THE SKETCH-BOOK.

No. XLVIII.

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HIGHLAND SUPERSTITION.


There is an extraordinary superstition connected with the M'Alister
family. Ages ago,--for I have never yet got a date from a Highlander as
to the transactions of long past times,--but many generations back, in
the days of a chief of great renown in the clan, called M'Alister More,
either from his deeds or his stature, there was a skirmish with a
neighbouring clan that ended fatally for the M'Alisters, though in the
contest at the time they were victorious.

A party of their young men set out once upon a foray; they marched over
the hills for several hours, and at last descended into a little glen,
which was rented as a black cattle farm by a widow woman and her two
sons. The sons were absent from home on some excursion, and had carried
most of their servants with them, so that the M'Alisters met with no
resistance in their attempts to raise the cattle. They hunted every
corner of the glen, secured every beast, and, in spite of the tears of
the widow, they drove her herd away. When the sons returned, and heard
the story of the raid, they collected a strong party of their friends,
and crossing the hill secretly by night, surprised the few M'Alisters
who were left in charge of the spoil, vanquished them easily, and