DUKE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HISTORICAL AND TRADITIONAL 
 SKETCHES 
 
 OF 
 
 HIGHLAND FAMILIES AND 
 OF THE HIGHLANDS. 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN MACLEAN. 
 
 “ Siomadh rad a chi am fear a bhios fada beo,” 
 
 NEW k D 1 T I 0 N, 
 
 With Addenda — INVERNESS IN THE OLDEN TIME, 
 and NOTES. 
 
 INVERNESS : 
 
 JOHN NOBLE, CASTLE STREET. 
 
 1895. 
 
PRINTED BY JOHN NOBLE, CASTLE STREET, INVERNESS. 
 
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 ? HE first edition of Maclean’s Historical and Traditional 
 Sketches appeared at Dingwall in 1848. The book 
 has long been out of print, and copies appearing 
 for sale have usually brought double the price at which the 
 work was originally published, and a constant demand 
 for copies has induced the present publisher to issue a 
 second edition. While giving the original text verbatim, 
 the editor has endeavoured by notes to correct statements 
 as to families and individuals and to give additional infor¬ 
 mation from reliable sources, and documents in his pos¬ 
 session. 
 
 The writer of these Sketches was Finlay Maclean, a son 
 of the “ Inverness Centenarian,” and he undoubtedly ob¬ 
 tained most of his stories from the rich source of the reten¬ 
 tive memory of his father; but he was in the habit of 
 adding from other channels matters that the Centenarian 
 had not repeated, or had not the knowledge of. For many 
 years he did penny a lining for several northern newspapers, 
 and the present work shows in some cases his stories “ long 
 drawn out,” with the putf direct to then living individuals. 
 
 To the present edition have been added several articles 
 contributed by the same writer to the columns of the 
 defunct *• Inverness Advertiser.” They are interesting to 
 Invernessians as pictures of byegone manners and customs, 
 and as forty years have elapsed since their first appear¬ 
 ance in that print, they will be quite new to readers of 
 the present generation. 
 
 In 1851 Finlay Maclean proposed publishing, and ad- 
 
Preface to the Second Edition. 
 
 vertised, a volume entitled “ Memoirs and Incidents of 
 Biography of celebrated Northern Divines of the seventeenth 
 and eighteenth centuries ”—these from his fa f her’s recollec¬ 
 tions—but the book was never issued. Two of the articles 
 in the Addenda to the present volume—those on the Rev. 
 Murdo Mackenzie and the Rev. John Porteous—were 
 written for the intended work. 
 
 It was the privilege of the editor of this edition to have 
 seen and conversed with the Centenarian. In the autumn 
 of 1851 I was employed as the deputy of a benevolent 
 Inverness lady to convey a sum of money to the old man, 
 who then resided with his daughter as housekeeper in a 
 clay “biggin ” in Maclean’s Close, Muirtown Street. The 
 old man expressed his thanks for the gift in Gaelic—the 
 language, I think, he best understood—and the rest of the 
 conversation was carried on in the same tongue. At this 
 time, according to Finlay Maclean’s statements, his father 
 was in his 104th year. His shrivellec’-up face, with deep 
 lines, bleared eyes and decrepit form, presented all the ap¬ 
 pearance of the age claimed for him. He was among the 
 last I saw dressed in a costume that must have been 
 prevalent at one time in Inverness: a blue cuartear coat 
 and knee-breeches — both decorated with bright brass 
 buttons—the continuations being deep-ribbed stockings, 
 evidently of home manufacture. On his head he wore one 
 of the long Kilmarnock cowls or nightcaps. A crayon 
 portrait of the Centenarian was taken in this year by a Mr 
 Macarter, drawing master in Dr Bell’s Institution. It was a 
 striking likeness of the old man. John Maclean died on 
 the 7th January 1852. The following obituary notice ap. 
 peared in one our local prints :— 
 
 “The oldest inhabitant of Inverness died on Wednesday. He 
 had reached the seldom-equalled age of one hundred and five years. 
 Of the many local changes that have occurred in that time he was a 
 
Preface to tJie Second Edition. 
 
 living chronicle. A vigilant observer in his youth, and preserving 
 a retentive memory, which the frailties of oid age but slightiy im¬ 
 paired, he was able to recount many out-of-the-way anecdotes 
 gathered both from tradition and personal remembrance. He re¬ 
 collected, it is said, the introduction here of most of what are now 
 indispensable requisites in every town. In his youth there was 
 only a weekly post from the south, by means of foot-runners, over 
 the hills ; and when the weather happened to be “ coarse ” or the 
 runner took “ a glass too much,” the letters were often several days 
 behind. Afterwards the post was brought thrice a-week by way of 
 Aberdeen. He remembered when the first post-chaise was brought 
 here, which continued for a long time to be the only four-wheeled 
 carriage in the district; and about ten years afterwards (1770) the 
 first cargo of coals was brought to the town, one cargo in the year 
 being sufficient for many years. The people were at first much 
 surprised to find the “ black stones” to burn better than the good 
 country peats. At that time there was no bank in the town ; the 
 houses were mostly thatched : there was plenty of fish and game, 
 and no lack of smuggled tea and brandy and wine, so that the 
 “merchants and writers” were well off, and their apprentices 
 found them out at night wherever they were, and saw them safe 
 home, though there were no lamps in the streets. The King’s 
 Birthday was kept with great splendour ; the “ town’s carpet” was 
 carried out to the Cross, and there the Provost and bailies assembled 
 aud drank the claret wine, while the bonfire blazed. He used to speak 
 with great gusto also of the doings when the Judges came round ; 
 how a cart-load of peats was burned in the tolbooth to put away 
 the “ bad scent,” and then after the criminals were tried and con¬ 
 demned—which was nearly synonymous in those days—the Judges, 
 magistrates, and gentry walked up the riverside to the islands in the 
 Ness, crossed in the boat, took salmon out of the cruives, boiled and 
 ate them on the green, with everything else in the style of a grand 
 dinner, and with punch made in a hogshead—nothing less than a 
 hogshead ! The Provost in those days was Mr Hossack. He was 
 called “ the kicked Provost,” because he was kicked down a stair 
 by General Hawley and his officers, after the battle of Culloden, in 
 consequence of his remonstrating with them on their cruelties to 
 the poor Highlanders. Latterly it afforded him his chief delight to 
 open out on these reminiscences. His declining years were cheered 
 by the charitable assistance of many families in the neighbourhood. 
 His situation aud history having been brought under the notice of 
 her Majesty, when a visitor at Ardverikie in 1847, a donation of 
 ten pounds was immediately forwarded to him, enclosed in a letter, 
 •which the late Mr Anson, keeper of the Privy Purse, addressed to 
 John Maclean, Esq. It found its appropriate destination, however, 
 and the old man was full proud of the royal courtesy. His remains 
 were interred on Saturday, and a great number of our most influ¬ 
 ential citizens accompanied them to their last resting-place.” 
 
 J.N. 
 
 Inverness, iV’oi;. 1894. 
 

 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2018 with funding from 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 https://archive.org/details/historicaltradit01macl 
 
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
 - 0 - 
 
 “ MTpHE Historical and Traditional Sketches ” which will 
 IJJ be lound in the following pages, portions of which 
 had occasionally appeared in the local papers and 
 have been copied into other papers in various parts of 
 Scotland, England, Ireland, India, Australia, and America, 
 are now presented to the public in a more collected 
 and extended form. This is complying with the desires 
 which have been repeatedly expressed by many of the sons 
 of the Gael at home and abroad. 
 
 These Sketches have no pretension to literary excellence, 
 nor are they put forward as a full chronological or consecu¬ 
 tive history of the families and events to which they refer. 
 Their interest is purely local; and their merit, if they pos¬ 
 sess any, is, that they contain historical facts, traits of 
 character, and traditional tales of stirring times and of im¬ 
 portant personages which have not been presented by any 
 other author. 
 
 Of the author, or perhaps I should more properly say, the 
 reciter of these tales, it would not become me, his son, to 
 speak in terms of praise. I may, however, say, without 
 exposing myself to censure, that from his infancy he gave 
 a greedy ear to the recital of old stories ; and when, as 
 at was, and still is, the custom of the country, the fathers, 
 grandfathers, and patriarchs of the town assembled together 
 in the winter evenings and told “ the tales of other times,” 
 he would sit in the “ chimney nook ” in wrapt attention 
 listening to their conversation. This predilection of his 
 youth “grew with his growth, and strengthened with his 
 years.” 
 
Preface to the First Edition. 
 
 An all-merciful and bountiful Creator has been pleased 
 to gift him with good health and a retentive memory. In 
 the course of a life of upwards of a century, he has suffered 
 little bodily illness or mental distress ; and, except so far as 
 his powers are impaired by the natural debility which 
 necessarily attends old age, he still retains the enjoyment of 
 his mental faculties. It may not be out of place to say 
 that one of our Scottish newspapers has lately said of him, 
 “ Although the Maitland and Spalding Clubs, and many 
 “ antiquarian individuals, have rescued the records of the 
 “ country from oblivion, yet John Maclean, the Inverness 
 historian, by dint of powerful recollection in his own 
 “ person, may be said to have eclipsed them.” And one 
 of our ablest and most patriotic Chiefs writes—“ It is an 
 “ unusual blessing conferred on frail and feeble humanity, 
 “ that the mind should exercise its unimpaired functions, 
 “ and the memory retain its perfect power, when so many 
 “ years have worn the fleshly machine in which these work.” 
 
 In placing these Sketches before the public, I avail my¬ 
 self of the opportunity to express for my father and myself 
 our respectful thanks to the editors of the various news¬ 
 papers and publications in the old and new worlds who 
 have brought his case before the public, as well as our un¬ 
 feigned gratitude to the numerous sons of the Gael, “noble, 
 gentle, and simple,” at home and abroad, whose benevo¬ 
 lence has cast a parting gleam of sunshine on the shortening 
 days of Centenarian. 
 
 To his exalted and illustrious Sovereign, who has graci¬ 
 ously extended to him her Royal bounty, it would be 
 presumptuous in him to attempt to express his sense of the 
 honour and the benefit she has conferred upon him; and 
 while his lamp of life shall last, he will offer up his heartfelt 
 supplications for her long, prosperous, and happy reign. 
 
 F. M‘L. 
 
PAGa 
 
 1 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 THE MACKINTOSHES OF BORLUM, ETC. . 
 
 SIMON LORD LOVAT. 
 
 LORD PRESIDENT FORBES. 
 
 SIR GEORGE MACRENZIE OF ROSEHAUGH 
 THE FAMILY OF CHISHOLM, ETC. .... 
 THE MACKENZIES OF IlEDCASTLE .... 
 THE BLACK WATCH, OR 42ND ROYAL HIGHLANDERS 
 DONALD GRUIMACH, THE BLACK ISLE CATTLE-LIFTER 
 HIGHLAND ROBBERS AND CATTLE LIFTERS 
 
 54 
 
 75 
 
 103 
 
 109 
 
 119 
 
 13S 
 
 140 
 
 153 
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 INVERNESS JN THE OLDEN TIME. 
 
 MUNICIPAL APFAIRS.161 
 
 FRACAS AT CNOCAN-NA-GOUR.164 
 
 PROVOST MACLEAN IN A FIGHT . . . . . . 167 
 
 THE BLOODY MARYMAS CHEESE MARKET .... 169 
 
 SMUGGLING ... 171 
 
 SHERIFFS CAMPBELL AND FRASER OF INVERNESS-SHIRE . 174 
 
 A HIGHLAND DESPERADO ' . . 177 
 
 THE BLACKSMITH AND THE LAIRD OF GLENGARRY . . 181 
 
 THE REV. MCRDO MACKENZIE.182 
 
 THE REV. JOHN PORTEOUS.184 
 

SKETCHES OF 
 
 HIGHLAND FAMILIES. 
 
 THE MACKINTOSHES OF BORLUM, ETC.' 
 
 ^HE Mackintoshes of Borlum were a sept or 
 IJj branch of the Clan Chattan, who had, 
 many centuries ago, as the members of the 
 clan increased, and their power and territory 
 extended, become settled at some distance be¬ 
 yond the immediate neighbourhood of the 
 family possessions of the chief and the country 
 (properly so-called), of the Clan Mackintosh. 
 Like most of the junior branches of the families 
 ot Highland chiefs, they had little to depend 
 upon except what might be acquired by craft 
 in council or success in arms ; and the Borlum 
 estate became the property of the Mackintoshes 
 without the intervention of a loquacious auc¬ 
 tioneer or the officious pedantry of a formal 
 
Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 lawyer.'" Acting on what was the universal 
 maxim of the age, that “ might made right,” the 
 Mackintoshes effected the sale by the claymore, 
 took infeftment and sasine of the lands and 
 tenement by the same instrument, without the 
 aid of a notary public, and held possession by 
 wielding, as frequently as occasion required, 
 and with as much power as they could muster, 
 the weapon by the use of which they came into 
 possession. 
 
 Situated, as they were, at some distance from 
 the main body of the clan, they formed a sort 
 of picquet or outpost, whose duty it was to 
 watch the movements of the neighbouring clans 
 in the districts of Stratherrick, Urquhart, the 
 Aird, and Ross-shire, and to give intimation to 
 the general body of any intended or attempted 
 encroachment or invasion. It followed from 
 their outward and insulated position, with re- 
 
 * The statement that being a junior branch of the Clan 
 Mackintosh, they had little to depend upon except what 
 might be acquired by their craft or success in arms is cer¬ 
 tainly not borne out by the true state of the case. William 
 Mackintosh, first of Borlum, was the second son of Lachlan 
 Mor Mackintosh, x 6th chief; and upon his marriage, 5th July 
 1595, with Elizabeth Innes of Innermarkie, had the davoch 
 of Clune in Badenoch assigned to him in wadset. When a 
 bachelor Essich was his portion, and prior to his father’s 
 death in 1606, he had the davoch of Benchar in Badenoch 
 feued to him by his father, which property remained in the 
 family until 1788. He was thus well provided for. 
 
 In addition to Benchar, as above stated, William, in 
 1610, acquired the estate of Borlum from Campbell of 
 Calder, by purchase, as mentioned in note on page 3. 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borhim. 3 
 
 ference to the main body of the clan, that they 
 had to sustain the first shock of any hostile 
 movement directed against the clan from the 
 west and north, and had to discharge the last 
 or parting blow on the retreat of the enemy; 
 and thus, as with the Borderers in the south, 
 but within a narrower sphere of operation, they 
 were almost unceasingly engaged, either in pre¬ 
 datory excursions, or in more regular and for¬ 
 midable attacks. The consecpience of occupying 
 so precarious a position, and of the frequent and 
 dangerous confiicts to which it continually ex¬ 
 posed them, was, that the Mackintoshes of 
 Borlum became formidable and ferocious, the 
 scourge of the district,—a terror to their foes, 
 and dangerous even to their friends,—a neces¬ 
 sary and useful adjunct of the clan, and yet 
 wholly or almost independent of it—certainly 
 beyond the immediate sphere of its control. 
 
 The precise period at which the Mack¬ 
 intoshes became possessed of Borlum, is, like 
 most events of the period, involved in consider¬ 
 able uncertainty; but they certainly became 
 proprietors of the estate upwards of four cen¬ 
 turies ago, and continued in possession of it be¬ 
 yond the middle of the last century.* From 
 circumstances hereafter detailed, their power, 
 
 * Highland tradition is vague and very unsatisfactory to 
 the exact student in history, both as to dates and facts— 
 the latter most frequently exaggerated. In the present case 
 the true date at which the Mackintoshes became possessed 
 of the property of Borlum was 1610, and they disposed of 
 
4 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 however, declined, becoming “ small by degrees 
 and beautifully less,” until at last it altogether 
 ceased, and the estate was transferred to other 
 hands. In 1766 it was pui-chased by Mr 
 Fraser, a director of the East India Company ? 
 a descendant of the ancient family of Foyers,* 
 and father of the present amiable proprietrix, 
 Lady Saltoun. 
 
 Throughout the whole of the period during 
 which it was in the possession of the Mackin¬ 
 toshes, it was less or more the resort of the 
 most unprincipled and desperate characters in 
 the country, who found in it a welcome asylum 
 to protect them from consequences of former 
 misdeeds and ready employment for future mis- 
 chief.t With few exceptions the lairds had ac¬ 
 quired a fearful notoriety in the Highlands for 
 the perpetration of every species of crime, in an 
 age and at a time when people were not over- 
 
 it in 1760 ; their possession of Borlum thus extended to 
 only 150 years. William Mackintosh, first of Borlum, ac¬ 
 quired the property from Campbell of Calder (now the 
 Earl ot Cawdor), the price paid for the same being 3,000 
 merks. He further acquired Drumboy in Strathnairn and 
 Raitts in Badenoch from the Marquis of Huntly. 
 
 * Some years ago this estate was sold, and a portion of 
 it was purchased by the late Mr Fountaine Walker, and is 
 still in possession of the representatives of his family. 
 
 t William, first of Borlum, was, during his nephew’s 
 minority, acting captain of Clan Chattan, and had the 
 whole clan re-united in one bond of union in 1609. His 
 whole life was spent in the service of three successive 
 chiefs, and no part of his career shows the charge of har¬ 
 bouring worthless characters or broken men to be true. 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borhtm. 
 
 5 
 
 scrupulous as to the means by which they ac¬ 
 quired property, or the manner in which a real 
 or supposed wrong or affront was avenged. 
 
 The Mackintoshes of Borlum are now laid in 
 the dust, and the land which once knew them 
 knows them no more ; but the remembrance of 
 their iniquities is still associated with the scenes 
 of their former crimes. It is, indeed, difficult to 
 believe, when we look with feelings of pleasure 
 and admiration on the beautiful estate of Lady 
 Saltoun, which is so fertile in cultivation — so 
 tastefully laid out — the home and the hope of 
 so many happy and contented beings, that 
 there, at one time ruled with a rod of iron 
 the Mackintoshes of Borlum, as distinguished 
 for their strength and extent of daring as most 
 of them were for cruelty and crime. Reared 
 up from infancy amidst scenes of blood and 
 danger, they reckoned time by the number and 
 atrocity of their deeds of spoliation and murder, 
 and closed their career in the pursuit of plunder 
 and revenge. 
 
 Instead of fruitful fields, yielding laborious 
 but comfortable sustenance to cheerful hun¬ 
 dreds, the estate was, when the Mackintoshes 
 possessed it, barren and bare except where it 
 was covered with whins and broom ; and where 
 extensive plantations judiciously laid out, inter¬ 
 mixed with shrubbery and evergreens, now rise 
 with their variegated foliage enlivening and di¬ 
 versifying the landscape, nothing met the eye 
 but the sterile monotony of heath and stone, 
 
6 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 with here and there a miserable hut—the tem¬ 
 porary residence of daring and restless robbers, 
 the terror of the adjacent country, and the con¬ 
 genial friends and allies of the lairds of Borlum 
 Castle.* “ I well remember,” adds old John, 
 “ the black castle of Borlum, being several 
 times in it on visits to an honest man, whose 
 character was the extreme to that of its oc¬ 
 cupiers for centuries before.” This building 
 was extremely strong—almost impregnable, 
 and was situated on an eminence within a few 
 yards of that on which the present Ness Castle 
 stands. 
 
 But what will not time and the industry of 
 man produce? For barren moors and sterile 
 plains, we now see plenty issuing from the 
 pregnant bosom of the earth, and instead of the 
 appalling gloom of Borlum’s proud and frown¬ 
 ing castle, we behold not a great way off the 
 
 * The estate was valuable both in respect to fishings and 
 woods. The fir woods were equal to any in the Highlands, 
 and as early as 1631, in an arbitration betwixt Aldourie 
 and Kinchyle of the day, reference is made to “ the 
 woods of Borlum.” Shaw Mackintosh, sixth of Borlum, 
 sold the estate about 1735 to his relatives Bailies William 
 and Angus Mackintosh of Inverness, but redeemable with¬ 
 in a certain number of years. Shaw Mackintosh took steps 
 over twenty years afterwards to redeem, and the bailies 
 complaining, he stated that while Borlum was in their pos¬ 
 session and the rents uplifted they had sold as much wood 
 as equalled in value the original price, which still fell to be 
 repaid in full. The name of one of the chief farms—Ballin- 
 darroch—shows that oaks abounded. The fishing-pool of 
 Laggan, on the Ness, has been known from the earliest 
 times as affording excellent fishing. 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 
 
 7 
 
 elegant and hospitable mansion of Lady Sal- 
 toun—surrounded by its smooth lawn, its ser¬ 
 pentine walks and shady bowers. Nor is hers 
 the only mansion, tor there are many others 
 besides bearing witness to the progress of civi¬ 
 lisation, and the beneficial changes effected 
 generally on the extensive estate of Borlum. 
 But could the castle ruins (traces of which are 
 still visible), the green knolls and running 
 brooks, or the Ness’s clear and silvery stream, 
 which winds its way immediately behind, speak 
 the tales of other times, they 
 
 could a tale unfold whose lightest word 
 would harrow up the soul,” 
 
 but these witnesses are dumb, and dumb they 
 were doomed to be—yet other witnesses 
 looked on, and thus some account of the foul 
 deeds done have been “ handed down from sire 
 to son,” for, 
 
 “ Murder, tho’ it hath no tongue, 
 will speak with most miraculous organ.” 
 
 Of all those who figure in the list of Borlum’s 
 lairds, the one who lived about the time of James 
 V. and in the minority of Queen Mary, surpassed 
 them all for fiendish ferocity.* Like Rob Roy 
 
 * William, first of Borlum, and his wife, through mem¬ 
 bers of the Athole family, were both of the blood royal. 
 The charge of cruelty or oppression made here is not 
 borne out on investigation. It is true he got Campbell of 
 Barbeck, who married his brother’s widow, kicked^out of 
 
8 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 (but without any mitigating circumstances to 
 palliate or excuse his conduct), he levied black 
 mail on the neighbouring lairds, and unfortu¬ 
 nately the favour and protection of the Earl of 
 Huntly, then Governor of the Castle of Inver¬ 
 ness (and who invariably lived with Borlurn 
 when he came to visit his hunting grounds of 
 Drumashie and other places in the neighbour¬ 
 hood), emboldened him to levy the imposition, 
 and effectually secured him from the conse¬ 
 quences. Whoever refused the compulsory 
 payment to Borlurn or paid the tribute grudg¬ 
 ingly, might look with certainty for a speedy 
 and fearful revenge. Nor was his lady a whit 
 better than her lord. Strong and masculine in 
 person, she was at least as unfortunate as he was 
 in temper, and if possible more savage in re¬ 
 venue.* Never did a greater fiend in female form 
 appear upon the earth, nor was her determina¬ 
 tion and courage unequal to the execution of her 
 worst purposes ; and of her, in the words of 
 
 Dunachton in Badenoch, under aggravating circumstances, 
 but it was the act of the whole family. He also crossed 
 swords with Huntly and Moray in those troublous times, 
 and was engaged in numerous actions offensive and defen¬ 
 sive in which the Clan Chattan were concerned. 
 
 * It is true that Lady Borlurn had been reared in the 
 midst of crime and violence. Her grandfather was 
 murdered in 1584. and her father put to death in Edin¬ 
 burgh for allege ! participation in the slaughter of the 
 <l bonnie” Earl of Moray, a few days after her marriage in 
 the month of July 1 595. 
 
9 
 
 of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 
 
 Lady Macbeth it might be truly said — 
 
 “- I have given to suck ; and know 
 
 How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me ; 
 
 I would, while it was smiling in my face, 
 
 Have pluck’d my nipple from its boneless gum, 
 
 Aud dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn, as you 
 Have done this.” 
 
 The stories which have been handed down 
 of this fierce couple are numerous as they are 
 frightful. Of these the murder of the venerable 
 Provost Junor of Inverness, was one, and in 
 some degree illustrates their character.* Mrs 
 Mackintosh (or, as the laird’s wife is callled in 
 Gaelic, bean an tighearn, or the laird’s lady), on 
 one occasion went to Inverness,where her visits 
 would be most agreeably dispensed with ; or, 
 in other words, “ her absence would be con¬ 
 sidered good company ” by the terrified 
 inhabitants. She was followed by two mis¬ 
 chievous imps as train bearers, or lady’s hench¬ 
 men. In the course ot her perambulations 
 through the town she was seen by the worthy 
 Provost in a position 
 
 “ That mantled to his cheek 
 The blush of shame,” 
 
 * The author of the “ Memorabilia of Inverness” (James 
 Suter) says “ that tradition states that about 1618 a Pro¬ 
 vost of Inverness was murdered by the Mackintoshes of 
 Borlum.” Captain Burt, author of “ Letters from the 
 North of Scotland,” who was in Inverness in 1735, also 
 mentions the tradition as current in his time. To this tra¬ 
 dition we can add no information or contradiction. Still 
 powerful though Borlum undoubtedly was, it seems in¬ 
 credible that the town did not resent the muider of their 
 Provost. 
 
io Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 and he was so shocked at her rude and indeli¬ 
 cate demeanour, that he took courage to reprove 
 her, exclaiming—“ 0 , fie, fie, Lady Borlum.” 
 On hearing this, she fixed her kindling eye, 
 glaring with the fiery fierceness of the crouch¬ 
 ing tiger ere he leaps. More than once she 
 made an effort to speak, but she was choked 
 with passion-—her heart was too full “ of pride, 
 of rage and malice ”—all her faculties were 
 wound up, and her tongue refused its office— 
 she stood immoveable as a marble. At length, 
 making a desperate effort, and raising herself to 
 her full height, she said, as she slowly turned 
 away her flaming eye, “ You shall dearly pay 
 for this,” and passed on. Her determined but 
 subdued tone, her flashing eye, that plainly in¬ 
 dicated 
 
 “-The coming events 
 
 1 hat cast their shadows before,” 
 
 impressed the decent, sober, but in this case in¬ 
 discreet magistrate, with a presentiment of 
 future revenge. 
 
 Lady Borlum having inwardly sworn (and 
 she seldom swore an oath that it might be 
 broken), that the Provost’s death alone should 
 satisfy her revenge, proceeded homewards, rumi¬ 
 nating over her wrong, and concocting schemes 
 for the execution of her diabolical purpose. 
 Borlum was not at home on her return, and did 
 not return for sometime thereafter ; but in the 
 interval the violence of her fury had rather in¬ 
 creased than diminished, and she hailed her 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Bor lam. 11 
 
 lord’s return as the speedy harbinger of death ; 
 and when she beheld, as she did at the first 
 glance by his dark and stern look lowering 
 brow, and compressed lips, that he too was 
 in no very amiable humour, she welcomed 
 him with more than ordinary joy, and he 
 was scarcely seated, when she poured her tale, 
 with such exaggerations as her malice sug¬ 
 gested, into an ear as greedy to hear as she to 
 tell ; and when she had finished, she said that 
 nothing could or would satisfy her but the old 
 man’s death. To this Borlum, without reflect¬ 
 ing on the matter—for in his estimation it 
 would have been beneath him to trouble him¬ 
 self a moment in reflecting on such a trifling 
 affair as the death of a burgher—at once as¬ 
 sented. The Provost’s death being- thus agreed 
 upon, the how, by whom, and where, were the 
 next questions to be settled. 
 
 Having obtained, rather than won the laird’s 
 assent, which she had asked more as a matter 
 of course than as a thing essential, the gloomy 
 pair sat down to supper. Both intent on sepa¬ 
 rate purposes, they partook of the evening 
 meal in silence. The moor, the valley, and the 
 stream supplied the supper. The moors of 
 Stratherrick furnished the game, the rich 
 flavoured and sweet tasted mutton was taken 
 in foray from some of the estates in the neigh¬ 
 bourhood, and the prolific Ness yielded the 
 salmon. The strong pot-ale that overtopped 
 the rich gilt llaggons that lined the board was 
 
1 2 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 home brewed ; the genuine mountain-dew that 
 filled the capacious vessel that occupied the 
 centre of the table was distilled in Abriachan’s 
 most secret shade; and the generous and exhi¬ 
 larating products of the vine, which, in long¬ 
 necked bottles adorned with silver tops, graced 
 the table, were a present from an offshoot of the 
 family, who had been forced to fly to foreign 
 climes, but, who, amidst the excitement of for¬ 
 eign wars, the charms of France and Italy, and 
 the fascinating influence of more civilised and 
 more enchanting manners, never forgot the land 
 of his birth, 
 
 *• The birthplace of valour, 
 
 The country of worth.” 
 
 The silent gloomy supper over, and the dishes 
 removed, the congenial pair moved towards the 
 fire. Long and silently they sat. Both were 
 wrapt up in alternate musings of past mischief 
 and future revenge. In the bosoms of both, the 
 compunctions of conscience for a moment pricked 
 the soul, and in the next, from an innate love of 
 fiendish self-condemnation for having even for a 
 moment listened to the still small voice of 
 reason, their hearts were kindled into revenge — 
 their souls were dark — their purposes Satanic ; 
 and these two, whom no magic cord of love did 
 bind, who felt not the uniting bond of man and 
 wife, nor the indescribable co-union and co-ex¬ 
 istence which parents feel when children bless 
 the marriage-knot—these two, who had never 
 known the secret mystery by which in friend- 
 
of the Mackintoshes' of Borlum. 13 
 
 ship, love', and affection soul communicates 
 with soul, were linked and bound in inseparable 
 and constant union in the dark impulses of mis¬ 
 chief, and the self-consuming gratification of 
 revenge. 
 
 For hours they sat, wrapt in black thought 
 and desperate purpose, until the flickering light 
 of the dying fire, shedding an uncertain and 
 party coloured glare on their recumbent forms, 
 and unmoved but fearful countenances, aroused 
 them from contemplation to talk as well as 
 think of bloody purposes. Lady Borlum retold 
 her story and urged her lord to revenge the in¬ 
 sult which had been offered to her. The laird 
 listened with attention, and signified his wish 
 to hear how she proposed to gratify her desire. 
 Various were the schemes proposed, and long 
 the consultation continued. At length it was 
 determined—for nothing else would satisfy the 
 lady—that as the Provost would be taking his 
 customary walk the following evening, he 
 should be despatched by their two sons Un¬ 
 less his life was taken away by the hand of one 
 of her own flesh and blood, her vengeance, she 
 said, would not be half satisfied; and her hus¬ 
 band, although he had urged a bolder course, at 
 last consented, and they retired to bed—to bed, 
 but not to sleep, for what sleep can ever reach 
 the tortuous restlessness of a foul mind, or 
 silence the damning testimony of a guilty con¬ 
 science ? 
 
 On the following morning, Provost Junor 
 
14 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 rose as hearty and unconcerned as if the inci¬ 
 dent of the previous day had not occurred,—his 
 heart was at ease, no tremulous yearnings of 
 conscience obtruded themselves to disturb his 
 mind ; nor did one passing thought of the pre¬ 
 vious day’s encounter with Lady Borlum arise 
 to disturb his serenity and self-complacency. 
 That encounter, terrible certainly at the time, 
 (and especially so to a man of his quiet habits 
 and peaceable disposition,) had ruffled his 
 temper and very much frightened him, but it 
 soon passed away, and in an hour afterwards, the 
 happy, good-natured official might be seen re¬ 
 ceiving and retailing the gossip of the town with 
 his usual cheerfulness and good humonr—his 
 fright had entirely melted away, and like last 
 year’s snow, left no trace of its temporary exist¬ 
 ence behind. On the succeeding day he got up 
 at his usual hour, and paid his accustomed formal 
 attention to the cleanliness and neatness of his 
 magisterial person ; his square hat was carefully 
 brushed, liis wig was made trim and neat, his 
 broad flapped coat was well dusted, his knee- 
 breeches—with fringes above the knee, as was 
 he fashion of the time — were stainless ; nor were 
 his “ brocan dhu" forgotten, although Day and 
 Martin were yet unborn. Thus attired, and 
 ample justice done to a good breakfast, he took 
 his gold-mounted official staff and went forth to 
 attend to his private business (that of a skin 
 merchant), and his magisterial functions. Hav¬ 
 ing paid the requisite attention to his “ain” 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 
 
 15 
 
 private affairs, which, as a prudent and well¬ 
 doing citizen it behoved him to do, as he was 
 wont to say, he applied himself to the discharge 
 of his public duties with well-meaning zeal, and 
 with a pomposity which was somewhat foreign 
 to his nature, and which therefore became with 
 him at least questionable grace, but which he 
 thought the dignity of the office made it neces¬ 
 sary for him to assume. His business being 
 over, he returne to his house about mid-day— 
 partook of the plain and substantial dinner 
 which was placed before him with a hearty appe¬ 
 tite and a contented mind. After, dinner he 
 enjoyed his nap, and relished his chat as usual — 
 110 cloud crossed his brow, 110 apprehensions of 
 coming evil agitated his mind, nor was his heart 
 touched by any unpleasant forebodings. Time 
 passed on ; morning, noon, and evening came 
 and went, and the shades of night began to fall 
 gradually around, nature seemed as if drawing 
 together the curtains of repose,—the world 
 was calm and still, not the profound stillness 
 of the midnight hour, but that soothing quiet¬ 
 ness which imparts a tender melancholy to 
 the mind, making it serious without austeritv, 
 and contemplative without effort, and which 
 touches and expands the better promptings of 
 the heart. It was somewhat later than eight 
 o’clock, as the guileless Provost left the town 
 and directed his steps towards the Gaic or 
 Pruinden, now called, from the circumstance of 
 the Black Watch having been embodied and en- 
 
16 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 camped there, Campfield. At this period there 
 was no regular road between Inverness and 
 Campfield, nor did the face of the hill west¬ 
 ward of the town bear any traces of cultivation. 
 It was then bare and sterile, although it is now 
 adorned with elegant patches of garden, shrub¬ 
 bery, and plantation, and beautified by handsome 
 villas. The irregular broken footway wound its 
 course along the margin of the river, until near 
 the present water-house, when it diverged a little 
 towards the base of the hill, and proceeded up 
 the hollow between Drummond and Campfield. 
 Along this path the Provost was in the habit of 
 taking his walk in the summer and autumn 
 evenings, and being a regular and exact man, 
 he almost invariably went and returned at the 
 same hour. On the particular evening to which 
 allusion has been made, he proceeded on his 
 walk with slow and steady pace, enjoying the 
 solemn but not oppressive stillness which reigned 
 around, now gazing in devout contemplation of 
 the moveless sky, anon following with his eye 
 the homeward flight of some wearied traveller of 
 the feathered tribe; and when the eye could 
 no lonoer trace his form on the darkening 
 horizon, and attracted by the rippling of the 
 stream as it broke over the stones and pebbles 
 which obstructed its progress, he looked in 
 silent admiration on the ceasless flow of the 
 waters of his own bright river, now tinged 
 with the darkenino- hues of the clouds above, as 
 it swept on in its course to join the ocean. 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 
 
 17 
 
 But to return to Borlum Castle. As the soft 
 golden light of the setting sun was taking a 
 last parting kiss of the western mountain tops, 
 and the black clouds, which began gradually 
 descending, as if to relieve the rays of the set¬ 
 ting sun announced the approach of the crime- 
 begetting night, the sons of Borlum were called 
 to their mother’s presence. Though bred in a 
 school where scruples formed no part of the 
 discipline, yet the young men were somewhat 
 staggered when informed by their loving mother 
 of the business they were to perform. Although 
 sufficiently inured to crime, to blunt, if not en¬ 
 tirely to eradicate any compunctious yearnings 
 of humanity, they still retained something of 
 the buoyancy and chivalry of youth not to feel 
 some repugnance to commit a deed so foul and 
 so unmanly ; and, accordingly, took the liberty 
 of telling her that they felt great reluctance to 
 obey her commands, and that it would oblige 
 them if she appointed some other instruments 
 of vengeance. Curbing her wrath against such 
 disobedience, and the better to accomplish her 
 purpose, she disclosed to them the provoca¬ 
 tion she had received. But instead of the 
 recital producing the anticipated effect, the 
 sons could scarce refrain from indulging in open 
 laughter. 
 
