from Dunnet or Duncansby-head, where the rocks tower four hundred feet above the Pentland Firth, and floundering in the waters like an enormous whale; the herring shoals hurrying away from his unwieldy gambols, as from the presence of the real sea-born leviathan.  Cacus in love was not more grand, or the gigantic Polyphemus, sighing at the feet of Galatea, or infernal Pluto looking amiable beside his ravished queen.  Have you seen an elephant in love?  If you have, you may conceive what Mr. Tims would be in that interesting situation.

Supper was brought in.  It consisted of eggs, cold veal, bacon-ham, and a Welsh rabbit.  I must confess, that, perplexed as I was by all the previous events of the evening, I felt a gratification at the present moment, in the anxiety to see how the Man-Mountain would comport himself at table.  I had beheld his person and his shadow with equal admiration, and I doubted not that his powers of eating were on the same great scale as his other qualifications.  They were, indeed.  Zounds, how he did eat!  Cold veal, eggs, bacon-ham, and Welsh rabbit, disappeared “like the baseless fabric of a vision, and left not a wreck behind;” so thoroughly had nine-tenths of them taken up their abode in the bread basket (vide Jon Bee) of the Man-Mountain; the remaining tenth sufficed for the rest of the company, viz.  Julia, her aunt, her aunt’s husband, and myself.

Liquor was brought in, to wit, wine, brandy, whisky, and rum.  I felt an intense curiosity to see on which of the four Mr. Tims would fix his choice.  He fixed upon brandy, and made a capacious tumbler of hot toddy.  I did the same, and asked Julia to join me in taking a single glass—­I was forestalled by the Man-Mountain.  I then asked the lady of the house the same thing, but was forestalled by her husband.

Meanwhile, the evening wearing on, the ladies retired, and Mr. Tims, the landlord, and myself, were left to ourselves.  This was the signal for a fresh assault upon the brandy-bottle.  Another tumbler was made—­then another—­then a fourth.  At this period Julia appeared at the door, and beckoned upon the landlord, who arose from table, saying he would rejoin us immediately.  Mr. Tims and I were thus left alone, and so we continued, for the landlord, strange to say, did not again appear.  What became of him I know not.  I supposed he had gone to bed, and left his great friend and myself to pass the time as we were best able.

We were now commencing our fifth tumbler, and I began to feel my whole spirit pervaded by the most delightful sensations.  My heart beat quicker, my head sat more lightly than usual upon my shoulders; and sounds like the distant hum of bees, or the music of the spheres, heard in echo afar off, floated around me.  There was no bar between me and perfect happiness, but the Man-Mountain, who sat on the great elbow-chair opposite, drinking his brandy-toddy, and occasionally humming an old song with the utmost indifference.