J. F. Campbell Collection > Works of the Caledonian bards

8« THECHIEFOF
Sons of little deeds, ye who have never been
in the ftrife of heroes, hearken to a tale of for-
mer years ; and learn to uniheath the fword
when the fhips of Lochlin appear.
The Chief of Scarlaw purfued his deer far
diftant from Gruimore, on the hills of Ard-
craig, near the tumbling of the waves. His
fons, who followed him in the chace, were ten.
The oaks lay ready for the flint; and the pant-
ing of the hounds was round the falling ftag^
when Dalav fpoke. —
A
fet till the cock crows ; but the mod dangerous time of
encountering them is about mid-night. Thefc nightly
champions, however, were of great fervice to mankind in
fcveral refpe£ts ; for, it was confidently allcrtcd, that the
ghoft would be revenged on any perfon who had defrauded
him or his pofterity oi their property.
Thefe ghofls were once a ftrong bar againft injuftlce;
but, as the commiilion of crimes became more frequent,
new fchemes were invented to fcreen the guilty. After
the introduftion of Chriftianity, it was fuggeHed to the
populace, that, if they would draw a ciicie round them on
the appearance of a ghofl, in name of the Trinity, &c.
the ghoft durft never enter that line of clrcumvallation.
Accordingly, this method of carrying on war againft the
pious inhabitants of the air, is now f radtifed with great
fuccefs.