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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,

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"TOO MUCH WAATER IN HIS WHUSKY." 309

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but there was one thing I noticed, I always thocht he wud be puttin' too much waater in his whusky."

There are a good many ways of civilly indicating a modified satisfaction with the treatment one receives in the matter of drams. A lady who thought it wrong to give undiluted whisky to any one, gave a man, for some little service rendered, her usual mixture of whisky-and-water. taking a sip he said to her, "Did you put in the water or the whisky first?"

"I put in the whisky first," she replied.

After

"Oh, very well, I suppose I'll come to the whisky by-and-by."

To another man who did not seem quite satisfied she said, "A glass of whisky and a glass of water is a very good dram."

"Yes," he replied, "but not so good as two glasses of whisky and no water."

I had evidence of belief in the preservative or antiseptic power of whisky in a conversation I had with an old man in Perthshire, who informed me that he had been in the service of Lord Breadalbane for forty-five years as a boatman on Loch Tay. As he looked fresh and vigorous I remarked that he must have commenced his service very early.

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