AtthisplaceweveryhappilymetMr。DonaldMaclean，ayounggentleman，theeldestsonoftheLairdofCol，heirtoaverygreatextentofland，andsodesirousofimprovinghisinheritance，thathespentaconsiderabletimeamongthefarmersofHertfordshire，andHampshire，tolearntheirpractice。Heworkedwithhisownhandsattheprincipaloperationsofagriculture，thathemightnotdeceivehimselfbyafalseopinionofskill，which，ifheshouldfinditdeficientathome，hehadnomeansofcompleting。IftheworldhasagreedtopraisethetravelsandmanuallaboursoftheCzarofMuscovy，letColhavehisshareofthelikeapplause，intheproportionofhisdominionstotheempireofRussia。
ThisyounggentlemanwassportinginthemountainsofSky，andwhenhewaswearywithfollowinghisgame，repairedforlodgingtoTalisker。Atnighthemissedoneofhisdogs，andwhenhewenttoseekhiminthemorning，foundtwoeaglesfeedingonhiscarcass。
Col，forhemustbenamedbyhispossessions，hearingthatourintentionwastovisitJona，offeredtoconductustohischief，SirAllanMaclean，wholivedintheisleofInchKenneth，andwouldreadilyfindusaconvenientpassage。Fromthistimewasformedanacquaintance，whichbeingbegunbykindness，wasaccidentallycontinuedbyconstraint；wederivedmuchpleasurefromit，andI
hopehavegivenhimnoreasontorepentit。
Theweatherwasnowalmostonecontinuedstorm，andweweretosnatchsomehappyintermissiontobeconveyedtoMull，thethirdIslandoftheHebrides，lyingaboutadegreesouthofSky，whencewemighteasilyfindourwaytoInchKenneth，whereSirAllanMacleanresided，andafterwardtoJona。