Year: 1860

Fearful Adventure in the Highlands of


ScOtlnnd-NnrrOw Escape OrThree Tour.


lists.


The Manchester (Eng) Guardian, received
by the last steamer observes:


Three tourists have narrowly escaped
terrible fate in the Highlands. The other
morning they left Ballachulish, intending to
reach Fort William that night, but in at
tempting a short cut, were mised by the
false direction of peasant. "On, on we
walked, writes one of them, "till darkness
was around u.s. and we became fully sensible
that the mists were gradually rolling down
the hills like gigantic snowfakes into the
valley; and to add to our troubles, one of
the party began to break down. It was
now, for the first time, we became seriously
alarmed; and, dragging our weary compan-
ion along with us, we hurried on in the
vain hope of finding the shepherds hut.
Alas we were told that no such hut had
ever existed in that direction, nor ever was
likely so to do, nor was there ever any road
or trace of one. The mists were now clos
ing in upon us. Not a sound save our own
hushed voices was to be heard. 1t was close
upon nine o'clock, and nearly dark. Our land
mark had long since disappeared, and we
were at length impressed with the idea
that we were lost.


Now, indeed we began to be seriously
alarmed. We were all hungry, and soaking
wet, butfnot exhausted. Our last drop of
whisky had been drank, and a little oaten
cake was all we had with us. At last we
saw below us what seemed to be an immense
sheet of mist; but, after some half hours
descent, we found it to be lake, which we
afterwards supposed must have been Loeb
Treig. Hope whispered that here there
must be human dwelling of some sort so
we kept close round the borders of the lake
till we came to a stream, which we followed
in its course over a series of waterfalls the
noise of which, at that hour, in that vast
solitude, and with our nerves unstrung, was
somewhat appalling. Around us all was
mist and darkness; below us, some 100 feet
or more, we could hear the stream surging
and believing, although we could only Iust
discern the thin, white line which marked
Its course. We dared not proceed, lest we
should fall over into the chasm beneath, and
we determined to rest where we were till
morning again dawned upon us. 1t was
now approaching to midnight. We undid
our knapsacks, divested ourselves of our wet
garments and put on dry ones, tied handker-
chiefs about our loins and heads enveloped
ourselves in our plaids, and, thrusting our
feet into our knapsacks commended our
selves to that watchful Providence in whom
in this hour of distress and difficulty we
placed our hope.


When the dreary night had at length
passed, and daylight succeeded to darkness,
discovered that the tree against which /
had supported myself projected from the
rock, and had | slept and swerved little
either to the right hand or to the left, must
have been precipitated into the abyss below,
100 feet down, and most likely dashed
to pieces. About seven o'clock in the morn
ing the mist had sufficiently cleared to al
low us to resume our wanderings. We di-
vided our oaten-cake into two portions; one
half we saved lest we should have to be out
another night, and the other half we divided
into three equal shares, and this-about two
ounces each-with some water, constituted
our mornings repast.


After traversing the stream we had fol-
lowed the previous night, we struck back
into the highlands and after wandering about
four hours and half we again heard the
sound of running water, which we continued
to follow, until, joy of joys! we came upon
the hoof-print of pony. No red Indian
ever tracked the footsteps Of his enemy with
more intense satisfaction than we followed
this mark of living animal along the side
of the stream and through a most beautiful
glen. We then came upon a sheep-pen, a
bridge Of poles, a gate, and other indications
| of humanity; and now the joyous feelings
rushed upon us that we were saved.