CHAPTER XXVI The Elliots and Armstrongs did convene, They were a gallant company!
Ballad of Johnnie Armstrong
Without noticing the occupations of an intervening day or two, which, asthey consisted of the ordinary silvan amusements of shooting andcoursing, have nothing sufficiently interesting to detain the reader, wepass to one in some degree peculiar to Scotland, which may be called asort of salmon-hunting. This chase, in which the fish is pursued andstruck with barbed spears, or a sort of long-shafted trident, called awaster, is much practised at the mouth of the Esk and in the other salmonrivers of Scotland. The sport is followed by day and night, but mostcommonly in the latter, when the fish are discovered by means of torches,or fire-grates, filled with blazing fragments of tar-barrels, which sheda strong though partial light upon the water. On the present occasion theprincipal party were embarked in a crazy boat upon a part of the riverwhich was enlarged and deepened by the restraint of a mill-wear, whileothers, like the ancient Bacchanals in their gambols, ran along thebanks, brandishing their torches and spears, and pursuing the salmon,some of which endeavoured to escape up the stream, while others,shrouding themselves under roots of trees, fragments of stones, and largerocks, attempted to conceal themselves from the researches of thefishermen. These the party in the boat detected by the slightestindications; the twinkling of a fin, the rising of an airbell, wassufficient to point out to these adroit sportsmen in what direction touse their weapon.
The scene was inexpressibly animating to those accustomed to it; but, asBrown was not practised to use the spear, he soon tired of making effortswhich were attended with no other consequences than jarring his armsagainst the rocks at the bottom of the river, upon which, instead of thedevoted salmon, he often bestowed his blow. Nor did he relish, though heconcealed feelings which would not have been understood, being quite sonear the agonies of the expiring salmon, as they lay flapping about inthe boat, which they moistened with their blood. He therefore requestedto be put ashore, and, from the top of a heugh or broken bank, enjoyedthe scene much more to his satisfaction. Often he thought of his friendDudley the artist, when he observed the effect produced by the strong redglare on the romantic banks under which the boat glided. Now the lightdiminished to a distant star that seemed to twinkle on the waters, likethose which, according to the legends of the country, the water-kelpysends for the purpose of indicating the watery grave of his victims. Thenit advanced nearer, brightening and enlarging as it again approached,till the broad flickering flame rendered bank and rock and tree visibleas it passed, tingeing them with its own red glare of dusky light, andresigning them gradually to darkness, or to pale moonlight, as itreceded. By this light also were seen the figures in the boat, nowholding high their weapons, now stooping to strike, now standing upright,bronzed by the same red glare into a colour which might have befitted theregions of Pandemonium.
Having amused himself for some time with these effects of light andshadow, Brown strolled homewards towards the farm-house, gazing in hisway at the persons engaged in the sport, two or three of whom aregenerally kept together, one holding the torch, the others with theirspears, ready to avail themselves of the light it affords to strike theirprey. As he observed one man struggling with a very weighty salmon whichhe had speared, but was unable completely to raise from the water, Brownadvanced close to the bank to see the issue of his exertions. The man whoheld the torch in this instance was the huntsman, whose sulky demeanourBrown had already noticed with surprise. 'Come here, sir! come here, sir!look at this ane! He turns up a side like a sow.' Such was the cry fromthe assistants when some of them observed Brown advancing.
'Ground the waster weel, man! ground the waster weel! Haud him down! Yehaena the pith o' a cat!' were the cries of advice, encouragement, andexpostulation from those who were on the bank to the sportsman engagedwith the salmon, who stood up to his middle in water, jingling amongbroken ice, struggling against the force of the fish and the strength ofthe current, and dubious in what manner he should attempt to secure hisbooty. As Brown came to the edge of the bank, he called out--'Hold upyour torch, friend huntsman!' for he had already distinguished his duskyfeatures by the strong light cast upon them by the blaze. But the fellowno sooner heard his voice, and saw, or rather concluded, it was Brown whoapproached him, than, instead of advancing his light, he let it drop, asif accidentally, into the water.
'The deil's in Gabriel!' said the spearman, as the fragments of glowingwood floated half-blazing, half-sparkling, but soon extinguished, downthe stream. 'The deil's in the man! I'll never master him without thelight; and a braver kipper, could I but land him, never reisted abune apair o' cleeks.'[Footnote: See Note 4] Some dashed into the water to lendtheir assistance, and the fish, which was afterwards found to weighnearly thirty pounds, was landed in safety.
The behaviour of the huntsman struck Brown, although he had norecollection of his face, nor could conceive why he should, as itappeared he evidently did, shun his observation. Could he be one of thefootpads he had encountered a few days before? The supposition was notaltogether improbable, although unwarranted by any observation he wasable to make upon the man's figure and face. To be sure the villains woretheir hats much slouched, and had loose coats, and their size was not inany way so peculiarly discriminated as to enable him to resort to thatcriterion. He resolved to speak to his host Dinmont on the subject, butfor obvious reasons concluded it were best to defer the explanation untila cool hour in the morning.
