University of Virginia Library

4. CHAP. IV.

IN the morning it appeared that Duncan
had sat up the greater part of the
night, with a candle burning by him in
the kitchen, until near day-light; when
overcome with sleep he had reclined upon
a bench, until the gentleman and his valet
had departed, and the Captain had got
up, which was about an hour after sunrise.
Having breakfasted, which was about
9 o'clock, they set out upon their travels,
conversing as they went along upon
subjects that occurred. The first topic was
a comparison of Scotland with this country;
in what particulars each had the advantage
of the other. Duncan gave a decided
preference in all things to the trans-Atlantic
region; and found nothing on this
con

continent that could encounter the smallest
competition. I should presume, said
the Captain, we have more timber in this
country than in yours. You may have
more, but not half sae guid, said Duncan.
Our fir, is far better than the oak
that ye find here. I will allow you the
advantage in one particular, said the Captain;
you are more closely settled, and the
soil of course must be under a more general
cultivation. Aye, but that is nathing,
said Duncan; it is settled wi' a better
stock o' people; and we hae dukes and
lairds amang us; no as it is here, where
ye may gae a day's journey, and no hear
of a piper at a great house, or see a castle;
but a' the folks, and their habitations,
luking just for a' the warld like our
cotters in Scotland. But, said the Captain,
what do you think of the works of
nature here, the sun and moon for instance?
The sun is a very guid sun, said
Duncan; but he has o'er muckle heat in
the middle of the day. I wad like him
better if he wad draw in a little of it at
this season, and let it out i' the winter,
when we sal hae more need o' it. But as
to the moon, Duncan, said the Captain,
you have seen it since you came in; do
you
you think it is as large as the moon in
Scotland? I dinna ken, quoth Duncan,
but it is amaist as large; but it changes
far aftener, and it is no sae lang at the
full as it is in our kintry. But what think
you of the stars, Duncan; you have taken
notice of them, I presume, in this hemisphere.
The stars dinna differ muckle
frae the stars at hame, quoth Duncan;
save that there are not sae many o' them.
Wi' us, the firmament is a' clad wi' them,
like brass buttons; they light it up just
like candles. But here they luke blaite,
and hae a watery appearance in the night,
as if they had got the fever and ague o'
the climate, and were sickly, and had na
strength to put forth their fire. I tell
you, captain, there is nothing here equal
to what it is in Scotland. How could
you expect it; this is but a young kintra.
It will be a lang time before it comes
to sik perfection as wi' us; and I dinna
ken if it ever does.

How comes it to pass, Duncan, said the
Captain that the devil chuses the women
of your country, in preference to any other,
to make witches of? For it would
seem to be the case; as I have heard more
of

of Scotch witches, than of English or American.

I can gie ye a good reason for that, said
Duncan. The deel kens weel enough
where to find out the best materials. The
English women are no worth making
witches of; they could do him little guid
when he had them. Ane Scotch witch is
worth a dozen English, or American.
They can loup farther, and sink a ship in
half the time.

The Captain having made this experiment
of the national partiality of Duncan,
was satisfied; and turned the conversation
to another subject.CHAP