produced from images the celtic magazine. no. ii. december 1875. the state of the ossianic controversy. in controversy about ossian, the man on the affirmative side has an immeasurable advantage over all others; and, with an average practical acquaintance with the subject, may exhaust any antagonist. the contents, the connection, and the details; the origin, the tradition, the translation; the poetry, the sentiment, the style; the history, the characters, the _dramatis personæ_; the aspects of nature represented, the customs and manners of the people; the conflicting nationalities introduced, the eventful issues, the romantic incidents; the probable scenes, the subsequent changes; the philosophy and the facts, and multiplied revelations of humanity--all these, and many more such themes inseparably connected with ossian, if a man rightly understands and believes in them, would enable him to maintain his position in actual controversy, with integrity and ease, for a twelvemonth. the man, on the other hand, who does not believe in the authenticity of ossian must forego all these advantages in succession, and will reduce himself to straits in an hour. he dare not expatiate or admire, or love, or eulogise, or trust, or credit, or contemplate, or sympathise with anything; or admit a fact, or listen to a word, or look at an argument, on the peril of immediate discomfiture. he must simply shut the book. his only stronghold is denial; his sole logic is assertion; his best rhetoric is abuse; his _ultima ratio_ is to create distrust, and to involve both himself and everybody else in confusion. genius, for example, he declares without hesitation to be trickery; poetry to be bombast; pathos, monotonous moaning; the tenderest human love to be sham; the most interesting natural incidents, contemptible inventions; the plainest statistical information, a deliberate act of theft; the sublimest conceptions of human character, a fudge; the details of human history for three hundred years, a melodramatic, incredible fiction; and what cannot now be found anywhere else recorded, a dream; accidental coincidence he speaks of as detected dishonesty; imaginary resemblance, as guilty adaptation; a style suitable to the subject, as plagiarism; occasional inspiration he calls a lie; translation, a forgery; and the whole, if not a "magnificent mystification," then, in procurator-fiscal phrase, a "wilful falsehood, fraud, and imposition." but all this, without proof--and nothing like proof is ever advanced--may be said in an hour, and the argument would remain as it is. such, in point of fact, has been the sum total of assault, reiterated by every new antagonist with increasing boldness for a century, till reasonable readers have become callous to it, and only ignorant or prejudiced listeners are impressed. to be "hopelessly convinced" by it, is perhaps the latest phase of incredulity; to be edified or enlightened by it is impossible. but, besides the advantage of being able to speak with freedom of an author like ossian, from any natural point of view, an almost infinitely higher advantage still is to be obtained by actually verifying his text; by realising his descriptions, ascertaining his alleged facts, and localising the scenes of his narrative. whatever is truly grand in ossian may thus be identified with nature, if it has a counterpart there; and what seems only an imaginary outline at first may be filled up and fixed for ever as among her own still extant properties. a new sense, coherent and intelligible, may thus be imparted to the most familiar figures; and not an allusion to earth or sky, to rock or river, will be lost after such a process. nay, a certain philosophic significance, amounting to scientific revelation, may be honestly associated with some of his loftiest figures; and what the translator himself apologises for as extravagant, may be thus converted into dreamful intuitions of hidden fact and poetic forecasting of future discoveries. mr arnold, in his _celtic literature_, seems to glance at such a capacity in celtic man--"his sensibility gives him a peculiarly near and intimate feeling of nature, and the life of nature; here, too, he seems in a special way attracted by the secret before him, the secret of natural beauty and natural magic, and to be close to it, to half-divine it," p. 108. but mr arnold does not seem to include in this capacity the intuitions of natural science, at least not for ossian; yet nothing can be more certain than that ossian and his fellow-countrymen enjoyed them. that verification to such an extent, however, both of facts and localities, and ideas--philosophic or imaginative, in the text of ossian, was possible, has scarcely hitherto been believed by any one; it has certainly never been attempted. a sort of vagueness in many of his descriptions ill-understood, and a similarity in poetic figures that might be indiscriminately applied; and an occasional apparent conflict or confusion of details seem to have deterred almost all readers from the study we now recommend. but all these difficulties, of verification and interpretation alike, are only on the surface; and not even