 The mothers quick and eager eyes saw this ir¬ 
 reverence, and her wrath was rising into fury— 
 a fury which the sons, bold and desperate as 
 they were, could not face without fear, and 
 
18 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 which they no sooner perceived than they 
 yielded an ungracious acquiescence, and with 
 little loss of time departed on their mission. 
 As they reached the verge of the eminence 
 which overlooks the pathway, they beheld the 
 Provost at some distance advancing with easy 
 step towards them. They remained concealed 
 until he had gained the summit of the hill, and 
 when but a few yards from them, he paused to 
 take breath after the ascent, and survey the 
 familiar scene before him. The assassins sprung 
 from their lurking-place with the agility and 
 ferocity of their race, and ere the worthy 
 magistrate could recognise his murderers, he 
 breathed his last, pierced in several places by 
 their daggers. 
 
 Thus foully fell, by the hand of Borlum’s 
 ruthless sons, and at the instigation of their 
 more bloody mother, between his sixtieth and 
 seventieth year, Provost Junor of Inverness—a 
 skin merchant by trade—a wealthy and re¬ 
 spectable citizen—an able magistrate, and a 
 kind, inoffensive man. After the accomplish¬ 
 ment of this horrid and unprovoked tragedy,the 
 brothers removed the body further down the 
 hill, and hid it in whin bushes. Having thus 
 performed their mother’s stern command, they 
 returned with all possible haste to tell the pleas¬ 
 ing tale. During their absence, Lady Borlum 
 was unusually restless and uneasy—they had 
 now been absent two hours, which seemed to 
 her as so many days—she looked out with eager 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Bor him. 
 
 19 
 
 and watchful eyes, until the thickening darkness 
 made further watching unavailing, and, at 
 length, her patience was exhausted, and misgiv¬ 
 ings thick and strong came crowding upon her 
 mind, that the resolutions of her sons had failed, 
 or that some unlucky accident had interposed 
 between her purpose and its accomplishment— 
 that the attempt had been made and the deed 
 not done, or that unlooked-for aid came to the 
 old man’s rescue, and murdered those who were 
 to be his murderers. These, and a thousand 
 other conjectures, came rushing upon her with 
 the rapidity of thought, and made her almost 
 mad. At length, however, she heard a knock¬ 
 ing at the outer iron gate of the Castle, when 
 her heart beat with increased velocity and vio¬ 
 lence ; her breathing became quick and difficult, 
 her eyes burned and her head swam—bound up 
 in the feverishness of anxiety and the intensity 
 of suspense, she stood motionless, and when her 
 two sons entered the room, and pointed to their 
 unsheathed daggers covered with blood as 
 the most eloquent and impressive description 
 of the work they had done — she turned her 
 fiendish and glazing eyes upon the daggers, 
 and giving a scream of fiendish joy, fell upon 
 the floor. 
 
 Here, for the present, we must leave this 
 crime-begetting haunt and return to the house 
 of mourning and of woe. The Lady of Borlum 
 was not the only one who on this fatal night 
 felt anxiety and alarm, Ten o’clock came, a 
 
20 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 more than usually late hour for the Provost to 
 be out, and yet he returned not, but his wife, 
 though somewhat alarmed at his absence, was 
 still confident he might have met some neigh¬ 
 bour, and gone home with him to crack over a 
 “ cogie ” or two of ale ; or he might be engaged 
 on some council business; but when eleven 
 o’clock came and the Provost not returning, 
 she became restless, and some shadows of 
 alarm began to cross her mind ; still she sat 
 without communicating her uneasiness to any 
 one. Midnight brought not back Provost 
 Junor, and the dark forebodings which the 
 hushed silence of the midnight hour is apt to 
 bring to more easy minds than Mrs Provost 
 Junor’s, then began to settle into alarm and 
 terror. Morning arrived and yet no traces of 
 her loving and affectionate husband. The tid¬ 
 ings of the sudden disappearance of the worthy 
 Provost excited the greatest sensation and 
 alarm for his safety, and numerous were the 
 conjectures whispered about him in the town 
 and neighbourhood, but none which could afford 
 any consolation to his anxious wife. The 
 Council now assembled, and dark hints were 
 freely exchanged as to his mysterious fate. 
 After many fruitless inquiries, it was at length 
 resolved to search along the line of his usual 
 evening walk—as more than one had seen him 
 going in that direction, but none saw him 
 return. This search was prosecuted with great 
 diligence and minuteness, and at length the 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 2 1 
 
 mutilated body of the chief magistrate was 
 found huddled together under a whin bush— 
 his hat and stick at some distance off. The 
 townspeople crowded around the body, and 
 there was not a dry eye present nor a silent 
 tongue. Every one remembered something to 
 his credit, and as the body was carefully and 
 solemnly carried to the town, the praises of the 
 departed magistrate were feelingly sung amidst 
 tears and lamentations by his sorrowing fellow- 
 citizens. 
 
 An investigation was immediately entered 
 into for the purpose of discovering and punish¬ 
 ing the perpetrators of this foul deed. Various 
 circumstances were discovered calculated to 
 bring strong suspicions on the Borlum family, 
 and in a day or two after the murder there re¬ 
 mained no room to doubt, what all from the 
 very first suspected, that the assassins were the 
 sons of Borlum. Meetings after meetings were 
 held to bring them to punishment, but the 
 Town Council, although eager enough to avenge 
 
 7 o O o o 
 
 the death of their chief magistrate, dreaded the 
 ferocity and power of Borlum (who was himself 
 a member of Council), the more particularly 
 
 * The story of Provost Junor’s murder is related with all 
 the minutiae of the modern journalist—the feelings of all con¬ 
 cerned in the foul deed, and their conversations, and even 
 their thoughts so detailed, is wonderful! But we doubt 
 not that Mr Finlay Maclean (the son of the Inverness 
 Centenarian), who wrote this narrative, drew largely on his 
 own imagination for the particulars set forth in his pages. 
 
22 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 as lie was backed by the friendship and power 
 of the Earl of Huntly, at the time exercising 
 almost regal authority in the north, and by 
 whom, as has been already noticed, black Mack¬ 
 intosh of Borlum had been protected from the 
 consequences of his evil deeds. The Council, 
 therefore, however reluctantly, were obliged to 
 abandon the idea of punishing the assassins, 
 and all they could do to show their respect for 
 the deceased Provost and their detestation and 
 horror of his murderers, was to pass a resolu¬ 
 tion that no member of the Borlum family 
 should ever be eligible to a seat in the Town 
 Council of Inverness—a resolution which was 
 ever after during their occupancy of Borlum 
 and Baitts most strictly adhered to.* 
 
 Not long after the tragedy of Provost Junor’s 
 death, another victim fell a sacrifice to the 
 bloodthirsty vengeance of the Lady of Borlum. 
 As was usual in every laird’s family at this time, 
 there lived in that of Borlum a female servant, 
 whose principal business was to bake the family 
 
 * Subsequently to that period, however, more than one 
 descendant of this ill-fated family sat in the Council, and 
 also filled the office of Provost with credit and honour 
 —gentlemen who excelled in humanity, and who delighted 
 in doing good to their poor fellow creatures ; but this was 
 after Borlum and Raitts had passed into more honest hands 
 and after the last laird of Borlum had fled the country. 
 
 [The preceding note is by Mr Maclean, the author of the 
 work, but it is not correct. The story that no Borlum or 
 any of his descendants should thereafter be eligible to hold 
 a seat in the Town Council, modified, as alleged, after the 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 23 
 
 bread, and who from this circumstance, and her 
 shortness of stature, obtained the soubriquet 
 of “ Ipac Bheag na BrecaigP or Little Isabel of 
 the bannocks. On the evening on which Pro¬ 
 vost Junor was murdered, Ipac Bheag had been 
 sent on some errand to Inverness, and as she 
 was returning, became an unwilling and acci¬ 
 dental witness of the murderous deed done by 
 her master’s sons, and partaking of the weak¬ 
 ness which has at all times characterised her 
 sex, she could neither get rest, or peace of 
 mind, until she found some one in whom she 
 could confide, and unburthen her mind of the 
 dangerous and fearful load with which it was 
 charged. Relying on the fidelity and integrity 
 of a fellow-servant, Ipac, still with great reluc¬ 
 tance, unbosomed herself to this person, and re¬ 
 vealed to her all she had seen—the revelation 
 at the same time lightening herself of the 
 burden which agonised her whole frame. In a 
 few days thereafter this confidante made it no 
 point of conscience to betray poor Ipac to her 
 master and mistress. From that moment her 
 fate was sealed. Neither the laird, his lady, or 
 their sons, cared much about the fact of a wit¬ 
 ness having been present to bear testimony to 
 their villany. The Provost’s murder had been 
 
 estate of Borlum was sold, is inaccurate, for no such resolu 
 tion can be found on the record ; and William and Angus 
 Mackintosh, grandsons of the second Borlum by a younger 
 son sat in the Council, and also as magistrates, long before 
 Borlum was sold. —Ed.J 
 
24 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 clearly traced to tliem, and could not be denied. 
 It was, therefore, a matter of perfect indiffer¬ 
 ence to them, whether or not there were any 
 witnesses who could give direct and positive 
 evidence as to their guilt. They depended not 
 on their power to hide the truth, but on their 
 power to shield themselves from its conse¬ 
 quences. But indifferent, as they consequently 
 were, as to who saw or did not see the act 
 committed, it was another, and a very different 
 affair, that one of their servants, eating their 
 own bread, having many opportunities of ob¬ 
 serving their every act, should publish so im¬ 
 portant a secret and blab their guilt to the 
 world. For this imprudence, in the estimation 
 of the Borlum family, one of the most heinous 
 of crimes, Ipac’s death was resolved on. On the 
 day after it came to the knowledge of the family 
 that she had acted an unguarded part she was 
 sent on a pretended message to Bona Ferry, a 
 distance of about two miles westward from the 
 castle, and when returning late in the evening 
 she was waylaid, and most barbarously mur¬ 
 dered. To conceal murder, fresh murder must 
 be committed ; thus it ever is. The mind once 
 habituated to crime, all the restraints of 
 morality, religion, and of conscience are over¬ 
 thrown—guilt becomes familiar, and conscience 
 callous 
 
 “ I am so steeped in guilt, that 
 
 I may as well go through as turn back.” 
 
 For many, many years afterwards, Ipac’s 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Bor him. 25 
 
 ghost was seen to “ haunt the lone vale,” wan¬ 
 dering up and down the banks of the river, and 
 its doleful lamentations were heard within the 
 walls of Borlum Castle. The very herds who 
 were wont to tend their sheep and cattle along 
 the banks of the Ness, were so familiar with 
 Ipac Bheag’s wraith, that its mournful cries 
 latterly became a signal to them to return home 
 with their charge. 
 
 We have already mentioned that the Borlum 
 family were the terror and scourge of the 
 neighbouring lairds. However, Maclean of 
 Dochgarroch, who had experienced much an¬ 
 noyance and oppression, made a bold attempt 
 to resist Borlum’s overbearing power, and set 
 his threats at defiance, which so maddened 
 him, that to be revenged he directed his son, 
 and about thirty of his vassals and dependents, 
 to proceed to Dochgarroch House, raze it to 
 the ground, and destroy everything belonging 
 to his mortal enemy. The good and worthy 
 proprietor of Dochgarroch, being apprised of 
 this force having marched, and the object in 
 view, but ignorant of their number, sent twelve 
 brave and faithful clansmen to watch young 
 Borlum and his desperate companions in arms. 
 On the north bank of the river, a little to the 
 west of the ancient Castle of Spiritual, the little 
 band of the Macleans met the more numerous 
 one of Borlum advancing at a rapid pace ; no 
 words were exchanged, no explanation de¬ 
 manded ; both parties knew each other too well 
 
26 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 to require information as to each other’s mis¬ 
 sion. Undismayed by the disparity in num¬ 
 bers, the Macleans with their claymores and 
 Lochaber axes, rushed upon their opponents. 
 The Macleans maintained their ground most 
 gallantly, diminishing their foes at every blow, 
 and ultimately forced them into the river, 
 where, up to their middle in the water, the 
 battle was fought with unabated fury and deadly 
 animosity for a considerable time. The clear 
 stream was reddened with the blood of the slain 
 and wounded for some distance from the spot 
 of combat. So brave and determined were the 
 Macleans, with the recollections of the wrongs 
 and oppressions of their foes fresh in their 
 memory, and the desperate enterprise upon 
 which they were, that every blow inflicted added 
 fresh vigour to the resolute arm dealing it, and 
 they firmly resolved, that before yielding to the 
 laird of Borlum’s son, every one should be 
 “ with his back to the field, and his face to the 
 foe.” Such was the undaunted courage and 
 deadly determination evinced by both parties, 
 that the combatants did not separate until 
 almost annihilated Of the gallant little hand¬ 
 ful of the Macleans, three only survived to tell 
 the result of this bloody fray ; and among the 
 eight of the Mackintoshes who escaped was 
 Borlum’s wounded son.* 
 
 * The story of the fight between the Mackintoshes of 
 Borlum and the Macleans of Dochgarroch is apocryphal, 
 as no such tradition exists amongst the representatives of 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 27 
 
 Tidings of this affair spread like wildfire 
 through the country, and the neighbouring 
 lairds were secretly rejoiced at the repulse the 
 Mackintoshes thus received, and the undaunted 
 bravery displayed by the few sons of Clan 
 Gillean was the theme of their praise. This 
 battle brought some discredit on the Mack¬ 
 intoshes. Nevertheless for a time they con¬ 
 tinued to advance in importance, not only from 
 the number of their vassals, and the daring and 
 desperate character of the laird and his followers, 
 but also from the favour and countenance ex¬ 
 tended to the laird of that day by the Earl of 
 Huntly, whose power and authority in the 
 north, as already stated, was of itself a sufficient 
 shield. But soon afterwards they gradually 
 declined ; their followers became few—they were 
 less fortunate in their adventures—and their 
 power and importance became more limited ; it 
 was getting “short by degrees, and beautifully 
 less.” 
 
 It was supposed that the laird of Borlum, in 
 
 these families. It seems to be confounded with an un¬ 
 doubted fight at Castle Spiritual which took place at a 
 much eatlier date (15th century) than that mentioned in 
 the above text, when the Macleans were in possession of 
 Urquhart, and before they were settled in Dochgarroch. 
 The fight was beween the Camerons of Lochiel and the 
 Macleans. The atrocities committed by the Camerons on 
 this occasion led to a belief that the old castle o r Bona was 
 haunted, hence it became known as “ Castle Spiritual.” (See 
 Mackay s “ Urquhart and Glaimoriston ,” 1894, page 94, 
 etc.) 
 
28 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 return for the favour and protection which he 
 had uniformly received from the Earl of Huntly, 
 was indirectly implicated in the betrayal of the 
 Chief of Clan Chattan to the Earl, who had 
 him executed, and that in revenge for this real, 
 or supposed betrayal, the estate of Borlum suf¬ 
 fered some part of the punishment which the 
 clan inflicted on those who were implicated in 
 the affair.* Be this as it may, it is nevertheless 
 certain that from this time the family power 
 began to decline ; but although decreasing in 
 power, the successive lairds lost little of that 
 ferocity which had obtained for them so bad a 
 notoriety, nor did they degenerate from their 
 forefathers in their deportment in battle, or their 
 avidity for crime.t It is, however, but right to 
 
 * William, the fifteenth chief of Clan Chattan, was exe¬ 
 cuted in August 1550, and as the first Borlum was his 
 grandson —born long after this date—the folly of this accu¬ 
 sation is evident. 
 
 \ The history of the various successive lairds of Borlum 
 does not bear out the charges of ferocity and criminality 
 here made, as already shown in the case of the first Borlum. 
 
 Lachlan, the second Borluna, who first married the 
 widow of Sir Lachlan Mackintosh, thereby incurred the 
 deep resentment of her sons William Mackintosh of Mack¬ 
 intosh and Lachlan Mackintosh of Kinrara to such a de¬ 
 gree that all his life he struggled with poverty, living chiefly 
 in Badenoch, without power to hurt or oppress any one. 
 
 William, the third of Borlum, married Mary Baillie of 
 Dunean. He held a prominent position from 1652 to 
 1717. He lived chiefly at Borlum, where he died. No 
 charge of cruelty or oppression has been ever stated against 
 him. The character given of him by certain Macphersons 
 in Badenoch shows how well he discharged his duties to his 
 employer the Duke of Gordon (see Spalding Chib Miscel- 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 
 
 29 
 
 except from this sweeping condemnation, the 
 most celebrated member of the family, Briga¬ 
 dier General Mackintosh, or, as he was more 
 familiarly called, “ Old Borlum,” who, though 
 possessing much of the sterness, had very little 
 of the cruelty of his forefathers. His indomi¬ 
 table courage, enterprising character, and un¬ 
 shaken constancy were conspicuously displayed 
 in his daring expedition across the Forth—his 
 skilful and masterly retreat to Kelso—his 
 bravery at Preston—his escape from Newgate, 
 and his subsequent flight to Fiance, which 
 have left for him a proud name in the annals 
 of his country that in some measure re 
 deems the character of his family from that 
 infamy which their cruelty deservedly obtained 
 for them.* 
 
 From various causes, some of them, no 
 doubt, arising from the civil wars in which the 
 Borlum family took an active part, in favour 
 of the unfortunate Stuarts, the family was, in 
 
 /any, vol. iv. page 165), as illustrated by the attempted 
 murder of his successor Glenbucket by the Macphersons, 
 as noted by Burt and others. 
 
 * Brigadier Mackintosh, the fourth of Borlum, has been 
 excepted by Maclean from the general condemnation 
 brought against his family. To readers of the history of 
 the rising of the “ 1715 ” it is unnecessary to detail the 
 career of the Brigadier — the only chief in the Jacobite army 
 who displayed generalship. The very street ballads of the 
 time were partial to this gallant soldier— 
 
 “ Mackintosh was a soldier brave, 
 
 And of his friends he took his leave ; 
 
 Toward Northumberland he boldly came. 
 
 Marching with gallant meu of his name,” etc. 
 
30 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 the time of Edward, the last laird, very greatly 
 diminished, and somewhere about the year 
 i 76 o, the extensive estate of Borlum was sold. 
 It had been in possession of the Mackintoshes 
 for upwards of three hundred years, never likely 
 to be again the property of any of that ilk. 
 The estate of Raitts or Raitles, in Badenoch, 
 was still held by them, where Edward, the last 
 laird, resided, whose character in a great mea¬ 
 sure corresponded with that of too many of his 
 ancestors. 
 
 From the period at which Provost Junor was 
 assassinated by the Mackintoshes of Borlum, 
 the power of that family gradually declined. 
 The Clan Mackintosh, whose interest it was to 
 keep up a good understanding with the burgh of 
 Inverness ; and who, besides, felt the natural 
 repugnance which was entertained,even in those 
 unscrupulous days, to the perpetration of mur¬ 
 der, under circumstances not connected with the 
 interest or credit of the clan, and which could 
 not be justified by any of the (so-called) “ laws 
 of honour and clanship” which prevailed in the 
 Highlands at the time, were not slow in express¬ 
 ing their disapprobation of the heartless and 
 cowardly act. The apparent independence of 
 the rest of the clan, which the lairds of Borlum 
 had, for a long period, arrogated to themselves, 
 arising from their isolated position, their previ¬ 
 ous services to the clan, their direct family 
 power and influence ; and above all, the coun¬ 
 tenance which they received from, and the 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 3 1 
 
 services which they rendered to the all-powerful 
 family of Huntly, at length subjected them, 
 not only to the suspicion of the clan but ex¬ 
 posed them to the secret hatred and open hosti¬ 
 lity of the chiefs of Clan Chattan. The 
 consequence of such a combination of adverse 
 circumstances was then, as it would be now, 
 that those who would be the followers of the 
 lairds of Borlum, through fear, gradually be¬ 
 came emboldened, as the power of the latter 
 declined, to throw off their yoke ; and that those 
 who followed them from interested and merely 
 mercenary motives, diminished in number as 
 the influence of the clan perceptibly lessened, 
 and the prospects of reward became more 
 uncertain. 
 
 But these causes, powerful and sufficient as 
 they appear, were not the only ones to which 
 we are to attribute the fall of this family. There 
 were higher, more potent and less fallible causes 
 at work, the existence of which, in the decline 
 and fall of the family, it would be as impious to 
 deny as the attempt to describe the mode in 
 which they operated would be rash and pre¬ 
 sumptuous. The Christian believes , and the in¬ 
 fidel feels and fcai's, the certainty of retributive 
 justice. Its progress may be accelerated or pro¬ 
 tracted, but nothing is so certain in physical 
 science, in the investigations of the astrologer or 
 the chemist, nor even in the certainty ot the 
 connection which must exist between cause and 
 effect, as that justice will be done even upon 
 
32 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 earth ; and that He who gives the assurance that 
 the bread which is thrown upon the waters, 
 shall, after many days, return with increase, 
 will as certainly punish “the iniquities of the 
 fathers upon the children, even to the third and 
 fourth generation.” 
 
 Exposed to the operation of these agencies, 
 and writhing under the withering influences 
 of the unconcealed dislike of the clan, the 
 openly expressed disgust of their neighbours, 
 and what was still more galling to their feelings 
 and pride, being openly bearded and defied by 
 the worthless wretches who had been called 
 into importance by their power and patronage, 
 the lairds of Borlum* as they declined in power, 
 became more remorseless. As the means of 
 committing injustice became more limited, their 
 passions became more fiendish and debased; 
 their infamy increased as their degradation was 
 made more manifest; their moral turpitude 
 became impervious as loss succeeded loss, and 
 degradation followed degradation, until at last, 
 like the ruined gambler of modern times, who 
 had become involved in the vortex of play, 
 and who resorts to one unfair trick after an¬ 
 other, as his means melt away, despised and 
 scouted by his former associates, he is forced to 
 seek other company, among whom he may play 
 a still more disreputable part,—the Mack¬ 
 intoshes gradually fell from their feudal power 
 and lordly splendour, and were forced to leave 
 
 “ the land o’er which they ruled supreme,” 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Bor him. 33 
 
 and take up their residence on the estate of 
 Raitts, in Badenoch, and sink from the dignified 
 position of lairds levying black mail, to the less 
 honourable profession of “ taking purses, and 
 going by the moon and seven stars.” * 
 
 At Raitts, or, as it is now called, Belleville, 
 the last laird of Borlum, Edward Mackintosh, 
 resided. In many respects he excelled most of 
 his forefathers in ferocity, and was one of the 
 most daring robbers that ever lived in the 
 Highlands of Scotland. Within a mile and a 
 half of the mansion-house there is an artificial 
 cave in which he and his band found a conven¬ 
 ient and secure lurking place from which to sally 
 forth to rob travellers of their purses, and some¬ 
 times of their lives. In a recently published 
 statistical account of Inverness-shire, will be 
 found mention made of this cave. It states 
 that the excavation, when entire, amounted to 
 1 45 yards—was artificially built round with 
 dry stones, and covered with large gray flags, 
 by a desperate band of depredators, commonly 
 
 * Following the notes on page 29, it may be stated, in 
 reply to the assertion here made, that Lachlan, fifth of 
 Borlum, eldest son of Brigadier Mackintosh, had to seek 
 his fortune in early youth in New England, and perished at 
 sea. In 1720 he was admitted a free burgess of Inverness. 
 
 Shaw, sixth of Borlum, brother of Lachlan, parted with 
 Borlum, on a redeemable right, in 1734 and the family 
 never returned to Borlum. Shaw retired to Raitts, and 
 married Jean Menzies of Woodhill, county of Perth, and 
 after her death lived a retired life. 
 
 3 
 
34 
 
 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 called Clannmagilleanoidh * ” Over the cave 
 was erected a turf cottage, or dwelling-house, 
 such as the people of the country inhabited at 
 the time, the inmates of which enjoyed the con¬ 
 fidence of the occupiers of the cave ; were the 
 depositaries of their secrets, and participated 
 along with them in the spoil of the Mac- 
 phersons. 
 
 * We give the full particulars from the account of the 
 parish of Alvie in the Statistical Account of 1842 :—It 
 is not certain to what particular clan these depredators be¬ 
 longed. Instigated by implacable hatred against the Mac- 
 phersons, on account of some deadly feud, they secretly 
 dug the cave, which is called, after their name, Uaigh 
 ClannmhicgilUnaoidh, as a place of concealment, from 
 which they occasionally sallied forth in the night time 
 to steal and to slaughter the cattle of the Macphersons, 
 wherever they could be found. . . . The Macphersons find¬ 
 ing the number of their cattle daily diminishing, made a 
 strict search after them, but for a long time without effect. 
 At length appearances were noticed about the hut erected 
 over the cave, which excited a strong suspicion that the 
 lurking place of these depredators could not be very distant 
 from that hut. This suspicion was increased by the inhos¬ 
 pitable churlishness of the landlord, who contrary to the 
 custom of the times, would permit no stranger to lodge for 
 a single night in his house. Accordingly the Macphersons 
 sent one of their number as a spy in the garb of a beggar 
 to solicit a night’s lodging in the suspected hut: and feign¬ 
 ing illness from a fit of the gravel, the beggar was allowed 
 to remain in a barn or outhouse for the night. The beggar 
 being thus disposed of, the most active preparations com¬ 
 menced within the house for a sumptuous entertainment; 
 and the feast being prepared, a large flag was raised in the 
 centre of the house, on which Clannmhicgillenaouih came 
 out, feasted on the Macphersons’ choicest beef, along with 
 the inmates of the house, and then spent the remainder of 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 35 
 
 In the now thriving village of Kingussie, in 
 the immediate vicinity of the haunt of the 
 Mackintoshes and their associates, there were 
 at the time of which we write, but a few miser¬ 
 able, straggling huts, whose proximity to the 
 cave imposed no check upon Borlum’s move¬ 
 ments, but rather aided, than obstructed him in 
 his bad and bold career ; for it not unfrequently 
 happened that travellers, whilst refreshing 
 themselves at the little public-house in the 
 village, were joined by some of Edward’s asso¬ 
 ciates, who on such occasions kept the mountain 
 dew in circulation, so as to make easier victims ; 
 and when the unfortunate traveller sallied foith 
 to renew his journey, under disadvantage of a 
 glass too much, some of the gang were sure to 
 waylay him and ease him of his cash. For a 
 long time, Edward and his lawless crew con¬ 
 ducted their depredations with caution and 
 
 the night in search of a fresh supply. The beggar observed 
 all that passed through an aperture on the side of the hut, 
 and returned to report what he had seen. In consequence 
 of the discovery thus made, the Macp'nersons collected a 
 strong party on the following night, seized and massacred 
 the whole band of Clannmhicgillenaoid/i , in the cave, de¬ 
 molished the hut erected over it, and thus put an end to 
 those freebooters, and to all their depredations. The pre¬ 
 tended beggar by whom Clannnihicgillenitoidh were betrayed 
 was called Ian Mac Eoghaiwn, or John Macewan. and the 
 tribe of the Macphersons descended from him are disting¬ 
 uished by the appellation of Sliochrf Ian Mhiceoghainn, that 
 is, John Macewan’s descendants. It is said that all this 
 tribe have ever since been peculiarly liable, at some period 
 of life, to be more or less afflicted with gravel.” 
 
36 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 secresy *; but, emboldened by impunity and 
 success, they at length became recklessly daring, 
 put the law at defiance, and committed crimes of 
 the greatest enormity in open day, insomuch that 
 that the whole district was alarmed, and ac¬ 
 counts of their crimes spread over the kingdom, 
 and prevented travellers from going by that 
 road. Nevertheless, there were no means taken 
 to suppress the daring outrages daily committed 
 by this band of highwaymen. On one occasion, 
 Edward being informed by some of his satel¬ 
 lites that Mr Macgregor, factor or chamberlain 
 for the laird of Grant, was collecting the rents 
 from the tenants in Glen-Urquhart, thought it 
 no bad concern to lay in wait for his return in 
 the lonely, wild, and craggy rocks of Sloch- 
 muicht. Accordingly, he set out alone, think¬ 
 ing, being well armed, that he himself would 
 easily overcome the worthy factor, and accom¬ 
 plish the object sought, viz., to rob him of all 
 his money. In that obscure and wild retreat, 
 he remained two days in the utmost anxiety. 
 Mr Macgregor at last made his appearance 
 mounted on a Highland pony, accompanied by 
 a trusty gillie. Edward Mackintosh imme¬ 
 diately sprung from his hiding-place^ levelled 
 and fired his piece, but as the factor anticipated 
 that Ned Mackintosh or some of his party 
 would be on the look out for securing a rich 
 booty, he took the precaution of having himself 
 
 * The period was less than a year. 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 37 
 
 and his servant well armed ; consequently, when 
 the shot was fired, fortunately with no effect, 
 the factor, in the true spirit of his namesake 
 Rob Roy, returned the fire, and then chal¬ 
 lenged Ned to a fight with claymore or pistol. 
 Edward finding he was thus discovered, preci¬ 
 pitately fled to his place of concealment, like a 
 tiger disappointed of his prey, and Mr Mac- 
 gregor was allowed to proceed in safety with 
 his wallet well filled with bank notes, gold and 
 silver to Castle Grant. All were not so fortu¬ 
 nate as Mr Macgregor, for some time thereafter, 
 a poor wandering and aged pedlar, who, besides 
 supplying the surrounding country with his 
 wares, was also the newsvendor and chronicler 
 of the events, and who, from his honest prin¬ 
 ciples and inoffensive humour, had become a 
 favourite for many years with high and low, and 
 familiar with all, had been waylaid, robbed, and 
 murdered, as it was conjectured, by Ned Mac¬ 
 kintosh or some of his companions, and his 
 body afterwards buried in the sands of Spey- 
 side. Justice, though it may for a time be 
 eluded, and sometimes frustrated, will even¬ 
 tually prevail, for 
 
 “- many a crime, deem’d innocent on earth, 
 
 Is registered in heaven ; and there no doubt 
 
 Have each a record with a curse annexed.” 
 
 A drover of the name of John M‘Rory, alias 
 M‘Farquhar, from the neighbourhood of Red- 
 castle, Ross-shire, who had been for many years 
 in the habit of driving cattle south by the Perth 
 
38 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 road, and was reputed wealthy, was one time 
 returning home from the southern markets, 
 where he had been disposing of his cattle, and 
 when two or three miles north of the now 
 flourishing, clean, and populous village of Kin¬ 
 gussie, was waylaid by Edward and (as he 
 said) his illegitimate brother Alexander. Mac- 
 farquhar, or as he was more commonly called, 
 M'Rory (by which last name we will abide), 
 was rather an ugly customer to have to do with, 
 and in a fair stand up fight, would have paid 
 any man in as fair a manner as he had got. 
 
 Edward, who was some distance in advance 
 of his brother, commanded M‘Rory to deliver 
 up his purse, otherwise his life must pay the 
 forfeit. M‘Rory did not much relish either the 
 proposition or the alternative ; but ere he had 
 time to speak, Edward’s hand had grasped his 
 throat, and with the other seized the bridle of 
 drover’s horse. M'Rory was fully sensible of 
 his perilous situation. Alexander was hasten¬ 
 ing to his brother’s assistance, and was not 
 many yards off, when, to increase his fear and 
 anxiety, the drover heard the tread of approach¬ 
 ing footsteps caused no doubt by the advance 
 of some more of the same gang. There was no 
 time to lose—everything depended upon expe¬ 
 dition and self-command. The drover raised 
 his hand to his throat, as if to grasp the oppres¬ 
 sive hand of his antagonist, but in reality to 
 cut his handkerchief with his knife. This done 
 he passed his hand to the reins, and cut them ; 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 39 
 
 then clutching Ned by the throat, hurled him 
 to a distance of some yards, and at the same 
 moment applying the whip to his garron, made 
 “ twa pair of legs” worth one pair of hands 
 Bending his body down as far as possible on 
 the neck of his nag, off he went at full speed. 
 He did not, however, altogether escape scaith- 
 less, for ere he could get beyond the range of 
 their fire the bullets whistled, as he afterwards 
 declared, “ like hailstones aboot his lugs,” some 
 of which even penetrated his clothes, particu¬ 
 larly his greatcoat, but fortunately no further. 
 But for the thick quality and superabundant 
 quantity of his apparel, Jock M'Rory might bid 
 adieu to all terrestrial affairs. Upon his arrival 
 in Inverness, he called upon the Sheriff, Mr 
 Campbell of Delnies (a gentleman to whom ac¬ 
 cess at all times was easily obtained), to whom 
 he communicated the particulars of his unplea¬ 
 sant encounter. 
 
 A warrant was immediately issued and 
 placed in the hands of an officer, for the ap¬ 
 prehension of Edward Mackintosh and his 
 brother Alexander, they being the only persons 
 M'Bory had ever seen and could identify. 
 Although the officer received injunctions to ap¬ 
 prehend the Mackintoshes with the utmost 
 secrecy and despatch, yet Edward contrived to 
 get information of the warrant for his appre¬ 
 hension having been issued, and the directions 
 for executing it given to the officer to whom it 
 was entrusted, when he summoned a full at- 
 
40 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 tendance of his companions in crime to the 
 house of Raitts, where he entertained them to a 
 sumptuous supper and a splendid ball, and early- 
 next morning took his departure for the south, 
 escorted a number of miles by his comrades. 
 
