siasm, formed the charm of
his writings.--_Ed._

Packman _loquitur_.--For several days the wind had been easterly, with
an intense frost. At last, however, the weather subsided into a calm and
dense fog, under which, at mid-day, it was difficult to find one's way
amidst those mountain tracks along which, in general, my route lay. The
grass and heath were absolutely loaded with hoar-frost. My cheeks became
encompassed by a powdered covering; my breath was intensely visible, and
floated and lingered about my face with an oppressive and almost
suffocating density. No sun, moon, or star had appeared for upwards of
forty-eight hours; when, according to my preconcerted plan, I reached
the farm town of Burnfoot. I was now in the centre of Queensberry Hills,
the most notable sheep-pasturage in the south of Scotland. It was about
three o'clock of the fifteenth day of January, when, under a cheerful
welcome from the guidwife, I rested my pack (for, be it known, I belong
to this class of peripatetic merchants) upon the meal ark, disengaged my
arms from the leather straps by which the pack was suspended from my
shoulders, and proceeded to light my pipe at the blazing peat-fire.
Refreshments, such as are best suited to the _packman's drouth_, were
soon and amply supplied, and I had the happiness of seeing my old
acquaintances (for I visited Burnfoot twice a year, on my going and
coming from Glasgow to Manchester) drop _in_ from their several
avocations, one after another, and all truly rejoiced to behold my face,
and still more delighted to inspect the treasure and the wonders of "the
pack." At last the guidman himself suspended his plaid from the mid-door
head, put off his shoes and leggings, assumed his slippers, along with
his prescriptive seat at the head or upper end of the lang-settle. The
guidwife, returning _butt_ from bedding the youngest of some half-score
of children, welcomed her husband with a look of the most genuine
affection. She put a little creepie stool under his feet, felt that his
clothes were not wet, scolded the dogs to a respectful distance, and
inspired the peats into a double blaze. The oldest daughter, now "woman
grown," sat combing the hoar-frost from her raven locks, and looking out
from beneath beautifully arched and bushy eyebrows upon the interesting
addition which had been made to the meal-ark. Some half-a-score of
healthy lads and lasses occupied the bench ayont the fire, o'er-canopied
by sheep-sk