Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-05-13

er 10 forgive the enemies Of his family.
The annexed article relates the consequences Of
a meeting between a M'Pherson and a Grant, on a
dangerous pass, the Gaelic name Of which interpret
ed signifies the Bridge oflIell. The story, we ven
ture to say, will be found as interesting as any
that has as yet filled the columns of our paper.
The picture delineates very happily, the deter
mined hostility and unrelentins hatred cherished to-
wards one another by the ancient Scottish clans.
In earlier times, the warlike chiefs of these
names found frequent opportunities of t~estiiying
their mutual animosit y; aud few inheritors Of the
fatal quarrel left the world without having noisten-
ed it with the blood of their hereditary enemies
But in our own day, the progress Of civilization.
which had reached even these wild oOuntries-the
heart Of the North Hjghlands-although it could not
extinguish entirely the transmitted spirit Of re-
venge, at least kept it within safe bounds, aud the
feuds of M'Phersvn and Grant threatened, in the
course of another generation, to die entirely away
or at least to exist only III some vexauous lawsuits,
i~ostered by two men of hostile tempers and contis-
uous property.
II was not, however, without some ebullitions OF
ancient fierceness, that the flame which had burned
for so many centuries, seemed about to expire
Once at a meeting Of the country gentlemen, II
question of privilege arising, Benlcarg took occa-
| stOl III THROW OUT SONIC tdNilt lInc IL ns ntIcol-
tary foe, which the fiery Grant Immediately re-
ceived as the signal oidefiance, and a challenge was
the consequence. The sheriff of the county, how
ever, having received intimation Of the affair, put
both parties under arrest; till, at length, 10y the
persuasions of their friends-not friends by blood
and the representations Of the magistrates, they
shook hand,, and each pledged his honor to forget
AT least, never again to remember, in speech or
action, the ancient feul OF his ,amily. This occur
renee, at the time, was the o hiect Of much interest
in the /" country side - the rather that it seemed to
give the lie TO the prophecies, Of which many an
Highland family has an ample stock in its tradi-
tionary chronicles, and which expressly predicted
that the enmity Of Cairn and B~endearg should only
be q~uenched in blood and on this seemingly cross
grained circumstance some of the young men who
begun to be tainted with the hcresies OF the Low
lands, were seen to shake their heads as they re-
hected on the tales and faith of their ancestors -
bat the grey-haired seers shook theirs still more
wisely, and answered with the motto Of a noble
house, " bide my t'me."
There is a narrow pass between two mountains
in the neighborhood Of Bendearg, well known to
the traveller who adventures into these wilds in
quest of the savage sublimities of nature. At a lit
tie distance it has the appearance of an immense ar
tlfcial bridge thrown over IA wide chasm but on n
nearer approach, il, seen to be a wall of natures
own masonry, formed Of vast and rugged bodies Vt
solid rock piled on each other, as if in the giant
\ sport OF inc arcnltect. ls SlueS are In some places
covered with trees of considerable size and the
passenger who has u head steady enorgh 10 look
down the dreadful p%recipicc, ray see the eyries of
birds OF prey beneath his feet. The path across it
is so narrow, that it will not admit Of two persons
passing alongside and indeed none but natives,
accustomed to the scene from infancy, would at
tempt the dangerous route at all, though il saves a
circuit OF three miles. Yet it sometimes happens
that two travellers meet in the middle, owing to the
curve formct by the pass preventing II view across
from either side and when this is the case, one is
obliged to lie down while the other crawls over his
body.
Que day. shortly after the incident above men,
tioned,a highlander was walking tearlessly down
the pass, sometimes bending over TO watch the
flight of the wild birds that built below, and some
times detaching a fragment from the top, to see it
dashed against the uneven sides, and bounding from
rock to rock, its sound echoins the while like a hu-
man voice, and dying in faint and hollow murmurs
at the bottom. When the Highlander had gained
the lottlest part of the arch, he observed another
person coming leisurely up from the opposite side,
and being himself of the patrician order, called out
to him to lie down the individual, however, disre-
garded the command, and the Highlanders met face
TO face on the summit. They were Cairn and
B~endearg the two hereditary enemies, who would
have gloried to have met in mortal strife ON a hill
side, turned deadly pale at this fatal rencontre. 81
was first at the top" said Bendearg, /" md called
" HTS lie uoWn tnat j may pass over I'D peace.
/" When the Grant prostrates himself before NJ
Pherson," answered the other, at must be with a
sword driven through his body" "Turn hack,
then,' said Bendearg, I" and repass rs you came"
Go back yourself, If you like it, will not he the
first to turn before a MPherson." This was their
short conference, and the result exactly as each had
anticipated. They then threw their bonnets over
the p%recipice, and advanced with a slow and eau |
tons step towards each other they were both un- |
armed. Stretching their limbs like men preparing !
for a desperate struggle, they planted their feet
firmly on the ground, compressed their lips, knit
their dark brows, and fixing fierce and watchful
eyes on each other, stood prepared for the onset.
They both grappled at the same moment but, be- |
Ing o fequal strength, were unable, for some time,
to SHIFT each others position, standing, as If fixed to
the rock, with suppressed breath, and muscles
strained " to the top of their bent" like statues
carved out of the solid stone. At length M'Pher- |
son suddenly removing his right foot, so as to give
him greater purchase, stopped his body and bent
his enemy with him by main strength, till they both
leaned over the p%recipice. looking downward into
the terrible abyss. The contest was as yet doubt
ful, for Grant had placed his feet firmly on an eleva-
tion at the brink, and had equal command Of his
enemy; but at that moment M'Pherson saEk slowly
and firmly on his knee, and, while Grant suddenly
started back STOPPING to take the supposed advan-
tage, wlnrled him over his head into the gulf
MPherson himself fell backwards, his body hanging
partly over the rock, a fragment gave way beneath
him, and he sunk further, till catching at the solid
stone above, he regained his footing. There was a
pause Of deathlike stiffness, and the bold heart Of
M'Pherson felt sick and faint. At length, as ifcom-