 He remained in private for some weeks in 
 the house of a friend in Edinburgh, and after- 
 wards made good his escape to France, where, 
 previous to the Revolution, he attained to some 
 eminence in the army of that country, but his 
 ultimate fate is unknown.* Whether he took 
 part in the tragedy which Europe beheld 
 with horror and amazement enacted in a coun¬ 
 try holding the first place in the march of civi 
 lisation, and in the bloody actions of which he 
 was, by his recklessness and ferocity, so well 
 calculated to take a prominent part, is also un¬ 
 known. The star of his house arose amidst the 
 darkness and the barbarity of the feudal times, 
 and attained, with surprising velocity, a high 
 altitude in power and crime. In its progress it 
 produced terror and destruction. The increas¬ 
 ing light of advancing civilisation gradually di¬ 
 minished its power, until, after more than three 
 
 * Edward, the seventh and last Borlum, succeeded about 
 1770. His conduct cannot be justified, nor even explained, 
 except on the ground of criminal mental aberration. In¬ 
 deed an examination of the evidence produced on the trial 
 in 1773 exhibits such utter folly, such a want of ordinary 
 precaution, considering the dangerous mode of life prac¬ 
 tised, as to be simply incredible. The estates of Raitts and 
 Benchar were judicially sold in 1788, many years after 
 Edward Mackintosh’s flight, his creditors being paid in full. 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 
 
 4i 
 
 hundred years, it sank for ever, and their name, 
 
 11 Doubly dying shall go down 
 
 To the vile dust from whence it sprung, 
 
 Unwept, unhonoured, and unsung.” 
 
 Although Edward Mackintosh, laird of Bor¬ 
 lum, as already mentioned, succeeded in effect¬ 
 ing his escape, yet his illegitimate brother, 
 Alexander, was apprehended and conveyed to 
 Inverness, and, in due time,'" tried for robbery 
 and other crimes. He pleaded Not Guilty, and 
 attempted to prove an alibi. The evidence of 
 M'Farquhar alias M'Rory, as to the facts before 
 detailed, and Alexander’s identity, was posi¬ 
 tive; and other witnesses were adduced on the 
 part of the crown to corroborate, by circum¬ 
 stantial evidence, the testimony of the principal 
 witness. Mackintosh produced several wit¬ 
 nesses to prove that it was not he who fired at 
 M‘Rory, and that he never in his life accom¬ 
 panied Edward in his lawless pursuits — his 
 habits being quiet, peaceful, and honest. Some 
 of these witnesses had been acquainted with 
 Edward and his associates, and their evidence 
 was therefore in a great degree disregarded. 
 H is counsel made an able and eloquent appeal 
 in his behalf; but the charge of the judge — 
 who, in summing up, told the jury that very 
 little reliance was to be placed on the credibi¬ 
 lity of the witnesses for the defence — entirely re¬ 
 moved the impression which the prisoner’s coun¬ 
 sel had made ; and from the positive testimony 
 
 At Inverness Spring Circuit 1773. 
 
42 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 of M'Rory, and the bad notoriety which the 
 prisoner’s brother, Edward, and his companions 
 had acquired, the jury, after some deliberation, 
 returned a verdict of Guilty. The prisoner 
 heard the verdict with the same calm and 
 decent composure which he manifested through¬ 
 out the trial. The court was crowded to suf- 
 tocation, and great sympathy was manifested by 
 the majority of the audience for the prisoner, 
 whom they believed to be innocent, and none 
 felt and sympathised more than the present nar¬ 
 rator of these events. The most death-like 
 silence pervaded the Court—every counte¬ 
 nance reflected the awful solemnity which all 
 felt, and, in slow and impressive language, the 
 Judge pronounced the dreadful sentence of the 
 law—the most awful it can inflict — death. 
 Even during the delivery of this terrible judg¬ 
 ment—every word of which sunk into the 
 prisoner’s soul, and called forth tears of compas 
 sion and pity from many not used to the melt 
 inff mood—even in this dreadful hour the 
 prisoner flinched not—no weakness such as 
 might have been expected on such an occasion 
 manifested itself, and his fine handsome form, 
 clad in the humble gray thickset , or homespun 
 corded cloth, stood erect and firm, with the 
 dignity so characteristic of the Highlanders 
 on great and solemn occasions. Not a limb 
 trembled—his look was sad, but steady, and 
 not a muscle moved, except a slight quivering 
 of the lip,—immoveable as a rock. Neither 
 terrified nor dismayed by the awful scene around 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Bor him. 43 
 
 lie appeared the impersonation of manly forti¬ 
 tude and conscious innocence, bearing calamity 
 without shrinking. When the Judge had 
 ceased, Mackintosh, fixing his eyes steadily on 
 him, solemnly and emphatically denied his 
 guilt; and said, that although he had been 
 guilty of many sins against his Maker, for which 
 he hoped for forgiveness, he called that God 
 before whom he must soon appear, to witness 
 that he was as innocent of the crime for which 
 he was condemned as the infant at the breast. 
 This declaration, at so serious a moment, and 
 with a certain and ignominious death before 
 him, produced a strong impression on the 
 audience, which was increased by pity and 
 commiseration for his wife and family. His 
 wife was a mild and gentle creature, and in 
 every respect, a most amiable woman. The 
 prisoner was removed from the bar amidst the 
 prayers and blessings, both loud and deep, of 
 the greater portion of the audience. 
 
 At length the day of Mackintosh’s execution 
 arrived. How solemn was that dreadful day ! 
 Such as could leave their avocations did so in 
 the morning, and paraded the streets in gloomy 
 silence, or, if they spoke, it was only in whispers. 
 By twelve o’clock the streets were almost en¬ 
 tirely deserted, and nearly half the population 
 ot the town and neighbourhood was collected 
 round the gibbet. It was erected at Muirfield, 
 a little above the town, upon the top of the hill, 
 
 “-, from whose fair brow, 
 
 The bursting prospect spreads around.” 
 
44 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 and on which several splendid villas have re¬ 
 cently been built. It was then, however, bare 
 and naked—its desolate and cheerless appear¬ 
 ance suiting well to the appalling scene that 
 was about to take place. The day was cold 
 and cloudy. The spectators ranged around, 
 looked with anxious fear on the unconscious 
 instruments of death. At length the culprit, 
 accompanied by two clergymen (the Rev. 
 Messrs Fraser and Mackenzie*), the magis¬ 
 trates, and a strong posse of constables, appeared. 
 Mackintosh ascended the fatal ladder with a 
 steady and firm step, and stared vacantly 
 around—he appeared overwhelmed by internal 
 agony—his face was pale, and large drops of 
 perspiration rolled down his cheeks. The 
 Rev. Murdo Mackenzie almost immediately 
 commenced to discharge his sad duty. He 
 began by prayer, to which the prisoner listened 
 with the utmost attention, and his countenance 
 became more settled, as if communing with his 
 Maker and composing his soul. After prayer 
 a psalm was sung, the voices of the assembled 
 multitude raising in solemn consonance into the 
 air. Methought, says John, the very wind 
 wafted the heart-giving offering to the Throne 
 on high. Mr Fraser thereafter read a text, and 
 commented upon it at considerable length, 
 
 * The Rev. Alexander Fraser was minister of the second 
 charge at this time ; he died 12th January 1778, 
 
 The Rev. Murdoch Mackenzie was at the date of this 
 trial minister of the first charge; he died 7th April 1774. 
 
of the. Mackintoshes of Borlum. 45 
 
 The subject of discourse was the great merit of 
 the Redeemer’s blood; and, as he proceeded, 
 with great earnestness and animation, he con¬ 
 soled, cherished, and elevated the culprit’s soul 
 by expatiating on the goodness and infinite 
 mercy of God, and the efficiency as well as the 
 universality of the Redeemer’s saciifice, and 
 the divine again concluded by praying, in so 
 earnest and pathetic a manner as to draw tears 
 from young and old. All eyes were now ri- 
 vetted on the person of the unfortunate victim. 
 The executioner slowly adjusted the noose and 
 pulled down the white cap over his face. The 
 feeling of the crowd was intense—no one 
 breathed—a load oppressed all,—the brain be¬ 
 came giddy, and every faculty, physical and 
 mental, seemed convulsed when the culprit’s 
 voice broke in accents of piercing agony upon 
 the ear, and sunk into the heart—the last words 
 he uttered were—“ Oh, Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, I come.” The sound was still murmur 
 ing in the breeze when the crowd were startled 
 by a short, sharp knock, or jerk—a something 
 falling, but not distinctly seen, that 
 
 “- strikes an awe 
 
 And terror on the aching sight,” 
 
 and the culprit’s lifeless body was swinging in 
 the wind, and his soul winging its flight into 
 the mansions of eternity. With mingled feel¬ 
 ings of sorrow and horror, the multitude slowly 
 and silently dispersed, many, if not most of the 
 company, placing a small piece of bread under a 
 stone, which, according to a superstitious tradi- 
 
46 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 tion, would prevent after-dreams of the unfortu¬ 
 nate Alexander Mackintosh. 
 
 After hanging the time required by law, the 
 body was cut down, and according to the sen¬ 
 tence, was placed in an iron cage, which was 
 suspended from the top of a post near the 
 gibbet, in order to be a warning and terror, in 
 time coming, to evildoers. During the after¬ 
 noon, crowds of persons who had not the cour¬ 
 age to be present at the execution, were to be 
 seen going to view the body in the cage, and 
 many were the good things said of the deceased. 
 While the young women, in particular, heaved 
 a heartfelt sigh for his untimely and dreadful 
 end, the elders were loud and pathetic in their 
 expressions of commiseration for his widow and 
 children, and the old and gray-headed indulged 
 in groans and ejaculations touching the career 
 of the family, interspersed with doubts—rather 
 indicated by a grave shake of the head than ex¬ 
 pressed—that those who were the condemners 
 would have an awful account to give of that 
 day’s work. At last night closed in, and hid 
 with its mantle from the gaze of the curious, 
 the lifeless body of A lister Macintosich. 
 
 Notwithstanding the harsh and persevering 
 attempts of every successive Government—from 
 the accession of William the Third to the throne 
 down to the period of which we write—to de¬ 
 stroy the feudal power of the chiefs and to ex¬ 
 tirpate that feeling of clanship which had so 
 long and so powerfully prevailed amongst the 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 47 
 
 Highlanders, they still secretly, and sometimes 
 openly, maintained their attachment to their 
 chief, and their friendly and brotherly feeling 
 to their namesakes and clansmen. Neither the 
 Disarming Act nor the defeat at Culloden had 
 extinguished this species of fdial feeling between 
 the members of the same clan, and although 
 the law was now too powerful to permit this 
 feeling to display itself on an extensive scale in 
 the open field, still it manifested itself not un- 
 frequently at fairs and district gatherings— 
 sometimes at marriages and funerals—and at 
 times in the everyday business of ordinary life. 
 The clan Mackintosh, in particular, had pre¬ 
 served with the utmost tenacity that spirit of 
 clanship ; and the disgrace which the execution 
 of even an illegitimate member of the clan was 
 supposed to bring upon the whole, was sensi¬ 
 tively and painfully felt by them, and yet 
 though they knew the fruitlessness of any at¬ 
 tempt to impede or obstruct the course of 
 justice, a few of them, resident in and about 
 the town of Inverness, came to the determina¬ 
 tion of preventing any long continuance of the 
 exposure of the body by cutting it down and 
 interring it. Amongst the number was William 
 Mackintosh, a dyer, better known by the name 
 of “ Muckle Willie the Dyster,” who from his 
 daring and great strength was looked upon as a 
 leader. The day, as we have said, had been 
 cold and cloudy, and towards evening showers 
 of drizzling rain began to fall, the wind gradu- 
 
48 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 ally increased, and about seven o’clock, when 
 the dyer and his companions thought it safe 
 to put their purpose into execution, it swept 
 along in strong gusts The night was very 
 dark—not a star was to be seen—and as the 
 Mackintoshes stole cautiously out of the town, 
 they, in an undertone congratulated each other 
 that the night was so favourable for their de¬ 
 sign. They walked circumspectly and slowly 
 until they reached the burn of Aultnaskiach, 
 when they proceeded up the bed of the burn 
 until they arrived at the bridge which crosses 
 it, beyond the late Provost Robertson’s house. 
 From that place they crept, rather than walked, 
 over the barren heath, in the direction of the 
 gallows. The eager dyer, in the exuberant 
 ardour of his feelings for the honour of the clan, 
 urged upon his companions (some of whom he 
 perceived to be faint-hearted) to be firm and re¬ 
 solute, and stand by him; telling them that 
 the honour of the clan was at stake, and that 
 not a moment was to be lost. They did not, 
 however, much relish Willie’s proposition and 
 appeal, but insisted on the necessity of caution. 
 Whilst the ardent dyer was thus endeavouring 
 to convince his associates, the whole party 
 (with the exception of the dyer) were almost 
 transfixed with fear, by hearing a short, hard, 
 screeching sound at no great distance from 
 them. The clansmen stood statue-stiff—each 
 held his breath—every one listened atten¬ 
 tively to catch the faintest sound—every eye 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 49 
 
 was strained to penetrate the darkness of the 
 night, to discover the cause of the interruption 
 —every heart beat with fear and apprehension, 
 and a cold clammy sweat trickled down their 
 cheeks. For upwards of a minute, the whole 
 party stood fixed and mute—nothing was to be 
 seen—nothing heard, save the whistling of the 
 wind and the grating sound produced by the 
 swinging of the iron cage wherein the body was 
 suspended. The party, however, seeing it like 
 a black cloud hanging in the horizon above their 
 heads, became irresolute and discouraged, and 
 were on the eve of returning home, when Willie 
 broke the silence by a very unceremonious 
 “ Pooh, you heard nothing but the wind. If 
 there was any noise, why did I not hear it too ? 
 
 Come, come, let us do our work, and the-tak’ 
 
 the hindmost.” On this they feebly and slowly 
 followed Willie, who sprang to the post, and 
 climbing up with the agility of a cat, was speedily 
 sitting on the top undoing the fastenings, and in 
 a few minutes the cage, with its contents, fell at 
 the feet of his companions with a crash, which 
 they afterwards solemnly declared shook the 
 earth under them. The body was taken out of 
 the cage with the utmost despatch, and carried 
 across the moor to the bank of the burn. Here 
 they made a hole in the sand with their hands, 
 in which the body was deposited, and covering 
 it over, returned to their dwellings, inwardly 
 congratulating themselves that so disagreeable 
 and dangerous a piece of business w T as ended, 
 
 4 
 
50 
 
 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 and resolved never again to be engaged in 
 such an enterprise under any circumstances 
 whatever. In the morning, when it was dis¬ 
 covered that the body of Alister Mackintosh had 
 been taken away during the night, a reward 
 of five pounds was immediately offered to any 
 person who should discover the perpetrators of 
 this daring act, and considerable excitement was 
 created in the town by the circumstance. To¬ 
 wards evening, a claimant appeared in the person 
 of Little Tibbie, the wife of Archy the water¬ 
 man. She had been at Aultnaskiach burn for 
 sand, and to her amazement discovered the 
 stolen body of Mackintosh. She, w ith great speed 
 repaired to the town to claim the reward, and, 
 burning with the importance of her discovery 
 and anticipated reward, roared out as she ran— 
 “ Oh, sirs, sirs, Saunders Mackintosh’s body! ” 
 She proceeded to the house of the Provost, who 
 himself was a clansman ; but a faithful clansman, 
 who had heard Tibbie proclaiming the discoveiy 
 she had made, arrived at the residence of the Pro¬ 
 vost before her, and communicated the disagree¬ 
 able tidings that Saunders’ body had been found.* 
 
 * The finding of the body caused the Provost dis¬ 
 pleasure, and no wonder, as Alexander Mackintosh was 
 his cousin in the third and fourth degree, as under :— 
 Lachlan 2nd Borlum. 
 
 _ 1 _L_J_ 2 _ 
 
 William, 3rd Borlum. John. 
 
 1 _ 
 
 William, 4th Borlum. Angus. 
 
 _1 J_2_ i _ 
 
 Lachlan, 5th Borlum. Shaw, 6th Borlum. Phineas. Provost, 1773. 
 
 1 I 2 __ 
 
 Edward, 7th Borlumu Alex., half-brother of Edward, 1773. 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 5 r 
 
 The Provost, although obliged in the discharge 
 of his duty to offer the reward, was by no 
 means sorry that body of his namesake had 
 been taken down, and there were some who 
 even insinuated that he was the instigator of 
 the act himself. Be that, however, as it may ; 
 when Tibbie made her appearance before the 
 Provost, she was not only coldly received, and 
 the promised reward flatly refused, but she was 
 likely to have more kicks than halfpence ; for 
 she was threatened with a night’s lodging in the 
 blackhole. In the meantime another party of 
 the clan, headed by the ever ready dyer, pro¬ 
 ceeded with the greatest expedition to Aultna- 
 skiach burn and removed the body to Camp- 
 field, where it was again interred, and allowed 
 to remain. 
 
 The narrator relates the singular occurrence 
 of a descendant of the Borlum family, whose 
 life had been forfeited to the law, being buried 
 not many yards from the spot where Provost 
 Junor was assassinated more than two centuries 
 before, and he does not fail to ascribe to the 
 Great Ruler of Events the circumstance which 
 thus so forcibly realised the truth of the com¬ 
 mandment, that “ The sins of the fathers shall 
 be visited upon the children to the third and 
 lourth generation.” Standing upon this spot, 
 and recalling to memory the former pride, 
 power, and cruelty of the Mackintoshes of 
 Borlum — their subsequent misfortunes and 
 disgrace—how variable appear the vicissitudes 
 
52 Historical and Traditional Skteches 
 
 of human affairs, and the danger and insta¬ 
 bility of human greatness, and over the grave 
 of the unfortunate Alister, how appropriate 
 would be the line, 
 
 *• Proud lineage ! now how little thou appearest.” 
 
 The widow and children of Alister were 
 amply provided for in every respect by the 
 humane and patriotic Bailie Inglis, a gentleman 
 who was continually 
 
 “ Doing good by stealth, 
 
 And blushed to find it fame.” 
 
 The eldest son, James, entered the Gordon 
 Fencibles, and was speedily promoted, but soon 
 thereafter died. He was a truly worthy young 
 man. Edward, the second son, entered the 
 navy, but the Inverness historian never heard 
 what his ultimate fate was. There was also a 
 daughter, who, after being educated in all the 
 branches of education suitable to a lady of rank, 
 repaired to the south. She was an amiable 
 girl, and much respected by all the genty of the 
 town and neighbourhood. 
 
 That Alister Mackintosh was innocent, was 
 very generally believed at the trial, but the 
 subsequent fate of M'Rory increased and con¬ 
 firmed the suspicion. The latter very rapidly 
 sunk in general estimation. His respectability 
 and supposed wealth quickly left him, until at 
 last he became a solitary outcast—in the midst 
 of society, stamped with the brands of perjury 
 
of the Mackintoshes of Borlum. 53 
 
 and murder—and a few years after the execu¬ 
 tion of poor Alister he terminated his miserable 
 existence in the village of Beauly. 
 
 The estate of Raitts subsequently became 
 the property of James Macpherson, Esq., the 
 celebrated translator of the poems of Ossian, 
 who changed its name from Raitts to Belle¬ 
 ville—the original name being in his, as well 
 as in the estimation of others, obnoxious. This 
 property he highly cultivated and improved, 
 whereon he built an excellent mansion-house. 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 SIMON LORD LOVAT. 
 
 —-“v/D+GVv—- 
 
 f HERE are few men who figure more in the 
 history of the stirring times in which he 
 lived than Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat; 
 and there is none who took an active and 
 prominent part in public affairs, and was a 
 principal actor in the plots and counter-plots 
 which were projected or carried into execution 
 in those times, whose actions are so variously 
 represented, and whose motives are so diffi¬ 
 cult to be ascertained and accounted for. He 
 has himself left an account of his actions, and 
 assigned motives for his conduct, which are 
 contradicted by historians who were contempo¬ 
 raneous with him ; and subsequent historians, 
 more diligent and more impartial than their 
 predecessors, while they have not been able 
 satisfactorily to dispel the uncertainty with 
 which his history is surrounded, have been 
 all but unanimous in impugning the truth of 
 his own version of his conduct, and in por¬ 
 traying him as a man who had exerted con¬ 
 siderable talents for bad and selfish purposes. 
 To fathom the depths of such a character, 
 and to lay open motives which preceding 
 historians have been unable to penetrate, are 
 
of Simon Lord Lovat. 
 
 55 
 
 not the objects of the present sketch ; and all 
 that an old man, who is neither versed in the 
 mysteries of character or the learning of schools 
 or histories proposes to do is to communicate to 
 others those scraps of information which he has 
 picked up in his youth from those who saw and 
 knew Lord Lovat well, in the hope that they 
 may amuse others, and perhaps cast a feeble 
 ray of light on one of the most intricate charac¬ 
 ters in history. 
 
 Simon Lord Lovat was born in the year 
 1663.'“' He received an excellent education, of 
 the advantages of which he fully availed him¬ 
 self in after-life. In his youth—that period 
 which stamps the future man—he was thought 
 ful and reserved, evincing, however, great 
 forbearance, if not amiability of disposition ; 
 and possessing a complete control over his 
 temper and passions, and exhibiting a shrewd, 
 penetrating, and quick mind. After his boyhood 
 had ripened into manhood, and he had suc¬ 
 ceeded to the management of the family pro¬ 
 perty, he was a kind, sympathising, and 
 enterprising landlord. On his own estates he 
 was much beloved, and by his friends and 
 neighbours respected and esteemed. 
 
 The first act which brought him prominently 
 before the public and involved him in the meshes 
 of the law, was an alleged rape on the Dowager 
 
 * John Hill Burton states that Simon Lord Lovat was 
 born about the year 1676. He follows Lovat’s own state¬ 
 ments at his trial and the inscription put on his coffin. 
 
56 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 Lady Lovat, sister of the Duke of A thole, 
 who was as distinguished for her benevolence as 
 for her exalted rank.* We say for an alleged rape, 
 because Lord Lovat himself, in his Memoirs, 
 distinctly denies that he was guilty of any such 
 crime, and he appeals with considerable truth 
 in corroboration of his innocence to the fact, 
 that after he had been so charged, he was much 
 beloved, respected by all persons in his own im¬ 
 mediate neighbourhood, who had the best 
 means of making themselves acquainted with 
 the facts. Be this, however, as it may (for it is 
 surrounded, like most of his actions with doubt), 
 it is certain that criminal proceedings were in¬ 
 stituted against him, and that as he had failed 
 to appear, a sentence of outlawry was pro¬ 
 nounced against him, to avoid which, and the 
 vengeance of the Duke of Athole, he fled to 
 France.! It is equally certain (for the author 
 
 had the story from those who were personally 
 
 • 
 
 * There was a forced marriage with the sister of the Duke 
 of Atholl, and the ceremony was performed twice, first at 
 Castle Downie by Mr Robert Munro. minister of Abertarff; 
 and to satisfy her ladyship’s scruples as to the legality of the 
 first ceremony, a little later on the marriage was re-enacted 
 at Eilean-Aigas, by William Fraser, minister of Kilmorack. 
 The marriage was, however, at the instance of the Atholl 
 family, annulled. Her ladyship lived till the year 1743, 
 and thus saw her whilom husband twice married. Had a 
 few short years more been given to her, she might have wit¬ 
 nessed her lord receive the reward of his treacherous^conduct. 
 
 f Sentence passed on 4th Sept. 1698—condemned to be 
 executed, and his name, fame, memory, and honours to 
 be extinct. 
 
of Simon Lord Lovat. 
 
 57 
 
 cognisant of the fact), that in order to disgrace 
 the lady and insult the Duke of Athole. he sent 
 her home to her brother, riding on a one-eyed 
 horse, which was led by a one-eyed lad. To re¬ 
 venge so ignominious a treatment, a numerous 
 band of Athole men, exasperated at the dis¬ 
 grace of the lady, and the insult shown to the 
 house of their proprietor and chief, marched 
 northward to attack the Frasers. The wily 
 Lord having, however, received information of 
 their approach, fled from Beaufort Castle, and 
 concealed himself in the rocks behind Clach- 
 naharry. For fourteen days he lurked amongst 
 the rocks, enduring the greatest possible priva¬ 
 tions, and dependent entirely upon the scanty 
 and precarious bounty of an attached butcher of 
 the name of John Bain, who resided at Knock- 
 nagur, close by. Meanwhile the Athole men, 
 after searching Beaufort and the neighbour¬ 
 hood, demolished a portion of the Castle, and 
 after a fruitless hunt in quest of the fugitive 
 through the Aird, were obliged to return home 
 disappointed. On the retirement of his pur¬ 
 suers, Lord Lovat availed himself of the first 
 convenient opportunity and fled to France.* 
 
 On his arrival in France, Lord Lovat pre¬ 
 sented himself at the Court of St Germains, but 
 James, the exiled King, who had heard of the 
 charge brought against him, refused to receive 
 him, and debarred him from appearing at 
 
 * In 1702. 
 
58 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 Court.* In consequence of this repulse, it is 
 said that he entered into holy orders, and for 
 some time had charge of a nunnery. It is not 
 unreasonable to suppose that while thus occu¬ 
 pied (an occupation by the way not very suit¬ 
 able for a person who had been guilty, or at 
 least charged with rape, under very cruel and 
 aggravating circumstances), Lord Lovat became 
 thoroughly initiated in the principles of the Je¬ 
 suits—principles which throughout the rest of 
 his life he practised with so much ability and 
 so little scruple. 
 
 While occupied in a watchful and pious 
 superintendence of the nuns, Lord Lovat had a 
 correspondence with several leading men in his 
 native country, and among others with the Duke 
 of Queensberry,who is said to have invited Lord 
 Lovat from France to conduct a conspiracy, 
 which had for its object to bring the Dukes of 
 Hamilton and A thole, and other courtiers who 
 were obnoxious to the Duke of Queensberry 
 and the Duke of Argyle into disrepute with 
 Queen Anne, who had just ascended the throne. 
 
 * His offer to aid the cause of King James was suspected. 
 He, however, received a commission from Louis XIV. 
 in 1703 to visit Scotland and test the feelings of the Jacob¬ 
 ites towards the exiled family at St Germains, but one or 
 two secret agents were despatched to watch his movements. 
 His mission was a failure, and on his return to France he 
 was accused of trafficking with the British Government— 
 was arrested, and sent to the Bastile, according to some 
 but Lovat (in his own Memoirs) says he was imprisoned in 
 the Castle of Augouleme for three years. 
 
of Simon Lord Lovat. 
 
 59 
 
 Before he left France he had succeeded in ob¬ 
 taining from the widow of King James a com¬ 
 mission of Major-General, and on his arrival in 
 Scotland, he made use of this commission to 
 entrap the enemies of Queensberry and Argyle 
 into a conspiracy against the Government, but 
 not succeeding in his mission so well as he ex¬ 
 pected he was again sent back to France. 
 Lord Lovat himself, in liis Memoirs, gives a 
 very different account of his embassy to Scot¬ 
 land , but it is beyond our sphere to attempt to 
 reconcile the various conflicting accounts of his 
 objects and proceedings. On his return to 
 France, and when the whole conspiracy became 
 known, Lord Lovat was confined in the Bastile * 
 by orders of the French King, for having im¬ 
 posed upon the widow of King James in the 
 matter of the commission of Major-General. 
 
 After remaining for some years in restless 
 confinement in France, Lovat at length suc¬ 
 ceeded in obtaining his release from a French 
 prison, and had the art also to obtain a condi¬ 
 tional pardon from the English Sovereign. 
 Before the breaking out of the rebellion of 1715, 
 and when that ill-conceived and worse-conducted 
 outbreak was in embryo Lovat was suspected 
 of being implicated in treasonable practices, and 
 he was apprehended, but by the interposition and 
 indefatigable exertions of a Mr Patrick Nichol- 
 
 * It is very questionable if Lord Lovat was ever confined 
 in the Bastile. His first prison was the Castle of Au^ou- 
 leme, and thereafter in banishment at Saumur. 
 
60 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 son, who was a chaplain in one of the Royal 
 Regiments, and perhaps from the absence of 
 conclusive evidence, he was acquitted. After 
 his acquittal he all at once became a zealous 
 partizan of the existing Government, and used 
 all his art and talent to obtain credit and influ¬ 
 ence with the leaders of the Whig party. 
 
 Lord Lovat now all at once became a zealous 
 partizan of the Government—having collected 
 a large body of his own clansmen (the Frasers), 
 and assisted by no inconsiderable body of the 
 Grants and other neighbouring clans, he deter¬ 
 mined on capturing the fort of Inverness, then 
 in the hands of the Chevalier’s friends, under 
 the command of Sir John Mackenzie. This de¬ 
 termination, which required both courage and 
 prudence, he planned with his usual tact and 
 ability. Having formed his plans with great 
 secresy and dexterity, he attempted to surprise 
 the Castle, but in this he was defeated. Capt. 
 Rose, who had charge of the detachment that 
 was to lead the assault, was repulsed at all 
 points. Again and again, he led his kinsmen 
 to scale the walls, but was gallantly repulsed by 
 the Governor. The town and the neighbouring 
 country was in the possession of Lovat, and 
 knowing that the Castle could not long hold out, 
 he prudently resolved not to waste his men and 
 ammunition in fruitless attempts to take a castle 
 by force which he knew its defenders must soon 
 yield of their own accord, he therefore ceased 
 in his attempts to take the Castle by force. Sir 
 
of Simon Lord Lovett. 6i 
 
 John Mackenzie availed himself of the earliest 
 opportunity afforded him either by the negligence 
 or the design of the besiegers to abandon the 
 Castle and escape across the Ferry into Ross- 
 shire. Lovat of course immediately took pos¬ 
 session of the Castle, an event which was at the 
 time of the greatest possible importance to the 
 Government, and which very materially contri¬ 
 buted to the complete defeat of the Chevalier 
 and his friends, which almost immediately 
 followed. 
 
 The Government could not well overlook the 
 claims of an adherent who had rendered such im¬ 
 portant service at so critical a moment ; and 
 besides other favours which he received, Lord 
 Lovat was entrusted with a very extensive com¬ 
 mand in the north. Borlum Castle, Brahan 
 Castle, Erchless Castle, and the lands and resi¬ 
 dences of several other distinguished and gallant 
 chiefs were in his hands or under his vigilant 
 watchfulness, and for a time he exercised the 
 authority of a local Lieutenant Governor over a 
 considerable part of Inverness and Ross-shires. 
 
 But the restless, the intriguing and the un¬ 
 satisfied spirit of Lord Lovat, would not permit 
 him to remain at ease. Either because he con¬ 
 ceived himself not sufficiently rewarded by the 
 Government for the services which he had ren¬ 
 dered, or because he anticipated from the suc¬ 
 cess of the cause of the Stuarts greater benefits ; 
 or, what is not unlikely, because “ the neb of 
 him could never be out of mischief,” he was one 
 
62 
 
 of Simon Lord Lovat. 
 
 of the first who engaged in and concocted the 
 rising of 1745. In the October of that year, a 
 meeting of those friendly to the cause of Prince 
 Charles, was called by Lord Lovat, at which a 
 great number of persons attended, and on that 
 and on several previous and subsequent occa¬ 
 sions, he not only used all his influence, but all 
 his policy and powers of persuasion, to induce 
 his dependents and neighbours to join him in 
 taking arms against the Government. While 
 he was thus secretly exerting himself in the 
 cause of the Prince, he was not altogether idle 
 with respect to that of the Government. He 
 was even at this time in correspondence with 
 President Forbes, and to him he made the most 
 violent protestations of attachment to the Go¬ 
 vernment ; and so artfully and plausibly did he 
 conduct himself, that he succeeded for a consi¬ 
 derable time in imposing on the worthy Presi¬ 
 dent. Even when his clansmen were in arms, 
 and marching towards Edinburgh to join the 
 forces of the Prince, he still continued to assure 
 the President that he was firmly attached to 
 the Government, and that his clansmen had 
 marched contrary to his orders at the instiga¬ 
 tion of his son, whose actions he found it im¬ 
 possible to control. 
 
 When the Frasers were in the field, Lord 
 Lovat, who was too infirm too sustain the 
 fatigues of a campaign, was hatching treason in 
 the north—keeping a fair face to both parties. 
 After the retreat of the Highlanders from Eng- 
 
63 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 land, it was, however, a point of importance to 
 secure “ the old fox,” and with this view Lord 
 Loudon and President Forbes approached his 
 “ burrow,” and by specious speeches prevailed 
 upon him to proceed with them from his resi¬ 
 dence to Inverness. He was required to bring 
 all the arms of his clan by a given day, which 
 he promised to do ; but failing to perform his 
 promise, sentries were placed at the door of the 
 house in which he lived, and he was virtually a 
 prisoner. But the old adage, that “ old birds 
 are not to be caught with chaff,” proved good 
 on this occasion. For old Lovat, suspecting 
 the intentions of Loudon and President Forbes, 
 gave them leg bail by escaping by the baek 
 door. The slip which Lord Lovat gave his 
 keepers occasioned them great inconvenience 
 and disconcerted their plans, and no doubt 
 protracted the final fall of the Stuart hopes. 
 
 After the battle of Culloden, Lord Lovat was 
 obliged to leave his own part of the country, 
 and take refuge in a small island in Loch 
 Morar, where, it is said, he had been compelled 
 to subsist for several days on meal and water, 
 and where he was apprehended in the month 
 of June 1746, having concealed himself in the 
 hollow of a tree. He was immediately con¬ 
 veyed to London, where he arrived in August. 
 He was impeached before the House of Peers 
 in December, and his trial commenced on the 
 9th of March 1747. The trial continued for 
 several days, and throughout Lord Lovat con- 
 
64 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 ducted himself with uncommon skill—but the 
 facts were too glaring—he was unanimously 
 found guilty, and doomed to death. On the 
 9th of April 1747, rather better than one hun¬ 
 dred years since, this most extraordinary man 
 was beheaded on Tower Hill, London, and dur¬ 
 ing his trial, imprisonment, and execution, his 
 conduct was firm and dignified.'" May his body 
 
 * There has been always a question as to where Lord 
 Lovat’s body was buried. His own desire was that it should 
 rest in the north among his own clansmen, and to this 
 request the Government assented ; but Horace Walpole and 
 others assert that the permission was rescinded, and the body 
 buried in the Tower The following interesting letter, for 
 which we are indebted to Colonel A. J. Warrand of Rye- 
 field, sets another light on the matter. The writer, Hugh 
 Inglis, was of the Kingsmills family. He sailed his own 
 vessel “The Pledger’’ between Inverness and London; 
 we meet his name frequently among documents of this 
 period. Bailie Gilbert Gordon, to whom the letter is ad¬ 
 dressed was a merchant, and for many years a member of 
 Council and Town Treasurer :— 
 
 “ My dr Sir, —I wrote you by last post, and now’ as then, can 
 give you but poor encouragement with regard to our fishing. 
 Never poor people were so unlucky as to the sale ; still large quan¬ 
 tities arrive daily. Rob. Rodger is not yet come up. What has 
 happened in his adventures is still a mystery to me, tho’ there 
 will be no difficulty in recovering the insurance I hope. 
 
