The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1822-08-07

ooWu itikO TIC pOOf3 III "hSia ill., w uOlC
scene was reflected, and now and then, in
spite Of the grave looks or aoinonishing
whispers of their elders, letting q pebble
fall into the water, that they might Judge
OF its depth from the length OF time that
elapsed before the clear air bells lay
sparkling on the agi,ated surface. The
rite was over. and the religious service OF
the day closed by psalm. The mighty
rocks hemmed in the holy sound and sent
it in more compacted volume, clear,
sweet and strong, up TO heaven. When
voice, was heard dying away, high up a
mong the magnificent architecture of the
cliffs, and once more might be noticed in
the silence, the rcyiying voice Of the wa>
ter fall.
just then large stone fell from the top
of the cliff into the pool, and loud voice
was heard, and a plaid hung over the
point of a shepherds staff. Their watch
fal sentinel had described danger, and
this was his warning. Forthwith the
congregation rose. There were paths,
dangerous to unpracticed feet, along the
lodges of the rocks, leading up to several
caves and places of concealment. The
| more active and young assisted the elder
more especially the old pastor, and the
women with the infants; and many mi
nutes had not elapsed, till not living
creature was visible III the channel of the
stream, but all ofthem hidden, or nearly
so, in the clefts and cayerns.
The shepherd who had given the
larm had lain down again in his plaid in.
stantly on the green sward upon the sum.
nit OF these precipices. A party OF SOL
| diers were Immediately upon him, and
demanded what signols he had been max
| ing, and TO whom; when one Of them.
looking over the edge of the cliff, ex.
claimed, eSee, see Humphrey, we have
| caught the whole Tabernacle of the Lord
in net at last. There they are, praising
God among the stones of the river Mouss.
These are the Garland Craigs. BY my
SOULS salvation, noble Cathedral =
Fling the lying sentinel over the cliffs.
Hereis acantiDg Covenanter for you, de.
| ceiving honest soldiers OH the very Sab
ba,h-day. Over with HIM, over with him
lou; Of the gallery into the pit" But
| the shepherd had vanished like shadow !;
and mixing with the green broom and
| bushes, was making his unseen way to-
wards wood. 'sSatan has saved his SER
want; but come, my lads--folIow mel
know the way down into the bed Of the
stream-and the steps up to Wailace's
cave. They are called the '.kittle Nine
Stances" The hunts up-wc'll be all in
| at the death. Halloo--my boys--haIloo ="
The soldiers dashed down a less preci
pitous part of the wooded banks, litde
below the "craigs," and hurried up the
the channel. But when they reached
the altar where the old grey,.haired mi
MISTER had been standing, and the rocks
that had been covered with people, all
| was silent and solitary--not creature TO
be seen. "Here is bible dropt by some
Of them" cried soldier, and with his
foot, spun it away into the pool. ga
bonnet-a bonnet" cried another-"now
for the pretty sanctified face that rolled
its demure eyes below il" But after
few tests and oatbs, the soldiers stood
still, cycling with kind of mysterious
dread the black and silent walls Of the
rock that hemned them in, and hearing
only the small voice of the stream that
sent profounder stiffness through the
heart Of tina, majestic solitude. "Curse
these cowardlyCovenanters-what,if they
tumble down upon our heads pieces of
rock FROM their hiding places ! Ad.
vance OF retreat :" There was no re-
ply. For Slight fear was upon every
man; musket or bay onet could be Of lit
tie use to men Obliged TO Chamber up
rocks, along slender paths, leading they
knew not where and they were aware
that armed men, now-a-d days, worshipp-
ed God---rnen ofiron hearts, who feared
not the glitter Of the soldiers arms
neither barrel or bayonet--men Of long
stride, firm step, and broad breast, who,
on the open field, would have overthrown
the marshalled line, and gone first and
foremost if city had to be taken by
storm.
AS the soldiers were standing together
i-rcsolute, noise came upon their ears
like distant thunder, but even more APP
paliiDg and slight current of air, as if
propelled by it, past whispering along
the sweet>briars, and the broom, and The
tresses of the birch trees. 1t came deep-
eDing, ard rolling, and roaring on, and
the very Garland Craigs shook to their
foundation, as il in an earthquake. "Tbe
Lord have mercy upon us-what is this"
and down fell many of the miserable
wretches on their knees, and some on
their faces, upon the sharp pointed rocks.
nj nj