The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-12-18
From the United Service Magazine.
A TRUE TALE OF THE REBELLION OF
EORTY-FIXE.


| heights, to reveal the things which they have wi
messed. But though lake after lake, and glen aite
glen, bury IN their deep loneliness all record of tn
past still does tradition rescue sufficient from tn
grave of years to surround the Highlands with bot
interest and romance and numerous are the strang
legends of love and war to which the traveller ma
! listen, as he wandeFs from tiA trOdden paths int
the wilder districts. And many are of but recen
date for legendary lore; the past century, with it
stirring events, momentous indeed for Scotland, fur
nishing an inexhaustible fund of wild adventure
and daring deeds, which the hardy mountaineer re
| lates with an enthusiasm that denotes-pea
| and loyal subject as he now is-for which side h
would have drawn his claymore had he lived in tn
days when attachment to the banished Stuarts lureC
his clansmen, probably his fathers, to their ruin
To this hour, there are quiet valleys, and SOLITARY
hamlets where those deeds of by gone years told
as though they were but tales Of yesterday anC
where names which, further south, have been Ions
since consigned to history still live fresh in the mem
DRY of the inhabitants, and are for on their lips
But there is one among those traditions which
never fushes the speakers cheek with pride, Of
lights his eye with martial ardor though it bids his
bosom swell with indignation at the thought ofhoW
his cOuntrymen were sometimes treated. II is the
legend Of Loeb Arkaig, in Inyerness-shire as pic
turesque and well-nigh as wild lake any in the
Highlands. 1t is now more than a hundred years
since, that blue-eyed girl large stone upon
its northern shore, not far from Of the openings
of the vast glen leading thither from Loeb LOchy.
She was young and very lovely, and fair almost as
herself was the scene on which she looked. Not a
breath stirred the blue waters of the lOch, which
lay flashing like mirror in the sunshine rejecting
faithfully every rock and tree the lofty hills sur
rounding it, and every feecy cloud in the tranquil
sky, which from spot low on the shore appeared
to rest like vast canopy upon the mountain tops.
Before her was break in the high ramparts which
walled her round, where the grassy lawn and scat
tered woods of AchnaearV, with the proud dwelling
of ebO in Stir haan Elra
a fragment of another scene. Beyond, cleaned
Loeb LOchY as a line of light, and beyond again,
rugged hills and lofty mountains closed the view.
But all their varied lOveliness woke no smile on
the maiden's lip; her fair snooded hair was parted
over a brow too thoughtful for her age, and there
was deep anxiety in the gaze intently fixed upon
the skiff which, as yet speck on the bright waters
glided gently from the shore of Achnacary, width
er her father and brother had been, on the summons
Of the chieftain of their line the gallant but unfor
tunate Lochiel And but a few days more, and
they, with some hundreds of their name, were TO
follow him on that wild and romantic enterprise to
replace exiled on the throne of their
tors, which was to be productive of misery TO all
concerned in it. Lilias Cameron had been false to
her name did she not regard the Stuarts as her
rightful princes, and proudly would her bosom
have sWeIed to hail those nearest to her IN blood
as the aiders in their restoration. But still she
shrunk in womanly sOftness from the thought Of all
the perils they must encounter; and her spirit was
couded by foreboding of evil result to the effort,
to which, undazzled by the hope of success, and
solely through high and chivalrOus sense of 10y
atty to family for which his own had suffered much,
Lochel had rashly pledged himself and clan.
All was still as death the cushat's voice was
hushed, and the wild ducks wings were folded as
she rested motionless upon the lOch. But now a
fOotstep broke that deep silence, and the Highland
girl started to her feet, and for one moment her
cheek grew PALE as she perceived British officer
standing beside tall birch but a few PAGES dis
tant But second glance showed her that his
uniform was soied and torn, and that he leaned for
support against the tree, while few words gently
uttered in her native tongue convinced her it
countryman who, wounded, weary, and exhausted,
cast himself upon her protection and good faith.
Protection and from what 7" asked Lilias,
hurriedly.
" From even your own clan, lady," replied the
stranger Your kinsmen have sharp swords and
ready hands; half of my comrades are lying on the
shore of Loeb Lochy, many are prisoners, and !,
he added with bitter smile, " l. as you see, have
fled. Through yOn dark glen have struggled on,
until, faint and weary, | can struggle no longer;
and Of late see that am pursued. They gain on
me fast; and now, like a stag run down by the
hunters, must find cover or stand at bay
"What can | z" murmured Lilias, casting
helpless look around As she did so her eye fell on
the flash of weapons and waving of tartans in the
direction of Meala Dubh, (Or the dark mile,l
whence the fugitive had come There they are %
she exclaimed, claSplng her hands.
The stranger half drew his sword, but pushed it
back again" Not in your presence, lady" said he.
: Leave this spot now, entreat you !"
Lilias answered not, but still gazed round her
eagerly, with that sort Of desperation which is the
source of so many timely expedents 60 You shall
be saved! Come hither, quick . she cried, sud-
denly springing on the broad shelving rock which
had formed her seat and whose back appeared alb
soutely to rest against mass of foliage, while
stunted fir, dropping downward, Overhung the |
whole She had scarcely spoken, when Munro of
Culeain was at her side; the clustering alder |
INTO which he sprung, and the branches closed over
him with wild wave and rustic, as the fugitive |
sunk on his couch of bushes, with feeling of
as though for life itself he could not
have made another effort; then all again was still,
he leaves hung mOtionless upon the boughs, and |
Inc maiden sat in silence, keeping her lonely watch
upon the shore.
Scarcely minute had elapsed when there was |
heard the rapid tread of several feet upon the |
heather, and Immediately half dozen High
anders, fully armed, rushed over hillock on her |
cit what, Llllas here - exclaimed, in tone of |
their leader man of gigantic size
and strength, as the girl arose to meet them.
" And whom seek you, Angus Mhor % she de- |
handed, with smile, giving him the name his I'M
Usual stature had secured to him. If my father, |
Tonder boat brings him hither from Achnacary.''
No, child we seek the Sassenaeh, whom we
must strike him down. or my heart viii know no
,eaee Surely he must have passed this way /
bought he had escaped before but by the soul of
ny iather, he shall not escape me nowi"
e" What has he done 90 inquired the maiden,
mildly.
$ He has slain, hand to hand, my sisters son,
fergus, with the white hair, and the fire of my
engeance can be quenched only in his blood 20
aid Angus, fercely. But we waste time.'' he
ontinued, waving his hand to his clansmen to dis
erse. "Search well every corrie, nook and brake
he wolf is wounded, and may scarcely crawl back
his distant lair" So saying, with one bound the
cameron leaped heavily on the rock so close above
he fugitive, that Munro half rose, believing his
oncealment at an end. But it was only to extend
is sphere of vision and mark how his orders were
beyed. And well and eagerly did the sons of the
Ian Cameron pursue their quest; up to the base of
precpice he could not climb, not hollow, nor a
ssure, nor lhieke, where the foot Of the wounded
fieer might have borne him, was left unexplored
y their eyes, or unfathomed by their claymores.
'ot wooded knoll or shady spot, where the
lncken red deer might have laid down 10 die be-
de the waters which ha lnvpd In drink was Ieft