 “ Poor Lord Lovat was beheaded a few hours after writing you 
 my last. He behaved like ane old true duelnach.t quite un¬ 
 daunted even to the last ; made several witty speeches, which 
 seemed quite agreeable to the bulk of the people. His corpse is 
 to be brought down by ‘ The Pledger.’ 
 
 “ 1 have been looking out for ane sloop, but none to be had worth 
 the buying. I expect to be loaded this ensuing week, and if our 
 old good luck is with us, I hope to be with you soon. Very best 
 wishes to good Mrs Gordon and all true friends.—1 am, my dear 
 sir, yours for ever, “ Hugh Inglis .’ 1 
 
 “London, 11 Apl. 1747- 
 “ Mr Gilbert Gordon, mercht., Inverness.” 
 
 + Duelnach— Diulnach —a hero. 
 
of Simon Lord Lovat. 
 
 65 
 
 rest in peace, and may his soul inhabit the man¬ 
 sions of bliss! Let posterity imitate his vir¬ 
 tues and avoid his errors ! 
 
 The life of so extraordinary a character is 
 replete with anecdotes, and one or two of these 
 we shall lay before our readers. We have 
 already said that a Mr Nicholson, a Presby¬ 
 terian minister, had used great exertions to get 
 Lord Lovat out of the meshes of the law on the 
 eve of the outbreak of 1715. For this generous 
 and disinterested act, Lord Lovat presented 
 him to the united parishes of Glenconvinth and 
 Kiltarlity.* This was the first Presbyterian 
 minister settled there—the incumbents of Glen¬ 
 convinth and Kiltarlity for twenty-eight years 
 previous being Episcopalians. The first day he 
 went to preach, he took a sword and target 
 with him — Lord Lovat accompanied him. 
 They expected strong opposition, and it is true 
 a large posse of females made up their minds to 
 offer resistance ; among these was honest Peggy 
 Bain, a relative of the narrator’s. With aprons 
 tied round their waists, well filled with stones, 
 the fair Amazons were determined, when the 
 worthy minister should come out of the church, 
 to maltreat him ; but his preaching had such 
 effect upon them, that whenever they came out, 
 they skulked behind the wall of the burying- 
 
 Rev. Patrick Nicolson was ordained to the 
 parish of Kiltarlity 16th July 1716, died on 7th March 
 1771, his successor being his youngest son, Malcolm 
 Nicolson. 
 
 5 
 
66 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 ground, and there deposited their grape. Some 
 years after, Mr Nicholson so far carried on the 
 discipline of the Kirk as to order, of course not 
 tor good conduct, Lord Lovat on the “ cutty 
 stool.” This order sadly militated against the 
 pride and wishes of his lordship. Being, how¬ 
 ever, assured by his triend, Mr Fraser, town- 
 clerk of Inverness * *• (whom he consulted in the 
 matter), that the law of the Kirk was impera¬ 
 tive, and that nothing but compliance would 
 save him from excommunication, he consented 
 to the punishment, upon a promise from the 
 worthy Town-Clerk that he would stand by 
 him for three Sundays in the church of Kil- 
 tarlity. Mr Nicholson, who was then the 
 John Knox of the Highlands, being about to 
 address the lordly occupant of the “ cutty stool,” 
 Lord Lovat exclaimed, “ Ah, Nicholson, you 
 ungrateful man, was it not I that placed you 
 there ? ” (having presented him to the living), 
 whereupon Mr Nicholson answered, “ True, 
 my lord, you have placed me here, and I have 
 placed you there to-day to be publicly rebuked 
 for your sins.” Lord Lovat, however, there¬ 
 after forsook the church of Kiltarlity, and be¬ 
 came a hearer of Mr Chisholm of Kilmorack. 
 
 Of Lord Lovat it was remarked by some that 
 there was not a single good act in his life ; but 
 the compiler of these sketches says: “ Did he 
 
 * William Fraser of Bught, writer, and Town-Clerk or 
 Inverness. He was familiarly known in Inverness as 
 
 *• Clerk ” Fraser. 
 
of Simon Lord Lovat. 
 
 67 
 
 not place the Rev. Messrs Nicholson in Kil- 
 tarlity, Chisholm in Kilmorack, and Thomson 
 in Kirkhill,* than whom, in their day, Scotland 
 could not produce three greater divines.” Look¬ 
 ing back to a period of some years after the 
 affair of the Duke of Athole’s daughter, Lord 
 Lovat on one occasion sending his principal 
 servant, Donald Cameron, on an important 
 mission to Glentnorriston, gave him a shilling 
 to defray the expenses of the journey. Donald 
 indignantly looked at the coin and his noble 
 master, and said in Gaelic, “ Do you think, man, 
 lord (he never addressed him ‘ my lord ’), that 
 a shilling would bring me back and forward be¬ 
 tween this and Glenmorriston ? ” On this his 
 lordship said, “ Tell whose servant you are, and 
 you will not want on the way.” “ I tell you, 
 man. lord,” said Donald hastily, “ that if I 
 would tell whose servant I am, every one be¬ 
 tween this and Glenmorriston, would shut the 
 door upon me.” His lordship replied, •* O, 
 Donald, Donald, if you knew how many a hard 
 and trying hour I suffered before now, whilst 
 lying hid amongst the black stones of Clachna- 
 harry, you would not complain of a shilling 
 being too little to bring you between this and 
 Glenmorriston. 
 
 Lord Lovat had an only brother, the Hon. 
 John Fraser, who was obliged to fly the country 
 
 * The Rev. Robert Thomson from Clyne, Sutherbnd- 
 shire, admitted to Kirkhill 22nd April 1717, died 30th 
 April 1770 in the 85th year of his age. 
 
68 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 to evade the punishment which would most likely 
 overtake the tragic event of which he was the 
 author. Accompanied by a few youthful spirits 
 of the clan, he attended a market in the village 
 of Beauly. The amusements of the fair they 
 enjoyed very well, and as they were returning 
 they heard the sounds of the bagpipes issuing 
 from a barn, where a party of Highlanders 
 were dancing to its shrill notes. Listening for 
 some time to the tune, the peculiarity of which 
 first attracted their musical organs—one of the 
 young men remarked it was played in contempt 
 of Mr Fraser, and that if it were he who was al¬ 
 luded to, he would instantly put it beyond the 
 power of the piper to play any more that even¬ 
 ing. This remark roused John’s spirit to such 
 an angry height, that unsheathing his dagger, he 
 entered the barn determined only on ripping up 
 the bag of the pipes. His sudden appearance in 
 the barn, with a dagger glistening in his hand, 
 as if courting provocation, and rage depicted on 
 his countenance, and the applicability, in that 
 attitude, of the words of the song to him at 
 that moment, certainly drew on him the scorn¬ 
 ful looks of the dancers. The piper, the unfor¬ 
 tunate object of his rage, sat, unconcious of the 
 fuel he was adding to the flame, at every note 
 he struck of “ Ha bitac air Mhac Thomais,” &c. 
 Mr Fraser, inflamed at what he conceived an 
 insult, quick as thought plunged his dagger 
 to the handle in the heart of the poor piper, 
 who instantly dropped down dead. Mr Fraser, 
 
of Simon Lord Lovat. 
 
 69 
 
 with his evil advisers, immediately fled from 
 the barn—remorse adding swiftness to his 
 flight. Finding that Beaufort Castle was no 
 secure retreat for him from the minions of jus¬ 
 tice, by whom he was pursued during that and 
 the succeeding two days and nights, he hid him¬ 
 self within the sea mark at a place called 
 Morich. This was within a few miles of the 
 noble mansion in which he was born and 
 brought up. At times he covered himself with 
 the sea weed, affording but a very uncomfort¬ 
 able bed and hiding-place for one of his breed¬ 
 ing ; but he was forced to submit to anything 
 for security. From this cold and insecure 
 place of concealment he contrived to reach the 
 house of a faithful clansman in Stratlierrick, by 
 whom he was most kindly received. With this 
 attached adherent he remained for some time 
 in perfect security, until his brother, Lord Lovat, 
 furnished him with a sum of money to carry 
 him out of the country,—which he left soon 
 thereafter.* The melancholy affair threw a gloom 
 over the whole tenantry on the extensive estates 
 of Lovat, and the sympathy of the north gen¬ 
 erally was excited in behalf of Mr Fraser. 
 Many supposed that had he stood his trial he 
 would have been acquitted, in consequence of 
 its not being a premeditated act, but solely 
 
 * The disappearance of this brother of Lord Lovat’s, and 
 whose fate has never been ascertained with certainty, has 
 led to the many claimants from time to time to the estates 
 of Lovat. 
 
70 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 arising out of the unceasing provocation, and at 
 the wicked instigations of his companions. 
 The tune “ Ha bitac air Mhac Thomais,” which 
 was the occasion of the perpetration of the 
 murder, is a very old one, and was originally 
 composed out of contempt to one of the lairds 
 of Applecross. Although Mr Fraser’s dress 
 exactly corresponded with its words, yet the 
 poor piper had not the least intention of offend¬ 
 ing any person when he was playing it; besides, 
 the family Gaelic name of Lovat is “ Mhac 
 Shemie ,” while that of Applecross is “ Mhac 
 Thomais So that the only allusion it 
 could bear to the Hon. John Fraser was that 
 his father’s name was Thomas, and it was 
 merely this which led his companions to infer 
 that it was played in derision. The tune is still 
 in repute, and an excellent one too ; but it is 
 wrong to suppose, as some do, that it was the 
 murder of the piper which originated it—it wa« 
 long before then well known. 
 
 Lord Lovat left two sons, the Hon. Simon 
 Fraser/' Master of Lovat, and Archibald. The 
 
 * Simon Lord Lovat left three sons—(i) Simon, Master of 
 Lovat, by his first wife, Margaret Grant, fourth daughter 
 of Ludovick Grant of Grant, born 1726, and was thus nine¬ 
 teen years of age when concerned in the Rebellion. (2) 
 Alexander, born in 1729, died in 1762, unmarried. 
 
 Lord Lovat, by his second wife, sister of the Duke of 
 Argyle, had one son, (3) the Hon. Archibald Campbell 
 Fraser. The latter, after many years passed in the public 
 service, resided in the neighbourhood of Inverness. Many 
 stories are told of his eccentricities; but he had also many 
 
of Simon Lord Lovat. 
 
 7i 
 
 Master was but a youth about seventeen when 
 the patrimonial estates were forfeited. He had 
 joined in the rebellion at the instigation of his 
 father, and was too young to be a guilty partici¬ 
 pator in it, and he was therefore a fit object for 
 the mercy of the Crown. Through the exer¬ 
 tions and influence of the Duke of Argyle and 
 his friends a commission was procured for him 
 in the army. His chivalrous and brave military 
 career more than realised the encomiums passed 
 upon him by his Grace of Argyle, and the as¬ 
 surances he had given the Government of Mr 
 Fraser’s loyalty. He distinguished himself 
 greatly in the first American war, where his 
 gallant conduct soon attracted the notice of his 
 superior officers, and the commander-in-chief 
 wrote home of the gallant daring of Colonel 
 Fraser at the taking of Quebec. Intelligence 
 of this, and of the probability of his being 
 speedily installed into the inheritance of his 
 forefathers, arriving, the Aird and other Lovat 
 estates were all in one blaze with bonfires, and 
 in Inverness the demonstrations of rejoicing 
 were equally great—bonfires and firing of guns 
 were the order of the day. The inns were 
 filled, and the quaich and coggie successively 
 went round. At a party of these glad spirits 
 the author had the honour of acting as croupier. 
 In a large procession, headed by a piper, he 
 acted also a conspicuous part. The procession 
 
 good qualities, and was a gentleman of great public spirit. 
 He died in 1815. 
 
72 
 
 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 received a great augmentation and decidedly 
 handsome appearance from a number of females 
 joining, and especially those of the clan Fraser, 
 on observing which the author ran home for his 
 aged mother, she being a Fraser, who, when 
 informed of the event, was right glad and joy¬ 
 ful to join the happy cavalcade.* 
 
 Subsequently Colonel Fraser arrived as 
 Major-General, and entered into full and un¬ 
 interrupted possession of the estates. He was 
 afterwards elected Member of Parliament for 
 Inverness-shire.t The Government not being 
 
 * In 1772 Colonel Fraser was rewarded for his disting¬ 
 uished service to the Crown with a free grant of his family 
 estates lorfeited in 1746. 
 
 f Elected M.P. in 1761. He had meditated standing for 
 the county representation in 1754, as appears from the fol¬ 
 lowing letter addressed to a clansman. We are indebted 
 for the copy of it to T. R. Biscoe, Esq. of Newton :— 
 
 Litter addressed to Hugh Fraser, younger of Dunballoch. To the 
 care of A ngus Mackintosh of Drummond, Inverness. 
 
 “ Dear Sir, —The friendship you expressed when I was in the 
 country, and the desire to serve me demands that you should know 
 the state of my affairs at present. Prudential considerations have 
 made me resolve to lay aside thoughts of standing for the county of 
 Inverness at this time, and as that is the case I wish all my friends 
 wou’d appear and vote for Air Campbell, younger of Calder.* I 
 don’t know if you have been long enough infeft, but if you have I 
 hope you will go in and vote. 
 
 “ It wou’d be too tedious to mention in a letter the particulars 
 that have made me come to this resolution ; when we meet you 
 shall know it all. Meantime I think myself as much obliged to 
 you as if I had occasion for your vote, and am as much convinced 
 of your good disposition towards me, Pray remember in the kindest 
 manner to all at Newton, and believe ire, dr sir, your most obedt. 
 humble servt. “ S. Fraser.” 
 
 “London, Aprile 23rd, 1754. 
 
 * Pryse Campbell, yr. of Calder, elected 1754, sat till 1761. 
 
of Simon Lord Lovat. 
 
 73 
 
 tired of his valuable services, conferred a higher 
 command upon him. He raised the 71st Regi¬ 
 ment of Highlanders, and was on the eve of 
 again embarking for America, when he was 
 suddenly taken ill and died in England.* He 
 was succeeded in command by Lord Balcarras. 
 It may well be said that General Fraser’s 
 actions more than doubly atoned for the ini¬ 
 quities of the father. His brother, Archibald 
 Fraser, also a firm and loyal friend to the 
 House of Hanover, succeeded him in the pater¬ 
 nal possessions, and subsequently the present 
 noble proprietor. 
 
 In concluding these sketches, we cannot help 
 calling attention to what will no doubt suggest 
 itself to every reader,—the contrast of the 
 Lord Lovat of 1747 and the Lord Lovat of 
 18474 The former, as already observed, was 
 proud, crafty, and avaricious—the present, 
 amiable, kind, and generous, and easy of access 
 to the lowest individual on his estates, and one 
 who wishes the well-being of every one on his 
 extensive domains. He is also one of the most 
 liberal and kind landlords known, while the 
 great delight of his noble lady+ is to be con¬ 
 stantly doing good—feeding the poor, clothing 
 
 * Died in 1782. 
 
 + Thomas Alexander Fraser. 
 
 % Charlotte Georgina Jerningham, daughter of Lord 
 Stafford. 
 
74 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 the naked, and to their children extending the 
 blessings of education. Long may they live to 
 enjoy their exalted rank and extensive estates 
 and to bear the thanks and blessings of the 
 poor ! 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 LORD PRESIDENT FORBES. 
 
 -- 
 
 F EW names occupy a more prominent or dis- 
 distinguished place in the annals of Scot¬ 
 land than that of Lord President Forbes ; 
 and in the eventful era in which he lived he 
 stands pre-eminently distinguished in the his¬ 
 tory of the times, as one of whom it would be 
 difficult to decide whether his public or his 
 private virtues preponderated, or exercised the 
 greater influence over his actions. In whatever 
 light his conduct is viewed, whether as a man, 
 a Christian, or a patriot, we are struck with the 
 consonance—the uniformity and the consistent 
 harmony of his life, in thought, principle, and 
 action, in all the multifarious and frequently 
 conflicting circumstances which influenced and 
 sometimes controlled his conduct. It is diffi¬ 
 cult to say whether simplicity, integrity, or 
 benevolence were the most prominent charac¬ 
 teristics of his mind. His patriotism was 
 deeply tinged with benevolence, his political 
 character was marked by the strictest moral in¬ 
 tegrity, and his most comprehensive plans as a 
 statesman (and his were the only comprehen- 
 
76 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 sive plans of and for the time) are no less to be 
 admired for their simplicity than their ability 
 and wisdom. 
 
 Amidst the heterogeneous mass of mercenary 
 sycophants, corrupted parasites, and sincere 
 patriots, who supported the Government, or 
 swelled the ranks of those interested, dis¬ 
 contented, or mistaken hosts that thronged 
 round the standard of the Stuarts, there is not 
 one man who took a principal part in the stir¬ 
 ring events of that period, whose motives arc 
 so pure and praiseworthy, whose conduct is so 
 blameless, or who conferred on his country a 
 tithe of the benefits which resulted from the 
 prudence and wisdom of President Forbes. 
 While he was devoting his best energies to 
 secure the throne and consolidate the Govern¬ 
 ment, he was no less laborious to save the chiefs 
 and clans who sided with Prince Charles, and 
 were doing all they could to overthrow the Go¬ 
 vernment. Like Blanche in the play of King 
 John, he seemed to think that he had a divided 
 duty, and to say— 
 
 Which is the side that I must go withal ? 
 
 I am with both : each army hath a hand; 
 
 And in their rage, I having hold of both, 
 
 They whirl asunder and dismember me.' 1 
 
 Firmly attached to the Government, he sincerely 
 wished it success, and yet afraid of the terrible 
 fate which would await the friends of the 
 Prince in the event of defeat, he could not con¬ 
 template the success of the Government but 
 with a feeling of horror. Ordinary minds would 
 
of Lord President Forbes. 7 7 
 
 have sunk under such conflicting feelings, but 
 the very necessity which calied for the most 
 constant watchfulness, and intrepidity on the 
 part of the President, appeared to give him re¬ 
 newed will and power for the discharge of the 
 duties which his position in the Government, 
 and his attachment to his friends, would seem 
 to have imposed on him. 
 
 Of such a man it would indeed be presump¬ 
 tuous in the humble narrator of a few disjointed 
 facts connected with the Forbeses of Culloden, 
 to attempt any biographical sketch , and it 
 would be still more unpardonable to attempt 
 to give an analysis of the qualities and conduct 
 of President Forbes. In the toregoing obser¬ 
 vations we have only endeavoured to give ex¬ 
 pression to the feelings and opinions with which 
 the President was regarded in and about Inver¬ 
 ness during his lifetime, and by those who 
 knew him best,—who had good opportunity, 
 from their intimacy with himself and from their 
 knowledge of his conduct and their personal ac¬ 
 quaintance, with the circumstances in which he 
 was so prominent a performer, of forming a 
 just estimate of his merits. 
 
 Before we proceed to narrate those traditional 
 and historical facts with which we became ac¬ 
 quainted in our' youth, concerning the Presi¬ 
 dent, we think it right to lay before our readers 
 a short account of the history of his ancestors 
 from the time at which they settled in Inver¬ 
 ness-shire. 
 
78 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 Duncan Forbes, or Dunachac na Boiceannan , 
 the first of the family of Forbes, who came to 
 Inverness-shire, and who was the founder of 
 the family, was the eldest son of Mr John 
 Forbes of Badenley, second son of Alexander, 
 laird of Tolquhoun.* Mr John Forbes having 
 died young, leaving a wife and three children 
 (Duncan being the eldest), the widow was in¬ 
 duced to entrust Duncan to the care of a gentle¬ 
 man who became tutor to Lovat, and who was 
 married to Duncan’s aunt, and Duncan accom¬ 
 panied them to their residence, Beaufort Castle, 
 about the year 1569. He was then sixteen 
 years of age. His aunt and her husband paid 
 every attention to his health and education, and 
 both prospered under their fostering care. At 
 the age of 20, Duncan Forbes had few superiors 
 in the Highlands for strength, agility, and intel¬ 
 ligence. And in 1594, having, as was the pre¬ 
 vailing practice of the age, betaken himself to 
 “ the use of arms,’’ he distinguished himself at 
 
 * About 1567, John Forbes of Badenley married Eliza¬ 
 beth Keith of Tulloes, and had by her Duncan, first of 
 Culloden, etc. Duncan Forbes of Culloden, eldest son of 
 John Forbes, married Janet Forbes ot Corsindae, by whom 
 he had John Forbes of Culloden and other two sons and 
 two daughters. John Forbes of Culloden married Anna 
 Dunbar, only daughter of Dunbar of Grange, and by the 
 said Anna had Duncan Forbes of Culloden and other five 
 sons and two daughters. Duncan married Mary Innes, 
 daughter of Sir Robert Innes of that Ilk, and by her had 
 two sons, John and Duncan—this latter the Lord President 
 Duncan Forbes—and seven daughters. 
 
of Lord President Forbes. 79 
 
 the battle of Glenlivet, where he exhibited sur¬ 
 prising courage, and had the honour of assisting 
 the Earl of Argyle and his (Duncan’s) relative 
 Lord Forbes in the cause of the King against 
 the Lords Huntly and Erroll. 
 
 He very shortly thereafter bade farewell to 
 the profession of arms, and was by his step- 
 uncle employed in a more peaceful but more 
 intricate business, viz., in examining and adjust¬ 
 ing certain accounts and family matters, at 
 which he made but slow, or at all events, but 
 unprofitable progress. The consequence was 
 that he left the business entrusted to him by 
 his step-uncle, and took up his residence in In¬ 
 verness, where he commenced business as a 
 skin merchant. 
 
 Being of an amiable, affable, and humane 
 disposition, he gained the esteem and good 
 wishes of those who had the pleasure of coming 
 in contact with him, and as his friendship was 
 becoming more extensive and firm with his 
 fellowmen, his business was the more rapidly 
 prospering. His country residence was Drakies, 
 now known as Ashtown, the property of H 3 neas 
 Mackintosh, Esq. of Raigmore. Speaking of 
 the estate of Raigmore, comparing it eighty 
 years ago with what it is now a strange contrast 
 is perceptible ; then it was mostly a cold, barren, 
 and bleak moor—now it is one of the most 
 beautiful and fertile properties in the country, 
 adorned by an elegant mansion-house, and sur¬ 
 rounded with shrubberies and plantations. A 
 
8o Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 short distance from Raigmore House there is a 
 small pond, of which a few swans and geese 
 keep possession in mutual fellowship. These 
 improvements were principally made by the 
 late proprietor, and show how sterile wastes 
 can be converted into most fruitful fields. 
 Below the house where it now stands, ran the 
 uncontrollable burn, Alt Mourniack, reputed as 
 the rendezvous of witches, and which no travel¬ 
 ler, after nightfall, had the hardihood to pass ; 
 but now a good Parliamentary road renders it 
 safe at all hours of the night. To return to Mr 
 Forbes, or as he was more familiarly known in 
 Gaelic as Dunachac na Boiceannan. Mr Forbes 
 on one occasion invited a party of gentlemen to 
 dinner at Drakies, and requested his lady to 
 prepare a good dinner for them. At the ap¬ 
 pointed hour the guests arrived—among them 
 was Cuthbert of Castlehill and his son; but 
 Mrs Forbes, either from penurious motives, or 
 from having no great regard for some of the 
 party, prepared nothing more than the ordinary 
 family dinner, which hurt the feelings of her 
 husband so much, that as on former occasions 
 when lie was likewise very much provoked, he 
 determined for a time to “ cut her acquaint¬ 
 ance.” The morning following that on which 
 the dinner party took place, Mr Forbes rose 
 very early, as if going to town ; but to town he 
 did not proceed. Night came on, but he did 
 not return to his own fireside—the next morn¬ 
 ing came and still there was no appearance of 
 
of Lord President Forbes. S i 
 
 the absent husband. Mrs Forbes became 
 greatly alarmed for his safety, and accused her¬ 
 self of having offended an affectionate husband, 
 and would now give worlds, if she had them at 
 disposal, to have him back again. Weeks, 
 months, and even years rolled on, but they 
 brought no tidings of the worthy burgess who 
 had so precipitately disappeared from the arms 
 of a loving wife and a large circle of admiring 
 and attached friends and acquaintances. 
 
 At length, however, Mr Forbes was dis¬ 
 covered in the Western Isles, pursuing his 
 business more extensively than before, purchas¬ 
 ing all sorts of skins — shipping them to Liver¬ 
 pool and other ports in England. In che Heb¬ 
 rides he continued for some years, but having 
 gone to London to settle affairs with some 
 merchants, he purchased a vessel, which he 
 loaded with all sorts of fancy goods, and sailed 
 for Inverness. The vessel being noticed from 
 the town at the mouth of the river Ness, the 
 majority of the population ran down to see the 
 largest vessel that ever entered the river. 
 Among the spectators was Mrs Forbes ; and as 
 the ship neared the quay, she noticed her long 
 lost husband standing beside the captain at the 
 helm. In an instant she gave a scream of joy, 
 and fainting, fell into the arms of a lady who ac¬ 
 companied her. Mr Forbes well knew the voice, 
 and quickly leaping ashore amidst the plaudits 
 of the people, clasped his senseless wife to his 
 bosom. She soon rallied, but her sudden joy 
 
 6 
 
8 2 
 
 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 threatened to be too much for her to bear. The 
 joyful demonstrations of the people were beyond 
 description. He now commenced business still 
 more extensively as a general merchant and 
 shipowner, being the only one at the time in the 
 northern metropolis. Taking a walk one sum¬ 
 mer evening with his lady, they strolled out in 
 the direction of Culloden, then belonging to 
 The Mackintosh. When they reached Cullo¬ 
 den, the masons were after laying the founda¬ 
 tion stone of the Castle. Mr Forbes gave the 
 men a shilling (no small sum in those days) to 
 drink, but Mrs Forbes demurred a little to this 
 piece of extravagance, to which her husband re¬ 
 plied, “ Who knows, my dear, but you and I 
 may be the occupants of this Castle, and pos¬ 
 sessors of Culloden.” Six months had scarcely 
 elapsed from the time when this conversation 
 took place when Mr Forbes was possessor of 
 Culloden. That took place in 1624.'" Only 
 one storey of the Castle was then above the 
 ground, when Mr Forbes completed it. On 
 the lintel above the main door, were The Mack¬ 
 intosh’s initials, and part of the armorial bear¬ 
 ings, which were never defaced. In the year 
 1625, Mr Forbes built a splendid edifice as a 
 town house in Church Street, which was pulled 
 down in 1810. In 1626 he became chief 
 magistrate of Inverness a situation which he 
 filled for several years with credit to himself 
 
 * The barony of Culloden was purchased from the laird 
 of Mackintosh in 1626. 
 
of Lord President Forbes. 
 
 *3 
 
 and benefit to the town and its inhabitants. In 
 I654, having been thirty years in possession of 
 the estate of Culloden, he was gathered to his 
 kindred at the age of 82, much regretted by all 
 who knew him. His likeness is still to be seen 
 in a state of good preservation at Culloden 
 House. In the Chapelyard, Inverness, over 
 his tomb and that of his lady, are the following 
 lines :— 
 
 il These polished stones 
 
 Placed here above thy bones 
 
 Add to thy honour not a whit 
 
 Which was before, and still remains, complete, 
 
 Thy memory shall ever recent be 
 
 Preserved by such as draw their blood from thee, 
 
 Who in regard of thy good fame, 
 
 Receive reward by claiming to thy name ; 
 
 For thy remains do honour to this place, 
 
 And thy true virtue honours all thy race.” 
 
 Duncan Forbes was succeeded by his eldest 
 son John, who, from the treasures left him by 
 his father, was enabled to purchase the barony 
 of Ferrintosh, which afterwards became so cele¬ 
 brated for the distillation of whisky, although 
 for many years not a single drop has been 
 made 011 that property. He subsequently 
 (in the year 1670) purchased the property 
 of BunchrewV" a favourite resort of the great 
 President. 
 
 * Bunchrew. A small property about three miles to 
 the north west of Inverness. In 1843 it was sold, and 
 purchased by the late John Fraser, a native of Inverness, 
 and is still in possession of his family. 
 
84 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 John was succeeded by his son Duncan, who 
 was a very amiable man, and who, like his 
 father, was a pious and exemplary man. He 
 again was succeeded by John, the fourth laird, 
 who was a very active patriot. He sat for some 
 years in Parliament,* where he frequently dis¬ 
 tinguished himself for his patriotism and his 
 advocacy of his countrymen. He died in 1734, 
 and was succeeded by his brother Duncan, then 
 Lord Advocate. 
 
 Duncan Forbes, the most eminent Scottish 
 patriot and statesman of his time, and as a 
 statesman, perhaps the most distinguished that 
 the country has ever produced, was born in the 
 year 1685, in a small, unpretending, but not un¬ 
 comfortable house close to the seaside on the 
 estate of Bunchrew,+ about three miles to the 
 west of Inverness,—a retreat interesting not 
 only on account of its being the birthplace of 
 this truly great man, but also, and still more 
 interesting, as the favourite retreat to which he 
 withdrew in his secessions from severe labour 
 to mature fresh plans for the benefit of his 
 country. 
 
 Having completed his studies at home he 
 made a tour to the Continent, visiting and mak¬ 
 ing some stay in those towns renowned for 
 
 f He represented Nairnshire from 1704-7, and again 
 171315; Inverness-shire 1715-22; and Nairnshire a third 
 time 1722-27. 
 
 f Bom at Bunchrew 10th November 1685. 
 
of Lord President Forbes , 
 
 S5 
 
 learning,* where, no doubt, he overlooked no¬ 
 thing of interest to the scholar, and gained in¬ 
 formation which proved of the greatest utility 
 afterwards. 
 
 Mr Forbes, on his return from the Continent, 
 applied himself to the study of the law. He 
 resided for some time with his uncle, Sir David 
 Forbes of Newhall. Mid-Lothian, who was an 
 eminent lawyer. In due time he was admitted a 
 member of the Faculty of Advocates,! and had 
 subsequently the office of Lord Advocate con¬ 
 ferred upon him , and lie also represented the 
 Inverness District of Burghs in Parliament. + Of 
 his Parliamentary conduct it is not our province 
 to speak at length; but there are one or two 
 points connected with it which we feel called upon 
 to notice. In 1725, we find Mr Forbes, then 
 Lord Advocate, introducing a bill for disarm¬ 
 ing the Highlanders. Strange to say, some of 
 the clauses of the bill were rejected, or rather 
 dropped, in consequence of the opposition of 
 the English members, and Lord Advocate 
 Forbes’s attempt at legislation, while it proved 
 distasteful to the Highlanders, was opposed by 
 the English squires. The bill, although harsh 
 in appearance, was in reality the best course 
 that the Government could have pursued. It 
 
 * He studied, after the manner of Scottish students in 
 those days, at Leyden for one year. 
 
 | He passed at the Scottish Bar in 170S. 
 
 t He sat as member for the Inverness burghs from 1722 
 to 1734. 
 
86 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 is gratifying to observe that even in the Parlia¬ 
 ment of 1725, while the work of corruption was 
 at its height, that a majority of the English 
 members, entertaining more extended notions 
 on, and having a better appreciation of, the prin¬ 
 ciples of liberty as secured by the Constitution, 
 resisted parts of the bill of Mr Forbes the Lord 
 Advocate, himself a Scotchman and a High¬ 
 lander. But while we cannot help expressing 
 our admiration of the motives which influenced 
 the opponents of the bill we are bound to say 
 that no better measure could have been sug¬ 
 gested for the purpose of preventing any rising 
 in the Highlands. The provisions of the bill 
 were applied in our own time in principle, for 
 successive years, in the Irish Arms’ bill, and 
 without entering into political discussion on the 
 justice or harshness of that measure, we may 
 remark that in applying it to the Highlands of 
 Scotland, inhabited by a purely military people, 
 immediately after they had taken arms against 
 the Government, and at a time when the people 
 of the country made little secret of their desire 
 to see the Government overturned, the same 
 principle which was resorted to one hundred 
 years afterwards, and with all the advantage of 
 the experience of that period in the case of Ire¬ 
 land, proves at all events, if not the wisdom or 
 the justice of Lord Advocate Forbes’s bill in 
 1725, that he is entitled to the credit of the 
 plan, and that as regards Scotland it was subse¬ 
 quently successfully carried out. 
 
of Lord President Forbes. 
 
 87 
 
 Mr Forbes, during the whole of his Parlia¬ 
 mentary career, was not only consulted by the 
 Government, but was, in fact, the chief law 
 officer of the Crown in Scotland, and also the 
 representative of the interests of the whole 
 kingdom, in Parliament, as well as his Majesty’s 
 advocate for his Majesty’s interest. Mr Forbes 
 having risen to the highest position at the bar 
 was elevated to the bench. His talents and 
 knowledge of the law as well as his patriotism, 
 were soon rewarded with the highest judicial 
 appointment recognised in Scotland—Lord 
 President of the Court of Session ;—and the 
 next measure with which we find his name as¬ 
 sociated is, the scheme for raising the indepen¬ 
 dent Highland companies. This was in 1739. 
 As the measure to which we have before re¬ 
 ferred was intended to deprive the Highlanders 
 of the power of doing mischief to themselves or 
 the Government, that to which we now advert 
 had for its object to confer upon them the 
 power of doing good, both to the Government 
 and to themselves. This plan, although it was 
 at the time when it was first proposed rejected, 
 was eventually carried out, and the benefits 
 which it conferred on the Highlands, were not 
 only largely felt at the time, but are participated 
 in at this moment by thousands of the descend¬ 
 ants of gallant soldiers who availed themselves 
 of the honourable employment thrown open to 
 them by the Goverment. 
 
 The most interesting feature to the public in 
 the character of this noble-minded and highly- 
 
88 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 gifted man, was the judicious and patriotic part 
 he acted in the eventful and stirring rebellion of 
 1745-46. Hearing that Prince Charles Stuart 
 landed on the west coast of Inverness-shire, and 
 that several chiefs, with their clansmen, were 
 mustering and enrolling themselves under his 
 banner, he cast his official wig aside, and hastened 
 down to Culloden to warn his tenantry and 
 friends of the portending, and prevent their en¬ 
 listing in the Pretender’s ranks. The Prince’s 
 claim to the throne, the means at his com¬ 
 mand to make good the same, the futility of 
 these, and the consequences to the country, he 
 impartially laid before the Government and the 
 clans ; in consequence of which, together with 
 his powerful influence and assiduity, it is 
 allowed that fully ten thousand men were dis¬ 
 suaded from taking up arms in behalf of Charles. 
 So heartily attached was the President to the 
 House of Hanover, that he raised, clothed, and 
 paid out of his own private means a regiment of 
 fine men, for which he received no compensation 
 whatever, and which had the effect further of 
 greatly embarrassing the family for some time. 
 
