The kindred smile, the dear paternal cot:
But while through new-fall'n snows he hail'd the spot, His father with unwonted sternness cried,"While heedless you traverse the forest wide,
"Our little all, those heifers and those steers,
"Rear'd as a stock for our declining years,
"Your unregarded charge, have wander'd far,
"Where ridgy rocks the dangerous access bar;
"Or in the western Corry's depth profound,
"Where blasts in fatal eddies circle round * :
"While sylvan sports your vigorous youth engage,
"Must penury and sorrow cloud our age.”
The generous youth heart-chill'd with anguish stood,
The " light forsook his eyes, his cheeks the blood,"
Cold thro' his breast the new sensation came,
A stranger yet to censure or to shame;
Turning, he cried, "I go, where to the west
"Declining suns in Ocean's bosom rest :
"I go, your wand'ring heifers to explore,
"To find them, or, alas! return no more."
In sorrow thus he spoke, then turning round,
His variegated vest succinctly bound:
Array'd for speed, he westward bends his way,
While low the wint'ry sun forsakes the day :
His dog, the fleetest of the hunter kind,
Oft with reluctant wonder looks behind:
*See note No. 16.
Then patient mounts the rock, and urges on,
Till the last glimpse of lingering day was gone.
Now wide and wild the dreary prospect shews
Where stars with glimmering light illume the snows,
Through fleecy clouds a dubious lustre spread,
Where Corryaric rears his lofty head :
Deep at his feet the dismal Corry lies,
Where dwells a spirit, hid from human eyes,
Whose magic art the fatal blast unties *:
The fatal blast, incessant whirling round,
With horror fills the cavity profound:
The Dæmon, in the whirling drift disguis'd,
Has oft th' unweeting stranger here surpriz'd;
And many a grave is seen with fox-glove crown'd,
When Spring appears, with dewy locks unbound;
And many a plaintive ghost sad fancy forms,
And hears their hollow shriek amidst the storms.
Here FARQUHAR paus'd, look'd back, and shuddering saw
His faithful dog first shrink in silent awe,
Then, howling, trembling, fly with quicken'd pace,
To warn his master from the fatal place.
"Shall I too fly, (he cried) or trust the Pow'r "Who guards us in the dark and silent hour? "From whom commission'd blasts have leave to fly, Or sleep within the curtains of the sky. * See note No. 17.
"Strong in his strength these horrors I explore,
By him protected, FARQUHAR fears no more." His plaid in ample folds around him cast,
The vent'rous youth ascends the steep in haste;
Loud from the Corry's depth arose the wind,
Unmov'd he heard the yelling blast behind,
And flying from the grim pursuit of death,
No backward look retrac'd the dangerous path.
Now high above the rolling clouds he goes,
Where clearer star-light brightens whiter snows;
Sublime on Corryaric's height he stood,
And all the wide horizon wond'ring view'd *:
Through the pure air, where vision unconfin'd
Still ranges like the quick creative mind;
Saw, where the sun, from Ocean's fluid breast,
Begins his radiant progress in the East;
And where with milder majesty he shines,
When in the western wave his light declines:
Saw the long vista, where 'midst candy'd snows,
The mighty depths of Ness appear unfroze.
Majestic lake! which rocky mountains bound,
Or steepy heights, with yew and holly crown'd;
Fed by thy tepid breath, each bordering tree,
Still with reflected verdure shine in thee;
While wide the wint'ry blast in fury roves,
And strips the graceful foliage from the groves.
+ See note No. 19.
And when each neighbouring lake is chill'd to stone,
Warmth, health, and beauty, dwell with thee alone:
There birds disport, bedeck'd with plumage gay,
And snowy swans their stately pride display.
The ruthless tyrant of the frozen year,
Repell'd, retiring, shuns thy bosom clear.
And now the moon in cloudless splendour rose, Where lofty Alps their snowy tops disclose : And the wild Garrie, 'midst his ridgy zone, To her pale beams an icy mirror shone : There Moidart's hills in clustering groupes appear, And Aonich's slow ascent and piny summit here Knoidart's wild rocks in shapeless forms were seen, And Oich with softer beauties deck'd the scene: A while entranc'd, in solemn awe he gaz'd, Then to the skies his raptur'd eyes he rais'd: "And why (said he) should coward fears controul, "Or doubts desponding, sink the guiltless soul? "The hand which bade those lofty summits rise, "And with those living splendours deck'd the skies, "Which move obedient to his dread command,— "I dwell beneath the shadow of that hand." Then downwards to the sheltering glen he hies, And close beneath the tangling thicket lies, Which o'er the rocky cavity was spread,
Where wither'd leaves collected form'd his bed:
Exhausted nature sunk in sleep profound,
And peaceful visions lightly hover'd round.
Now bleak and dim the chilly morn arose,
And keen the North wind swept the glossy snows,
The blast loud rushing thro' the wither'd oak,
Arous'd his dog, and FARQUHAR starting woke :
Forlorn and sad, he cast his
eyes around,
But in his view no living object found;
Nor track, save to a gloomy cavern near,
Where the false fox's bloody steps appear :
Resolv'd, he turns, intent to trace the way
From whence the nightly robber bore his prey;
For well he knew, at this inclement hour
No wand'ring flocks were subject to his pow'r;
But from some cot perhaps not far away,
He slunk insidious with his helpless prey.
Forward with eager speed again he goes,
And traces up th' ascent th' ensanguin'd snows;
Eastward he bends, till weak, and spent with toil,
He sees the new-fall'n snow his steps beguile;
The buried track no longer leads him on,
And strength, and fortitude, and hope, are gone.
The flaky torrent now conceals the sun,
And hunger faint to dim his sight begun;
Cheerless he turns, to seek the friendly shade
Where verdant hollies rose, amidst a glade;
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