PREFATORY NOTE

THE sketches which are to follow under this title were written a considerable while ago by a Highlander, who, during a period of convalescence from a troublesome rather than a dangerous illness in England, called up the recollections of his youth, and attempted to describe as faithfully as he could the life, customs, and history of an old glen community, just before it was inundated by the waves of modern changes. Reality is only thinly veiled by fictional characters, and the slight permeating thread of story developed itself spontaneously. As it was thought the period described was then too near, the sketches when finished were left unpublished; but some years ago portions of them, translated into Gaelic, appeared in the Northern Chronicle, and seemed to be so much appreciated that the author feels now encouraged to give the whole original manuscript, without material alterations.

Chapter I - Suicide and Superstition
Chapter II - Gangrel Bodies
Chapter III - Going to the Shealing
Chapter IV - The Smearing House
Chapter V - Lochan-Na-Larig
Chapter VI - Blazing the River
Chapter VII - Remorse and Ghost
Chapter VIII - The Scorners' Seat
Chapter IX - Sneezing Sunday
Chapter X - Am Fuadach
Chapter XI - The Corpse-Light Watch
Chapter XII - The Worship of Baal
Chapter XIII - Donald Cam and Old Janet
Chapter XIV - The Queen's First Visit to Scotland
Chapter XV - Banning the Marquis
Chapter XVI - In the Shadow of the Disruption
Chapter XVII - The Parish Vacancy
Chapter XVIII - Bean Air Seachran
Chapter XIX - An Luadhadh
Chapter XX - A Scorner among Saints
Chapter XXI - The Presentee
Chapter XXII - The Veto
Chapter XXIII - Fiddling and Ominous Bell-Ringing
Chapter XXIV - The Disruption
Chapter XXV - Taming the Bull
Chapter XXVI - The Maor Enlightened
Chapter XXVII - Duncan Nam Mogan
Chapter XXVIII - Friends in Council
Chapter XXIX - The Pilgrimage to Kilmachaoide
Chapter XXX - The Burnside Communion
Chapter XXXI - Mr MacPhadrig
Chapter XXXII - His Coadjutors