 The President, when arrived at Culloden, 
 instantly had the Castle fortified, and he him¬ 
 self was busily employed, day and night, writ¬ 
 ing despatches to different parts of the country ; 
 and wherever the Pretender happened to be, he 
 was sure of finding that President Forbes had 
 been there before him with his letters, causing 
 the people to keep quiet and not join with him. 
 
of Lord President Forbes. 
 
 89 
 
 Charles was, of course, aware of the sway exer¬ 
 cised by the President over the people, and was 
 not a little chagrined at the success attending it. 
 But of all the chiefs who embraced his cause 
 none was more enraged at the President than 
 my Lord Lovat, for which it was well known he 
 entertained private and selfish motives. First, 
 he expected, in the event of Charles Edward 
 bringing the enterprise in which he was en¬ 
 gaged to a successful termination, a dukedom 
 would be conferred upon him; and secondly, 
 that the picturesque estate of Bunchrew, the 
 property of the President, but originally that of 
 the Frasers, would be added to his other 
 estates in the Aird. Illustrative of the feeling 
 entertained by Lord Lovat towards President 
 Forbes, it may be noticed, that on each side of 
 the road at Bunchrew grew some large black¬ 
 thorn bushes, overtopped here and there with 
 alder trees, proving an eyesore to his lordship 
 as he passed to and from Inverness, and the 
 great agricultural improvements which were 
 made on the estate likewise added fuel to the 
 flame already burning within him, so that when 
 he entered Inverness, the first person he was 
 sure of calling upon was the amiable Provost 
 Fraser, who would generally inquire of his lord- 
 ship—“ What news from the Aird ? ” “ Nothing, 
 but that the black thorns of Bunchrew stab me 
 to the very heart’s core every time I pass.’’ 
 President Forbes likewise planted those portions 
 of Bunchrew not adapted to agriculture with 
 
90 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 trees, some of which can still be seen towering 
 majestically above the mansion-house. 
 
 Bunchrew was the spot, during vacation time, 
 which the worthy President delighted to fre¬ 
 quent, and where he always resided. His great 
 partiality for this beautiful locality must have 
 been owing to its being his birthplace, and the 
 pleasure and delight he experienced in improv¬ 
 ing' and ornamenting it must be ascribed to the 
 same cause. At Bunchrew, likewise, he further 
 delighted to receive and entertain manv of the 
 more highly respectable visitors who came to 
 the neighbourhood, who were quite enchanted 
 with the President’s affable manners and the 
 decorations of his estate. Some of them men¬ 
 tioning so to Lord Lovat, galled the latter 
 not a little, while few, if any, visited him at 
 Beaufort Castle save his friend the chief of 
 
 Macleod. , 
 
 The President, sojourning at Bunchrew on 
 one occasion, where he often kept convivial 
 parties, invited the Town Council of Inverness 
 to dinner. The deacon of the weavers, on sit¬ 
 ting down to dine with his brother councillors, 
 began to show the extent of his knowledge and 
 appreciation of modern discoveries and refine¬ 
 ments by calling for a dish of tea, just then as 
 great a delicacy as could be named in the house 
 of the Highland laird. Hospitality, however, 
 placed everything within command at the 
 service of the guest, although it was out of the 
 
 regular order. A domestic having prepared 
 6 
 
of Lord President Forbes. 
 
 9i 
 
 and brought in the tea, with a valuable set of 
 china, placed the beverage on a side table, the 
 deacon being invited to move to it to partake of 
 the tea. The dinner table groaned under a 
 load of substantial Highland cheer, and the 
 civic functionary, intent 011 that which was im¬ 
 mediately before him, so far forgot the cap of 
 gentility he had assumed as to break out into a 
 violent passion, declaring it an insult to request 
 him to take refreshment at a table separate 
 from his companions.During this paroxysm of 
 rage, he commenced laying about him in wild 
 Highland style, demolishing the valuable 
 service of china in a very brief space of time. 
 The President, instead of imitating the rage of 
 his guest, passed over the damage and mis¬ 
 behaviour by humorously saying, •' Well, well, 
 deacon, it cannot be helped; I will make the 
 shuttle pay for it some day,” alluding to the 
 offender’s craft. This mild reproof, while it 
 formed a striking contrast to the weaver, was in 
 keeping with the high character for personal 
 and domestic worth and piety for which the 
 
 * It is curious, in connection with this story of the worthy 
 deacon and his tea, to note that the President, while in 
 Parliament, had entered on a crusade against the use ot 
 the cup that cheers.” Instead of this article, which has 
 changed the entire social habits of the country, he proposed 
 to substitute ale, and he bewails the miseries that would 
 follow the disuse of malt when working men took to the use 
 of tea in place of their accustomed drink, and working 
 women to the use of the same drug instead of the usual 
 twopenny.” 
 
92 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 President was so justly celebrated. The mem¬ 
 bers of the Council, on leaving the ever- 
 hospitable house of Bunchrew, were each pre¬ 
 sented with a hat, some of whom up to that 
 time never had a hat on their heads. So im¬ 
 portant a present was then only worn on state 
 occasions, being at other times carefully laid by 
 in the “ muckle kist; ” and the deacon alluded 
 to was, in his latter days, the first and only 
 tradesman in Inverness who began to wear a 
 hat every day, and the novelty was so great 
 that crowds followed him wherever he went. 
 At times it was with difficulty he kept them at 
 a respectful distance when he took up his even¬ 
 ing station on the “old bridge” to contemplate 
 the beauties of the scenery around his native 
 town. The honest deacon at last had to give 
 vent to the displeasure he felt at the conduct of 
 his admirers, whom he reproved by saying, 
 “ What do you see about me, sirs \ am 1 not a 
 mortal man like yourselves ? ” These reproofs 
 had often to be administered, and being gene¬ 
 rally in the same words, the expression “ Am I 
 not a mortal man like yourself,” became a cant 
 phrase in the town and neighbourhood for many 
 years afterwards. 
 
 But to return to the “troubles” of the ’45. 
 After a course of uncertainty, the laird of Mac- 
 leod at length became a firm supporter of the 
 Goverment in consequence of the persuasion 
 of the Lord President. Frequent communica¬ 
 tions took place between them. Macleod’s valet 
 
of Lord President Forbes. 
 
 93 
 
 was kept constantly on the roacl with de¬ 
 spatches between himself and the Lord Presi¬ 
 dent. The valet had come in contact on his 
 journey with some of Prince’s followers, and 
 for fear of being searched by them to discover 
 what his frequent missions were, he always 
 carried a large staff, with a hole, so artfully and 
 neatly executed as to defy the closest scrutiny. 
 In this cavity was deposited the letter ; and the 
 Dunvegan “ gillie maol ” passed and repassed 
 the rebel parties without detection. 
 
 It having come to the knowledge of Presi¬ 
 dent Forbes that Lord Lovat was secretly en¬ 
 gaged in forwarding the interests of Prince 
 Charles, he immediately despatched a messenger 
 with a remonstrance, warning him of his danger, 
 but to his friendly advice his lordship replied he 
 took no part whatever, but believed his stiff¬ 
 necked son had. The Master of Lovat a few 
 days afterwards hearing of this, told his hoary- 
 headed parent in tears, “ I’ll go myself to the 
 President and tell him the whole truth ; ” but 
 the fears of the youth were soon calmed when 
 his father told him that Prince Charles would 
 be triumphant, and that then he would be raised 
 to the dignity of a Duke. To the young ami¬ 
 able Earl of Cromertie, to whom he was parti¬ 
 cularly attached, the President was also sending 
 friendly advices, which Lord Lovat understand¬ 
 ing, he on his part was sending him his trusty 
 and confidential servant, Donald Cameron, urg¬ 
 ing him to be firm in the Prince’s cause, and 
 
94 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 heed not the delusive advices of either the Pre¬ 
 sident or the Pev. Mr Porteous. 
 
 The President’s indefatigable exertions in 
 support of the dynasty of the House of Hano 
 ver were now so well known, and the success 
 generally attending these, that the wrath of 
 the rebels against him became so fierce and 
 deadly that several plots were devised to cut 
 him off, but few were found hardy enough to 
 carry these into execution. However, Mr 
 John Fraser cf Ericht, in the parish of Dores, 
 Inverness-shire, even though a staunch Pres¬ 
 byterian, and notwithstanding the urgent re¬ 
 monstrances of his father-in-law, the good 
 and pious Mr Chisholm, first Presbyterian 
 minister of Kilmorack, and his own parish 
 clergyman, the worthy Mr Bannatyne of Dores,* 
 was so thoroughly bound up in the Prince’s 
 cause, that all arguments to dissuade him 
 proved of no avail. Mr Fraser held the rank 
 of captain in the rebel army; and about ten 
 days previous to the battle of Culloden, Cap¬ 
 tain Fraser, heading a party of his clan, all 
 bound by oath that they would neither eat nor 
 drink until they had taken President Forbes 
 dead or alive, marched at midnight to Cul¬ 
 loden Castle to take it by surprise and seize the 
 President; but on nearing the Castle they were 
 observed by a sentinel stationed on one of the 
 turrets, who gave the alarm, and the assailants 
 
 * The Rev. Archibald Bannatyne from Ardchattan, ad¬ 
 mitted 14th September 1731, died 2cth June 1752. 
 
of Lord President Forbes. 
 
 95 
 
 were-received with a fearful discharge of shot, 
 which wounded many but killed none. Captain. 
 Fraser aud his lawless band quickly retreated. 
 He escaped unhurt, as he likewise did on Cul- 
 loden Moor, which sealed the claims of the 
 Prince, and brought ruin on those of his adher- 
 ent,who escaped the bloody day. One of these 
 was Ericht, with whom the narrator was inti¬ 
 mately acquainted ; and many a time have they 
 sat down together to relate the events of 
 Ericht’s life, mourning over the wreck of his 
 home, and the loss of his beautiful little estate, 
 and the blindness which reduced him from 
 affluence to penury, and expressing sorrowful 
 compunctions for neglecting the sound counsels 
 of his dearest friends and relatives. Ericht was 
 one of the most handsome Highlanders ever 
 seen, and when in his better days a guard of 
 honour consisting of twelve men in full High¬ 
 land costume escorted him to and from the 
 kirk. When the gallant and brave General 
 Simon Fraser, after the taking of Quebec, where 
 he highly distinguished himself, returned to his 
 native country, to resume possession of his 
 patrimonial estates, forfeited by his father, 
 whose treasonable conduct he more than atoned 
 for, hearing that Ericht was still living and very 
 poor, sent for him and offered to procure him a 
 commission in the army, but this he refused. 
 Poor Ericht, reduced from independence, now 
 to the greatest poverty, and when his locks were 
 grey, went to Perth, and there as a private 
 soldier, enlisted in the Grant’s regiment. 
 
96 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 Another gentleman, who had the good fortune 
 when the rebellion was in its infancy, to receive 
 a pressing invitation from President Forbes to 
 spend a few days with him at Culloden, was 
 Sir Alexander Macdonald of Sleat, in Skye. 
 The President was led to believe that Sir Alex¬ 
 ander, with his clan, contemplated joining the 
 rebels on his [the Prince’s] landing in Skye,and 
 being well aware of the sway he exercised in 
 these places, as well as his anxiety for him as a 
 friend, had therefore sent for him to prove the 
 utter fallacy of the claims of the Pretender, and 
 the ruin consequent on the attempt, and, hap¬ 
 pily for Sir Alexander, he returned home con¬ 
 vinced, after spending a few agreeable days 
 with the worthy President. The flag of rebel- 
 lion was unfurled in the Isles; but it found Sir 
 Alexander firm at his post. The result being 
 already well known, it is needless here to repeat 
 it. Suffice it to say that CharlesEdward Stuart, 
 accompanied by the faithful Flora Macdonald, 
 compelled to relinquish his aspiring views, was 
 a refugee, with a price set upon his head, and 
 after many hairbreadth escapes, eluded the pur¬ 
 suit of his enemies, at last reached Skye, and 
 with Sir Alexander Macdonald’s knowledge, 
 was at one time concealed within a mile of his 
 house at Monkstad, where at the time he was 
 entertaining a party of royalist officers. 
 
 “War tests the magnanimity of man, 
 
 Sweet the humanity that spares a fallen foe.” 
 
 Sir Alexander, though he knew the very spot 
 
of Lord President Forbes. 
 
 97 
 
 where the Prince lay hid,and the easy certainty 
 with which he could be captured, despised be¬ 
 traying him into the power of his enemies. 
 Many true and faithful Highlanders acted a like 
 noble part. 
 
 After the battle of Culloden, President 
 Forbes exerted all his influence and ingenuity 
 to save the lives and property of those who had 
 taken up arms against the Government, but his 
 efforts were not always successful. The fiend¬ 
 ish thirst for blood evinced by the Duke of 
 Cumberland could not be satiated,—the pri¬ 
 soners, the wounded, and the dying were 
 butchered without mercy, and in the ranks of 
 the conquering army the only cry was “ kill, 
 kill.” The President again and again raised 
 his .voice against the massacre, and entreated 
 the victors to “ spare,” but the work of death 
 still went on, and the ministers of vengeance 
 heard not his voice. Even in his own house 
 the work of destruction went forward. After 
 the battle, eighteen wounded officers, unable to 
 join in the flight of their companions, secreted 
 themselves in a plantation near Culloden Castle. 
 They were however, discovered, brought to the 
 Castle, where they were kept for two days in a 
 room under ground, in a state of the utmost 
 torture, without receiving medical or other aid 
 except such as was afforded by the kindness of the 
 President’s steward. They were then huddled 
 into carts, carried out of the courtyard, ranged 
 
 7 
 
9§ Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 in a row against the wall, and shot to death.'" 
 The destroying fiends proceeded in their work. 
 
 * A statement by John Fraser, an officer in the Master of 
 Lovat’s Regiment, was published, in which he relates the 
 cruel barbarity of this fact, of which he himself was the 
 sole survivor Some hours after the defeat of the High¬ 
 land army, he, with seventeen other wounded officers of 
 that army (who were either carried or made their escape 
 towards a little plantation of wood near to the place where 
 Fraser lay), were carried to the close and office houses of 
 Culloden, where they remained for two days, wallowing in 
 their blood and in great torture, without any aid from a 
 doctor or surgeon, though otherwise kindly entertained by 
 Mr Thomas Stewart, chamberlain and chief housekeeper to 
 the late Lord President; and this he did to some at the 
 hazard of his life. The third day, Fraser and the other 
 seventeen wounded officers were, by a party of soldiers 
 under the command of .a certain officer, put on carts, tied 
 with ropes, and carried a little distance from the house to the 
 park dike, and there planted against the wall or park dike, 
 when the officer who commanded the party ordered Fraser, 
 and the other prisoners to prepare for death, and all 
 who were able bended their knees and began to pray to 
 God for mercy to their souls. In a minute the soldiers who 
 conducted them were ordered to fire, which they did, and 
 being at the distance only of two yards from the breasts of 
 the unhappy prisoners, most of them all expired in an in¬ 
 stant ; but such was the humanity of the commanding 
 officer as thinking it right to put an end to so many miser¬ 
 able lives, that he gave orders to the soldiers to club their 
 muskets and dash out the brains of such of them as they 
 observed with life, which accordingly they did. One of 
 the soldiers observing Fraser to have signs of life after re¬ 
 ceiving a shot, he struck him on the face with the butt of 
 his musket, broke the upper part of his nose and cheekbone 
 and dashed out one of his eyes, and left him for dead. A 
 certain young nobleman, riding out by the house of Cul¬ 
 loden and the park-dike, observed some life in Fraser, and, 
 
of Lord President Forbes. 
 
 99 
 
 Mr Hossack, the Provost, who had, under the 
 President, performed good service to the Go¬ 
 vernment, was induced to apply to the Duke of 
 Cumberland to entreat him to stay his destroy¬ 
 ing hand. The Duke was attended bv Generals 
 
 o # 
 
 Hawley and Huske, who were deliberating with 
 him as to the speediest mode of putting his pri¬ 
 soners to death at one fell swoop. The Provost 
 said, “As his Majesty’s troops have happily been 
 successful against the rebels, I hope your excel¬ 
 lencies will be so good as to mingle mercy with 
 judgment.” Hawley in a rage cried out, “ D—n 
 the puppy, does he presume to dictate here ? 
 carry him away ! ” An officer in attendance 
 offered to kick Hossack out, and the order was 
 obeyed.* The Provost of Inverness, a firm and 
 
 calling out to him, asked him who he was; he told him he 
 was an officer in the Master of Lovat’s Regiment. This 
 young lord offered him money, saying he had been ac¬ 
 quainted with his colonel; upon which Fraser said he had 
 no use for money, but begged for God's sake either to cause 
 his servant to put an end to his miserable life, or carry him 
 to a cot.house, which he mentioned, at a little distance. 
 This the young lord had the humanity to do, and Fraser 
 being put into a corn “ kilnlogie,” where he remained for 
 three months, and with the assistance of his landlord was 
 so far cured as to be able to step upon two crutches. 
 
 * We append the following more particular account of 
 this incident 
 
 “ Provost Hossack. with the magistrates, having gone to 
 the levee to pay their compliments, hearing orders were 
 given to shut the ports that no rebel might escape, and that 
 the meeting house should be burned and the man who 
 preached in it, said he hoped they would mix mercy with 
 judgment, upon which they said, ‘ J)—n you, puppy ! do 
 
ioo Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 useful friend of the Government, was kicked 
 down stairs by a servile hireling, because he 
 pleaded for mercy ! Oh, Glencoe ! Oh, Cul- 
 loden ! The God of justice and of battles 
 will yet avenge thee ! 
 
 On his return from Skye, the President him¬ 
 self went to the Duke, and with that firmness 
 and candour which distinguished him, he stated 
 to the Duke that the wholesale slaughter that 
 was going forward, was not only inhuman and 
 against the laws of God, but contrary to the 
 law of the land, which he called upon his Royal 
 Highness to observe. But what said the Duke 
 to the man, of all others, to whom the House 
 of Hanover, was most indebted ? “ The laws 
 
 of the country, my Lord! ” said the Duke with 
 a sneer, I’ll make a brigade give laws, by 
 God.” Shortly afterwards he visited London 
 and being asked by the King if the reports in 
 circulation of the atrocities committed by the 
 Duke of Cumberland were true, he answered, 
 “ I wish to God that I could consistently with 
 truth assure your Majesty that such reports 
 are destitute of foundation.” The King abruptly 
 
 you preterd to dictate here?’ They ordered him to be 
 kicked down stairs ; accordingly he was tossed to the stair 
 head from one to another, and there one of a considerable 
 character [Sir Robert Adair] gave him a toss that he never 
 touched the stair until he was at the foot of the first flat of 
 it. These gentlemen were ill-rewarded, for none could be 
 more attached to the Government than they were ; but they 
 had compassionon the distressed and oppressed, which was 
 then an unpardonable crime of the deepest dye.” 
 
of Lord President Forbes. ioi 
 
 ancl in displeasure left him—his accounts 
 with the Government were with difficulty 
 passed, an immense balance was left unpaid, 
 the House of Hanover had discharged its debt 
 of gratitude, and President Forbes was heard of 
 no more !!! 
 
 But it is painful to dwell on this subject. It 
 is difficult to say which excites most surprise, 
 the cruelties of Cumberland, or the ingratitude 
 of the King and the Govermeut. But what is 
 even still more surprising is, that in more peace¬ 
 ful and juster times, the claims of the Culloden 
 family should have been forgotten by successive 
 Governments, and that the possessors of the 
 Crown have not remembered to whom in a 
 great measure they owe it. 
 
 As a Christian, President Forbes was a man 
 who truly ruled his own house. Morning and 
 evening a bell was rung for worship, and none 
 were permitted to absent themselves on any 
 pretext. The narrator recollects seeing a small 
 volume entitled The Life of Faith , which had 
 formed part of the President’s library, and the 
 margin of every page of which was covered 
 with his criticisms. His public character was a 
 most upright and exemplary one — his private 
 one nothing less ; he was beloved and happy in 
 his family — esteemed by his domestics and de¬ 
 pendants, and surrounded by attached relatives 
 and friends and acquaintances, and worn with 
 over study and care, this amiable and disting¬ 
 uished individual was, in the year 1747, and at 
 
102 Historical ancC Traditional Sketches 
 
 the age of sixty-two, like a clock worn out with 
 eating time,” gathered to his fathers. His 
 name and fame will live for generations yet to 
 come. He was succeeded by his son John, like¬ 
 wise a most exemplary man. 
 
 The beetling stone, which supplied the place 
 of a mangle, on which Mrs Urquhart, the Pre¬ 
 sident’s washerwoman, used to dress his linens, 
 is still in the narrator’s possession. This stone 
 was bequeathed as a legacy by Mrs Urquhart 
 to his mother, then the principal washerwoman 
 in Inverness. 
 
 The Culloden family from the first were emi¬ 
 nent for their loyalty, and in the person of the 
 present amiable young laird the virtues of his 
 ancestors are reflected. 
 
( 103 ) 
 
 SIR CEORCE MACKENZIE OF ROSEHAUCH. 
 
 rjyilANY, no doubt, have read in the pages of 
 jjlJ history of the celebrated Sir George Mac¬ 
 kenzie of Rosehaugh, one of the most 
 talented members of the Scottish bar, who, in 
 the reitni of Charles II. was Lord Advocate of 
 
 O 
 
 Scotland, and whose Institutes are still con¬ 
 sidered as standing authority by the legal pro¬ 
 fession. Of' him the author says, that on one 
 occasion while at Rosehaugh, a poor widow 
 from a neighbouring estate called to consult 
 him regarding her being repeatedly warned to 
 remove from a small croft which she held under 
 a lease of several years ; but as some had yet to 
 run before its expiry, and she being threatened 
 with summary ejection from the croft, she went 
 to solicit his advice. Having examined the tenor 
 of her lease. Sir George informed her that it con¬ 
 tained a flaw, which, in case of opposition, would 
 render her success extremely doubtful ; and 
 although it was certainly an oppressive act to 
 deprive her of her croft, he thought her best 
 plan was to succumb. However, seeing the 
 distressed state of mind in which the poor 
 woman was on hearing his opinion, he desired 
 
104 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 her to call upon him the following day, when 
 he would consider her case more carefully. 
 His clerk, who always slept in the same room 
 with his lordship, was not a little surprised, 
 about midnight, to discover him rise from his 
 bed fast asleep, light a candle which stood on 
 his table, then draw in his chair and commence 
 writing very busily, as if he had been all the 
 time wide awake. The clerk saw how he was 
 employed, “ but ne’er a word he spak’, ” and, 
 when he had finished, saw him place what he 
 had written in his private desk, then lock it, 
 extinguish the candle, and retire to bed. Next 
 morning, at breakfast, Sir George remarked 
 that he had had a very strange dream about 
 the poor widow’s affair, which, if he now could 
 remember, he had no doubt about making out 
 a clear case in her favour. His clerk rose from 
 the table, and requested from him the key of his 
 desk, brought therefrom a good many pages of 
 manuscript, and as he handed them to Sir 
 George inquired, “ Is that like your dream ? ’’ 
 On looking over it for a few seconds, Sir George 
 said, “ Dear me, this is singular ; this is my 
 very dream! ” He was no less surprised 
 when his clerk informed him of the manner in 
 which he had acted, and sending for the widow, 
 he told her what steps to adopt to frustrate the 
 efforts of her oppresssors. Acting on the coun¬ 
 sel thus given, the poor widow was successful, 
 and, with her young family, was allowed to re¬ 
 main in possession of her “ wee bit croftie ” 
 without molestation. 
 
of Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh. 105 
 
 Sir George principally resided in Edinburgh, 
 and previous to dining invariably walked for 
 half an hour. The place he selected for this 
 was Leith Walk, then almost a solitary place. 
 One day in taking his accustomed exercise, he 
 was met by a venerable looking, gray-headed 
 gentleman, who accosted him without either 
 introduction or apology—“ There is a very im 
 portant case to come on in London fourteen 
 days hence, at which your presence will be re¬ 
 quired. It is a case of heirship to a very ex¬ 
 tensive estate in the neighbourhood of London, 
 and a pretended claimant is doing his utmost to 
 disinherit the real heir, on the ground of his 
 inability to produce proper titles thereto. It is 
 necessary that you be there on the day men¬ 
 tioned ; and in one of the attics ol the mansion- 
 house on the estate, there is an old oak chest 
 with two bottoms ; between these you will find 
 the necessary titles, written on parchment.” 
 With this he disappeared, leaving Sir George 
 quite bewildered ; but, resuming his walk, lie 
 soon recovered his former equanimity, and 
 thought nothing further of the matter. While 
 taking his walk the second day, he was again 
 met in the same place by the old gentleman, 
 who earnestly urged him not to lose another 
 day in repairing to London, and assured him 
 that he would be handsomely compensated for 
 his trouble; but to this Sir George paid no 
 great attention. The third day he was again 
 met by the same hoary-lieaded gentleman, who 
 energetically pleaded with him not to lose a 
 
106 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 day in setting out, otherwise the case would be 
 lost. The singular deportment of the gentle¬ 
 man, and his anxiety that Sir George should be 
 present at the discussion of the case in which 
 the old man seemed so deeply interested, in¬ 
 duced him to comply with his importunities, and 
 accordingly started the following morning on 
 horseback, and arrived in London on the morn¬ 
 ing preceding that on which the case was to 
 come on. A few hours saw him in front of the 
 mansion-house described by the old gentleman 
 at Leith Walk, where he met two gentlemen 
 eneao;ecl in earnest conversation—one of the 
 claimants to the property and a celebrated Lon¬ 
 don barrister—to whom he immediately intro¬ 
 duced himself as the principal law officer of the 
 Crown for Scotland. The barrister, no doubt, 
 supposing that Sir George was come to take the 
 “ bread out of his mouth,” spoke to him rather 
 surly and disrespectfully of his country; to 
 which the latter answered, “ that, lame and 
 ignorant as his ‘ learned friend ’ took the Scotch 
 to be, yet in law, as well as in other respects, 
 they would effect what would defy him and all 
 his London clique.” This disagreeable dialogue 
 was put an end to by the other gentleman tak¬ 
 ing Sir George into the house. After sitting 
 and conversing for a few T minutes, Sir George 
 expressed a wish to be shown over the house. 
 The drawing-room was hung all round with 
 beautiful paintings and drawings, which Sir 
 George greatly admired; but there was one, 
 
of Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehatigh. 107 
 
 however, which attracted his attention; and 
 after examining it very minutely, he with a 
 surprised couutenance, inquired of his conductor 
 whose picture that was ? when he was told, “ It 
 is my great-great-grandfather’s.” ‘‘ My good¬ 
 ness,” exclaimed Sir George, “ the very man 
 who spoke to me three times in Leith Walk, 
 and at whose urgent request I came here ! ” Sir 
 George, at his own request, was then conducted 
 to the attics, in one of which there was a large 
 mass of old papers, which they turned up with¬ 
 out discovering anything to assist them in pro¬ 
 secuting the claim to the heirship. However, 
 as they were about giving up their search in 
 that attic, Sir George noticed an old trunk lying 
 in a corner, but was told that for many years it 
 it was placed there as lumber, and contained 
 nothing. The Leith Walk gentleman’s infor- 
 mation recurring to his memory, he went and 
 gave the old moth-eaten trunk as hearty a kick 
 as he would wish to have been felt by his 
 “ learned friend ” the barrister. The kick sent 
 the bottom out of the trunk, also a quantity of 
 chaff, among which the original titles to the 
 property were discovered. Next day Sir 
 George entered the Court just as the case was 
 about to come on, and addressed the pretended 
 claimant’s counsel with “Well, sir, what will I 
 give you to abandon this action 'l ” “ No sum, 
 
 or any consideration whatever, would induce me 
 to give it up,” was the answer. “ Well, sir,” 
 said Sir George, at the same time drawing out 
 
io8 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 his snuff-horn and taking a pinch, “I will not 
 even hazard a pinch on it.” The case having 
 been called, Sir George, in answer to the pre¬ 
 tended claimant's counsel, in an eloquent speech, 
 addressed the bench, exposing most clearly the 
 means adopted to deprive his client of his birth¬ 
 right, and concluded by producing the titles 
 mentioned, which all at once decided the case 
 in favour of his client. The decision being an¬ 
 nounced, Sir George took the young heir’s arm, 
 and, bowing to his “learned friend” the bar¬ 
 rister, remarked, “You see now what a Scotch¬ 
 man has done, and I must tell you that I wish 
 a countryman anything but a London barrister.” 
 Sir Geoyge immediately returned to Edinburgh, 
 well paid for his trouble, but he never again in 
 his favourite walk, encountered the gray-headed 
 gentleman. 
 
( 109 ) 
 
 THE FAMILY OF CHISHOLM, ETC. 
 
 f HE Chisholm family is amongst the oldest 
 ancl most respectable in the Highlands. 
 Their chief residence is Erchless Castle, 
 which is one of the few castles of the “ olden 
 time ” now standing in its primitive grandeur. 
 It is situated in a lovely valley, surrounded 
 with the most picturesque and romantic scenery, 
 and the silent but rapid stream of the Glass 
 (which is joined by the Cannich and Farrar), 
 wends its way downwards close to the Castle, 
 to join the sea in the Beauly Firth. The ele¬ 
 vated and craggy mountains, which rise, as it 
 were, towering to the skies, on each side of the 
 narrow glen, are truly imposing, and are the ad¬ 
 miration of the numerous tourists that journey 
 thither. Prior to the construction ol the pre¬ 
 sent ancient family residence, the original seat 
 stood on an elevated spot some distance to the 
 north of where the present one stands—and 
 near to which place the remains of the late chief 
 lie, in a beautiful tomb, which is surrounded 
 with shrubbery and evergreens. 
 
 Glenconvinth is one of the most beautiful 
 
iio Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 and picturesque spots in the Highlands of Scot¬ 
 land. Its name in the Gaelic language is 
 
 # o © 
 
 Gleann-a-conn-jhioch , of which the literal trans¬ 
 lation is “ Glen of the Wild Dog or Wolf.” 
 This little glen is surrounded and overtopped 
 by the surrounding hills, and concealed from 
 the view of the tourist until he just enters it, 
 when a valley, “ rich with the scents of nature’s 
 laboratory,” bursts upon his sight, with a fine 
 clear stream meandering through the bottom of 
 it, wending its way until it discharges itself 
 into the Beauly Firth. About half way up the 
 glen, at its northern base, may still be seen the 
 ruins of a church, where people were wont to 
 worship in the “ olden time ; ” also a spacious 
 burying-ground attached. The church, previous 
 to the Reformation, but subsequent to that 
 eventful period, was united to that of Kiltarlity, 
 and is now denominated the United Parishes 
 of Kiltarlity and Glenconvinth. 
 
 The tales associated with Glenconvinth are 
 not a few ; its church, bell, and burying-ground 
 being consecrated, were held in the highest 
 veneration by the people of the place and sur¬ 
 rounding country. Connected with this hal¬ 
 lowed spot are told the following anecdotes : — 
 
 In the dusk of one fine evening, as the merry 
 songsters of the grove were winging their airv 
 way to leafy bowers, a poor widow, returning 
 home from Belladrum mill, leading by a halter 
 a Highland garron with a bag of meal on his 
 back, and when passing the burying-ground, 
 
of the Family of Chisholm , etc. 
 
 111 
 
 the bag dropped off*, which, from its weight, the 
 poor woman was unable to replace on the ani¬ 
 mal’s back. In this trying dilemma, and seeing 
 none to assist, the disconsolate widow gave 
 vent to her sorrow, augmented as it must have 
 been by being beside the place where now in 
 peace reposed the ashes of her departed husband. 
 In the agony of her mind she exclaimed, 
 “ Well, well, if he that is lying with his head 
 low here to-night was now living, he would 
 soon put the bag on the horse’s back.” Scarcely 
 had she pronounced these words, and turning 
 round, to her surprise found that the bag was 
 actually replaced, and then proceeded on her 
 way. 
 
 The church bell was also an object of re¬ 
 verence, and whatever truth there may be in the 
 words that “ coming events cast their shadows 
 before,” it is nevertheless stated that this bell 
 has been known to toll when none was near it, 
 giving a forewarning of the demise of some in¬ 
 dividual whose remains were soon to mix with 
 those of his kindred. A sturdy Highlander 
 from the confines of Strathglass, possessing a 
 greater share of hardihood and daring than is 
 generally to be met with among his country¬ 
 men in interfering with any sacred thing — for 
 we are safe in saying, that Highlanders in parti¬ 
 cular, are more tenacious of their religious 
 observances, and are remarkable for the super¬ 
 stitious awe in which they hold anything 
 connected with their religion or place of worship, 
 
11 2 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 much more so than in any quarter of the king¬ 
 dom—was base enough to carry off the bell one 
 night and hang it up in an oak tree near his resi¬ 
 dence. At midnight the offender was alarmed 
 at hearing the shrill tones of the bell, but could 
 not summon up enough of courage to proceed 
 to the oak tree and learn the cause. The fol¬ 
 lowing morning the bell had again disappeared, 
 but was found in its former exalted position, in 
 the west gable of the Glenconvinth chapel, and 
 none could state how it got there. The distance 
 to which it was conveyed is full six miles, and is 
 still known as Craobh a-ghlac, or “ the bell tree.” 
 The bell was never more interfered with until 
 the year 1745, when a party of Lord Loudon’s 
 men, then stationed in Inverness, having taken 
 a stroll through the Aird, hearing of the venera¬ 
 tion in which it was held, and viewing it as a 
 Popish relic, took its tongue away, and other¬ 
 wise destroyed it, to the no small sorrow of the 
 surrounding peasantry. I well remember seeing 
 this bell in its dilapidated state lying in a corner 
 of the ruins of the church. 
 
