Ossian Collection > Selections from the Gaelic bards

214 IIEBRIDIAN SKETCHES.
A warm good-wisli to each and all around,
Then every man swigs at a gulp his share,
And forth they sally to the street again.
Meeting old faces with a tone of joy,
A quickened step, and eager offered hand,
A kind enquiry and a firm long shake.
As if the one had dropped from the moon.
The other from the planet Jupiter ;
And if no further business intervene.
They will adjourn to have a dram betimes.
This jovial work makes heated heads at last,
And warms the blood that courses through their veins.
With no small ardour at the very best,
And fires the mind, and swells the excited soul.
Till whisky, talking, dancing, music's power.
Or favoured rival's envied privilege,
Or fancied insult in some careless tone,
Or pride of prowess and ambitious strength,
Or tipsy singer's loud and cheery note.
Who reels contentedly beside a friend.
With squabbles, and confused and grating noise.
Close on the few late revellers the scene.
LOCH-IN-DAAL.
O! Thou ship-sailing Loch-in-daal,
Blue is thy bracing brine,
And beautiful thy verdant meads —
To me thou art divine ;
Although perhaps to other eyes
Thou scarcely seemest fine.
But I have trod thy pebbly shore —
Have bathed in thy blue sea ;
I 've gazed on thee in all thy moods,
And lived for years by thee :