The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

278 WAVERLEY NOVVEsJ,
wastes, were now reduced to a very few herds, which, sheltering tleomselvas
in the most remote and inaccessible recesses, rendered the task of pursuing
them equally toilsome and precarious. There were, however, found many
youth of the country ardently attached to this sport, with all its dangers
and fatigues. The sword had been sheathed upon the Borders for more
than a hundred years, by the peaceful union of the crowns in the reign of
James the First of Great Britain. Still the country retained traces of what
it had been in former days; the inhabitants, their more peaceful avocations
having been repeatedly interrupted by the civil wars of the preceding century, were scarce yet broken in to the habits of regular industry, shmepfarming had not been introduced upon any considerable scale, and the
feeding of black cattle was the chief purpose to which the hills and valleys
were applied. Near to the farmer's house, the tenant usually contrived to
raise such a crop of oats or barley, as afforded meal for his family; and
the whole of this slovenly and imperfect mode of cultivation left much time
upon his own hands, and those of his domestics. This was usually employed by the young men in hunting and fishing; and the spirit of adventure, which formerly led to raids and forays in the same districts, was still
to be discovered in the eagerness with which they pursued those rural
sports.
The more high-spirited among the youth were, about the time that our
narrative begins, expecting, rather with hope than apprehension, an opportunity of emulating their fathers in their military achievements, the recital
of which formed the chief part of their amusement within doors. The
passing of the Scottish act of security had given the alarm to England, as
it seemed to point at a separation of the two British kingdoms, after the
decease of Queen Anne, the reigning sovereign. Godolphin, then at the
head of the English administration, foresaw that there was no other mode
of avoiding the probable extremity of a civil war, but by carrying through
an incorporating union. How that treaty was managed, and how little it
seemed for some time to promise the beneficial results which have since
taken place to such an extent, may be learned from the history of the
period. It is enough for our purpose to say, that all Scotland was indignant at the terms on which their legislature had surrendered their national
independence. The general resentment led to the strangest leagues and to
the wildest plans. The Cameronians were about to take arms for the restoration of the house of Stuart, whom they regarded, with justice, as their
oppressors; and the intrigues of the period presented the strange picture
of papists, prelatists, and presbyterians, caballing among themselves against
the English government, out of a common feeling that their country had
been treated with injustice. The fermentation was universal; and, as the
population of Scotland had been generally trained to arms, under the act
of security, they were not indifferently prepared for war, and waited but
the declaration of some of the nobility to break out into open hostility, It
was at this period of public confusion that our story opens.
The clough, or wild ravine, into which -Iobbie Elliot had followed the
game, was already far behind him, and he was considerably advanced on
his return homeward, when the night began to close upon him. This would
have been a circumstance of great indifference to the experienced sportsman, who could have walked blindfold over every inch of his native heaths,
had it not happened near a spot, which, according to the traditions of the
country, was in extremely bad fame, as haunted by supernatural appearances. To tales of this kind Hobbie had, from his childhood. lent an attentive ear; and as no part of the country afforded such a variety of legends,
so no man was more deeply read in their fearful lore than Ilobbie of the
Hieugh-foot; for so our gallant was called, to distinguish him from a round
dozen of Elliots who bore the same Christian name. It cost him no efforts,
therefore, to call to memory the terrific incidents connected with the exten