 Glenconvinth, like other places at one period, 
 was infested with wolves and many an unwary 
 huntsman got dreadfully wounded, or lost his 
 life, in an affray with those ferocious beasts ; 
 but by the frequent visits of the lovers of the 
 chase to the locality, their numbers were gra¬ 
 dually diminishing, till at last it was supposed 
 the glen had been ridden of this pest, but the 
 havoc made amongst the sheep in the neighbour- 
 
of the Family of Chisholm , etc. 113 
 
 hood told but too plainly such was not the case. 
 The glen was then, and for a long period there¬ 
 after, overgrown with alder trees and hazel 
 bushes, affording an excellent cover to these 
 denizens of the forest, and here it was dis¬ 
 covered a wolf of extraordinary size and fe¬ 
 rocity had his lair. This was the last one that 
 could be seen—the terror of the place and the 
 dread of the wayfarer. To kill this formidable 
 scourge, and extirpate thereby the race alto¬ 
 gether, the neighbouring gentlemen assembled. 
 Among those who met on this perilous adven¬ 
 ture was the Master of Chisholm—a young 
 man not yet arrived at manhood. The party 
 were standing a little to the east of the burying- 
 ground, sharpening their spears on a large stone, 
 when the wolf was espied in the valley a little 
 below where they stood. One of the party 
 volunteered to go down alone and despatch the 
 animal, but he had not gone above half way, 
 when perceiving the size of the enemy he was 
 about to cope with, his courage failed and he 
 turned back. The young Chisholm then re¬ 
 quested to be allowed to go down, but although 
 the gentlemen admired the valour of the strip¬ 
 ling, they dissuaded him from such a rash step, 
 The youth sharpened his spear, after wringing 
 a reluctant consent from the party, and buckling 
 himself, set oft' to meet his crouching antagonist, 
 whose howlings and fiery eyeballs, flashing de¬ 
 fiance, noways dismayed the brave youth. Our 
 hero, coming up, all the time watching closely 
 
 8 
 
114 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 the animal, and as he was in the act of spring¬ 
 ing, pierced the enraged beast a little below 
 the neck. So great was the force of the blow, 
 that his hand nearly followed the course of the 
 spear. The party, who anxiously waited the 
 result of the combat, were over-joyed, and loud 
 in their praise ol the gallant youth, when they 
 discovered him unscathed standing on the car¬ 
 case of the wolf. The stone on which they 
 sharpened their spears, still stands as a lasting 
 relic of the affray, and although frequent using 
 lias considerably defaced it, may still be 
 pointed out to the traveller who visits this 
 lovely spot, and among those whom kindred 
 associations brought to view this renowned 
 place and see the stone w r as the late lamented 
 amiable and pious chief, brother to the present. 
 Since the above affair, the wolf’s head forms 
 part of the armorial bearings of the ancient and 
 respectable family of Chisholm.'"' 
 
 Of another chief of this family, there is the 
 following amusing anecdote :—He had been for 
 some years greatly afflicted with pain in his 
 legs, so much so that he was deprived of the 
 power of walking, and had to be carried about. 
 As was customary in those days with chiefs and 
 lairds, every family kept a fool or jester. One 
 fine summer evening, the worthy chief was car¬ 
 ried to a couch prepared for him in the garden, 
 
 * Similar mythological stories are told in the history of 
 several Highland families. The “ Centenarian” here has 
 substituted a wolf for a wild boar. The boar’s head is part 
 of the family arms. 
 
of the Family of Chisholm, etc. 115 
 
 and seeing his fool there too, called him, in 
 order to keep the flies off* his legs, which they 
 were tormenting. The fool carried in his hand 
 a large cudgel, and seeing a swarm of flies resting 
 on his helpless master’s legs, aimed a blow at 
 them ; but instead of killing myriads, as he ex¬ 
 pected, he nearly broke the chiefs legs, and 
 threw him into a swoon. Supposing he had 
 terminated his master’s existence, the fool ran 
 away as fast as he could, and betook himself to 
 the neighbouring wood. Soon after the occur¬ 
 rence, some of the domestics entered the garden, 
 and finding the chief in such a condition, were 
 greatly alarmed; but shortly thereafter rallying, 
 he told them what the fool had done—but he 
 was nowhere to be seen. Conjecturing rightly 
 where he had gone, a search was made; but 
 when on the point of giving it up as fruitless, 
 from the top of a thickly branched tree the fool 
 bawled out—“ Ye needna, sirs, for mysel’ just 
 got mysel’.” Having decoyed him down, and 
 on their way expostulating with him for the in¬ 
 jury he had done his indulgent master, he re¬ 
 plied—“ It was the flies that did it, and not 
 me.” But in the end it turned out that the 
 poor fool was the best physician his master ever 
 saw, for the disease in his legs not long there¬ 
 after disappeared, and there was not a gentle¬ 
 man in the country had a sounder pair than the 
 Chisholm. He lived to a good old age, and es¬ 
 teemed none of his domestics more than 
 his fool. 
 
116 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 The next anecdote of this family, relates 
 to a period when the worthy chief was rather 
 seriously indisposed, and an express was sent 
 for his son, Mr William, who was then practis¬ 
 ing as a physician in Inverness. He lost no 
 time in repairing to the bedside of his sick 
 father, and remained at Erchless Castle for two 
 or three days, by which time his father was out 
 of danger, and said “ Now, William, since I am 
 almost quite well, I do not mean to have your 
 services for nothing, therefore 3^011 will tell me 
 what is your charge ? ” The doctor replied, 
 “ Oh ! father, I do not mean to charge any¬ 
 thing.” But on the chieftain again saying, he 
 would not take his trouble without being remu¬ 
 nerated, answered, “ Oh ! then, since you are 
 determined to pay I will only charge what I do 
 other gentlemen.” “How much is that?” 
 “Only ^50.” “Only ^50!” remarked the 
 Chisholm, “ do you charge other gentlemen that 
 sum ? ” and being answered in the affirmative, 
 said, “ Oh, Willie, Willie ! it is I who put the 
 estate into your hands when I made a doctor of 
 you.” So rising, and going to a drawer, took 
 therefrom the £ 50, which he placed in his son’s 
 hand. Dr Chisholm was a gentleman highly 
 esteemed b}'- all classes in Inverness, and subse¬ 
 quently became chief magistrate—an office 
 which he filled for years with honour and inte¬ 
 grity.'" His lady was grand-aunt to Mr Baillie 
 
 * Dr William Chisholm was Provost of Inverness from 
 1773 to 1776, and re elected 1779—1782. He survived till 
 1807. 
 
of the Family of Chisholm , etc. 117 
 
 of Dochfour. In benevolence and sympathy 
 she excelled, and wherever sickness or poverty 
 prevailed, her helping hand was extended to 
 alleviate it. This was beautifully exemplified 
 in the year 1781, better known as “ the year of 
 the white pease,” in which, throughout the 
 length and breadth of Scotia’s soil, its inhabi¬ 
 tants experienced the distressing effects of a 
 famine. Among 1 others who sent to the Conti- 
 nent for cargoes of pease was the lady’s brother, 
 Mr Alexander Baillie of Dochfour, who, on its 
 arrival in Inverness, directed Mi’s Chisholm to 
 distribute a considerable portion of it to the 
 most necessitous in the town—the rest to be 
 disposed of to the best advantage, and it cer¬ 
 tainly would have brought a handsome profit 
 then, as everybody would give any price for it 
 rather than starve, had not this amiable lady 
 represented to him that the poor could not pay 
 for it, and the rich would be provided for in 
 some other way. He then told her to do with 
 it as she thought best. Persons were now ap¬ 
 pointed to grant “ lines ” to the poor, some for 
 a peck or a peck and a half, and one of those 
 who had the honour of granting lines was the 
 narrator himself. 
 
 The present Chisholm’s father was one of 
 those kind and liberal landlords who lived in 
 the hearts of his tenantry and dependants, 
 cherishing a mutual and good understanding 
 with them, and they in return were directed by 
 his superior counsel and advice. Illicit dis- 
 
118 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 dilation was carried on then in Strathglass to a 
 great extent, and although he was continually 
 pressing on the people the danger and unlaw¬ 
 fulness of smuggling, he could not suppress it. 
 At Excise Courts he often presided, and when 
 an unlucky smuggler was brought before the 
 justices, and in all probability amerciating the 
 unfortunate man in a heavy fine, the Chisholm 
 was known frequently to move the sympathy of 
 his brethren on the bench, and set at large for a 
 mere trifle of a fine. 
 
 The great and godly Mr David Chisholm, 
 minister of Kilmorack, was a descendant of the 
 Chisholm family. He was a most powerful, 
 impressing, and convincing divine, and an hon¬ 
 oured instrument of doing much good in his day 
 and generation. He was succeeded in the 
 parish by his son, Mr David, also a celebrated 
 divine. 
 
( TI 9 ) 
 
 THE MACKENZIES OF REDCASTU. 
 
 ? HIS branch of the Clan Mackenzie, at one 
 time numerous and powerful, may now be 
 said to be extinct.* In former days when 
 violence, rapine, and war, was the all-absorbing 
 business of men, the Mackenzies of Redcastle 
 occupied the southern part of the county of 
 Ross, and possessed in the firth of Beanly 
 (which bounded their estate on the south) a 
 natural barrier of great importance to protect 
 them from sudden invasion or surprise, com¬ 
 manding a view of an extensive portion of the 
 country of the Frasers and the Mackintoshes, 
 and were well situated to act as the scouts and 
 warders of their clan, to communicate informa¬ 
 tion to their chief and his adherents, and to 
 harrass and delay, if they could not effectually 
 oppose, an invading army. In their capacity 
 as sentinels of the clan, they were distinguished 
 by watchfulness and bravery, and rendered 
 
 * The estate of Redcastle has passed from the Mac¬ 
 kenzies. In 1720 it vvas sold to Mr Grant of Sheuglie for 
 ,£25,450. In 1790 Sir William Fettes became the purchaser 
 at over £ 135,000, but it was sold to the family of the present 
 proprietor, J. E. Baillie of Dorhfour, upwards of sixty years 
 ago, at a large reduction on this price. For many descend¬ 
 ants of the Mackenzies of Redcastle, see The History of the 
 Mackenzies by Alexander Mackenzie, 1894- 
 
120 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 important services to their friends. In times of 
 peace, they were, however, characterised by a 
 spirit of tranquillity, humanity, and benevo¬ 
 lence, which was seldom evinced in the turbu¬ 
 lent times in which they lived. 
 
 The period at which the Mackenzies became 
 proprietors and took possession of the estate of 
 Redcastle, is very remote, and not known to the 
 author. In the year 1590.* Kenneth Mackenzie, 
 then laird of Redcastle, a gentleman of great 
 worth, and endeared to his friends, tenants, and 
 dependants by his amiable and engaging 
 qualities, resided in the family castle at Chapel- 
 town, situated a few hundred yards north of 
 where the present castle stands. From his 
 peaceable and impartial conduct to all with 
 whom he came into contact, he obtained a char¬ 
 acter for integrity, intelligence, and justice, and 
 the disputes of his more quarrelsome neighbours 
 were referred to his decision. Not only was he 
 esteemed and respected by those lairds and 
 chiefs in his own county and immediate neigh¬ 
 bourhood, but his friendship and acquaintance 
 were solicited by many at a distance. He was 
 particularly intimate and a great favourite with 
 the then chief of the Clan Cameron, and on the 
 in citation of the chief, paid frequent visits to 
 the residence of Lochiel in Lochaber. 
 
 In the year 1598, the Earl of Huntly, created 
 
 * According to Mackenzie’s history of the clan (1894), 
 Redcastle did not come into the possession of the Mac¬ 
 kenzies before 1608. 
 
I 2 I 
 
 of the Mackenzies of Rcdcastle. 
 
 Marquis in the later part of that year by Janies 
 VI., went on a hunting excursion to the wilds 
 of Lochaber. The Marquis was a keen sports¬ 
 man, and devoted much of his time to that 
 noblest of British, or perhaps of any sports, deer 
 stalking, then pursued with an ardour and on a 
 scale of greater extent and danger than in these 
 degenerate days, although of late years some¬ 
 thing of the spirit and enthusiasm of the olden 
 times seems to be reviving among those who 
 devote themselves to this glorious pursuit. To 
 receive so important a personage as the Mar¬ 
 quis of Huntly with suitable respect, and to en¬ 
 able him to follow his favourite amusement on 
 an extended and splendid scale, Lochiel invited 
 to his castle, not only the gentlemen of his own 
 clan, but several lairds and chiefs far and near, 
 and amongst them Kenneth Mackenzie, laird of 
 Redcastle. The sport was carried on for 
 several days with all the ardour, skill, and suc¬ 
 cess of practised sportsmen, and great was the 
 destruction which the numerous party made 
 amongst the antlered monarchs of the braes of 
 Lochaber and the surrounding country. 
 
 On the return of the party one evening, after 
 a fatiguing day’s sport through hill and dale, the 
 worthy chief as usual threw open his castle 
 gates, and admitted the almost worn out party. 
 They were received with the highest courtesy, 
 aud treated with the greatest respect ; and on 
 the pressing solicitation of Lochiel, Huntly 
 and the other guests consented to pass the 
 
122 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 night under the chieftain’s hospitable roof, for 
 whom a splendid feast was ordered to be 
 speedily prepared, to which a few of Lochiel’s 
 most respectable neighbours were hastily sum¬ 
 moned. At the groaning board, on the right of 
 Huntly, sat their brave and hospitable host and 
 son, and on the left Lochiel’s lady and her lovely 
 daughter. The piper, as customary, played 
 during the repast, some family airs. All, with 
 one exception, were as joyful and happy as could 
 be ; the ruby cup passed round, relieved with 
 some of Ossian’s songs bursting powerfully and 
 melodiously on the ear, and at times the piob- 
 rach’s stirring strains resounded through the 
 banqueting-hall. But there was one individual 
 present for whom the cup held out no entice¬ 
 ment, or the rapturous songs delight, nor could 
 the wild and martial notes of the great bagpipe 
 arouse him from his reverie. This solitary ex¬ 
 ception was Redcastle’s son, who, from the first 
 glance he got of Lochiel’s beautiful daughter, 
 became desperately in love with her; and al¬ 
 though his father, who was surprised at his un ¬ 
 usual silence, would now and then gently chide 
 him, it had no effect in awakening him from his 
 contemplative mood. Next morning as the 
 guests were leaving the hospitable mansion, 
 under the roof of which such an agreeable and 
 happy night had been passed, each and all of 
 them shook Lochiel and the rest of the family 
 heartily by the hand; and among the last to 
 perform this mark of friendship was the laird of 
 
123 
 
 of the Mackenzies of Redcastle. 
 
 Redoastle’s son. He shook Lochiel and his 
 lady with the accustomed cordiality and re¬ 
 spect, but upon approaching Miss Cameron, the 
 chief’s daughter, to take his leave of her, there 
 was a hesitation in his manner, his cheek was 
 flushed, and in the expression of his eye there 
 was an eloquence which told the throbbings of 
 of his heart, although his tongue was mute. 
 The young lady was also much fluttered, her 
 colour came and went, and she hung clown her 
 eyes upon the ground until their hands separa¬ 
 ted, and the young laird was about to depart, 
 when she ventured to raise them, and they 
 encountered his as they were taking a last 
 lingering loving look of the object of his affec¬ 
 tions. The declaration on either part, although 
 not a word was spoken, was inexpressibly intel¬ 
 ligent—the eyes spoke unutterable things, and 
 the bond of mutual attachment was sealed. The 
 young laird departed in melancholy silence, and 
 quickly rejoined his party, and a few more days 
 saw himself aud his father in safety at Red¬ 
 castle. 
 
 Since the morning he had left Lochiel’s, the 
 young man was never known to be happy, it 
 was the smile of one who was a stranger to 
 cheerfulness—a sort of melancholy seemed to 
 have taken possession of his mind, and settled 
 there. This state of matters could not long re- 
 main concealed from the eye of a fond and anx¬ 
 ious parent, who became greatly alarmed, when 
 he discovered traces of decline in his son’s 
 
124 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 countenance, and pressed him hard to know 
 the cause. To his father’s entreaties to be in¬ 
 formed of the change in his manner, he at last 
 yielded, and informed him of his attachment to 
 Miss Cameron, and that without her he could not 
 survive much longer, at the same time request¬ 
 ing his father to intercede for him with Lochiel. 
 Finding that his son’s affections were irretrie¬ 
 vably fixed on Miss Cameron, Redcastle, like a 
 wise and prudent parent, entered into the feel¬ 
 ings of his son, and instantly despatched a 
 trusty messenger with a letter to Lochiel, ac¬ 
 quainting him with the distressed condition of 
 his son, stating, at the same time, that nothing 
 on earth would give him greater pleasure than 
 that that chieftain would condescend to bestow 
 his daughter on his son, and pointing out the 
 disastrous results to himself (Redcastle) in the 
 event of his refusing to do so. Lochiel found 
 his daughter in much the same state as Red¬ 
 castle his son, and the sooner the youthful pair 
 were united, the better. Great was the joy of 
 the son when Redcastle informed him of the 
 purport of the letter, and even the worthy 
 parent could not refrain from participating in 
 his beloved son’s happiness, at the approaching 
 alliance with the daughter of the chief of a 
 powerful clan. 
 
 Redcastle and his son, accompanied with a 
 good many relatives, and a numerous body of 
 followers, lost no time in setting out for the 
 castle of Lochiel, where, in a few days after 
 
of the Mackenzies of Rcdcastlc. 
 
 125 
 
 their arrival, the young and loving pair were 
 united. In the evening of that eventful day, 
 and for many after, the halls of Lochiel’s castle 
 overflowed with guests, all hearts joining in 
 wishing happiness to the youthful couple, for 
 which the latter seemed to entertain no fears for 
 a bright future. During the marriage feast, the 
 visitors were delighted with music, resounding 
 through the extensive hall; while their fol¬ 
 lowers, forgetting old animosities, betook them¬ 
 selves to sports and games upon the green, 
 and were amply refreshed with home-brewed 
 ale, etc. 
 
 After spending some weeks at Lochiel Castle 
 the happy pair, accompanied by their friends 
 and followers, returned to Redcastle—Lochiel 
 sending along with his daughter his faithful and 
 trusty valet, Donald Cameron, an gille maol 
 dim , or the bonnetless lad. Valets then, did 
 not, as now, wear fine hats with gold and silver 
 bands around them, neither were they dressed 
 in any other livery than their plain clan tartan, 
 and were not only bonnetless but shoeless. 
 Now, although Donald Cameron held this 
 menial situation under his chief, lie was a mem¬ 
 ber of one of the most respectable families in 
 Locliaber, and nearly allied to the chief himself. 
 It was not generally the poorest who held the 
 situation of their chief’s gille maol dhu, and 
 Donald being a stately, fine looking, powerful, 
 and faithful man, possessed no small share of 
 Lochiel’s confidence. Although Lochiel was 
 
126 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 overjoyed at his daughter’s marriage with Red- 
 castle’s son, he had yet his fears for her safety, 
 owing to an old feud that existed between the 
 the Black Isle people and those of Lochaber, 
 especially the Glengarry men, and the horrible 
 tragedy at the church of Gilchrist not being yet 
 effaced from the memory of the Black Islanders.* 
 What still more increased his apprehensions 
 was, that some time previous to this they were 
 repeatedly harassed by a lawless band of cattle 
 lifters from Lochaber—the Bains, or Macbeans, 
 headed by their savage leader, Bengie Macbean, 
 
 * The following interesting note relative to the “ Raid of 
 Cillichriost ” is from an original MS. in possession of the 
 editor of this volume :— 
 
 “ The long and sanguinary feud between the Mackenzies 
 and the Macdonalds, and more particularly the Glengarry 
 branch of them, is supposed to have originated in the parti¬ 
 tion of property. Be that as it may, many and deadly were 
 the conflicts between them previous to the Raid of Cilli¬ 
 chriost. The Maclellans—a tribe who acknowledged the 
 lords of Kintail as superiors, and found protection under 
 their banners—unfortunately intercepted and murdered the 
 eldest son of Donald Macangus, alias Donald Gruimach, of 
 Glengarru. Donald, ere he could mature matters for ade¬ 
 quate retaliation, died, and the second son (who was now 
 chief of his clan), was, in consequence of his tender age, in¬ 
 capable of heading an enterprise of sufficient importance to 
 avenge the murder of his brother. But though the matter 
 lay dormant for some time, and the young chief had in the 
 buoyancy peculiar to youth, nearly forgot his sorrows, still 
 there was one in whose rugged soul delay had but strength¬ 
 ened revenge. This was Allan-dhu-Macranuil of Lundi, 
 the chief’s cousin, and, during his minority, acted as captain 
 or leader of his clan. This man, whose personal prowess 
 equalled his ferocity, collected the Macdonells, and several 
 
of the Mackenzies of Rcdcastle 127 
 
 whose son. whilst quite a youth, became so dis¬ 
 gusted with the barbarous life his father and his 
 adherents led, that he fled from, and never re¬ 
 turned to them again, but afterwards became 
 one of the brightest ministers that Scotland 
 could boast of since the days of the great Mr 
 Welsh. As already stated, Lochiel being aware 
 
 times swept away the Mackenzies’ cattle ; but these incur¬ 
 sions were but a prelude to the more sanguinary deed in 
 contemplation. Blood—the life-blood of a whole host of 
 his bitterest foemen—could alone expiate the murder of his 
 relative and chief. In singling out a favourable opportunity 
 for his revenge, it is affirmed that he wandered for some 
 time in the country of the Mackenzies as a mendicant, until 
 he fixed on the scene of his horrible tragedy. Returning to 
 his own country, he gathered a band of the most desperate 
 of his clan,and by a forced march across the hills surround¬ 
 ing the church ot Cillichriost, on a Sunday forenoon, when 
 a numerous congregation had assembled to worship their 
 common God, here, without a moment’s pause—without a 
 single pang of remorse—he ordered the infernal torches to 
 be applied to the dry heath with which the building was 
 thatched ; and whilst a low breeze from the east fanned the 
 work of destruction, the voice of praise from within might 
 be heard mingling with the crackling of the iiames. Too 
 conscious at last of the awfulness of their situation, the hor¬ 
 rified assembly rushed towards the porch. But here a 
 double row of bristled swords were opposed to the breasts 
 of those who thought themselves more than fortunate in 
 having reached it. From the doorway they tumultuously 
 flew to the small and high windows ; but here, also, the same 
 formidable barrier gleamed upon their eyes. Now indeed, 
 arose the wild wail of despair. r l he shrieks of the women, 
 the infuriated roaring of the men, and the helpless cries of 
 the children mingled with the raging of the flames, formed 
 a combination of horrors which appalled even the hearts of 
 the Tllowers of Allan-dhu Macranuil. ‘ Thrust them back 
 into the flames,’ said that fiend ; ‘ he who suffers aught 
 
128 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 of a deep-rooted prejudice existing in the minds 
 of the Black Isle people towards the Lochaber 
 men, made him the more anxious of sending 
 
 t # o 
 
 with his daughter the gille maol d/m, knowing 
 full well that this trusty adherent, sword in 
 hand, would die in defence of his beautiful mis¬ 
 tress. The party at length, without the least 
 occurrence worth mentioning, arrived in safety 
 at Bedcastle, where a sumptuous banquet was 
 prepared, to which all the neighbouring gentry 
 and farmers were invited, and a cordial welcome 
 the young pair received to their future home 
 from those assembled. The surrounding hills 
 were all in flames, every knowe showed its bon¬ 
 fire in honour of the occasion, and as the blaze 
 was reflected from the Beauly and Moray 
 Firths, Donald Cameron was convinced, that 
 for his young mistress no danger need be ap¬ 
 prehended from the Black Islanders, from this 
 display of their attachment to the house of Bed- 
 castle. Donald was soon presented with a 
 more civilised dress, with the additional appen¬ 
 dages of bonnet and shoes. Being a remarkably 
 
 with his life to escape out of Cillichriost shall be branded as 
 a traitor to his clan.’ And they were thrust back, or hewn 
 mercilessly down in that narrow archway until the dead op¬ 
 posed an insurmountable heap to the dying. Anxious to 
 make a last desperate effort for the preservation of their suf¬ 
 focating young, the scorched mothers flung their infants out 
 at the windows in the vain hope that the feelings of a father 
 might be stirred in the bosoms of some of the savages of 
 Lundi ; but here they were received on the broadsword, 
 and their innocent spirits fled in the hands of monsters in 
 
129 
 
 of the Mackenzies of Rcdcastle. 
 
 good-looking young man, he attracted the at¬ 
 tention of the housekeeper, who was also young 
 and pretty. Honest Donald being aware of the 
 bonnie damsel’s partiality for him, like a good 
 and true knight, could not suffer any lady to 
 die for love of him, and they were soon united. 
 Having now possessed himself of an agreeable 
 and happy companion, Donald was resolved to 
 return to “ Lochaber no more,” but fix his resi¬ 
 dence in the Black Isle, and by the kindness of 
 his amiable mistress and her lord, he was 
 enabled to enter into possession of the farm of 
 Mulchaich in Ferrintosh, but was not long 
 tenant of it when he was deprived of his wife 
 who left him, however, a legacy of seven 
 beautiful daughters. Donald soon married 
 again, and his second wife bore him seven 
 sturdy sons, who grew up and married, so that 
 the Black Isle was well supplied with the race 
 of the gille maol dim. He lived himself to a 
 great age, and was interred in the churchyard of 
 Ferrintosh, where also repose the ashes of many 
 of his descendants. The descendants of the 
 gille maol d/m were not only to be found in the 
 Black Isle, but Ross-shire in general, and not a 
 few of them are to be found in the shires of 
 Sutherland and Moray, and even in various 
 parts of the globe, holding prominent stations in 
 society, while a good many respectable and 
 
 whose breasts mercy never had the smallest share. It 
 was a wild and fearful sight, but the excess of its horrors 
 was only witnessed by a wild and fearful race.” 
 
 9 
 
130 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 sturdy sons are yet to be found in Ferrintosh, 
 their original soil. 
 
 But to return from this digression to the 
 Mackenzies of Redcastle. The family continued 
 to increase in wealth and power. The old castle 
 became too old or too inconvenient, and the pre¬ 
 sent castle was erected. It is situated on a 
 small eminence within a few hundred yards of 
 the sea, and commands one of the most exten¬ 
 sive, varied, and picturesque views in the north. 
 Immediatey in front is Loch Beauly, the whole 
 of which, from the village of Beauly at the one 
 end, to the ferry at Kessock at the other, can be 
 seen from the castle windows. Beyond Loch 
 Beauly, the Aird, Bunchrew, Muirtown, and 
 Belladrum, rise in variegated splendour, with 
 their handome seats, fruitful fields and beauti¬ 
 ful plantations, while to the north the eye gleams 
 along a fertile and cultivated country, until the 
 view is bounded by the dark mountains of Strath- 
 orrin and Strathconan. The Castle itself is an 
 extensive, commodious, and elegant structure, 
 combining some of the conveniences of the 
 modern mansion with the strength, the turrets, 
 spires, loopholes, and battlements of the castles 
 of the 16th century. 
 
 From the period when this castle was erected, 
 the tide of prosperity which had hitherto at¬ 
 tended the Mackenzies of Bedcastle began to 
 ebb. The superstition of the people of the 
 country ascribed the decay of the family to the 
 circumstance of a man having been buried alive 
 
of the Mackenzies of Rcdcastlc. 13 1 
 
 below the foundation stone. It is unnecessary 
 to say that there can be no grounds for a story 
 which would reflect such diabolical disgrace on 
 the family ; but it may have arisen from the 
 accidental death of one of the workmen while 
 engaged in his work. The people in the neigh¬ 
 bourhood—perhaps the most superstitious in the 
 kingdom—required then, and require even now, 
 but very slender materials to impose upon 
 themselves, and upon others, a tale of horror. 
 Be this, however, as it may, certain it is, that 
 from that period the family declined in prospe¬ 
 rity, until it gradually became extinct. The 
 lairds of Bedcastle, like their neighbours, took 
 part in the civil commotions of the last century ; 
 and like most of those who were engaged in 
 those commotions, suffered for their loyalty or 
 disloyalty, whichever it may be called. 
 
 The last laird of Bedcastle of the name of 
 Mackenzie was Collector of Customs at Inver¬ 
 ness, and well known to the narrator. He was 
 a most amiable man, condescending in his man¬ 
 ners, and arduous in the duties of his office, 
 but from the circumstance of his eldest son 
 Kenneth joining himself with a band of deter¬ 
 mined smugglers, the good old gentleman was 
 viewed with a jealous eye. Kenneth was not 
 long associated with this lawless band when he 
 had the boldness to bring them with him to his 
 father’s castle of Bedcastle, and there for safety 
 deposit their contraband goods. 
 
 The worthy laird his father, who was not till 
 
132 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 then aware of the illegal and evil career his son 
 was pursuing, although at the same time his 
 hopes were far from being sanguine regarding 
 him, as from his youth upwards he was of an 
 over-rambling disposition. However, there was 
 now no alternative for Collector Mackenzie 
 but to resign his situation—a situation he 
 filled with honour and integrity. He was 
 much felt for and sympathised with by both 
 high and low throughout the north, and parti¬ 
 cularly so by the inhabitants of Inverness. 
 Kenneth, seeing what his folly brought his 
 venerable parent to, he, like the prodigal son, im¬ 
 mediately abandoned his iniquitous career. A 
 short time after this he commenced the droving 
 trade—a more lawful occupation—but not being 
 successful, he gave it up for the more honour¬ 
 able one of fighting for his king and country, 
 having got a commission in the 78th, or 
 floss-shire Highlanders. So keen and eager 
 was he in enlistment, that he forced several 
 poor fellows out of their beds on his father’s 
 estate, to accompany him to India’s shores. 
 This work of compulsion he even had the bold¬ 
 ness to carry on in Inverness, where he trepanned 
 not a few, among whom there was one of the 
 name of Gunn, whose mother was a reputed 
 witch, and whose awful imprecations were 
 fearfully levelled against him and his family for 
 tearing away her only child. Some time after, 
 while with his regiment in India, he was 
 charged at the instance of the Government with 
 
 O 
 
of the Mackenzies of Redcastle. 133 
 
 fraud, for which he was called home and con¬ 
 fined for the rest of his lifetime in the Tower of 
 London. In the midst of grief and sorrow 
 his venerable parent calmly and meekly re¬ 
 signed his spirit into the hand of his eternal 
 Father, in whose mansions the cares, toils, and 
 disappointments of this world below are not 
 known. The estate subsequently became much 
 burdened, and as the second son John, who was 
 in the army, and was much beloved and re¬ 
 spected by his brother officers and every one 
 who had the pleasure of his acquaintance, was 
 not in circumstances to redeem it, it was put up 
 for sale. A wealthy scion of the clan offered 
 largely for it, and the only impediment in the 
 way of getting it was his being the son of a 
 tinker (but he was a good and honest man, al¬ 
 though horn spoon-making, etc. was his calling), 
 It was, however, purchased by the Grants, then 
 by Sir William Fettes, and after his death by 
 the present proprietor, Colonel Baillie of Tarra- 
 clale, the Lord-Lieutenant of the county. 
 
 The last of the Mackenzies of Redcastle, 
 Miss Mary or Molly, died at a very advanced 
 old age a few years ago at Lettoch, in a house 
 which she had occupied there for many years. 
 She was a stately dignified old maiden lady, but 
 somewhat eccentric in her habits, and if a story 
 current of her in the neighbourhood be true, 
 a little whimsical in her tastes. If the cooking 
 of any dish did not please her, she invariably 
 exclaimed, “ Very good for servants, but don’t 
 
134 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 like it for mysel’.” So frequently did she give 
 utterance to this expression, that for several 
 years before her death the neighbours were in 
 the habit of calling her by the title of “Very 
 good for servants, but don’t like it for mysel’.” 
 Major Mackenzie of Kincraig is the lineal des¬ 
 cendant and representative of the Mackenzies of 
 Redcastle. 
 
 There is, perhaps no property in Scotland 
 which has been so much improved as the estate 
 of Redcastle. Eighty years ago the estate was 
 a naked barren waste, scarcely yielding any corn 
 except on what was called the Mains. It is 
 now one of the best cultivated properties in the 
 kingdom, and so greatly and so rapidly did the 
 value of the property increase in consequence of 
 planting the hills and cultivating the plains, 
 that although the property was purchased by 
 the Grants only a few years before the begin¬ 
 ning of the present century for somewhere about 
 jQ 20,000, it was in 1828 or 1829'" sold to Sir 
 William Fettes for the sum of about ^135,000 ! 
 but the present proprietor purchased it for a 
 smaller sum. One of its most valuable farms 
 is the ferry of Kessock, which pays a rent of 
 about ^1000 per annum, although not sixty 
 years ago the toll was principally paid in ban¬ 
 nocks ! It is still more gratifying to record that 
 the comfort, intelligence, and morals of the in¬ 
 habitants have improved in a ratio corresponding 
 with the value of the soil. 
 
 For changes of proprietors see note to page 119. 
 
of the Mackenzies of Redcastlc. 13 5 
 
 Until within a late period superstition 
 abounded in this and the neighbouring estate 
 of Drynie. There is scarcely a bog, burn, or 
 lonely spot with which some tale of superstitious 
 horror is not associated ; and in addition to the 
 ordinary witches, warlocks, ghosts, benshees, 
 and benaives the superstitious have called to 
 their aid the water-liorse and the water-bull, 
 which are said to frequent Loch Drynie and 
 Linne-a-Bhuic-Bhain. 
 
 A very singular story is told of the Patersons 
 of Kessock. It is said that one of them was 
 fortunate and courageous enough to secure and 
 take home a mermaid, which he kept for some 
 time in his house. But the nymph of the ocean, 
 being eager to regain her native element, sup¬ 
 plicated her captor for her release, and said she 
 would grant any three requests he would make 
 if he would permit her to depart. He agreed 
 to this, and one of the three which he asked 
 was “ that no Paterson should ever be drowned 
 in the ferry of Kessock.” The people of Kes¬ 
 sock, Craigton, and Pedcastle, firmly believe in 
 this story, and their belief is strongly confirmed 
 by the singular fact, that although many 
 persons of the name of Paterson have for cen¬ 
 turies been engaged on the ferry, such a circum¬ 
 stance as one being drowned was never known, 
 and what is perhaps more singular is, that while 
 the ferry was in their possession, no person was 
 drowned in it."* 
 
 * We have heard a version of this tradition differing 
 
136 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 Besides the above annoyance to the peaceable 
 inhabitants ot Redcastle. they were often 
 troubled, especially in their sojournings under 
 cover of night, with other and still more wicked 
 demons, particularly while passing a burn about 
 a mile to the east ol Redcastle, for scarcely one 
 could pass or repass it without being in danger 
 of their life. The last individual who was at¬ 
 tacked at this unhallowed spot was a worthy 
 man of the name of Paterson, reader and cate¬ 
 chist of the parish. Episcopacy was then the 
 creed of the entire district. He being at the 
 
 from the above. It was told that one of the Patersons, 
 taking an early stroll along the rocky shore at Craigton, had 
 suddenly come upon a mermaid who was disporting herself 
 out of her native element, and seized on her before she could 
 find her way back. Paterson was aware of the superstition 
 attached to the mermaid, that, if a scale or two were taken 
 off her tail she would lose the fishy part of her power. Her 
 captor suddenly acted on his knowledge, and immediately 
 before him stood a beautiful woman. He took her to his 
 home—married her—she bore him a famil). The scales 
 detached from her were carefully hid away by her husband 
 —well knowing as he did, that if once regained by his wife, 
 she would resume her original state. The children were 
 growing up; and one day a son, who wondered what his 
 father’s visits to a certain out-house portended, discovered 
 that there was something carefully put away in a place in 
 the wall. He one day took out the carefully wrapped-up 
 scales, and rushing into the house in his father's absence 
 showed them to his mother, who immediately seized on 
 them, and hurried down to the beach and disappeared in 
 the water. Her husband on his return home learned what 
 had occurred, and long mourned the mother of his children. 
 It is said that for years after, the family never wanted for a 
 daily supply of fish of all kinds—a liberal supply was always 
 to be found on the beach opposite their house. 
 
of the Mackenzies of Redcastle. 1 3 7 
 
 time on a catechising mission in the west, and 
 returning rather late to his own house at Easter 
 Kessock, was attacked whilst approaching the 
 said burn by a huge monster, and were it not 
 for the repeated interposition of a faithful mas¬ 
 tiff, he would never return to tell the tale. 
 However, the poor man proceeded homewards, 
 when there appeared as it were, a lighted torch 
 or candle, as an emblem of the fiendish spirit 
 being overcome, which light stuck by him until 
 he arrived at his own house, a distance of four 
 miles. He ordered his wife to give plenty of 
 food to his faithful companion the dog, but next 
 morning the poor animal was found dead, and 
 the inference was, that although the evil spirit 
 did not get the power over the honest catechist, 
 it assuredly got it over his companion. Nothing 
 daunted, the worthy man repaired next night 
 to the burn, travelling the whole night up and 
 down from one end to the other, carrying in his 
 hand an open Bible, and constantly engaged in 
 prayer. From that time henceforward, the poor 
 traveller was never known to meet with any 
 impediment at this ill-fated spot. 
 
