A mekill bounden weather bore. They meet the king, and halsed him there. They said, Robert the Bruce they sought; That he was the self-same Robert King, For they were foes to the king, That they loved him nothing. And said, "Fellows, you must all three, Further acquaint till that we be, All be your selven furth go. And on the same wish we two Shall follow behind, well near.' "We grant," they said, " since ye will so." Thus went they till the night was near, At a fire, and they all three On no wise with them together be. They drew them in the house end, The king, that all for-travelleds was, 'Husbandman's house, cottage. 4 Becomes. 2 Alone. 5 Fatigued. 3 Bellies. "May I trust in thee, me to wake, Till I a little sleeping take?" "Ya, sir," he said, " till I may dree." The king then winked a little way, And sleeped not full entirely; But glanced up oft suddenly, For he had dread of these three men, And sleeping thought they would him slay. The king upblinked hastily, And saw his man sleeping him by, And saw coming the t' other three. Quickly on foot got he; And drew his sword out, and them met. And as he went his foot he set Upon his man well heavily. That came for to slay the king, His foster-brother there was dead. 7 THE BRUCE, Book VII. line 105. Note V. And mermaid's alabaster grot, Who bathes her limbs in sunless well, Deep in Strathaird's enchanted cell.-St. XXVIII. p. 117. Imagination can hardly conceive any thing more beautiful than the extraordinary grotto discovered not many years since upon the estate of Alexander Mac-Allister, Esq. of Strathaird. It has since been much and deservedly celebrated, and a full 1 So securely situated. 2 Had it not been for the armour he wore. 3 Nevertheless, 6 Cursed. 5 Much afflicted. 4 Fray or dispute. account of its beauties has been published by Dr Mac-Leay of Oban. The general impression may perhaps be gathered from the following extract from a journal already quoted, which, written under the feelings of the moment, is likely to be more accurate than any attempt to recollect the impressions then received. "The first entrance to this celebrated cave is rude and unpromising; but the light of the torches, with which we were provided, was soon reflected from the roof, floor, and walls, which seem as if they were sheeted with marble, partly smooth, partly rough with frost-work and rustic ornaments, and partly seeming to be wrought into statuary. The floor forms a steep and difficult ascent, and might be fancifully compared to a sheet of water, which, while it rushed whitening and foaming down a declivity, had been suddenly arrested and consolidated by the spell of an enchanter. Upon attaining the summit of this ascent, the cave opens into a splendid gallery, adorned with the most dazzling crystallizations, and finally descends with rapidity to the brink of a pool, of the most limpid water, about four or five yards broad. There opens beyond this pool a portal arch, formed by two columns of white spar, with beautiful chasing upon the sides, which promises a continuation of the cave. One of our sailors swam across, for there is no other mode of passing, and informed us (as indeed we partly saw by the light he carried) that the enchantment of Maccalister's cave terminates with this portal, a little beyond which there was only a rude cavern, speedily choked with stones and |