there, if it has been looked at attentively. let any intelligent reader, with the poems which refer to scotland in his hand, survey the clyde, the kelvin, and the carron, and trace the still remaining footsteps of nature and of civilization through distant centuries on their banks, and he will see that ossian has been there. let him look steadily even at the cloud-drifts from the atlantic, as they troop or roll along in a thousand fantastic forms, converging all to a certain inland range, and he will understand that the author of these poems must have seen and studied them so. let him proceed then to arran, and he will discover there, if he looks and listens, not only scenes and traditions, and monuments of sepulture, still associated with the names of oscar and malvina, fingal and ossian--in literal confirmation of what has been stated in the text concerning them; but the only reliable account, by survey and tradition also, of the fingalian expeditions from morven to ireland. let him then, by direct communication, which is occasionally possible from arran; or by any circuit he pleases, disembark in the bay of larne "with its bosom of echoing woods," as fingal himself must have done; and there, with _fingal_ and _temora_ in hand, let him survey the entire region between larne and belfast. let him march with his eyes open by the pass of glenoe, and try to ascend it on the old track--by the "narrow way at the stream of the battle of thousands," round the double-headed rock there by moonlight, or in the misty dawn; and before attempting this, let him look carefully around among the limestone cliffs for any other reasonable opening; and if he does not begin to suspect, at least, that it was here cuchullin stood, and calmar fell, against the invading norse, he must be "hopelessly convinced" to the contrary, indeed. onwards let him prosecute his journey, looking backwards occasionally to the sea, where the ships of fingal should be appearing--onwards among marshy lenas, open straths, half cultivated heaths--with an occasional monolith among the enclosures, testifying to what has once been done there; onwards, with his eye now to the ridges on the left--on one of which, below carneal or thereabouts, the head-quarters of fingal must have been before the campaigns began--onwards until he touches the source of the six-mile-water above ballynure; and there, looking steadily westward down the strath where the river winds, let him recall the very words of the text in his hand--"nor settled from the storm is erin's sea of war; they glitter beneath the moon, and, low-humming, still roll on the field. alone are the steps of cathmor, before them on the heath; he hangs forward with all his arms on morven's flying host.... they who were terrible were removed: lubar winds again in their host":--and then ask himself deliberately if the whole scene, with the relative changes of position in the contending armies, the retreat of the one that had been advancing, the pursuit of the other that had been retreating, the recrossing of the stream by both over some of its hundred links, and the temporary pause of battle in that valley, with hosts on either side of the river which now flowed through the ranks of one of them, whilst the other was in retreat up the ridge--could have been more truly described by poet or geographer than it has been in these few words of ossian? onward let him proceed, if he pleases, by ballynure and ballyclare to lough neagh; or let him return again across the valley to the north, in a line at right angles to the road between larne and connor. but before he moves from the spot let him glance round for a moment to the south, in the direction of carrickfergus--"where a valley spreads green behind the hill [literally spreads] with its three blue streams. the sun is there in silence; [that touch is wonderful--no war, as yet, is there] and the dun mountain roes come down." let him search there at leisure, if he pleases, and he will find the stream of the noisy vale, where poor sulmalla saw the vision of cathmor's ghost, and "the lake of roes," where lady morna died, still loch mourne, a little farther east on the mountain. but if this should be inconvenient, then by a step or two forward to the top of the ridge on the right he will come in view of the northern branch of the six-mile-water; and now let him steadily consider what he sees. from east to west before him, lies the drumadarragh range; between himself and which lies the valley of the deer park, intersected by the river, whereabouts, in all probability, the assassination of oscar took place. beyond the ridge and through the pass just visible, rises the glenwherry water; near the head of which, as has been fully explained, both in "ossian and the clyde" and elsewhere, should be found a cave in some rocky cliff, with oaks, or the remains of oaks, before it; whilst the river, in its sheltered course or _cluna_, glides below. "crommal, with woody rocks and misty top, the field of winds, pours forth to the light blue lubar's streamy roar. behind it rolls clear-winding lavath, in the still vale of deer. a cave is dark in a rock; above it