 “The prayer of the righteous availeth much.” 
 
 However, the march of civilisation, religious and 
 moral, has now, we may say, entirely banished 
 all ideas of such supernatural beings out of our 
 land. 
 
( ) 
 
 THE BLACK WATCH, 
 
 OR FORTY-SECOND ROYAL HIGHLANDERS, ETC. 
 
 [\ T the period when the Highlands were go- 
 441 verned more by might than either by 
 justice or honour, lawless bands of free¬ 
 booters and cattle-lifters committed sad depre¬ 
 dations on friends and foes, rich and poor. To 
 such excess were matters carried with a high 
 and daring hand, that at last their deeds of 
 spoliation became intolerable, threatening many 
 with litter ruin ; and although small detach¬ 
 ments of soldiers were stationed in garrisons in 
 different localities in the Highlands, they were 
 not of sufficient strength to cope with the hardy 
 and daring cattle-lifters, aided, as they generally 
 were in their movements and flights, by a 
 thorough knowledge of every nook and corner 
 in the whole country. To counteract their law¬ 
 less and annoying deeds, and render some secu¬ 
 rity to life and property, many of our Highland 
 chieftains and lairds found it necessary to raise 
 companies of strong, resolute, and able-bodied 
 men, acquainted with the country—each respec¬ 
 tive gentleman maintaining the company he had 
 
The Black IVatch. 
 
 139 
 
 raised—and whose duties were generally per¬ 
 formed by night in scouring the country, search¬ 
 ing for stolen cattle, or intercepting the 
 marauders with their “ creach ,” and restoring 
 them to their owners."" The dress of the differ¬ 
 ent companies was of a similar description, 
 being dark green jacket, philabeg, hose, and 
 brogues with large buckles, black belt over the 
 shoulders,another round the waist, a large broad¬ 
 sword on the 011c side, and a dirk on the other 
 —hence they were called the “ Black Watch,’’ 
 or Freacadain Dhu . They sometimes carried 
 muskets, and it may also be said they were a 
 kind of rifle corps. Their vigilance, deter¬ 
 mination, and prowess soon struck terror and 
 alarm into the hearts of the evil-doers, and their 
 very name carried fear with it, so that ere long 
 depredations were scarcely heard of, and at last 
 existed only in the mere name. An effectual 
 check being thus given to the freebooters, 
 it was considered unnecessary to continue the 
 Black Watch any longer; but, nevertheless, 
 as they were such useful, brave, and excellent 
 bands of men, it was thought a hardship to dis- 
 
 * The Government of the day established these indepen¬ 
 dent companies in 1729. They were paid and maintained 
 by the authorities, and not by the Highland chiefs. The 
 notorious Simon Lord Lovat was in command ol one 
 company, and it has been said that the deprivation of this 
 military honour in 1744 led him to plunge deeper into the 
 intrigues of the Jacobite party. Colonel Grant of Ballin- 
 dalloch and George Munro of Culcairn were other northern 
 lairds who had commands given to them in this local force. 
 
140 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 band them, particularly as their country at the 
 time required the services of all able to carry 
 arms in its defence—and these men, if formed 
 into a regiment, would make a very superior one. 
 To suggest such to these brave men would be 
 inconsistent with the motives which embodied 
 them, and not altogether safe. But the chiefs 
 and lairds, being bent on forming them into a 
 regiment, had recourse to artifice and flattery. 
 Accordingly, in April 1744, the different com¬ 
 panies were assembled in Inverness ; but the 
 object for which they were called together was 
 of course kept a profound secret. At Inverness, 
 all the companies were embodied into one, and 
 non-commissioned officers of the “ regulars ” 
 were procured to drill them every day, and train 
 them in the proper army exercises. They re¬ 
 mained a considerable time in Inverness, were 
 put “ through their facings ” daily, and learning 
 the different military manoeuvres, at last, natu¬ 
 rally supposing that their services being now no 
 longer required, they would be allowed to return 
 to their homes and families ; but no—they were 
 otherwise destined. The place where they used 
 to exercise is a little to the south of the Ness 
 Islands, still known as Campfield. 
 
 Artifice and flattery, as stated, were neces¬ 
 sary to induce the Black Watch to leave 
 the vicinity of their homes. They were told 
 by their chiefs and officers, that his Majesty, 
 hearing of their fine appearance, and the great 
 services they had done the country, was anxious 
 
of the Black Watch. 
 
 14 1 
 
 to make a personal inspection of such a disting¬ 
 uished body of men previous to their being dis¬ 
 banded. The duped Black Watch, elated with 
 such a message from royalty, unanimously con¬ 
 sented to embark for London, on the under¬ 
 standing that after the review they would be 
 sent home to their families.* However, a 
 melancholy occurrence happened which threw a 
 sad gloom over the whole corps, and was con¬ 
 strued by many as a bad omen. One of Lord 
 Lovat’s company had been for some time pay¬ 
 ing his addresses to a young female in the town, 
 who became enciente. Pretending to be going 
 to the Aird to bid adieu to his parents, he re¬ 
 quested the confiding girl to accompany him on 
 his paternal message, that he might introduce 
 her as his intended partner for life, and on their 
 return to town he would have their union 
 solemnized. Cheered by the prospect of an im¬ 
 mediate union, and relying on his assurances, 
 the unfortunate girl consented to accompany him. 
 On the road thither, they called at Peggy Bain 
 
 * When the regiment assembled at Perth in March 1743, 
 they learned with surprise of the intention to send them to 
 England, and thereafter abroad to reinforce the army in 
 Flanders. After protestations and the warnings of Lord 
 President Forbes, the Government persisted, and they were 
 marched to London. These proceedings were attended by 
 disaster, and resulted in the desertion of a large body of the 
 men, who attempted a retreat to Scotland. We need not 
 follow this episode ;—but finally the soldiers were induced 
 to return to their duty. Three of the ringleaders in this 
 affair were tried and found guilty, and were shot. 
 
i 4 ~ Historical and 7 raditional Sketches 
 
 the innkeeper’s, ai Clachnaharry, where they had 
 a glass of gin or hollands. Here they remained 
 for a considerable time, he being evidently anx¬ 
 ious to prolong their stay as much as he could, 
 and, intending not to go much farther with 
 his unsuspecting victim, was wishful that 
 the shades of night would close and shroud the 
 diabolical deed he contemplated. They started 
 at last for the Ail'd, but, alas ! horrid to relate, 
 the Aird she was destined never to reach, for 
 they only reached Bunchrew, and there, close to 
 the roadside, beneath the foliage of an alder 
 tree, the poor unfortunate girl was barbarously 
 murdered by her inhuman seducer. In about 
 an hour after the tragical deed was done, he was 
 in Peggy Bain’s again, and had a dram. Seeing 
 him besmeared with blood, Peggy suspected 
 what had occurred, and asked what had become 
 of his companion, and how far he had accom¬ 
 panied her; but he would return no answer, and 
 hastily left for town. Next day the mangled 
 corpse of the deluded female was found in the 
 spot where she had been murdered. The Black 
 Watch man, understanding that he was generally 
 suspected, precipitately fled to the hills and fast¬ 
 nesses of the Aird, supposing that among his 
 clan he would be secure, and which he certainty 
 Avas for some time, for they aided him greatly, 
 and thereby eluded those sent in pursuit. Pre¬ 
 sident Forbes, who was at the time in Edin¬ 
 burgh, hearing of the murder, and of its being 
 committed near his favourite residence, wrote 
 
of the Black Watch. 
 
 143 
 
 Lord Lovat, stating, that he hoped none ot his 
 clan would shelter or screen an individual guilty 
 of such an atrocious crime, besides, that he had 
 written to Inverness, in order that a party of 
 the 15th Foot, then stationed in the Castle, 
 would go to the Aird and capture the murderer, 
 if possible. This had the desired effect 
 for the murderer was soon taken, tried, and 
 sentenced to death. He confessed the crime, 
 and acknowledged the justice of his sentence., 
 The alder tree never again shot forth leaves, but 
 for years stood a withered stump, as if bearing 
 testimony to the atrocity of the crime perpe¬ 
 trated under it. The narrator well remembers 
 seeing this tree. 
 
 Whilst the above distressing events were 
 being enacted, the Black Watch left in great 
 glee for the Metropolis. They were reviewed 
 by his Majesty* and principal officers, and high 
 were the encomiums passed on them. After 
 satisfying the curiosity of the cockneys, they 
 were marched to Chatham, where they were to 
 embark for the Continent. At Chatham they 
 understood the turn matters had taken, and 
 that they were not to be allowed to return to 
 their peaceful homes as promised, but to fight 
 with Britain’s foes. A good many here deserted, 
 but most were captured, a few only making good 
 their escape. Britain was then waging war with 
 France, and the first appearance of the Black 
 
 * This is not a fact. The King left for Hanover the same 
 day that the Highlanders reached the outskirts of London. 
 
144 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 Watch on the Continent was at the memorable 
 battle of Fontenoy. Here they were placed 
 where the battle raged the hottest; but seeing 
 the slight damage done to the enemy’s ranks by 
 their muskets, they seemed to waver, which 
 being noticed by their companions, thought they 
 meant to desert, and were therefore preparing 
 to fire upon them, but they were sadly mis¬ 
 taken ; desertion they knew not or dreamed of, 
 for throwing away their cumbersome muskets, 
 and drawing their claymores, the Black Watch, 
 
 “True to the last of their blood and their breath, 
 
 And, like reapers, descend to the harvest of death,” 
 
 dashed instantly amongst the enemy, whose 
 line, by the impetuosity of the charge, they soon 
 broke, and made fearful carnage. At this time 
 a party of dragoons rode up, and followed the 
 advantage gained by the Black Watch, to whose 
 bravery and undaunted courage the victory Avas 
 mainly ascribed. Of them the French com¬ 
 mander remarked, “ Oh ! how these royal bon¬ 
 nets slaughter our men,” which being reported 
 by the Duke of Cumberland, commander of the 
 British forces, to his Majesty, the latter said, 
 “ Then let them be henceforward royal.” This 
 memorable battle was fought on 30th April 
 1745. Subsequently the cause of the Pretender 
 was exciting some alarm, and it was thought ad¬ 
 visable to recall the Duke of Cumberland with a 
 considerable part of his forces; but although the 
 
of the Black Watch . 
 
 145 
 
 Black Watch, now the 42nd Royal Highlanders, 
 had distinguished themselves, they were not 
 allowed to return, Government fearing that 
 once more on their native hills, they would not 
 fight for the House of Hanover against their 
 chiefs and relations, who fought in Prince 
 Charlie’s cause. This was probably a judicious 
 step, and not even affording them an opportu¬ 
 nity of testing their loyalty. It is but justice 
 to say that the 42nd, throughout all the wars 
 up to 1815, distinguished itself as a brave, 
 valiant, and renowned corps, which their innu¬ 
 merable laurels amply testify. 
 
 10 
 
( H6 ) 
 
 DONALD CRUIMACH. 
 
 THE BLACK ISLE CATTLE-LIFTER. 
 
 "POR the last two centuries there has not, per¬ 
 il haps, been a more notorious cattle-lifter 
 than Donald Gruimach. From his very 
 grim and ferocious appearance, he was better 
 known by the soubriquet of “ Gruimach.” In¬ 
 deed, Donald was the terror of the whole 
 country, especially the Black Isle, to which his 
 depredations were chiefly confined, and whose 
 lairds he most unsparingly plundered of their 
 best cattle and sheep. He resided near Tarra- 
 dale, and never walked abroad without his bitac 
 (dirk) and skian dim. His courage was as 
 reckless as his presence of mind was astonish¬ 
 ing, and being thoroughly acquainted with the 
 locale of the scene of his operations (for there 
 was not a corner or crevice in the country with 
 which he was not familiar), it rendered it no 
 easy task to bring home any charge to him. 
 And although many were quite conscious that 
 
Donald Gruimach. 
 
 147 
 
 he, and he alone, was the person who stole their 
 cattle and sheep—still they were afraid to lay 
 such an action to the credit of this renowned 
 freebooter. However, M‘Homais, the laird of 
 Applecross, whose sheep now and then were 
 stolen from off his estate of Highfield (which 
 was then, and for many years after, the pro¬ 
 perty of the Applecross family),* determined to 
 make a strict and thorough investigation re¬ 
 specting his stolen property, and Donald’s fame 
 reaching his ears, it naturally occurred to him 
 that there was none so likely to harass him as 
 Donald Gruimach ; consequently he despatched 
 twelve strong able bodied men to Donald’s 
 bothy on the evening of the day on which one 
 of his best wedders disappeared. Donald, how¬ 
 ever, happened to be about the door, and as the 
 guilty mind is always timorous and apprehen¬ 
 sive of coming evil, he gave a cautious look 
 around his residence, then with the keen and 
 penetrating glance of the eagle scanned the 
 face of the country, where he espied at a dis¬ 
 tance the men rapidly approaching him. He 
 saw portending danger in their movements, and 
 there being no time to lose in conjecture as to 
 the purport of their mission, he instantly entered 
 his hut, seized the sheep and bound it with 
 thongs,—then laid it in a large cradle, and cover¬ 
 ing it over with a piece of blanket, he seated 
 
 * The estate of Highfield was sold by the Mackenzies in 
 1781. 
 
148 Historical mid Traditional Sketches 
 
 himself beside it, and appeared tenderly engaged 
 in rocking the supposed child, humming at the 
 same time, ‘ ‘ Baloo, baloo, mo lenaibh ! ! ” while 
 the men made their entrance at the door. One 
 of them accosted Donald by asking, “ Where is 
 the wedder you have taken to-day from High- 
 held ?” He answered them quite seriously, and 
 not the least disconcerted, “ May I eat him 
 that’s in the cradle, if I took it.” They did not 
 question Donald further, or examine the con¬ 
 tents of the cradle, by which he swore so fer¬ 
 vently, but returned much mortified, without 
 taking either sheep or Donald ; and it may 
 easily be supposed that he was but too happy 
 when he saw them make their exit, and get so 
 easily out of this uncomfortable dilemma. But 
 this narrow escape from detection had no effect 
 on Donald, neither did it prevent his levying 
 contributions on those in the neighbourhood of 
 his abode, for sometime thereafter he had the 
 hardihood to take one of Kilcoy’s best oxen 
 from the Mains; but whether it was owing to 
 his being always so well armed, or that the proof 
 against him was considered inadequate to en¬ 
 sure a conviction, there was no effort at the 
 time made to take him into custody,—he was, 
 therefore, for some time suffered to roam un¬ 
 disturbed over the country, committing several 
 other depredations. 
 
 Kilcoy, however, did not forget the loss of 
 his good ox, but it availed not; he could not 
 fall on any scheme to entrap the wary thief. 
 
of Donald Gruimach. 
 
 149 
 
 After running over in his mind several strata¬ 
 gems, which were no sooner concocted than dis¬ 
 pelled, he at last thought on the following. 
 Being told that Donald was in the vicinity of 
 the Castle, he went out, in order, if possible, to 
 meet or see him, and was not long in discover¬ 
 ing the object of his search. Donald, seeing 
 Kilcoy approach him unaccompanied, stood, 
 for indeed he was so powerful that he would 
 not show his back to the four strongest men in 
 the country. Kilcoy told him he had an im¬ 
 portant letter to send to the Sheriff at Fortrose, 
 which required urgent attention, and that if he 
 would convey it, he would get a shilling for his 
 trouble, which in those times was considered no 
 bad remuneration for the distance he had to 
 travel. Donald hesitated, but at last consented 
 to go. Kilcoy then immediately went and 
 wrote the necessary letter to the Sheriff, the 
 purport of which was that the bearer was a 
 most notorious stealer of cattle and sheep, and 
 that it would be doing the greatest service to 
 the country at large, if he (the Sheriff ) on re¬ 
 ceipt would safely secure Donald in jail, as 
 shortly charges would be brought against him 
 which would be proved to his satisfaction; as 
 himself and many of his neighbours around 
 him, suffered severely from the redoubtable 
 cattle-lifter. 
 
 Donald could neither read nor write; how¬ 
 ever, he did not proceed far on his way, wrapt 
 in meditation, his own circumstances haunting 
 
150 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 his mind, and probably contemplating the reck¬ 
 less career of his past life, when lie began to 
 examine and look very minutely into the letter, 
 when, lo ! he imagined that in it he discovered 
 the horns of Kilcoy’s brown ox. It then oc¬ 
 curred to him that it was for the purpose of 
 having himself apprehended and handed over to 
 the Sheriff, that he was despatched with the 
 letter, which was meant to have effected this 
 object. He immediately retraced his steps, 
 and the first person he met was the laird him¬ 
 self, who, no doubt, was previously overjoyed 
 at the thought of ridding himself of such a for¬ 
 midable neighbour as Donald Gruimach. But 
 in this the laird of Kilcoy was sadly disap¬ 
 pointed, who, addressing Donald, asked him, 
 “ How was it that he returned so soon ? ” 
 Donald’s mind was not at rest, and he answered 
 the laird, “ Back! it is no wonder than I am 
 back; did I not see the very horns of the 
 brown ox in that letter as distinct as possibly 
 could be ? ” Then, throwing the ominous 
 letter at Kilcoy’s feet, fled with the swiftness of 
 the roe to his hiding-place, in order to elude 
 the search of any who might be sent in pursuit 
 of him. 
 
 Crime may be carried on unchallenged for a 
 time, but a day of reckoning will come, when 
 justice will prevail, and so it happened with 
 Donald. He was seized for stealing a stot from 
 a widow who lived on the estate of Tulloch— 
 Bayne being then the proprietor, who warmly 
 
of Donald Gruimach. 151 
 
 interested himself in the poor woman’s loss. 
 Donald was lodged in Dingwall jail, and while 
 he lay there, the widow visited him daily, fur¬ 
 nishing him with the best meat she could pro¬ 
 cure, in order if possible, by her kindness, to 
 extract some information from him, by which 
 she could recover her favourite stot. He always 
 promised to tell her where the stot was, 
 and thereby kept her in continual suspense. 
 In due time he was tried and sentenced to be 
 executed. On the day of his execution, and 
 while he stood on the platform, the poor woman 
 cried out to him, “ Will you 110 tell me now 
 where is my stot?” But he answered, “I 
 have more to think of at present than you or 
 your stot.” While he thus stood he was anx¬ 
 iously and impatiently looking towards the 
 west, as he expected a strong party of the clan 
 Fraser to make their appearance and effect a 
 rescue. They actually left their homes for that 
 purpose, and came the length of Ord, but hav¬ 
 ing been met there by a number of the Mac¬ 
 kenzies as a deputation from Brahan Castle, the 
 latter reasoned with them on the necessity and 
 justice of freeing the country of such a notori¬ 
 ous individual as Donald Gruimach, and pre¬ 
 vailed on the Frasers to return, without 
 proceeding farther to rescue him from the scaf¬ 
 fold, a doom which he so justly merited. 
 Donald was never known to commit any en¬ 
 croachment on the Lovat estates, and it was 
 supposed that it was on this account the 
 
152 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 Frasers favoured him so much. One of his 
 most impregnable hiding-places was on the 
 estate of Lovat in Glenstrathfarar, and it was 
 further conjectured that he was a scion of that 
 clan. 
 
 
( 153 ) 
 
 HICHLAND ROBBERS AND CATTLE-LIFTERS. 
 
 ? HE following is an account of the wild and 
 daring exploits of three of the most hardy 
 cattle-lifters that ever traversed our High¬ 
 land hills, viz., Alexander Macdonald, alias 
 Coire-na-Caoracli ; Donald Kennedy or Mac- 
 ourlic, alias An Gaduiche Dubli ; and Samuel 
 Cameron, alias Mac Domhuil Dubli:— 
 
 Macdonald, or Coire-na-Caoracli, lived in a 
 secluded bothy on the confines of the Glengarry 
 estate, a little to the west of Fort-Augustus, 
 whose daring exploits in robbery and cattle¬ 
 lifting ultimately became the terror and scourge 
 of the surrounding country, whose cveach, or 
 spoil, he often, in defiance of the law, drove to 
 the south. However, this state of things was 
 not to be much longer carried on by him, as the 
 neighbouring lairds supposed, with their vassals 
 combined, they might lay hold of him ; and 
 none was more eager for his apprehension than 
 Glengarry, who cordially joined the other lairds 
 in getting him outlawed ; but Coire-na-Caoracli 
 being apprised of their design, it only had the 
 
154 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 effect of making him more vigilant than before. 
 Coire now perceiving that he was outlawed and 
 a price set upon his head, determined on not 
 venturing any more to sojourn over night at his 
 own residence, but ever afterwards took up his 
 nightly abode in his cave on the margin of 
 Loch Ness, a most rugged and craggy spot, a 
 few miles west of the celebrated Falls of Foyers. 
 This cave actually stretches out upwards of 
 twenty yards below the bed of the lake, and 
 over the entrance was a large flagstone. There 
 Coire-na-Caorach was perfectly secure from all 
 his pursuers, where he lived on the best, viz., 
 roast beef and mutton, etc., but he contrived to 
 see his wife now and then in her bothy without 
 being observed ; at last, in consequence of old 
 age creeping upon him, he became unable any 
 longer to go in search of prey, and confined 
 himself to his dungeon. At length he became 
 so very ill that she expressed her wish that he 
 should breathe his last under their own roof. 
 But how was this to be done ? About mid¬ 
 night, however, this devoted woman buckled up 
 the feeble frame of her husband in a good 
 blanket and carried him to the mouth of the 
 cave, and afterwards trudged through rugged 
 rocks and barren moors with her aged partner 
 in life, and arrived at the house in safety—un¬ 
 seen and unknown—before daylight. Coire 
 began to sink rapidly, and in the course of a 
 few days thereafter, breathed his last, when his 
 
of Highland Robbers and Cattle-Lifters. 155 
 
 remains were gathered to the dust of his kindred 
 unmolested. 
 
 Donald Kennedy, or Macourlic, alias an 
 Gaduiche Dubh, was also a notorious thief and 
 cattle-lifter. He lived in the Braes of Lochaber, 
 and sometimes sojourned in the company of 
 Coire-na-Caorach, and divided the spoil. He 
 was also outlawed, and a price set upon his 
 head. Having no proper place of concealment 
 in the neighbourhood, he forsook home and 
 family, and went to Perthshire. Here he en¬ 
 gaged as a farm servant, and a rather curious 
 circumstance led to his discovery. A fine 
 horse, the property of his master, having 
 been amissing, he was ordered to search for 
 the animal, which he gladly consented to 
 do, and on his finding the horse, rode at 
 Gilpin speed to a remote part of the country 
 with it and sold it. After being two days 
 away he returned to his master, telling him 
 that there was not a hill or dale that he could 
 think of but he searched for the horse. His 
 master replied, angrily, and said, “ You ought 
 to try, sir, places you did not think of.’’ An 
 Gaduiche Dubh set out again on his pre¬ 
 tended pursuit, but in the course of a few 
 minutes thereafter, the worthy farmer and his 
 wile, who were sitting round a blazing pile of 
 peats, were suddenly startled by a rumbling 
 noise on the top of the house. In a minute or 
 two afterwards large pieces of turf began to 
 pour down upon them, which caused them 
 
156 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 quickly to repair outside, lest the whole fabric 
 might fall in, when, to their astonishment, who 
 did they see on the housetop (eagerly throwing 
 the turf in all directions around him), but he 
 whom they sent in further search of their horse. 
 The honest farmer bawled out to his servant, 
 “ What in the world prompted you to do such 
 mischief? ” The Gaduiche replied, “ Did you 
 not tell me to go and search for the horse where 
 I did not think of, and I am just doing so.” 
 Before morning the farmer formed another 
 opinion of his supposed half-witted servant, for, 
 said he to his wife, “ As sure as you are alive, 
 woman, Donald is no other than the Gaduiche 
 Dubh (the fame of the Gaduiche being over the 
 length and breadth of the Highlands), so that 
 the sooner we get quit of him in peace and 
 quietness the better.” The honest wife at once 
 coincided with her husband. Next morning 
 Donald was paid his wages, no doubt as well 
 pleased to go as his master and mistress were 
 to get quit of him. 
 
 At one time Lochiel being on a visit to Glen¬ 
 garry, where the two chiefs spent a happy night 
 together, among other conversation between 
 them a wager was laid which of the two, viz., 
 an Gaduiche Dubh or Coire-na-Caorach, was 
 the greatest thief. Glengarry wagered on 
 Coire’s head, and Lochiel on that of the Gad¬ 
 uiche. Next day the desperadoes made their 
 appearance before their respective chiefs at the 
 Castle of Glengarry. Having been told the 
 nature of their mission they set down the strath 
 
of Highland Robbers and Cattle-Lifters. 157 
 
 to Fort-Augustus ; from thence to Invermoris- 
 ton, but having espied nothing worthy of cap¬ 
 turing, they traversed part of Glenmoriston 
 with as little success. Being determined not to 
 return without some evidence of their expert¬ 
 ness. they bent their course to Glen-Urquhart. 
 After ascending the hill of Monadh-na-Leum- 
 naich, Donald, the Gaduiche Dubh, became 
 overcome with fatigue, and said it was of no 
 use to enter the country of the Frasers and Mac¬ 
 kenzies, as they would be in danger of being 
 taken, they then sat down on the top of that 
 stupendous hill, and immediately Donald fell 
 into a profound sleep. However, Coire-na- 
 Caorach did not sleep, as he was fully deter¬ 
 mined not to return without some token of his 
 dexterity, and having quickly unfolded his com¬ 
 panion’s plaid, cut a piece out of one of the 
 folds, and made a pair of hose, which he put on 
 his brawny legs ere he awakened the Gaduiche 
 Dubh. He now roused him up, saying it was 
 of no use to go further, but to return to Glen¬ 
 garry. The Gaduiche reluctantly assented, and 
 on their arrival at the Castle the chiefs anxiously 
 enquired what had they done on their journey. 
 The Gaduiche spoke first, and said he regretted 
 to say nothing at all. Coire-na-Caorach 
 answered, looking to Donald, “ But I have 
 though; look at my hose, and look at your 
 breacan ,” or plaid. The Gaduiche unfolded it 
 and at once saw that the piece had been taken 
 out of it, and became fully convinced that it 
 
158 Historical and Traditional Sketches 
 
 was the identical piece which had been so 
 quickly converted into Highland leggings. As 
 a matter of course, Glengarry won the wager. 
 The Gaduiche, like his contemporary, Coire-na- 
 Caorach, lived to a great age, and died a 
 natural death. 
 
 Samuel Cameron, alias Mac Dhomhuil Dubh, 
 was also one of those worthies who considered 
 might to be right, and that his ability and daring 
 in cattle-lifting afforded him a title to pursue 
 that vocation with impunity. At the era of the 
 outlaw, the power of life and death was confided 
 to the Sheriffs, and he who was the principal 
 Sheriff in the north at this time, was a Mr 
 Mackenzie, of the family of Kilcoy, residing at 
 Kilmuir Wester, better known on account of his 
 severity by the title of Shirra Dubh. This official 
 had long desired to have Mac Dhomhuil Dubh 
 iu his clutches, and he at length succeeded. 
 Conviction and sentence of death followed as a 
 necessary consequence of his having fallen into 
 the hands of the Sheriff; but just previous to 
 the hour of execution, Mac Dhomhuil Dubh ap¬ 
 plied his herculean powers with such success as 
 to break out of the Inverness jail; and rendered 
 still more desperate by this circumstance, 
 became a greater terror than ever to the sur¬ 
 rounding country, which he in a manner placed 
 under tribute. The officers of justice, although 
 they knew whereabouts his ordinary retreat was 
 situated, at the same time knew that their lives 
 would be in jeopardy by even approaching the 
 supposed spot, as he could with his pistols and 
 
of Highland Robbers and Cattle Lifters. 159 
 
 gun defend himself successfully against a host 
 of invaders. A cave in the Red Craig, near 
 Abriachan, on the mountain side above Loch- 
 Ness, was his place of rendezvous. 
 
 From this elevated spot the outlaw could 
 command an extensive view of the Loch, and 
 for miles all around, particularly to the south 
 and east of Inverness, while no one could pass 
 along the narrow pathway at the foot of the 
 mountain without coming under the inspection 
 of the tenant. It happened on one occasion 
 that Sliirra Dubh was led by the chase along 
 the side of Loch-Ness, immediately below the 
 domicile of the outlaw, who, perched eagle-like, 
 aloft betwixt earth and sky, and with a glance 
 well-nigh as keen, watched the approach of a 
 horseman in whom he quickly recognised the 
 person of the relentless Shirra Dubh. With the 
 delight of the vulture hovering over its devoted 
 prey, and with the agility of the tiger advanc¬ 
 ing to spring from his lair, the person of the 
 outlawed Highlander, with a visage so over¬ 
 grown with hair as to resemble the shaggy 
 goats that alone shared with him the empire of 
 the mountains, might have been seen rapidly 
 descending the face of the cliff, or screening 
 himself behind the stunted pine and birch trees 
 which skirted the base, until Shirra Dubh came 
 fairly abreast of the place where he was en¬ 
 sconced. Then springing forward, the outlaw, 
 with one hand, grasped with an iron clutch the 
 neck of the Sheriff, while with the other he pre¬ 
 sented a pistol at his breast, exclaiming, “Shirra 
 
160 Historical and Traditional Sketches. 
 
 Dubh. I have you now in my power. I am 
 hunted like a beast from the earth ; if I attempt 
 to meet my family, I do it as the peril of being- 
 shot by any one that may please. I cannot be 
 worse off, and now, unless you will solemnly 
 swear to reverse my sentence, and declare me a 
 free man at the Cross of Inverness, on Friday 
 first, I will instantly shoot you.” The Sheriff 
 perceived that he was entirely at the mercy of 
 the outlaw, in whose haggard countenance and 
 eye he plainly read that desperation which 
 would assuredly lead him to fulfil his threaten¬ 
 ing. He therefore religiously proposed com¬ 
 pliance, but this would not satisfy Mac Domh- 
 uil Dubh, until he gave a most solemn oath, 
 whereupon he was permitted to depart, and the 
 outlaw retreated to his cave. Shirra Dubh, 
 true to his oath, assembled on the following 
 Friday (being a market-day), the officials of the 
 town and neighbourhood, and publicly, at the 
 Cross, proclaimed the reversal of the sentence, 
 and Samuel Cameron, alias Mac Dhomhuil 
 Dubh, a free man. This act of mercy was not 
 misplaced, as Samuel, who had been a pest to 
 the wealthy proprietors, and (like Rob Roy), to 
 them only, ever after abandoned his predatory 
 habits, and lived highly respected for the re¬ 
 mainder of his life at the Muir of Bunchrew, 
 where he reared up a large family. The 
 narrator was personally acquainted with his 
 grandson, a most decent and exemplary man. 
 
( i6i ) 
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 INVERNESS IN THE OLDEN TIME. 
 
 MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS. 
 
 [b^REVIOUS to the year 1775 it was custom- 
 Jj ary for the whole of the Town Council to 
 assemble on Sundays at half-past ten 
 o’clock am. at the Provost’s house, and thence 
 go in procession to church. After divine ser¬ 
 vice was over, they returned in the same order 
 to the Provost’s residence, where they were 
 duly solaced with a glass or two of Hollands 
 and some bread and cheese. The town-officers, 
 who sat on a form in the lobby, were not for¬ 
 gotten ; for whilst their superiors were regaling 
 themselves up-stairs, the humble functionaries 
 were each served with a £oocl oat bannock and 
 a coggie of strong beer. When the Council 
 after this manner had made a hearty lunch, they 
 returned in similar state to the afternoon service, 
 after which they returned to their respective 
 homes. This piece of civic ostentation was dis¬ 
 continued, and the magisterial authorities pro. 
 
 11 
 
162 
 
 Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 ceeded to the church from the Town Hall, as 
 at present, in consequence of a dispute as to 
 precedance and dignity. The dispute happened 
 in this way. A little tailor residing at Drakies, 
 named Hugh Chisholm, had the good fortune 
 (as it was said) to find a wallet well filled with 
 gold in a whin-bush near the bothy in which he 
 resided, which was supposed to have been con¬ 
 cealed there by an officer in the Highland army 
 in his flight from the battlefield of Culloden. 
 
 Hugh, however, did not give up his business, 
 but continued steadily for several years at his 
 lawful calling at Drakies, during which many a 
 good calf did he measure, being specially famed 
 for making hose. He at length came to reside 
 in Inverness, where he engaged m the profes¬ 
 sion of a merchant. He was successful in 
 business, and attracted the attention of Provost 
 Chisholm, who was partial to him on account of 
 of his being a clansman ; and the result was 
 that honest Hugh was invited to become one of 
 the civic rulers of the Highland capital—an 
 honour which he at once and very proudly ac¬ 
 cepted. This took place in September 1775. 
 The seat in the High Church at present appro¬ 
 priated to the use of the magistrates, at that 
 time was divided into two pews. The front 
 one being considered the most honourable, was 
 of course occupied by the Provost and magis¬ 
 trates, and the other appropriated to the 
 merchant and trade councillors. The merchant 
 councillors took precedence of those denomi- 
 
Mu n icipa l A ffa irs, 
 
 163 
 
 natecl trade councillors, and entered the pew 
 according to their order, the tradesmen fol¬ 
 lowing. 
 