The sportsmen returned loaded with fish, upwards of one hundred salmonhaving been killed within the range of their sport. The best wereselected for the use of the principal farmers, the others divided amongtheir shepherds, cottars, dependents, and others of inferior rank whoattended. These fish, dried in the turf smoke of their cabins orshealings, formed a savoury addition to the mess of potatoes, mixed withonions, which was the principal part of their winter food. In themeanwhile a liberal distribution of ale and whisky was made among them,besides what was called a kettle of fish,--two or three salmon, namely,plunged into a cauldron and boiled for their supper. Brown accompaniedhis jolly landlord and the rest of his friends into the large and smokykitchen, where this savoury mess reeked on an oaken table, massive enoughto have dined Johnnie Armstrong and his merry-men. All was hearty cheerand huzza, and jest and clamorous laughter, and bragging alternately, andraillery between whiles. Our traveller looked earnestly around for thedark countenance of the fox-hunter; but it was nowhere to be seen.
At length he hazarded a question concerning him. 'That was an awkwardaccident, my lads, of one of you, who dropped his torch in the water whenhis companion was struggling with the large fish.'
'Awkward!' returned a shepherd, looking up (the same stout young fellowwho had speared the salmon); 'he deserved his paiks for't, to put out thelight when the fish was on ane's witters! I'm weel convinced Gabrieldrapped the roughies in the water on purpose; he doesna like to see onybody do a thing better than himsell.'
'Ay,' said another, 'he's sair shamed o' himsell, else he would have beenup here the night; Gabriel likes a little o' the gude thing as weel asony o' us.'
'Is he of this country?' said Brown.
'Na, na, he's been but shortly in office, but he's a fell hunter; he'sfrae down the country, some gate on the Dumfries side.'
'And what's his name, pray?'
'Gabriel.'
'But Gabriel what?'
'Oh, Lord kens that; we dinna mind folk's afternames muckle here, theyrun sae muckle into clans.'
'Ye see, sir,' said an old shepherd, rising, and speaking very slow, 'thefolks hereabout are a' Armstrongs and Elliots,[Footnote: See Note 5] andsic like--two or three given names--and so, for distinction's sake, thelairds and farmers have the names of their places that they live at; as,for example, Tam o' Todshaw, Will o' the Flat, Hobbie o' Sorbietrees, andour good master here o' the Charlie's Hope. Aweel, sir, and then theinferior sort o' people, ye'll observe, are kend by sorts o' by-namessome o' them, as Glaike
t Christie, and the Deuke's Davie, or maybe, likethis lad Gabriel, by his employment; as, for example, Tod Gabbie, orHunter Gabbie. He's no been lang here, sir, and I dinna think ony bodykens him by ony other name. But it's no right to rin him doun ahint hisback, for he's a fell fox-hunter, though he's maybe no just sae clever assome o' the folk hereawa wi' the waster.'
After some further desultory conversation, the superior sportsmen retiredto conclude the evening after their own manner, leaving the others toenjoy themselves, unawed by their presence. That evening, like all thosewhich Brown had passed at Charlie's Hope, was spent in much innocentmirth and conviviality. The latter might have approached to the verge ofriot but for the good women; for several of the neighbouring mistresses(a phrase of a signification how different from what it bears in morefashionable life!) had assembled at Charlie's Hope to witness the eventof this memorable evening. Finding the punch-bowl was so oftenreplenished that there was some danger of their gracious presence beingforgotten, they rushed in valorously upon the recreant revellers, headedby our good mistress Ailie, so that Venus speedily routed Bacchus. Thefiddler and piper next made their appearance, and the best part of thenight was gallantly consumed in dancing to their music.
An otter-hunt the next day, and a badger-baiting the day after, consumedthe time merrily. I hope our traveller will not sink in the reader'sestimation, sportsman though he may be, when I inform him that on thislast occasion, after young Pepper had lost a fore-foot and Mustard thesecond had been nearly throttled, he begged, as a particular and personalfavour of Mr. Dinmont, that the poor badger, who had made so gallant adefence, should be permitted to retire to his earth without farthermolestation.
The farmer, who would probably have treated this request with supremecontempt had it come from any other person, was contented in Brown's caseto express the utter extremity of his wonder. 'Weel,' he said, 'that'squeer aneugh! But since ye take his part, deil a tyke shall meddle wi'him mair in my day. We 'll e'en mark him, and ca' him the Captain'sbrock; and I'm sure I'm glad I can do ony thing to oblige you,--but, Lordsave us, to care about a brock!'