strong-winged eagles dwell; broad-headed oaks before it, sound in cluna's wind. within, in his locks of youth, is ferad-artho, blue-eyed king, the son of broad-shielded cairbar, from ullin of the roes. he listens to the voice of condan, as grey he bends in feeble light. he listens, for his foes dwell in the echoing halls of temora. he comes at times abroad, in the skirts of mist, to pierce the bounding roes. when the sun looks on the field, nor by the rock nor stream is he! he shuns the race of bolga, who dwell in his father's hall." let him march then to ferad-artho's hiding place, across the intervening valley--taking leisurely note, as he goes, of every monolith or cairn on his track; and either up the face of the hill, or through the pass on his right, where the high road now runs, and so on to the hamlet of maghgerabane; above which, on the skerry--a gloomy, low-browed, basaltic precipice before him--like a dark porch or portico, in the very face of the rock, halfway up, he will descry the cave in question. he should now cross the glenwherry at the village, in its grassy gorge, and draw nearer to the portico on the hillside beyond it, keeping a steady look-out for the roots of oaks, for they are still to be discovered there, as he ascends the cliff. three of them in a row, about twenty feet below the cave, but directly in front of it, although now overwhelmed with ruins, still send up shoots; and two more, a little farther up to the west of it, are equally conspicuous. he will find the cave itself half-ruined already, by the continual fall of basaltic masses from the mountain; and in attempting to scale the rock at the door of the cave, he should be as circumspect as possible, lest a worst thing than the breaking of a bone befals him. he need not, however, be afraid of "strong-winged eagles," for they are gone; nor need he look for "bounding roes" in the valley, for they are probably exterminated; but he may still look westward on one of the sweetest and stillest vales in the bounds of the island; and when he remembers that he is now within a few miles of connor, which is the temora of ossian, he will have no difficulty in understanding how ferad-artho was brought for shelter and for safety to the cave just above him; or how easily the boy-king could be discovered there by his friends in fingal's camp to the south, who knew exactly where to find him. such explorations are but the one-half of what may still be made from the text of ossian, in this very region; but these will occupy at least three days of a week in summer, and are long enough for present detail in the columns of the _celtic_. there are other regions however, far beyond ireland, not so accessible to ordinary tourists, which may be examined nevertheless, with equal certainty by geological survey and geographical report; and to these, on some future occasion, we may take an opportunity of directing the reader's attention. in the meantime, by way of bringing our present argument to a point, would the reader believe that macpherson, by whose text alone hitherto we have been guided, was himself more ignorant of these very scenes than a school boy; that he never, in fact, saw them, and did not know where, in scotland or in ireland, they were to be found? yet such is the case. of the clyde, of which he could not help knowing something, he knew nevertheless very little--yet not much less than some of our modern geologists; but of localities on the clyde, or between the forth and the clyde, as described in ossian, he knew nothing. the kelvin, in like manner, as an ossianic river, was utterly unknown to him; he does not even attempt to translate its name. all that pertains to arran, and still so distinctly traceable there by the help of his own text in _berrathon_--for which gaelic no longer exists--he transfers in his ignorance to the wilds of morven. as for ireland, all that he knows, or seems to know, is that ullin is ulster; but the very scenes which are most conspicuous in ulster he transfers to leinster--from antrim, for example, to meath; and the rest to some undistinguishable point between londonderry and armagh. he brings sulmalla and her forefathers from wales instead of wigtonshire, into wicklow instead of ardglass; and he lands both swaran and cuchullin and fingal in lough foyle apparently, instead of in the bay of larne or belfast? in such circumstances, of what use is it for critics any longer to go on squabbling over gaelic editions, collecting and collating mediæval gaelic ballads, and asserting with hopeless fatuity that he was the author of these poems, or that he stole them from the irish? the irish themselves are as ignorant of the subject as he is; and yet in spite of all this ignorance on his part and theirs, the text of his translation has received on every page of it the unequivocal countersign of nature, which can neither be forged nor forfeited. taking all which into account, does it not now begin to be plain to unprejudiced readers that the whole of this ossianic controversy has been hitherto on wrong ground; and that if the truth of it is to be arrived at, at all, it must be removed to other ground--from