The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-08-28
our population, As the clown says in
the circus, Let I'm 60, Johnyh
Alta California.
A Highland Anecdotes.
BY SIR WALTER SCOTT.


anecdote in my early youth. Dun
can, for 80 Ishall call him, had been
engaged in the affair of 1746, with
others of his clan; and was supposed
by many to have been an accomplice
if not the principal actor, in Ger.
tain tragIcal affair, which made much
noise a good many years after the
rebellion. am content with indica.
ting this, in order to give some idea
of the mans character, which was
bold, fierce, and cnterprising. Ira.
ces of this natural disposition still re-
named on Duncan's very good fea.
lures, and in his keen grey eye. But
the limbs, like those of the aged bor-
derer in former tale, had become
unable to serve the purpose and obey
the dictates of his inclination. On
Che one side of his body he retained
the proportions and firmncss Of an
active mountainecr: on the other, he
was disabled cripple, scarce able to
limp along the streets. The cause
which reduced him to this state Of in.
trinity was singular.
Twenty years or more before I
knew Duncan, he assisted his brothers
in framing large grazing in the
Highlands, comprehcnding an ex-
tensivc range of mountain and forest
land, morass, lake and prccipicc. 1t
chanced that o sheep or goat was
missing from the flock, and Duncan,
not satisfied with despatching his
shcpards in one direction, went him.
self in quest ofthc fugitive in another.
In the course Of bis researches, he
was induced to ascend small and
narrow path, leading to the top of a
high prccipicc. Dangerous as it was
at first, the road became doubly so
as he advanced. 1t was not much
more than two feet broad, SO ragged
and difficult, and, at the same time
SO terrible, that it would have been
impracticablc to any but the light
step and steady brain of Highland
| or. The prccipice on the right rose
like avail, and on the left, sunk to a
depth which it was giddy to look
down upon; but Duncan passed cheer
fully on, now whistling the gathering
of his clan, now taking heed to his
footsteps when the difficulties of the
path peculiarly required caution.
In this manner he had more than
half asccndcd the precipice, when in
midway, and it might almost be said,
in middle air, he encountered buck
of the red deer species, coming down
the cliff by the same path in an oppo-
site direction. IfDuncan had had a
gun no rencontre could have been
more agreeable; but as he had not
this advantage over the dcnizcn Of the
wilderness, the meeting was in the
highest degree unwelcome. Neither
party had the power of rctrcating,
for the stag had not room to turn
himself i'll the narrow path; and if
Duncan had turned his back to 90
down, he knew enough of the crca.
ture's habits to be certain that he
would rush upon him while engaged
in the difficulties Of the retreat. They
stood perfectly still and looked at
each other in mutual embarrassment
for some space.
At length the deer, which was of
the largest size began to lower his
formidable antlcIs, as they do when
they are brought to bay, and arc pre-
pairing to rush upon hound and hunts.
man. Duncan saw the danger Of q
cnniict in which he must probably
come by the worst, and as a last re-
source, stretched himself on the lit
tic ledge Of rock which he occupied,
and thus awaited the resolution which
the deer should take, not making the
least motion for fear of alarming the
wild and suspicious animal. They
remained in this posture for three
or four hours, in the midst Of rock
which would have suited the pencil of
Salvador, and which afforded barely
room enough for the man and stag,
opposed to each other in this extra
ordinary manner.
At length the buck seemed to take
the resolution Of passing over the oh,
stacIc which lay in his path, and with
this purpose approached towards
Duncan very slowly and with eau.
ton. When he came to the High.
lander, he stopped his head down as
if to examine him more closely, when
the devil. or the untamcablc love of
sport peculiar to his country, began
to overcome Duncan's fears. See.
ing the animal proceed so gently, he
totally forgot not only the dangers
Of his position, but the implicit com.
pact which certainly might have
been inferred from the circumstances
of the situation. With one hand
Duncan seized the dccr's horn, with
the other he drew his dirk. But in
tho son,o ;nctont tLo hunI ho,,InI