The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-02-29
From The Keepsake for 1882.
A HIGHLAND ANECDOTE.
BY SIR WALTER SCOTT.

me same course oil reflection which LEI
me TO transmit TO you the account of tn,
death of an ancient borderer,* induces m,
to add the particulars of singular inciden,
afiording point which seems highly quail
fed to be illustrated by the pencil. 1t wa
suggested by the spirited engraving of tn,
Gored Huntsman, which adorned the frs
number of your work. and perhaps bear:
too close a resemblance to the character o.
that print TO admit of your choosing it as a
subject for another. OF this you are the
only competent Judge.
The story is an DID, but not an ancient
one the actor and sufferer was not a very
aged man, when | heard the anecdote in
my early youth. Duncan, for so | shall
call him, had been engaged in the affair Of
l|46, with others of his class, and was SUD-
posed by many to have been an accemplice,
If not the principal actor in a certain tragic
affair, which made much noise good many
years after the rebellion. / am content
with indicating this, in order to give some
idea of the mans character, which was
void, fierce and enterprising. Traces OF
this natural disposition still remained on
Duncan's very good features, and in his
keen grey eye. But the limbs, like those
of the aged borderer in my former tale, had
become unable to serve the purposes and
obey the dictates of his inclination. On
the one side of his body he retained the
proportions and firmness of an active noun
1aineer; on the other he was a disabled
cripple, scarce able to limp along the street.
The cause which reduced him to this state
of infrmity was singular.
Twenty years or more before knew Dun
can, he assisted his brothers in forming
large grazingf in the Highlands, compre-
hendlng an extensive range of mountain
ana forest, land morass, lake and preci-
pice. 1t CHANGED that a sheep or goat was
missed from the focks, and Duncan, not
satisfied with despatrhing his shepherds in
one direction, went himself in quest of the
fugitive in another.
In the course Of his researches, he was
induced to ascend small and narrow path,
leading to the top of high precipice.-
Dangerous as it was at first, the road be-
came doubly so as he advanced. 1t was
not much more than two feet broad. so rug
ged and difficult, and at the same time so
terrible, that it would he impractcable to
any but the light step and steady brain of
Highlander. The precipice on the right
rose like a wall, and on the left sunk to a
depth which it was giddy 10 look down up
on; but Duncan passed cheerfully on, now
whlstling the Gathering tune of his Clan,
no~ taking heed 10 his footsteps, WIEN the
difficulties of the path particularly required
caution.
In this manner, he had more than half
assembled the Precipice, when in midway,
and it might almost be said in middle air,
he encountered buck of the red-deer spe-
cies, running down the cliff by the same
path, in an opposite direction. IF Duncan
had had a gun no rcncontre would have
been more agreeable hut as he had this
advantage over the denizen of the wilder
ness, the meeting was in the highest de-
gree unwelcome. Neither party had the
power Of -et-eatiag, fer the staa; had not
room to turn himself in the narrow path,
and if Duncan had turned his back to go
down, he knew enough Of the creatures
habits to he certain that he would rush up
on him while engaged in the difficulty of
retreat They stood therefore perfectly still,
and looked at each other in mutual en-
barrassment for some space.
At length the deer, which was of the
largest size, began to lower his formidable
antlers, rs they do when they are brought
to bay, and are preparing to rush upon hound
and huHtsman. Duncan saw the danger of
conflict in which he must probably come
by the worst, and as last resource stretch
ed himself on the little ledge of1ock which
he occupied, and thus awaited the resolu-
ton which the deer should take, not max
ing the least motion, for fear of alarming
the wild and suspicious animal. They re-
manned in this posture for three or four
hours, in the midst of a rock which would
have suited the pencil of Salvador, and
which afforded barely room enough for the
man and the stag, opposed to each other in
this extraordinary manner.
At length the buck seemed TO take the
resolution Of passing over the obstacle
which lay in his path, and with this purpose
approached towards Duncan very slowly,
and with excessive caution. When he came
cloReto the Highlander, he stopped his head
down as If to examine him more closely,
when the devil or the untameabe love OF
sport, peculiar to his country began to over
come Duncan's fears. Seeing the animal
proceed so gently, he totally forgot not only
the dangers of his position, but the nuptial
compact which certainly might have been in
ferred from the circumstances of the situa-
ton.
With one hand Duncan seized the deer's
horns, whilst with the other he drew his
dirk. But the instant the buck bounded
over the precipiee, carrying the Highlander
along with him. They went thus down
upwards of an hundred feet, and were found
next morning in the spot where they fell
N Iooa Il ri
butive Justice in her dspensations, ordered
that the deer should fall underneath and be
killed upon the spot, while Duncan escaped
with his life, but with the fracture of leg
an arm and three ribs. In this state he was
found lying on the carcass of the deer, anc
the injuries he had received, rendered him
for the remainder of his life the cripple
have described. | never could approve o.
DuncaG's conduct towards the deer in
moral view, although as the man in the
play said, he was my friend but the temp
tation of hart of greece, offering as i
were, his throat to the knife would have
subdued the virtue ofalmost any deerstalker
Whether the anecdote is worth recording
or deserving ofillustration, remains for you
consideration. have given you the stor,
exactly as recollect it.
The death Of the laird's Jock, published in tn
Keepsake for 1929.
IA pastoral farm.
AN IMpUprNT Dun. The late Sir Rol,
EFT Henley, who was commonly pretty muc
in debt, walking one day with two or tire
other genil emen, in the park, was accoste
by tradesman, who took him aside for
minute or two; and when the baronet re
Joined bis COMPANY be seemed 10 be in