followed with him the red deer over
the bent, and were happy if, at nightlall,
one pair OF antlers lay motionless ON the
heather.
Such was old Lewis Cameron, who was
now thought to be lying at the point Of
death. u was not surprising that the shep-
herds now collected together dur:ng the
storm, and indeed every person in the house
felt deep interest in the old mans fate,
+" Aye his hosr is come--his feet viii never
touch the living heather again." was the
expression in which they all Joined, They
did not fear to speak openly before little
Flora, who WAS now standing beside the
fire, with her long yellow hair lei loose, and
streaming all wet over her shouIders-fOr
the death of the oldest man in the glens
was an event To be looked for, and the child
knew as well as they did thai her GRANDPA
TIERS hour was come. Many and many a
time did she 20 TO the windows 10 look if
the priest was coming up the glen, and
AT last began to fear that the rain and the
wind, which was now beginning TO rise at-
ter the hush Of the thundery air, would him
der HIM from coming at all, and that the
old man would die alone and unconfes-
sed in his Shealmg. "Nobody is with him
poor old man-neyer may see his face
again-but there is no need for me to wait
here will run home--thc waters cannot
be much higher than when came down
the glen" Flora now wept In passion to
return to the Shealing-and tying up that
long wet yellow hair, was ready to start out
into the wild and raging weather.
II happened that the minister of the pa
rish-young MIR. Gordon-was in the house,
and one Of the shepherds went to call him
out from the parlor, that he might persuade
Flora to be contented where she was, as
certain death would be in her attempt to
go up Glen Nevis. lie did all he could to
snothe her agitation, but in vain--and as
the COED priest, Mr. Macdonald did not APP
pear, he began to think that the old Lewis
should not BIZ left so long on his death bed.
lie therefore addressed himself TO two of
the most active shepherds, and asked If they
had any objections to take Flora to the
Sheaing. They immediately rose UPON
with their plaids--and took their stats into
their hands Flora's face smiled family
through It's tears and Mr. Gordon mildly
said "What is easy 10 you, shepherds,
cannot be difficult to me- will go with
you" The young minister was Highlan-
der born--had in his boyhood trod the
mountains of Badenoch and LOchabar--
and there was not shepherd or huntsman
far or near that could leave him behind eli
ther on level or height. So they all issued
forth into the hurricane, and ltiic Flora
was as safe under their care as if she had
been sitting in the kirk.
The party keptwell upon the sides OF the
e. 81.
parts Of the Glens, and the namclcss tor
rents that in dry weather exist not, were
tumblmg down in Redeemed foam from ev-
cry scaur. The river was often like lake
and cliffs covered with tall birches, or a
few native pines, stood islanded here and
there, perhaps with shrieking heron wait
ing on high bough for the subsiding of the
waters. Now a shepherd, and now the
minister, took Flora in bis arms, as they
breasted together the rushing streams-and
the child felt, that had she been allowed to
go by herself, the Nevis would have soon
swept her down into the salt Linnhe Loeb.
In an hour all the wild part OF the journey
was over their feet were on a vast hca-
,hery bosom of hill, down which only
small rills oo2ed out of gushing springs,
& soon lost themselves agan--& after few
minutes easy walking, during which Flora
led the way, she turned about to the minis
ter, and pointing with her little hand, cried
" Yonders the Shealing, Sir-my 6randta-
thcr, if alive, viii bless yeur face at his bed
side"
Mr. Gordon knew all the country well,
aud he had often before been at the head
of Glen-Nevis Bat he had never beheld
1t, till new, in all ITS glory. He stood on
a bend of the river, which was seen coming
down from the cataract several miles dis
tant among its magnificent cliffs and dark
pine forests. That long and final reach of
the glen cleaned and Numbered before him
"a lurid light from the yea agitated hea-
VEINS fell heavily on the discolored flood