questionable mss. and mediæval ballads, to the region of facts and the domain of reality? we do not assert that the sort of facts now adduced by us, and elsewhere systematised and elaborated, are the only facts, or the only kind of facts to be considered in such a controversy; but we do assert that their importance is supreme, and that they have never hitherto been admitted in the controversy. it is to facts however, and to facts like these, that the attention of ossianic students ought now to be directed; and at every step, if we are not greatly deceived, they will multiply and reiterate their testimony in so decided a fashion, that it will be impossible for any critic, or for any collector in the world, to disregard or dispose of them. all farther serious controversy on the subject, in short, is destined to be of this character--common-sense and practical; and the sooner we prepare ourselves, as honest enquirers, to engage in it after this fashion and in this spirit, the better. p. hately waddell. the highland ceilidh. by alastair og. we are in a west coast village or township, cut off from all communication with the outer world, without steamers, railways, or even roads. we grow our own corn, and produce our beef, our mutton, our butter, our cheese, and our wool. we do our own carding, our spinning, and our weaving. we marry and are taken in marriage by, and among, our own kith and kin. in short, we are almost entirely independent of the more civilized and more favoured south. the few articles we do not produce--tobacco and tea,--our local merchant, the only one in a district about forty square miles in extent, carries on his back, once a month or so, from the capital of the highlands. we occasionally indulge in a little whisky at christmas and the new year, at our weddings and our balls. we make it too, and we make it well. the salmon fishery acts are, as yet, not strictly enforced, and we can occasionally shoot--sometimes even in our gardens--and carry home, without fear of serious molestation, the monarch of the forest. we are not overworked. we live plainly but well, on fresh fish, potatoes and herring, porridge and milk, beef and mutton, eggs, butter, and cheese. modern pickles and spices are as unknown as they are unnecessary. true, our houses are built not according to the most modern principles of architecture. they are, in most cases, built of undressed stone and moss (_coinneach_), thatched with turf or divots, generally covered over with straw or ferns held on by a covering of old herring nets, straw, and rope, or _siaman_. the houses are usually divided into three apartments--one door in the byre end leading to the whole. immediately we enter we find ourselves among the cattle. a stone wall, or sometimes a partition of clay and straw separates the byre from the kitchen. another partition, usually of a more elegant description, separates the latter from the _culaist_ or sleeping apartment. in the centre of the kitchen a pavement of three or four feet in diameter is laid, slightly raised towards the middle, on which is placed the peat fire. the smoke, by a kind of instinct peculiar to peat smoke, finds its way to a hole in the roof called the _falas_, and makes its escape. the fire in the centre of the room was almost a necessity of the good old _ceilidh_ days. when the people congregated in the evening, the circle could be extended to the full capacity of the room, and occasionally it became necessary to have a circle within a circle. a few extra peats on the fire would, at any time, by the additional heat produced, cause an extension of the circle, and at the same time send its warming influences to the utmost recesses of the apartment. the circle became extended by merely pushing back the seats, and this arrangement became absolutely necessary in the houses which were most celebrated as the great _ceilidh_ centres of the district. the _ceilidh_ rendezvous is the house in which all the folk-lore of the country, all the old _sgeulachdan_ or stories, the ancient poetry known to the bards or _seanachaidhean_, and old riddles and proverbs are recited from night to night by old and young. all who took an interest in such questions congregated in the evening in these centres of song and story. they were also great centres of local industry. net-making was the staple occupation, at which the younger members of the circle had to take a spell in turn. five or six nets were attached in different corners of the apartment to a chair, a bedstead or post set up for the purpose, and an equal number of young gossipers nimbly plied their fingers at the rate of a pound of yarn a day. thus, a large number of nets were turned out during the winter months, the proceeds of which, when the nets were not made for the members of the household, went to pay for tobacco and other luxuries for the older and most necessitous members of the circle. with these preliminary remarks we shall now introduce the readers of the _celtic magazine_ to the most famous _ceilidh_ house in the district, and ask them to follow us from month to month while we introduce the principal members of the celebrated circle. we