An historical account of the settlements of Scotch highlanders in America prior to the Peace of 1783 : together with notices of highland regiments and biographical sketches . g of the water-fall, the thun-der peals echoing from crag to crag, and the lightning rendingrocks and shivering to pieces the trees. When a reasonable causecould not be assigned for a calamity it was ascribed to the opera-tions of evil spirits. The evil one had power to make compacts,but against these was the virtue of the charmed circle. One of themost dangerous and malignant of beings was the Water-kelpie,which allured
An historical account of the settlements of Scotch highlanders in America prior to the Peace of 1783 : together with notices of highland regiments and biographical sketches . g of the water-fall, the thun-der peals echoing from crag to crag, and the lightning rendingrocks and shivering to pieces the trees. When a reasonable causecould not be assigned for a calamity it was ascribed to the opera-tions of evil spirits. The evil one had power to make compacts,but against these was the virtue of the charmed circle. One of themost dangerous and malignant of beings was the Water-kelpie,which allured women and children into its element, where theywere drowned, and then became its prey. It could skim along thesurface of the water, and browse by its side, or even suddenlyswell a river or loch, which it inhabited, until an unwary travellermight be engulfed. The Urisks were half-men, half-spirits, who,by kind treatment, could be induced to do a good turn, even tothe drudgeries of a farm. Although scattered over the wholeHighlands, they assembled in the celebrated cave—Coire-nan-U risk in—situated near the base of Ben Venue, in Aberfoyle. 26 HIGHLANDERS IN Coirk-nan-Uriskin. By many a bard, in Celtic tongue,Has Coir-nan-Uriskin been sung:A softer name the Saxons gave,And calld the grot the Goblin-cave, Gray Superstitions whisper dreadDebarrd the spot to vulgar tread;For there, she said, did fays resort,And satyrs hold their sylvan court.— Lady of the Lake. The Daoine Shi were believed to be a peevish, repining raceof beings, who, possessing but a scant portion of happiness, enviedmankind their more complete and substantial enjoyments. Theyhad a sort of a shadowy happiness, a tinsel grandeur, in theirsubterranean abodes. Many persons had been entertained in theirsecret retreats, where they were received into the most splendidapartments, and regaled with sumptuous banquets and deliciouswines. Should a mortal, however, partake of their dainties, thenhe was forever d
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