cture; but let us look
for a moment at the other. I have told that great chances are got by
some at times; these, however, are exceptional to the general rule.
Lean cattle are sold by value as well as fat, and if well bought will
be easily sold. I found it the safe plan to buy a small drove well. It
was only a little trade that I carried on--I never had fewer than from
seven to ten score, and my largest droves never exceeded eighteen
score; as a consequence, my losses were not heavy nor my profits very
great. When I was in the trade the price of cattle was very low, which
lessened my risk, but I have known L2 a-head lost over a large drove.
During the French war the price of cattle became very high; and L4
a-head, and even much more, would sometimes be lost or gained on
droving cattle.

My father when a young man went to the far north--to Caithness,
Sutherland, Skye, and the islands--and bought large droves of Highland
cattle and brought them home. They were disposed of often by public
roup in this county, or driven to the southern markets. At that time
there were few regular markets in these counties, but the dealers when
they went to the country cried a market, announcing that they would
meet the sellers on a certain day and at a convenient place, and in
this way the trade was carried out. Large profits were obtained; but
the dealers were liable to heavy losses, especially in spring, the
cattle being then but skin and bone, and many dying in the transit. My
father lost in one night, after swimming the Spey, seventeen old
Caithness runts. There were no bridges in those days. It came on a
severe frost after the cattle had swam the river. The value of
bone-manure was unknown, and their bones bleached in the sun on the
braes of Auchindown for more than thirty years, and remains of them
were visible within the last few years. My father not only carried on a
very large trade to the Falkirk markets, but also a very extensive
business to England, and had a salesman who attended all the great
English fairs, particularly in Leicestershire, who sold drove after
drove that were bought by my father here. Referring to documents in my
possession, I find he had in one year 1500 head of cattle at the
October Tryst of Falkirk, 800 of which were Highlanders, and the
remainder Aberdeen cattle. The Highlanders were grazed in Braemar, on
the Geldie, Boynach, and Corryvrone, the property of the Earl of Fife.
His books show a clear profit a