shall make each re-appear in these pages to repeat their old stories, recite old poems, never published elsewhere, propound riddles, and in this way we shall be able to lay before our readers a vast amount of the legends, clan feuds, and traditional family history, connected with the highlands, a large amount of unpublished poetry, _duans_, riddles, proverbs, and highland customs. it will be necessary to give a great part in the original gaelic, especially the poetry; but translations of the legends, riddles, and proverbs, will be given when convenient. the house is such as we have above described. the good-man is bordering upon five-score. he is a bard of no mean order, often delighting his circle of admiring friends with his own compositions, as well as with those of ossian and other ancient bards. he holds a responsible office in the church, is ground-officer for the laird as well as family bard. he possesses the only gaelic new testament in the district. he lives in the old house with three sons whose ages range from 75 to 68, all full of highland song and story, especially the youngest two--john and donald. when in the district, drovers from lochaber, badenoch, and all parts of the highlands find their way to this noted _ceilidh_ house. bards, itinerants of all sorts, travelling tinkers, pipers, fiddlers, and mendicants, who loved to hear or tell a good story, recite an old poem or compose a modern one--all come and are well received among the regular visitors in the famous establishment. as we proceed, each of the strangers and local celebrities will recite their own tales, not only those of their own districts but also those picked up in their wanderings throughout the various parts of the country. it was a condition never deviated from, that every one in the house took some part in the evening's performance, with a story, a poem, a riddle, or a proverb. this rule was not only wholesome, but one which became almost a necessity to keep the company select, and the house from becoming overcrowded. a large oak chair was placed in a particular spot--"where the sun rose"--the occupant of which had to commence the evening's entertainment when the company assembled, the consequence being that this seat, although one of the best in the house, was usually the last occupied; and in some cases, when the house was not overcrowded, it was never taken up at all. in the latter case the one who sat next to it on the left, had to commence the evening's proceedings. it was no uncommon thing to see one of the company obliged to coin something for the occasion when otherwise unprepared. on one occasion the bard's grandson happened to find himself in the oak chair, and was called upon to start the night's entertainment. being in his own house he was not quite prepared for the unanimous and imperative demand made upon him to carry out the usual rule, or leave the room. after some hesitation, and a little private humming in an undertone, he commenced, however, a rhythmical description of his grandfather's house, which is so faithful that, we think, we cannot do better than give it here, although chronologically it should be given further on. the picture was complete, and brought down the plaudits of the house upon the "young bard" as he was henceforth designated. tigh mo sheanair. an cuala sibh riamh mu'n tigh aig i----r 's ann air tha'n deanamh tha ciallach ceart 's iomadh bliadhua o'n chaidh a dheanamh ach 's mor as fhiach e ged tha e sean se duine ciallach chuir ceanna-crioch air 's gur mor am pianadh a fhuair a phears le clachan mora ga'n cuir an ordugh, 's _sament_ da choinntich ga'n cumail ceart. tha dorus mor air ma choinneamh 'n-otraich 'us cloidhean oir air ga chumail glaist tha uinneag chinn air ma choinneamh 'n teintean 'us _screen_ side oirre 'dh-fhodar glas; tha'n ceann a bhan deth o bheul an fhalais a deanamh baithach air son a chruidh 's gur cubhraidh am faladh a thig gu laidir o leid, na batha 'sa ghamhuinn duibh. tha catha 's culaist ga dheanamh dubailt 's gur mor an urnais tha anns an tigh tha seidhir-ghairdean da dharach laidir 'us siaman bàn air ga chumail ceart, tha lota lair ann, da ghrèbhail cathair 's cha chaith 's cha chnamh e gu brath n' am feasd tha carpad mor air da luath na moine 's _upstairs_ ceo ann le cion na _vent_. tha sparan suithe o thaobh gu taobh ann 'us ceangail luibte gan cumail ceart tha tuthain chaltuinn o cheann gu ceann deth 'us maide slabhraidh 's gur mor a neart, tha lathais laidir o bheul an fhail air, gu ruig am falas sgur mor am fad, tha ropan siamain 'us pailteas lion air 's mar eil e dionach cha 'n eil mi ceart. on one occasion, on a dark and stormy winter's night, the lightning flashing through the heavens, the thunder clap loud and long, the wind blowing furiously, and heavy dark ominous clouds gathering in the north-west, the circle had already gathered, and almost every seat was occupied. it was the evening of the day of one of the local cattle markets. three men came in, two of them well-known drovers or cattle buyers who had visited the house on previous occasions, the other a gentleman who had, some time previously, arrived and taken up his quarters