 The first day little Hugh joined the magis¬ 
 terial procession, he substituted the cocked hat 
 for the blue broad bonnet, the single-breasted 
 broad-skirted coat for the home-made kelt one, 
 and thus conceitedly trudged along with his 
 brother councillors. On arriving at the church, 
 H ugh’s right of precedence was disputed by 
 Convener Grant the coppersmith—a stately, 
 fine-looking man—who, carrying in his hand 
 his official staff, looked upon his newly in- 
 stalled brother with both jealousy and con¬ 
 tempt. 
 
 Hugh, however, determined to maintain his 
 rights, when a regular scuffle ensued, and not¬ 
 withstanding the interference of the worthy 
 Provost, and Jock Hay and Itory Mackinnon, 
 the burgh officers, their angry looks and threat¬ 
 ening gestures did not subside until some 
 minutes after the minister had entered the 
 pulpit. This unseemly melee in the house of 
 prayer caused a painful sensation in the congre¬ 
 gation. Next day a meeting of Council was 
 summoned, and the Convener was sharply re¬ 
 buked by the Provost for persisting in what 
 was not his right, and thus occasioning confusion 
 in such a place and on such a day. Afterwards, 
 on the motion of the Provost, it was resolved 
 that the two pews should be converted into one 
 solely for the accommodation of the Provost and 
 
164 Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 magistrates, and ever since it has remained in 
 statu quo.'"' It was also resolved that the proces¬ 
 sion to church should henceforward take place 
 from the Town Hall. 
 
 FRACAS AT CNOCAN-NA-GOUR. 
 
 Cnocan-na-Gonr, or “ Goat’s Knowe,” is a 
 rising ground on the Tomnahurich Road about 
 half-a-mile west of Inverness, where, about a 
 century and a-half since, markets were held for 
 the sale of goats. Subsequently a weekly 
 market came to be held on this stance every 
 Thursday afternoon for the sale of butcher 
 meat, poultry, eggs, butter, and cheese. The 
 sellers of these useful commodities were chiefly 
 the Urquhart and Glenmorriston tenantry, who, 
 by selling their goods here, evaded the payment 
 of the bridge toll and the other customs in the 
 town. The glens’ people were from time to 
 time well supported and patronised by the in¬ 
 habitants, who resorted thither to buy, being 
 supplied cheaper than at the regular Friday 
 market in town, so that those who attended the 
 latter had often to return home without selling 
 scarcely anything, which was deemed by them 
 
 * A change has again taken place in the arrangement of 
 the magisterial pew. It has this year (1894) been formed 
 into two seats as in 1775. The magistrates, however, now 
 only make one visit annually to the High Church, on the 
 first Sabbath after the election in November, 
 
Fracas at Cnocan-na-Gour. 165 
 
 a hardship, they having to pay the regu¬ 
 lar dues. 
 
 The magistrates at length saw the injustice of 
 the regular market being thus forestalled by the 
 illegal one at Cnocan-na-Gour, which, if allowed 
 to be held, would tend much to diminish the re¬ 
 venue of the town. A meeting of Council was 
 called which unanimously agreed that vigorous 
 and prompt measures should immediately be 
 adopted so as to discontinue the Thursday 
 market at Cnocan-na-Gour. However, they 
 thought it more advisable, before having re¬ 
 course to harsh measures that two or three of 
 their number should on the following Thursday 
 go thither and apprise the mountaineers in 
 calm language of the determination of the 
 Council respecting their assembling there. 
 To this warning the glens’ people paid a 
 deaf ear. 
 
 The deputation returned and reported to their 
 official brethren the equal determination of the 
 mountaineers to resist to the utmost of their 
 power any infringment that might be attempted 
 on what they conceived to be their just rights. 
 On this another meeting of Council was called, 
 when it was resolved that the whole body, with 
 their officers and a posse of constables, should 
 proceed on the afternoon of the following Thurs¬ 
 day to the market, and compel those assembled 
 —sellers and buyers—never to meet again there 
 for the same purpose. As the market people 
 were gathering the next Thursday they were 
 
166 Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 apprised of the determination of the magistrates 
 and Council, and who were to be on the ground 
 shortly. Notwithstanding they were nowise 
 alarmed. At length the official dignitaries and 
 their followers appeared in the distance, headed 
 by the town officers with Lochaber axes on 
 their shoulders. 
 
 The glens’ people now thought it was time 
 to put themselves in battle-array so as to meet 
 their civic opponents. Both parties met, and 
 in an instant a savage onslaught was the result 
 —fist to fist and cudgel to cudgel. The burgh 
 officers made themselves prominent with their 
 halberds or Lochaber axes, and there was 
 nothing now but helter-skelter—bonnets and 
 cocked hats flying in all directions. 
 
 For some time it was uncertain which of 
 the parties would be triumphant. At length 
 the magistrates and their party took to their 
 heels, some of them having received fearful 
 scars and bruises. They were hotly pursued, 
 and it was only those who were so fortunate 
 as to be long-limbed that escaped scathe¬ 
 less. 
 
 The most formidable and effectual weapons 
 used by the sons of the mountain were legs 
 of mutton, which they dexterously wielded 
 and brandished in skelping right and left to the 
 horror and consternation of the Inverness rulers 
 and their assistants. 
 
 On their arrival in town the Council as¬ 
 sembled and wrote immediately to the lairds 
 
Provost Maclean in a Fight. 167 
 
 of Grant and Glenmorriston, giving an account 
 of the whole matter, who, after receiving the 
 letter, convened their respective tenants and 
 cottars, charging them never more to meet in 
 the same place for the sale of their goods— 
 whoever doing so being threatened with re¬ 
 moval from their estates. This had the desired 
 effect; and so ended the Thursday’s market 
 at Cnocanna-Gour, to the great mortification 
 of the glens’ people as well as disappointment 
 of the townsfolk. 
 
 PROVOST MACLEAN IN A FIGHT. 
 
 Another somewhat serious affair, and akin to 
 the preceding, took place on the High Street 
 opposite the Cross. This occurrence happened 
 about the year 1725. On market days it was 
 invariably the practice of the town’s boys to 
 annoy country lads by throwing handfuls of 
 shot, or otherwise tempting them, so as to 
 induce them to retaliate—the town boys gen¬ 
 erally having a strong force at hand to assist 
 them if any of their number was struck. On 
 the occasion referred to a sturdy Highlander of 
 the name of Maclean, from the braes of Glen- 
 Urquhart, not relishing altogether the pranks of 
 his beardless friends, succeeded in bringing 
 some of them within arms length, and quickly 
 putting four of them hors-dc combat. Their 
 cries soon attracted a number of their coinpa- 
 
i68 
 
 Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 nions to tlieir aid, and the mountaineer had soon 
 to deal with heavier metal, as a considerable 
 number of persons of more powerful strength 
 than those he had already encountered entered 
 on the fray. For a few minutes he withstood 
 their charge, defending’ himself most gallantly, 
 but he was ultimately overpowered. For him 
 there was no quarter, and he would not surren¬ 
 der. In the height of his despair, he called 
 out so as to be heard above the deafening noise 
 of the crowd—‘ Oh ! sirs, is there not a son of 
 Clan Gillean here to-day ? ” His appeal was 
 not in vain. Provost Maclean was at the mo¬ 
 ment standing in his shop-door, waiting for the 
 arrival of a party of constables for whom he 
 had sent to quell the fight, and on hearing the 
 distressed cry of his clansman, his Highland 
 blood got the ascendancy, and forgetting his 
 dignity as chief magistrate, he rushed bare¬ 
 headed into the crowd, clearing his way as he 
 advanced, and knocking down his tellow-citizens 
 right and left, until he made his way to the 
 side of his oppressed namesake. 
 
 The crowd did not perceive, until he was 
 planted in the midst of them, that it was the 
 Provost who had thus unmercifully belaboured 
 them ; and then his face operated like magic. 
 Some stood amazed, while others, quickly rea¬ 
 lising the situation, took to their heels, while 
 not a few bore marks of after-recognition. The 
 Provost took his brave and thankful namesake 
 
The Bloody Mary mas Cheese Market. 169 
 
 by the hand, saying, “ I heard your distressing 
 cry, and at once came to your assistance, and 
 would not count him that would not do so as a 
 true son of Clan Gillean.” He then led him to 
 his house and entertained him hospitably, and 
 on leaving presented him with an excellent 
 bonnet as a further token of his esteem for the 
 manner in which he upheld the honour of 
 the clan, 
 
 Provost Maclean was an amiable and kind- 
 hearted man, and in his day the principal mer¬ 
 chant in Inverness. His shop was opposite the 
 Exchange, in the town residence of the once 
 powerful Cuthberts of Castlehill, otherwise 
 known as “ Tigh mor Mic Sheorsa.” The 
 late Colonel Inglis of Kingsmills was a lineal 
 descendant in the female line of Provost 
 Maclean. 
 
 THE BLOODY MARYMAS CHEESE MARKET. 
 
 The Maryinas market for the sale of cheese 
 in the olden time was held on the southmost 
 end of the Castle Hill, and the last which was 
 held there was the scene of a most sanguinary 
 affray, arising out of a circumstance of a trifling 
 and ludicrous nature. On a beautiful August 
 evening in the year 1666, a stout masculine¬ 
 looking dairymaid from Strathnairn, not well- 
 satisfied with her sales, was hastily packing- 
 up her unsold kebbocks, and the discontented 
 
i 70 Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 manner in which she set about this was re¬ 
 marked ; but as ill-luck would have it, or to 
 torment her the more, one of the kebbocks un¬ 
 fortunately slipping from her hand rolled down 
 the green slope; nor was its course arrested 
 until the waters of the Ness closed over it. 
 
 The descent of the kebbock was noticed by 
 two or three young boys of the town who lost 
 110 time in snatching it from its watery bed ; 
 but the dairymaid, seeing it was recovered, and 
 and supposing the boys would, for their trouble, 
 appropriate it as their own, despatched a like 
 number of lads of her own acquaintance from 
 the country to take it from them. The town 
 boys refusing to give up the cheese, words 
 speediy degenerated into blows. The country 
 lads, having the worst of the day, a number of 
 grown-up people came to their aid,but this move- 
 ment’was followed by additional supplies pouring 
 in on the side of the town’s people—so that in 
 a few minutes hundreds were engaged in the 
 broil, which now bore the appearance of a pitched 
 battle. The Provost hearing of what was going 
 on, hastened to the ground accompanied by the 
 Sheriff and a party of soldiers from the Castle ; 
 but their utmost exertions to put a stop to the 
 fight were of no avail. Their presence only in¬ 
 censed the combatants the more. Fresh sup¬ 
 plies poured in every moment, and all kinds of 
 weapons that could be procured were put in use. 
 Town officers, with their Lochaber axes, were 
 opposed by the cudgels of the mountaineers. 
 
Smuggling. 
 
 1 7 1 
 
 The fight having now raged for more than 
 three hours without either side wavering, and 
 no more auxiliaries arriving, the combatants 
 simultaneously desisted. Then came reflection. 
 The river Ness was dyed with blood, and all 
 around were heard the groans and piercing 
 cries of the wounded, the friends and acquaint¬ 
 ances of the combatants. Both sides were 
 horror-struck at the work they had been en¬ 
 gaged in, and neither could claim the victory. 
 This battle was denominated the “ kebbock 
 battle,” or batail-a-mulachac —a name which 
 will not be forgotten in the annals of the High- 
 land capital. Connected with this senseless 
 carnage, the dairymaid, according to tradition 
 afterwards told, that whilst the milk was yearn¬ 
 ing in the “muckle pot” for the unlucky keb¬ 
 bock, it actually appeared like blood; and 
 further, that her hands and arms had been all 
 covered over with the same. After the above 
 conflict a cheese market was never more held in 
 the same place, but formed part and irarcel of 
 the regular Mary mas fair in the town. 
 
 SMUGGLING. 
 
 At the period we write of the protection of 
 the revenue in the Highland capital was en¬ 
 trusted to two functionaries, an excise officer 
 and a tide waiter. These two worthies held 
 and exercised considerable sway over the roving 
 
172 Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 desperadoes of the Highlands, but they never¬ 
 theless came into frequent collision with them 
 and had consequently many narrow and hair-> 
 breadth escapes. The fairy hill of Tomna- 
 hurich had been a favourite resort of the smug¬ 
 glers, although locality and other circumstances 
 must have rendered it extremely inconvenient 
 for their desperate purposes, and it is probable 
 they availed themselves of the superstitious 
 dread which was then attached to this haunted 
 hill, a feeling no doubt increased by their own 
 nocturnal orgies. No matter why, it is certain 
 that this was the selected spot where many an 
 “ anker ” of sparkling Hollands had been care¬ 
 fully deposited. 
 
 The smugglers generally employed an Ama¬ 
 zon denominated Muckle Madge, to carry 
 their illegal gear from Tomnahurich to the 
 town, and in this capacity she on one occa¬ 
 sion unfortunately met the gauger, who, of 
 course, demanded the prize. Madge, however, 
 without revolving the propriety of the matter, 
 resolved to hazard an engagement, and a des¬ 
 perate conflict ensued, but she was no match 
 for the officer with his cutlass, and the result 
 was that victory and a cask of gin became his 
 pro tempore. The exciseman, however, having 
 plenty of other work before him was necessi¬ 
 tated to conceal his prize in a court opposite 
 where the Northern Meeting Rooms now 
 stand, but in doing so he had been perceived by 
 a young lad and lass who had chosen a corner 
 
Smuggling. 
 
 *73 
 
 of the court to talk over certain business inter¬ 
 esting only to themselves, and who, discover¬ 
 ing the gauger’s secret, carried off the “ anker ’ 
 in triumph, and restored it to its original 
 owner. 
 
 Some time afterwards Archie Chisholm, an¬ 
 other officer of the excise, was assailed at the 
 Little Green by a mob of young women, who 
 seized the officer, and having bound him in a 
 large washing-tub, set him adrift down the 
 river. Fortunately, however, his incongruous 
 barque took the ground whilst getting over a 
 shoal, and he was rescued from his perilous si¬ 
 tuation by a benevolent individual who hap¬ 
 pened to hear his cries of distress. 
 
 Another character named Rory Macquain, a 
 very strong and powerful man, was pretty often 
 employed in those times by certain authorities 
 to carry supplies of gin, etc., from their hiding- 
 place, the whin bushes of the fairy hill, into the 
 town. On one occasion he had the boldness to 
 carry a large “ anker ” of Hollands in broad 
 daylight, meeting with no interruption till he 
 came to the bridge, on the parapet of which he 
 rested his heavy burden. Here he espied little 
 Mr Hossack the tide-waiter coming in great 
 haste in his direction. Rory was a good deal 
 down in the mouth, but determined to make a 
 bold stroke for the gin, and as his enemy the 
 tide-waiter came quite close, Rory accosted 
 him with—“ T wish, Mr Hossack, you would 
 
Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 HI 
 
 relieve me of this weighty ‘ anker ’ of gin, as 
 I am perfectly tired with carrying it,” to which 
 honest Mr Hossack answered—“ Don’t you be 
 mocking me, Rory, for weel ken I you have no 
 such thing in that * anker.’ ” Rory v'as allowed 
 to pass the rest of his way without molestation, 
 and delivered his valuable burden to its proper 
 owner. What is most singular, Mr Hossack 
 was well aware of Rory’s notoriety as a smug¬ 
 gler, but never thought he would have had the 
 hardhood to indulge in such a practice at mid¬ 
 day. But in those days almost all respectable 
 householders brewed their own ale, which no 
 doubt led Mr Hossack to think that it was an 
 “ anker ” of such beverage Rory Macquain was 
 carrying. 
 
 SHERIFFS CAMPBELL AND FRASER OF INVERNESS- 
 SHIRE. 
 
 Perhaps a more upright and merciful judge 
 than Sheriff Campbell never sat upon the 
 bench, or one who took a greater interest in the 
 cases of the humbler classes. At the com¬ 
 mencement of the first American war a great 
 demand existed for men, every method and 
 artifice being resorted to in order to enlist or 
 or entrap the unwary. It was no uncommon 
 trick with recruiting parties to present the 
 country lads with lozenges or other confec- 
 
Sheriffs Campbell and Fraser. i 7 5 
 
 tions with a shilling secreted among them, 
 which upon the unsuspecting greenhorn taking 
 in his hand, he was immediately enlisted—and 
 no entreaties could induce the soldiery to take 
 back the obnoxious shilling. At other times 
 they would clandestinely slip a shilling into the 
 pockets of the unwary, and then claim them 
 as recruits. Many a hardy and brave moun¬ 
 taineer was thus ensnared, and sent abroad to 
 fight in defence of his country and native wilds. 
 One of those who had been thus practised upon 
 was a young man from the braes of Glen- 
 Urquhart, who, not relishing the idea of cross¬ 
 ing the Atlantic, showed some resistance, in 
 which he was aided by a few friends, but the 
 red-coats were too many for them, and for 
 better security lodged his prize in jail. Upon 
 this two or three of the captive’s female friends 
 immediately repaired to Sheriff Campbell’s 
 house (now known as Ness House), and re¬ 
 quested an interview. The worthy Sheriff, 
 though entertaining a large party to dinner, im¬ 
 mediately came out, and hearing the suit the 
 females proffered, he instantly proceeded bare¬ 
 headed to the jail, and demanded the young 
 man’s immediate liberation, which to the joy of 
 his friends was quickly granted. 
 
 Sheriff Campbell was succeeded by Mr 
 Fraser of Farraline who likewise was a just 
 and upright judge, but it can hardly be said 
 that his decisions were seasoned with that for- 
 
176 Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 bearance and leniency which distinguished the 
 trials and judgments of his predecessor. In his 
 time the French war broke out, and enlistments 
 were made in a manner equally crafty as in the 
 days of Sheriff Campbell. A young man from 
 Stratherrick who happened to be in Inverness 
 on a market day was entrapped by the red¬ 
 coats as the Glen-Urquhart lad had been, and 
 made an appeal to Sheriff Fraser ; but the only 
 consolation he got was that he could obtain no 
 redress, for “ King George must have men, 
 come what will, or by whatever manner; other¬ 
 wise the French will come over and kill us all.’’ 
 The poor fellow departed much cast down, fol¬ 
 lowed by a posse of red coats. A countryman, 
 however, found opportunity to whisper in his 
 ear to go to the ever ready friend of the poor 
 and distressed—Mr Macdonell, solicitor. To 
 him he accordingly went and mentioned what 
 the Sheriff had said to him. On this Mr Mac¬ 
 donell desired him to go immediately back to 
 the Sheriff, and getting as near as possible to 
 his person, slip a shilling into his breeches’ 
 pocket, which if he succeeded in doing, he 
 could claim the Sheriff as his recruit, at the 
 same time using his own words, namely, “King 
 George must have men, come what will.” 
 
 The Highlander did as desired, and claimed 
 the worthy administrator of the law as his 
 lawful recruit, who, in a great rage, said, 
 “Away home you scoundrel, out of my sight! 
 
A Highland Desperado. 
 
 i 77 
 
 I know it was that devil Sandy Macdonell 
 that put you up to this.” The now overjoyed 
 Highlander returned to his native hills. 
 
 A HIGHLAND DESPERADO. 
 
 In byegone times the Highlands were cele¬ 
 brated for giving birth to many strong, robust, 
 and healthy men, some of whom were endowed 
 with more than an ordinary portion of physical 
 powers. Crunar Fraser, the subject of the 
 present tale, was born at Kingellie, in the parish 
 of Kirkhill about the year 1625. As he was 
 rising towards manhood his strength propor¬ 
 tionally increased; but in his disposition he 
 possessed nothing of the meek or amiable, but, 
 on the contrary, was overbearing, unbending, 
 and cruel to excess—so much so that ultimately 
 he was the terror of the country. A new field, 
 however, was opened for him more congenial 
 to his tastes. Through the interest of his chief 
 a commission in the army was procured for 
 him. At this time a civil war broke out in Ire¬ 
 land, and thither Crunar Fraser and his com¬ 
 pany were ordered ; but as he was leaving 
 his native place his stepmother gave him a 
 Scotch ‘‘ convoy” the length of Inverness— 
 no doubt inwardly rejoicing at getting off such 
 a ferocious character. On coming to the centre 
 of the bridge, she told him she intended going 
 no farther; but ere bidding him farewell put 
 
178 Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 a charm around him, which she said would 
 make him invulnerable to either steel or bullet. 
 “ And how long is the charm to last ? ” asked 
 Crunar. “ Until you see my face again,” re 
 plied the pretended enchantress, turning away. 
 Crunar’s evil genius was in the ascendant, and 
 quick as thought he unsheathed his broadsword, 
 and with one blow severed her head from her 
 body, in the belief that by this barbarous deed 
 the charm would remain with him all his days. 
 
 Having joined his regiment in Ireland, he 
 was not long there when his prowess and dar¬ 
 ing were unequalled, and his hairbreadth 
 escapes were the surprise of the whole army, 
 while his powers as an officer were mercilessly 
 exercised towards all whom the fortunes of war 
 placed within his grasp. To none who fell into 
 his hands was quarter given, but all were cruelly 
 butchered—not even the tender sex being 
 spared. In one instance the agonising en¬ 
 treaties of a beautiful young lady arrested for a 
 moment his murderous arm as he was in the 
 act of thrusting his sword through the heart of 
 her husband—a gallant and brave officer—but 
 the emotion was merely transitory, for in an in¬ 
 stant he sacrificed his victim. The lady, to 
 whom he had taken a fancy, was spared with 
 the purpose of carrying her to the Highlands as 
 his bride. Returning from the field, with the 
 lady seated behind him on horseback, and 
 whilst in the act of crossing a bridge, he felt the 
 hands of his fair captive as if searching for 
 
A Highland Desperado. 
 
 179 
 
 something about his person—probably his dirk 
 or skiandhu —he instantly turned round and 
 despatched her, throwing her lifeless body into 
 the rapid stream beneath. 
 
 Crunar’s warlike exploits and fame in Ire¬ 
 land were greatly lauded by not a few of the 
 clan who remained at home ; while there were 
 others who dreaded the worst on his return, but 
 these were agreeably disappointed, he having 
 settled down amongst them as a quiet peaceable 
 farmer, and not the ferocious and bloody soldier 
 they had expected to find him. Some time be¬ 
 fore his death a company of Irish soldiers was 
 stationed in Inverness, and, learning that 
 Crunar still lived, and that within seven miles 
 of the town, they formed the resolution of going 
 to Kingellie and putting a period to his exist¬ 
 ence in revenge for the havoc he committed 
 among their countrymen when in Ireland. 
 Crunar, however, was apprised of their intention 
 and approach, and requested those around him 
 to carry him out to the east end of the house. 
 This being done, when the red-coats were about 
 a quarter of a mile off, he raised himself on his 
 elbow, and gave such a tremendous roar as re¬ 
 echoed amongst the neighbouring hills. The 
 soldiers alarmingly exclaimed that the old fox 
 was powerful as ever, and hastily retraced their 
 steps back to Inverness. Crunar Fraser was 
 never after interfered with, and died in peace at 
 a good old age. His house was ever afterwards 
 haunted ; and honest Janies Young the weaver, 
 
i8o Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 who was an occupant, according, to the legend, 
 was often tormented with his apparition moving 
 through the house. At length James became 
 so well acquainted with the spectre that his 
 nocturnal visits gave him no uneasiness. The 
 house has long since crumbled into ruins, not a 
 vestige of it being visible. 
 
 THE BLACKSMITH AND THE LAIRD OF GLENGARRY. 
 
 A worthy representative of Vulcan, who re¬ 
 sided at the village of Fort-Augustus, had a 
 pretty large account against the laird of Glen¬ 
 garry for work done, furnished, and delivered ; 
 but notwithstanding his having called oft and 
 divers times for payment, he could never obtain 
 an interview with the debtor chief. His 
 patience being quite exhausted with dunning, 
 he on one occasion determined, come what 
 would, to have a personal conference with the 
 laird, and, accordingly, with that firm resolve 
 strengthened at every step, he set out for Inver- 
 garry House. On arriving, he immediately in¬ 
 quired for the laird. The servant gave the 
 usual answer—“ Yes, but cannot be seen at 
 present, as he is engaged.” The answer was 
 decisve, and enraged the blacksmith a good 
 deal, who, without further ceremony, dashed 
 past the attendant and entered abruptly the 
 room in which Glengarry was engaged at the 
 
The Blacksmith and Glengarry. 
 
 181 
 
 time in conversation with Mr Robert Ander¬ 
 son, the principal innkeeper then in Inverness. 
 They had been transacting some piece of busi¬ 
 ness together, and the unlooked for appearance 
 of the blacksmith, with his black face neither 
 shaven nor shorn, and an apron which seemed 
 from its lme to have been recently used in 
 scouring the anvil, silenced the worthy pair. 
 
 But Glengarry, recovering his self-possession, 
 demanded of the intruder what he wanted. 
 “ What do I want ? Is that ye’re saying, laird, 
 then me wants payment o’ ma monie.” Glen¬ 
 garry, not being in a mood to meet the de¬ 
 mand, and fond of a bit of mischief, laid hold of 
 a whip which was at hand, saying—“ I’ll pay 
 you, you rascal.” The blacksmith, aware of the 
 customer he had to deal with, took fright and 
 ran away as fast as he could, pursued by the 
 the laird and Mr Anderson. Having got out¬ 
 side, he tied his apron round his middle, and in 
 right earnest took to his heels. After running 
 some distance, Glengarry gave up the pursuit, 
 leaving it to Mr Anderson to continue the 
 chase, which he did, and after a pretty long 
 run succeeded in laying hold of the poor 
 smith, whom he held until Glengarry came up, 
 when the enraged chieftain bestowed a heavy 
 flogging on his unfortunate creditor. 
 
 OO o . . 
 
 The latter returned to Ins house quite a dis¬ 
 consolate man, laughed at by his neighbours, 
 and made the jest of those who patronised his 
 smithy. However, there happened one day 
 
lS2 
 
 Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 soon thereafter to enter his workshop an itine¬ 
 rating skin merchant from Inverness, to whom 
 he told the whole affair. This sympathising 
 individual advised him to lose no time in sum¬ 
 moning Glengarry and Anderson to appear 
 before Sheriff Campbell at Inverness. This he 
 did, and the parties attended, the former at 
 considerable inconvenience. 
 
 The Sheriff, on hearing the case, addressed 
 Glengarry as follows :—“ This is a new way, 
 laird, of paying old debts, but such conduct 
 will not and cannot be tolerated, for the time 
 is now gone bye in which a chieftain or a 
 laird would use his vassal as a slave. You 
 are, therefore, to pay the poor man’s account 
 before you move out of the box in which you 
 sit ; and for beating him with the whip, you 
 are to give him the fine of fifty pounds Scots." 
 On Mr Anderson he bestowed a severe repri¬ 
 mand for the part he had acted in the business. 
 
 Glengarry, to his credit, cheerfully paid 
 both the account and the fine, and went home 
 highly pleased with the “ pluck” the smith had 
 shown in bringing him before Sheriff Campbell. 
 
 THE REV. MURDO MACKENZIE.* 
 
 The above clergyman was a member of the 
 family of Gairloch, and his first outset as a 
 
 * Descended from a common progenitor of the family of 
 the Mackenzies of Dailuaine, Strathspey.—See Mackenzies 
 “ History and Genealogies of the Mackenzies,” 2nd edition, 
 page 474- 
 
The Rev. Mur do Mackenzie. 183 
 
 preacher was on being appointed chaplain to a 
 regiment in the army of Gustavus Adolphus, 
 King of Sweden ; after which he was settled 
 minister of the parish of Contin, Ross-shire ; 
 and from thence translated to Inverness in 
 1640, where his ministrations were highly ap¬ 
 preciated. The “ speaking on the question,” 
 or the meeting of the “ Men,” on Fridays be¬ 
 fore the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, ori¬ 
 ginated with Mr Mackenzie—not in the church, 
 however, but in his own house at Kingsmills, 
 in which place, during his incumbency in 
 Inverness, pious laymen were wont to assemble, 
 edifying and instructing each other by stating 
 their own Christian experience, as also their 
 opinions of select passages of the Scriptures. 
 Subsequently the meeting of the “ Men ” be¬ 
 came general throughout the Church in the 
 North. Although Mr Mackenzie had thus 
 begun and established soul-edifying exercises 
 in Inverness, yet he was so disgusted with the 
 impiety of some of his parishioners that he de¬ 
 termined on the first opportunity that presented 
 itself to leave the parish. The following ludi¬ 
 crous affair heightened his resolution :— 
 
 Whilst addressing the Gaelic congregation 
 from the important words, “ Take up thy cross 
 and follow me,” a drouthy knight of the awl sat 
 in the gallery in a state of inebriety, listening 
 as attentively as he could to the impressive dis¬ 
 course of the preacher ; and the words of the 
 text attracting his attention, it occurred to him 
 
184 Inverness in the Olden 7 line. 
 
 to turn them to a subject quite foreign to the 
 purpose. Accordingly, as Mr Mackenzie was 
 returning home in the afternoon, and when as¬ 
 cending the Flesh Market Brae, he was suddenly 
 alarmed by hearing moans and groans imme¬ 
 diately behind him. Turning quickly round 
 to his dismay he saw a man carrying a stout 
 woman on his back. The bearer of the un¬ 
 willing burden was the shoemaker, who, on Mr 
 Mackenzie’s demanding to know why he be¬ 
 haved in such a manner to a female, was 
 answered that he was hearing him that day in 
 the Hielan’ Kirk, and that he (Mr Mackenzie) 
 desired him to take up his cross and follow him, 
 which he was just doing. The shoemaker had 
 thus persisted in following the worthy minister, 
 and it was only when the latter gave him a six¬ 
 pence that he could get rid of him, desiring 
 him at the same time to get out of his sight 
 with his abominable cross. 
 
 Soon after this unhallowed affair, Mr Mac¬ 
 kenzie, in 1645, was translated to Elgin, and 
 on the restoration of Charles II., was conse¬ 
 crated Bishop of the diocese of Moray, on the 
 1st of Mav 1662 ; and in the. end of the year 
 1676 was translated to the see of Orkney, 
 where he died in February 16S8. 
 
 THE REV. JOHN PORTEOUS. 
 
 This eminent divine was born in Inverness 
 in the year 1704, and was presented to the 
 
The Rev. John P or icons. 185 
 
 united parishes of Daviot and Dunlichity about 
 the latter end of the year 1730. The first 
 place he preached at was Daviot, and although 
 no obstruction was offered by those of that dis¬ 
 trict of the parish, yet he was but coldly re¬ 
 ceived. Next Sabbath-day, when he was to 
 preach at Dunlichity. just as he was enter¬ 
 ing the church he was not a little surprised to 
 be assailed with a shower of stones, and to his 
 astonishment, he perceived upwards of fifty 
 females, headed by a virago named Elspet 
 Maclean, coming towards him with their aprons 
 tied round their waists, in which were deposited 
 a goodly supply of the article which slew 
 Goliath. 
 
 Such unexpected treatment caused Mr Por- 
 teous to stand for a m oment in suspense; 
 but seeing the women approaching close to 
 him shaking their hands, and also hearing 
 their generalissimo Elspet vociferating, “ Let 
 us kill the Whig rascal,” at the same time issu¬ 
 ing orders to her followers, he judged it the 
 safest course to take to his heels. He ran 
 down the strath towards Daviot, with Elspet 
 and her lawless force in full chase after him. 
 every now and then exclaiming, as she dis¬ 
 charged a stone, “Another throw at the Whig 
 minister.” Fortunately for him, he could lay 
 no claim to what is alleged of some of our 
 London aldermen—he being a tall but slender 
 person, which no doubt enabled him to outrun 
 his pursuers, particularly for the first three 
 
186 
 
 Inverness in the Olden Time. 
 
 miles, that is, to Tordarroch ; at which place, on 
 a little knoll, the curate of the. district was hold¬ 
 ing forth to a large assemblage, and, as ill-luck 
 would have it, Mr Porteous in his flight had to 
 pass hard by this congregation, from whom a 
 large and formidable accession, headed by Rory 
 Macraibart the tailor, joined Elspet’s corps, but 
 much to the credit of the curate he vehemently 
 denounced their proceedings. The reverend 
 fugitive had now to redouble his exertions to 
 escape with his life, and the chase was continued 
 regardless of running streams, which presented 
 no impediment to Elspet and the tailor’s fairy 
 bands, until they came near Daviot. It is not 
 a little remarkable that, although the stones 
 were flying like hail around him, only two or 
 three of the enemy’s balls struck him, the effects 
 of which were no way serious. 
 
 His pursuers having desisted from following 
 him further, he sat down at the roadside to 
 draw breath, and no doubt to return grateful 
 thanks to Providence for the wonderful and 
 hairbreadth escapes he had made that day—a 
 day never to be effaced from his mind. While 
 he was thus musing, a pious venerable man 
 came up who sympathised with him very much. 
 In the course of their conversation, Mr Porteous 
 said, '• Well, well, one thing I will say, that 
 seven generations shall pass away before the 
 people of Daviot and Dunlichity will have a 
 minister who will please them.” This predic¬ 
 tion was fulfilled to the very letter. 
 
7 he Rev. John Porteous. 187 
 
 About the year 1732, and after Mr Porteous 
 had remained upwards of a year in his father’s 
 house, he got a presentation to the parish of 
 Kilmuir-Easter, in the Presbytery of Tain, 
 where he met with a far different flock to that 
 of Daviot and Dnnlichity, and where he was 
 the honoured instrument of much good. By 
 his sound reasoning and advice he tended 
 greatly to suppress the spirit of rebellion in 
 1745-46, and along with Lord President Forbes 
 he was constantly urging upon the young Earl 
 of Cromartie to take no part in it. Lord Lovat 
 hearing of Mr Porteous’s influence in Easter- 
 Ross, and suspecting the cause of the Earl’s 
 backwardness in embracing the Pretender’s 
 cause, was constantly despatching his confiden¬ 
 tial valet, Donald Cameron, with letters to him 
 requesting him not to listen to any suggestions, 
 but to stand firm, as he (Lord Lovat) was to 
 get a dukedom, and was perfectly satisfied that 
 the same title would be conferred on him also. 
 Mr Porteous never married, and it was sup¬ 
 posed the cause lay in the conduct of the fair 
 sex at Dunlichity He lived to a good old age, 
 and died greatly lamented by all who knew 
 him. He was cousin to the notorious Captain 
 Porteous whom the mob in Edinburgh hanged 
 in the Grassmarket. 
 

 
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