I am assured that the custom has now to a large extent died out. Mr Macrae's illustration of the fact that one drop of bitters makes the whole world kin is corroborated by the experience of an Englishman on his first visit to Scotland. He was an oldish man, but very plucky, and had made up his mind to make good use of his visit, even at the cost of personal inconvenience. He paid a visit to Arran, where a company of volunteers were camping out. They were to change guard at an early hour in the morning, and the old gentleman, having resolved to do everything thoroughly, left his comfortable bed and repaired to the camping-ground. It was a cold raw

morning, and his nose was blue and moist. He looked the very picture of discomfort, and could not help railing against the climate and the weather as the worst he had ever experienced. A friend of mine near him took pity on him and gave him from his flask a glass of undiluted whisky. This had not reached its destination more than a few minutes when he turned round rubbing his hands gleefully, and with a beaming countenance exclaimed, "Well, 'pon my word, this is a glorious morning."

Several considerations furnish very clear evi

sudden meTEOROLOGICAL CHANGE. 307

dence that as a people we are bibulous, and not exactly models of temperance. It is not an

elevating reflection that in Edinburgh, and probably elsewhere, "the trade" is universally understood to mean the whisky trade. It may be said that this is because the making of whisky is a very large industry in Scotland. But "the trade" designates the retailer as well as the manufacturer, and where the retailing of any product is par excellence "the trade" there is good reason for supposing that a very wide and liberal use is made of the article retailed. Further, a very large proportion of amusing anecdotes have a distinct whisky basis. Some that are subjects of my own experience may be worth recording.

During a visit to Mull I went out one day to fish for sea-trout in the Dervaig, taking with me Sandy Munn, a well-known character in Mull. At lunch-time we sat down by the side of the stream. I said to Sandy, "Will you have a sandwich? "

"If you please, sir."

A sandwich or two having been disposed of, I asked him if he would take a dram.

"If you please, sir."

I took my flask out of my pocket and poured

a decent glass of whisky into the cup, and bending down to the stream I said, "I had better put a little water into it."

Sandy with an agonised shriek bawled out, "Goot Got! waater in whusky! No waater in my whusky to spoil the goot drink. Waahter! Waahter!!"

Sandy Munn does not stand alone among Highlanders in his preference for undiluted whisky. Three old men-Hector, Donald, and Duncanhad met for many years for their "meridian" or mid-day dram. They were all old men, but Donald and Duncan were considerably older than Hector. It was, however, Hector's fate to fall ill and die somewhat unexpectedly. This was a great shock to his two comrades, and for a week or two their daily forgathering was given up. As might be expected, however, they by-and-by returned to their old habits. On the first occasion of their return Donald said to Duncan, talking of their departed friend, "The ways of Providence, Duncan, is fery strange. Why should Hector, a younger man than you or me, and a strong man too, be taken away before us?"

"Yes, Donald, the ways of Providence is fery strange, to be sure. I'll not jist be able to say why Hector has been taken away before us,