Page:A Companion and Useful Guide to the Beauties of Scotland.djvu/311

Rh at least. I was placed upon a shelty, which was led through the Gauer river by an Highlandman, hip deep; but he cared far less for that, than I did for the splashing of my petticoats. As soon as I left the side of the Loch, to mount the river Ericht's side, I could no longer take care of myself; therefore the good Highlandman again became my friendly leader. I stuck as fast to the pummel of the saddle as I could, and thus mounted and descended such places as were sufficient to scare a lowland female out of her wits. At the end of a mile or two we quitted the bank of the river, and every track that had been gone before us, entering on the roughest and most uneven boggy, rocky, watery, black mountain moor, that human being ever explored. It was with the utmost difficulty that the poor little beast could keep upon his legs, though born and bred on such wastes; but there is a sagacity in the shelties not easily credited: if they be left to themselves, they will pick out their way in these horrid places with as much caution and wisdom as a man can. I afterwards met with three German gentlemen who were on their road from the island of Staffa. To get to that island, they had crossed the Isle of Mull upon these little animals. There