Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-03-04

own masonry, formed of vast and rugged
bodies of solid rock, piled on each other
as if in the giant sport of the architect.
Its sides are in some places covered with
trees of considerable size and the pas
senger who has head steady enough to
look down the precipice may see the eyry
Of birds of prey beneath his feet. The
path across is so narrow, that it cannot
admit of persons passing and indeed
none but natives would attempt the dam
gerous route, though it saves circuit of
three miles. Yet it sometimes happens
that two travellers meet, owing to the
curve formed by the pass preventing a
view across from either side; and when
this is the case, one lies down while the
other crawls over his body. One day, a
Highlander walking along the pass, when
he had gained the highest part Of the arch,
observed another coming leisurely up, and
being himself of the PARTISAN order, call
ed to him to lie down; the person, how
ever, disregarded the command, and the
Highlanders met on the summit. TREY
were Cairn and Bendearg, of two families
in enmity to each other. " was first at
the top" said Bendearg, "and called out
first; lie down, that l may pass over in
peace" "When the Grant prostrates
himself before M'Pherson," answered the
other, it must be with sword driven
through his body" "Turn back then,"
said Bendearg, "and repass as you came"
6" Go back yourself, if you like it," replied
Grant; I" / will not be the first of my
name to turn before MsPherson."
They then threw their bonnets over the
precipice, and advanced with slow and
cautious pace towards each other; they
we're both unarmed. Stretching their
limbs, like men preparing for desperate
struggle, they planted their feet firmly on
the ground, compressed their lips, knit
their eye brows, and fixing fierce and
watchful eyes on each other, stood pre-
pared for the onset. They both grappled
at the same moment; but being Of equal
strength, were unable for some time to
shift each others position standing fix
ed on 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'Pherson, suddenly
removing hisright foot, to give him great
er purchase, stopped his body, and bent
his enemy down with him by main
strength, till they both leaned over the
precipice, looking downward into the ter
rible abyss. The contest was as yet
doubtful, for Grant had placed his foot
firmly on an elevation at the brink, and
had equal command of his enemy; but at
this moment M'Pherson sunk slowly and
firmly on his knee, and while Grant sud-
denly started back, STOPPING to take the
supposed ad"nntage, whirled him over his
mead into the gulph. M nolso.. ,.i...oa or
fell backwards, his body hanging partly
over the rock-a fragment gave way be-
meath him, and he sunk further till,
catching with desperate effort at the
solid stone above, he regained his footing.
There was pause of death-like stiffness,
and the bold Of M'Pherson felt sickened
and faint. At length, as if compelled UNI
willingly by some mysterious feeling, he
looked down over the precipice. Grant
had caught with death-like grippe by the
rugged point of a rock-his enemy was
almost within his reach! His face was
turned upwards, and there was in it hor-
ror and despair-but he uttered no word
or cry. The next moment he loosed his
holland his brains were dashed out,
before the eyes of his hereditary foe; the
imangled body disappeared amongst the
trees, and its last heavy and hollow sound
arose from the bottom. MCPHERSON re-
turned home an altered man. He pur-
chased commission in the army, and fell
bravely in the wars Of the Peninsula. The
Gaelic name of the place where this ira
gedy was acted signifies He'll Bridge.
POWER OF IMAGINATION.
The celebrated DR.. Cullen of Edin.
burghhad in one of his lectures stated that
imagination was sometimes the cause of
diseased A few Of the students being de-
sirous Of bringing the remarks of their
learned Preceptor to the test of experience.
left the city one summer morning, expect
ing to fall in with a simple WAGNER, with
whom they were acquainted, and who
they knewiwould come to Edinburgh with
load of cnafs that dow Thew orr,r,o5