[576]'
During our sail, Dr. Johnson asked about the use of the dirk, with which
he imagined the Highlanders cut their meat. He was told, they had a
knife and fork besides, to eat with. He asked, how did the women do? and
was answered, some of them had a knife and fork too; but in general the
men, when they had cut their meat, handed their knives and forks to the
women, and they themselves eat with their fingers. The old tutor of
Macdonald always eat fish with his fingers, alledging that a knife and
fork gave it a bad taste. I took the liberty to observe to Dr. Johnson,
that he did so. 'Yes, said he; but it is because I am short-sighted, and
afraid of bones, for which reason I am not fond of eating many kinds of
fish, because I must use my fingers.'
Dr. M'Pherson's _Dissertations on Scottish Antiquities_, which he had
looked at when at Corrichatachin[577], being mentioned, he remarked,
that 'you might read half an hour, and ask yourself what you had been
reading: there were so many words to so little matter, that there was no
getting through the book.'
As soon as we reached the shore, we took leave of Kingsburgh, and
mounted our horses. We passed through a wild moor, in many places so
soft that we were obliged to walk, which was very fatiguing to Dr.
Johnson. Once he had advanced on horseback to a very bad step.
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