‘Yes, he is well worth looking at. He must be an old man, though he seems to pull his oar well still.’ ‘Ay, I’m sure, he’s an auld man noo. But ye wass hearin’ o’ Sandy afore?’ ‘No, I don’t think I have ever seen or heard of him before. What about him?’ ‘D’ye mean, sir, railly noo, that you never heard tell o’ Sandy o’ the Braes?’ ‘No, really, I never did. What is he famous for?’ ‘Ochan! Ochan! wass ye never kennin’ aboot his medal?’ ‘Medal! no, so he is an old soldier is he? What battle was he at?’ ‘Sodger! He’s never been at ony battles, for he wass never oot o’ Skye and the islands.’ ‘But how did he come to get a medal, then?’ ‘Just to think that ye wass never hearin’ o’ that! Weel, ye see, there’s some Society in Embro, I wass thinkin’ they call it the “Heeland Society,” and they gied Sandy a medal, for he wass never wearin’ onythin’ but a kilt all his days.’ [Sidenote: HIGHLAND STAGE-COACHMEN] Besides the ferrymen, the drivers of the old Highland coaches included some quaint characters, who have disappeared with the vehicles which they drove, and occasionally capsized. Half a century ago the coach that ran between Lochgoilhead and St. Catherine’s through the pass known as ‘Hell’s Glen’ was driven by a facetious fellow, one of whose delights was to make fun at the expense of his English passengers. One day when he had brought the coach to the top of the pass and halted the horses, he got down, remarking to an English lady who sat on the box seat beside him, and on whom the brunt of his sarcasms had fallen, that if now this place had been in England, he would doubtless have to search a long time before he could find a bit of old leather to stick into the drag for the run down hill. Looking under a stone he pulled out an old shoe, which of course he had placed there on a previous journey, and which he now held up as a proof of the great superiority of Scotland. Some weeks afterwards, a barrel arrived addressed to him. As he was not accustomed to such presents, he opened it with not a little excitement. Pulling out some straw he saw a large paper parcel inside, and after removing a succession of coverings, came at last upon a small packet carefully sealed. He felt sure it must be something of great value from the pains that had been taken to protect it. So he opened it with trembling hands and found that it contained--a pair of old shoes, with the compliments of the lady whom he had made his butt.