in the district. no one knew who he was, where he came from, or what his name was. there were all sorts of rumours floating amongst the inhabitants regarding him; that he had committed some crime, and escaped from justice; that he was a gentleman of high estate, who had fallen in love with a lowly maiden and run away to spite his family for objecting to the alliance; and various other surmises. he was discovered to be a gentleman and a scholar, and particularly frank and free in his conversation with the people about everything except his own history and antecedents, and was a walking encyclopædia of all kinds of legendary lore connected with the southern parts of the country. his appearance caused quite a flutter among the assembled rustics. he was, however, heartily welcomed by the old bard and members of the circle, and was offered a seat a little to the left of the oak arm chair. it was soon found that he was a perfect master of gaelic as well as english. it was also found on further acquaintance, during many subsequent visits, that he never told a story or legend without a preliminary introduction of his own, told in such a manner as to add immensely to the interest of the tale. "_coinnichidh na daoine ri cheile ach cha choinnich na cnuic_"--(men will meet each other, but hills will never meet), said _ruairidh mor a chnuic_, who, on this occasion, found himself in the oak chair. "very true," said the next man to the left. "_cuiridh an teanga snaim nach t-fhuasgail an fhiacaill_"--(the tongue will tie a knot which the tooth cannot loosen). "let some one give us a story." "_cha robh sgialach nach robh briagach_"--(he who is a good story-teller is also a good retailer of lies), says callum a ghlinne, or malcolm of the glen, an excellent story-teller when he liked. "i'll give you a riddle though, and perhaps we may get a _sgeulachd_ from the stranger, the gentleman, on my left," "_an rud nach eil 's nach robh, 's nach bi' sin do laimh 'us chi thu e_"--(what is not, never was, and never will be, stretch forth your hand and you'll see it). this was soon answered by the younger members--"_bar na meur uileadh an aon fhad_"--(the points of the fingers the same length). it now comes the turn of the romantic stranger, who shall in these pages be known as "norman of the yacht." he was in no way put out, consented; and immediately began the legend, of which, and his introductory remarks, the following is a translation:-the spell of cadboll. in olden days the east coast of scotland was studded with fortresses, which, like a crescent chain of sentinels, watched carefully for the protection of their owners and their dependents. the ruins remain and raise their hoary heads over valley and stream, river bank and sea shore, along which nobles, and knights, and followers "boden in effeyre-weir" went gallantly to their fates; and where in the highlands many a weary drove followed from the foray, in which they had been driven far from lowland pastures or distant glens, with whose inhabitants a feud existed. could the bearded warriors, who once thronged these halls awake, they would witness many a wonderful change since the half-forgotten days when they lived and loved, revelled, and fought, conquered, or sustained defeat. where the bearer of the crann-tara or fiery cross once rushed along on his hasty errand, the lightning of heaven now flashes by telegraphic wires to the farthest corners of the land. through the craggie passes, and along the level plains, marked centuries ago with scarce a bridle path, the mighty steam horse now thunders over its iron road; and where seaward once swam the skin _curach_, or the crazy fleets of diminutive war galleys, and tiny merchant vessels with their fantastic prows and sterns, and carved mast-heads, the huge hull of the steam propelled ship now breasts the waves that dash against the rugged headlands, or floats like a miniature volcano, with its attendant clouds of smoke obscuring the horizon. the parish of fearn in easter ross contains several antiquities of very distant date. one of these shattered relics, castle cadboll, deserves notice on account of a singular tradition regarding it, once implicitly credited by the people--namely, that although inhabited for ages no person ever died within its walls. its magical quality did not, however, prevent its dwellers from the suffering of disease, or the still more grievous evils attending on debility and old age. hence many of the denizens of the castle became weary of life, particularly the lady may, who lived there centuries ago, and who being long ailing, and longing for death, requested to be carried out of the building to die. her importunity at length prevailed; and according to the tradition, no sooner did she leave it than she expired. castle cadboll is situated on the sea shore, looking over the broad ocean towards norway. from that country, in the early ages of scottish history, came many a powerful jarl, or daring vikingr, to the coasts, which, in comparison with their own land, seemed fertile and wealthy. there is a tradition of a highland clan having sprung from one of those adventurers, who with his