\"ThecursedHighlandsalvages！\"mutteredtheCaptain,halfaloud;\"whatistobecomeofme,ifGustavus,thenamesakeoftheinvincibleLionoftheProtestantLeague,shouldbelamedamongtheiruntentyhands！\"
\"Havenofearofthat,\"saidthevoiceofSirDuncan,whowasnearertohimthanheimagined;\"mymenareaccustomedtohandlehorses,bothinembarkinganddressingthem,andyouwillsoonseeGustavusassafeaswhenyoulastdismountedfromhisback,\"
CaptainDalgettyknewtheworldtoowelltoofferanyfartherremonstrance,whateveruneasinesshemightsuppresswithinhisownbosom。Asteportwohigherupthestairshowedlightandadoor,andaniron—gratedwicketledhimoutuponagallerycutintheopenfaceoftherock,extendingaspaceofaboutsixoreightyards,untilhereachedaseconddoor,wherethepathre—enteredtherock,andwhichwasalsodefendedbyanironportcullis。\"Anadmirabletraverse,\"observedtheCaptain;\"andifcommandedbyafield—piece,orevenafewmuskets,quitesufficienttoensuretheplaceagainstastormingparty。\"
SirDuncanCampbellmadenoansweratthetime;but,themomentafterwards,whentheyhadenteredthesecondcavern,hestruckwiththestickwhichhehadinhishand,firstontheoneside,andthenontheotherofthewicket,andthesullenringingsoundwhichrepliedtotheblows,madeCaptainDalgettysensiblethattherewasagunplacedoneachside,forthepurposeofrakingthegallerythroughwhichtheyhadpassed,althoughtheembrasures,throughwhichtheymightbefiredonoccasion,weremaskedontheoutsidewithsodsandloosestones。Havingascendedthesecondstaircase,theyfoundthemselvesagainonanopenplatformandgallery,exposedtoafirebothofmusketryandwall—guns,if,beingcomewithhostileintent,theyhadventuredfarther。Athirdflightofsteps,cutintherockliketheformer,butnotcavernedover,ledthemfinallyintothebatteryatthefootofthetower。Thislaststairalsowasnarrowandsteep,and,nottomentionthefirewhichmightbedirectedonitfromabove,oneortworesolutemen,withpikesandbattle—axes,couldhavemadethepassgoodagainsthundreds;forthestaircasewouldnotadmittwopersonsabreast,andwasnotsecuredbyanysortofbalustrade,orrailing,fromthesheerandabruptprecipice,onthefootofwhichthetidenowrolledwithavoiceofthunder。Sothat,underthejealousprecautionsusedtosecurethisancientCelticfortress,apersonofweaknerves,andabrainliabletobecomedizzy,mighthavefounditsomethingdifficulttohaveachievedtheentrancetothecastle,evensupposingnoresistancehadbeenoffered。
CaptainDalgetty,toooldasoldiertofeelsuchtremors,hadnosoonerarrivedinthecourt—yard,thanheprotestedtoGod,thedefencesofSirDuncan\'scastleremindedhimmoreofthenotablefortressofSpandau,situatedintheMarchofBrandenburg,thanofanyplacewhilkithadbeenhisfortunetodefendinthecourseofhistravels。Nevertheless,hecriticisedconsiderablythemodeofplacingthegunsonthebatterywehavenoticed,observing,that\"wherecannonwereperched,liketoscartsorsea—gullsonthetopofarock,hehadeverobservedthattheyastonishedmorebytheirnoisethantheydismayedbytheskaithordamagewhichtheyoccasioned。\"