Waverley; Or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since Read online

  CHAPTER XVII

  THE HOLD OF A HIGHLAND ROBBER

  The party preserved silence, interrupted only by the monotonous andmurmured chant of a Gaelic song, sung in a kind of low recitative bythe steersman, and by the dash of the oars, which the notes seemed toregulate, as they dipped to them in cadence. The light, which they nowapproached more nearly, assumed a broader, redder, and more irregularsplendour. It appeared plainly to be a large fire, but whether kindledupon an island or the main land, Edward could not determine. As he sawit, the red glaring orb seemed to rest on the very surface of the lakeitself, and resembled the fiery vehicle in which the Evil Genius of anOriental tale traverses land and sea. They approached nearer, and thelight of the fire sufficed to show that it was kindled at the bottomof a huge dark crag or rock, rising abruptly from the very edge ofthe water; its front changed by the reflection to dusky red, formed astrange and even awful contrast to the banks around, which were fromtime to time faintly and partially illuminated by pallid moonlight.

  The boat now neared the shore, and Edward could discover that this largefire, amply supplied with branches of pine-wood by two figures, who, inthe red reflection of its light, appeared like demons, was kindled inthe jaws of a lofty cavern, into which an inlet from the lake seemed toadvance; and he conjectured, which was indeed true, that the fire hadbeen lighted as a beacon to the boatmen on their return. They rowedright for the mouth of the cave, and then, shipping their oars,permitted the boat to enter in obedience to the impulse which it hadreceived.

  The skiff passed the little point or platform of rock on which the firewas blazing, and running about two boats' length farther, stopped wherethe cavern (for it was already arched overhead) ascended from the waterby five or six broad ledges of rocks, so easy and regular that theymight be termed natural steps. At this moment a quantity of water wassuddenly flung upon the fire, which sank with a hissing noise, and withit disappeared the light it had hitherto afforded. Four or five activearms lifted Waverley out of the boat, placed him on his feet, andalmost carried him into the recesses of the cave. He made a few paces indarkness, guided in this manner; and advancing towards a hum of voices,which seemed to sound from the centre of the rock, at an acute turnDonald Bean Lean and his whole establishment were before his eyes.

  The interior of the cave, which here rose very high, was illuminated bytorches made of pine-tree, which emitted a bright and bickering light,attended by a strong though not unpleasant odour. Their light wasassisted by the red glare of a large charcoal fire, round which wereseated five or six armed Highlanders, while others were indistinctlyseen couched on their plaids, in the more remote recesses of the cavern.In one large aperture, which the robber facetiously called his spence(or pantry), there hung by the heels the carcasses of a sheep, orewe, and two cows lately slaughtered. The principal inhabitant of thissingular mansion, attended by Evan Dhu as master of the ceremonies, cameforward to meet his guest, totally different in appearance and mannerfrom what his imagination had anticipated. The profession which hefollowed--the wilderness in which he dwelt--the wild warrior-formsthat surrounded him, were all calculated to inspire terror. From suchaccompaniments, Waverley prepared himself to meet a stern, gigantic,ferocious figure, such as Salvator would have chosen to be the centralobject of a group of banditti. [11]

  Donald Bean Lean was the very reverse of all these. He was thin inperson and low in stature, with light sandy-coloured hair, and smallpale features, from which he derived his agnomen of BEAN, or white; andalthough his form was light, well-proportioned, and active, he appeared,on the whole, rather a diminutive and insignificant figure. He hadserved in some inferior capacity in the French army, and in order toreceive his English visitor in great form, and probably meaning, in hisway, to pay him a compliment, he had laid aside the Highland dress forthe time, to put on an old blue and red uniform, and a feathered hat,in which he was far from showing to advantage, and indeed looked soincongruous, compared with all around him, that Waverley would have beentempted to laugh, had laughter been either civil or safe. The robberreceived Captain Waverley with a profusion of French politeness andScottish hospitality, seemed perfectly to know his name and connexions,and to be particularly acquainted with his uncle's political principles.On these he bestowed great applause, to which Waverley judged it prudentto make a very general reply.

