At heart, he was superstitious, and planted many rowans (mountain ashes) around his hut, as a certain defence against necromancy.

For the same reason, doubtless, he desired to have rowan-trees set above his grave.
We have stated that David Ritchie loved objects of natural beauty.
His only living favourites were a dog and a cat, to which he was particularly attached, and his bees, which he treated with great care.
He took a sister, latterly, to live in a hut adjacent to his own, but he did not permit her to enter it.

She was weak in intellect, but not deformed in person; simple, or rather silly, but not, like her brother, sullen or bizarre.

David was never affectionate to her; it was not in his nature; but he endured her.

He maintained himself and her by the sale of the product of their garden and bee-hives; and, latterly, they had a small allowance from the parish.