Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 7, 1899

•204
THE OELTIO MONTHLY.
eighth commandment ; for whenever he saw a
piece of wood that was suitable for his
own purposes he would secure it. One day,
being a.shore in one of the fishing lochs, he saw
a beautiful tree growing near to a gentleman's
mansion. He used the freedom of cutting it
into junks and concealed them, in order that he
might take the fine wood home to Campbelton
and convert it into coges.
The gentleman missed his tree, and made a
search to find out the depredator to have him
punished by the law. The law at that time
was, that any person found guilty of cutting a
tree without the liberty and consent of the pro-
prietor, should lose his right hand by having it
cut ofi" at the wrist. The gentleman summoned
one by one the crews of the fishing- vessels in the
loch. James Coffie was conscious that he was
the cutter of the tree, and he had scruples of
conscience about giving a false oath ; but he
was very ingenious, and jiretended that he was
perfectly ignorant of an oath. When his turn
came, he appeared very awkward. The judge
told him to swear.
" I never swore in my life," said James.
" Say you as I say, and do as I do," said the
judge. " Hold up your hand."
" Hold up your hand," said James, quite
seriously
Said the judge — " Tut, man ! say what I
say ! "
Said James Cogie — " Tut, man ! say what
I say ! "
" Put out that stupid man ! " shouted the
judge, pointing at .Tames.
THE HARBOUR, T A :\I P R K L Ld X .
" Put out that stupid man ! " shouted James,
pointing at the j udge.
In this way James Cogie was dismissed, for
which he was very glad ; and, when people
asked him how he got on with the judge, James
would answer —
"I sware at the judge, and the judge sware
at me ! "
James Cogie had a beautiful daughter who
had many suitors, and he propo.sed to give her
to the best of them who would put a hoop on a
coge. So they 'assembled and did their best,
but broke the hoop on driving it on. One of
the suitors was a greater favourite with the girl
than all the others, and before his trial, she
whispered to him —
" 'N uair a sgnireadh an cearcal ri dol,
SgiiireadJi m' afhair fcin (fa chiir."
(" When the hoop did cease to go,
My father ceased to drive, I know.")
Taking the hint, the young man gained the
daughter, and her words continue to this day to
be repeated as a pro\erb by the coopers in
Cantire.