  Being placed at a convenient distance from the charcoal fire, the heatof which the season rendered oppressive, a strapping Highland damselplaced before Waverley, Evan, and Donald Bean, three cogues, or woodenvessels, composed of staves and hoops, containing EANARUICH, [This wasthe regale presented by Rob Roy to the Laird of Tullibody.] a sort ofstrong soup, made out of a particular part of the inside of the beeves.After this refreshment, which, though coarse, fatigue and hungerrendered palatable, steaks, roasted on the coals, were supplied inliberal abundance, and disappeared before Even Dhu and their host witha promptitude that seemed like magic, and astonished Waverley, who wasmuch puzzled to reconcile their voracity with what he had heard of theabstemiousness of the Highlanders. He was ignorant that this abstinencewas with the lower ranks wholly compulsory, and that, like some animalsof prey, those who practise it were usually gifted with the power ofindemnifying themselves to good purpose, when chance threw plenty intheir way. The whisky came forth in abundance to crown the cheer. TheHighlanders drank it copiously and undiluted; but Edward, having mixeda little with water, did not find it so palatable as to invite him torepeat the draught. Their host bewailed himself exceedingly that hecould offer him no wine: 'Had he but known four-and-twenty hours before,he would have had some, had it been within the circle of forty milesround him. But no gentleman could do more to show his sense of thehonour of a visit from another, than to offer him the best cheer hishouse afforded. Where there are no bushes there can be no nuts, and theway of those you live with is that you must follow.'

  He went on regretting to Evan Dhu the death of an aged man, Donnacha anAmrigh, or Duncan with the Cap, 'a gifted seer,' who foretold, throughthe second sight, visitors of every description who haunted theirdwelling, whether as friends or foes.

  'Is not his son Malcolm TAISHATR?' (a second-sighted person), askedEvan.

  'Nothing equal to his father,' replied Donald Bean. He told us the otherday we were to see a great gentleman riding on a horse, and there camenobody that whole day but Shemus Beg, the blind harper, with his dog.Another time he advertised us of a wedding, and behold it proved afuneral; and on the creagh, when he foretold to us we should bring homea hundred head of horned cattle, we gripped nothing but a fat bailie ofPerth.'

  From this discourse he passed to the political and military state of thecountry; and Waverley was astonished, and even alarmed, to find a personof this description so accurately acquainted with the strength of thevarious garrisons and regiments quartered north of the Tay. He evenmentioned the exact number of recruits who had joined Waverley's troopfrom his uncle's estate, and observed they were pretty men, meaning, nothandsome, but stout warlike fellows. He put Waverley in mind of one ortwo minute circumstances which had happened at a general review of theregiment, which satisfied him that the robber had been an eye-witness ofit; and Evan Dhu having by this time retired from the conversation,and wrapped himself up in his plaid to take some repose, Donald askedEdward, in a very significant manner, whether he had nothing particularto say to him.

  Waverley, surprised and somewhat startled at this question from such acharacter, answered he had no motive in visiting him but curiosity tosee his extraordinary place of residence. Donald Bean Lean looked himsteadily in the face for an instant, and then said, with a significantnod, 'You might as well have confided in me; I am as much worthy oftrust as either the Baron of Bradwardine, or Vich Ian Vohr:--but you areequally welcome to my house.'

  Waverley felt an involuntary shudder creep over him at the mysteriouslanguage held by this outlawed and lawless bandit, which, in despite ofhis attempts to master it, deprived him of the proper to ask the meaningof his insinuations. A he
ath pallet, with the flowers stuck uppermost,had been prepared for him in a recess of the cave, and here, coveredwith such spare plaids as could be mustered, he lay for some timematching the motions of the other inhabitants of the cavern. Smallparties of two or three entered or left the place without any otherceremony than a few words in Gaelic to the principal outlaw, and, whenhe fell asleep, to a tall Highlander who acted as his lieutenant, andseemed to keep watch during his repose. Those who entered, seemed tohave returned from some excursion, of which they reported the success,and went without further ceremony to the larder, where, cutting withtheir dirks their rations from the carcasses which were there suspended,they proceeded to broil and eat them at their own pleasure and leisure.The liquor was under strict regulation, being served out eitherby Donald himself, his lieutenant, or the strapping Highland girlaforesaid, who was the only female that appeared. The allowance ofwhisky, however, would have appeared prodigal to any but Highlanders,who, living entirely in the open air, and in a very moist climate, canconsume great quantities of ardent spirits without the usual banefuleffects either upon the brain or constitution.

  At length the fluctuating groups began to swim before the eyes of ourhero as they gradually closed; nor did he re-open them till the morningsun was high on the lake without, though there was but a faint andglimmering twilight in the recesses of Uaimh an Ri, or the King'sCavern, as the abode of Donald Bean Lean was proudly denominated.