After a week spent in rural sport, and distinguished by the most frankattentions on the part of his honest landlord, Brown bade adieu to thebanks of the Liddel and the hospitality of Charlie's Hope. The children,with all of whom he had now become an intimate and a favourite, roaredmanfully in full chorus at his departure, and he was obliged to promisetwenty times that he would soon return and play over all their favouritetunes upon the flageolet till they had got them by heart. 'Come backagain, Captain,' said one little sturdy fellow, 'and Jenny will be yourwife.' Jenny was about eleven years old; she ran and hid herself behindher mammy.
'Captain, come back,' said a little fat roll-about girl of six, holdingher mouth up to be kissed, 'and I'll be your wife my ainsell.'
'They must be of harder mould than I,' thought Brown, 'who could partfrom so many kind hearts with indifference.' The good dame too, withmatron modesty, and an affectionate simplicity that marked the oldentime, offered her cheek to the departing guest. 'It's little the like ofus can do,' she said, 'little indeed; but yet, if there were but onything--'
'Now, my dear Mrs. Dinmont, you embolden me to make a request: would youbut have the kindness to weave me, or work me, just such a grey plaid asthe goodman wears?' He had learned the language and feelings of thecountry even during the short time of his residence, and was aware of thepleasure the request would confer.
'A tait o' woo' would be scarce amang us,' said the goodwife,brightening, 'if ye shouldna hae that, and as gude a tweel as ever camaff a pirn. I'll speak to Johnnie Goodsire, the weaver at the Castletown,the morn. Fare ye weel, sir! and may ye be just as happy yoursell as yelike to see a' body else; and that would be a sair wish to some folk.'
I must not omit to mention that our traveller left his trusty attendantWasp to be a guest at Charlie's Hope for a season. He foresaw that hemight prove a troublesome attendant in the event of his being in anysituation where secrecy and concealment might be necessary. He wastherefore consigned to the care of the eldest boy, who promised, in thewords of the old song, that he should have A bit of his supper, a bit of his bed,and that he should be engaged in none of those perilous pastimes in whichthe race of Mustard and Pepper had suffered frequent mutilation. Brownnow prepared for his journey, having taken a temporary farewell of histrusty little companion.
There is an odd prejudice in these hills in favour of riding. Everyfarmer rides well, and rides the whole day. Probably the extent of theirlarge pasture farms, and the necessity of surveying them rapidly, firstintroduced this custom; or a very zealous antiquary might derive it fromthe times of the 'Lay of the Last Minstrel,' when twenty thousandhorsemen assembled at the light of the beacon-fires. [Footnote: It wouldbe affectation to alter this reference. But the reader will understandthat it was inserted to keep up the author's incognito, as he was notlikely to be suspected of quoting his own works. This explanation is alsoapplicable to one or two similar passages, in this and the other novels,introduced for the same reason.] But the truth is undeniable; they liketo be on horseback, and can be with difficulty convinced that any onechooses walking from other motives than those of convenience ornecessity. Accordingly, Dinmont insisted upon mounting his guest andaccompanying him on horseback as far as the nearest town inDumfries-shire, where he had directed his baggage to be sent, and fromwhich he proposed to pursue his intended journey towards Woodbourne, theresidence of Julia Mannering.
Upon the way he questioned his companion concerning the character of thefox-hunter; but gained little information, as he had been called to thatoffice while Dinmont was making the round of the Highland fairs. 'He wasa shake-rag like fellow,' he said, 'and, he dared to say, had gipsy bloodin his veins; but at ony rate he was nane o' the smaiks that had been ontheir quarters in the moss; he would ken them weel if he saw them again.There are some no bad folk amang the gipsies too, to be sic a gang,'added Dandie; 'if ever I see that auld randle-tree of a wife again, I 'llgie her something to buy tobacco. I have a great notion she meant me veryfair after a'.'
When they were about finally to part, the good farmer held Brown long bythe hand, and at length said, 'Captain, the woo's sae weel up the yearthat it's paid a' the rent, and we have naething to do wi' the rest o'the siller when Ailie has had her new gown, and the bairns their bits o'duds. Now I was thinking of some safe hand to put it into, for it's owermuckle to ware on brandy and sugar; now I have heard that you armygentlemen can sometimes buy yoursells up a step, and if a hundred or twawould help ye on such an occasion, the bit scrape o' your pen would be asgood to me as the siller, and ye might just take yer ain time o' settlingit; it wad be a great convenience to me.' Brown, who felt the fulldelicacy that wished to disguise the conferring an obligation under theshow of asking a favour, thanked his grateful friend most heartily, andassured him he would have recourse to his purse without scruple shouldcircumstances ever render it convenient for him. And thus they partedwith many expressions of mutual regard.