brother agreed that whoever should first touch the land would possess it by right. the foremost was the ultimate ancestor of the tribe; his boat was almost on shore, when the other, by a vigorous stroke, shot a-head of him; but ere he could disembark, the disappointed competitor, with an exclamation of rage, cut off his left hand with his hatchet, and flinging the bloody trophy on the rocks, became, by thus "first touching scottish ground," the owner of the country and founder of the clan. the perfect accuracy of this story cannot now be vouched for; but it is an undeniable fact that the clan macleod have successfully traced their origin to a norwegian source; and there is a probability that the claim is correct from the manifestly norwegian names borne by the founders of the clan _tormod_ and _torquil_, hence the _siol tormod_--the race of tormod--the macleods of harris; and the _siol torquil_, the race of _torquil_--macleods of lewis--of whom came the macleods of assynt, one of whom betrayed montrose in 1650, and from whom the estates passed away in the end of the seventeenth century to the mackenzies. the macleods of cadboll are cadets of the house of assynt. but to what branch the lady may of the legend belonged it is difficult to decide, so many changes having occurred among highland proprietors. the cliffs of this part of ross-shire are wild and precipitous, sinking with a sheer descent of two hundred feet to the ocean. the scenery is more rugged than beautiful--little verdure and less foliage. trees are stunted by the bitter eastern blast, and the soil is poor. alders are, however, plentiful, and from them the parish has derived its name of fearn. there is a number of caves in the cliffs along the shore towards tarbet, where the promontory is bold, and crowned with a lighthouse, whose flickering rays are now the only substitute for the wonderful gem which was said of yore to sparkle on the brow of one of these eastern cliffs,--a bountiful provision of nature for the succour of the wave-tossed mariner. during the reign of one of the early stuart kings, _which_ is of little moment, roderick macleod ruled with a high and lordly hand within the feudal stronghold of cadboll. he was a stout and stern knight, whose life had been spent amidst the turmoil of national warfare and clan strife. many a battle had he fought, and many a wound received since first he buckled on his father's sword for deadly combat. amid the conflicting interests which actuated each neighbouring clan--disagreement on any one of which rendered an immediate appeal to arms, the readiest mode of solving the difficulty--it is not to be wondered at that cadboll, as a matter of prudence, endeavoured to attach to himself, by every means in his power, those who were most likely to be serviceable and true. macleod had married late in life, and his wife dying soon after, while on a visit to her mother, left behind her an only daughter, who was dear as the apple of his eye to the old warrior, but, at the same time, he had no idea of any one connected with him having any freedom of will or exercise of opinion--save what he allowed--nor did he believe women's hearts were less elastic than his own, which he could bend to any needful expedient. about the period our story commences the lady may was nearly eighteen years of age, a beautiful and gentle girl, whose hand was sought by many a young chief of the neighbouring clans; but all unsuccessfully, for the truth was she already loved, and was beloved, in secret, by young hugh munro from the side of ben wyvis. the favoured of the daughter was not the choice of her father, simply because he was desirous to secure the aid of the macraes, a tribe occupying glenshiel, remarkable for great size and courage, and known in history as "the wild macraes." the chief--macrae of inverinate, readily fell in with the views of macleod, and as the time fixed for his marriage with the lovely lady may drew nigh, gratified triumph over his rival munro, and hate intense as a being of such fierce passions could feel, glowed like a gleaming light in his fierce grey eyes. "once more," he said, "i will to the mountains to find him before the bridal. there shall be no chance of a leman crossing my married life, and none to divide the love inverinate shall possess entire. by my father's soul, but the boy shall rue the hour he dared to cross my designs. yes, rue it, for i swear to bring him bound to witness my marriage, and then hang him like a skulking wild cat on inverinate green." it was nightfall as he spoke thus. little he knew that at the same moment hugh munro was sitting beneath the dark shadows of the alder trees, which grew under the window of the little chamber where may macleod was weeping bitterly over the sad fate from which she could see no way of escape. as she sat thus the soft cry of the cushat fell upon her ears. intently she listened for a few moments, and when it was repeated stepped to the window and opened it cautiously, leaning forth upon the sill. again the sound stole from among the foliage, and may peered down into the gloom, but nothing met her gaze save the shadows of the waving branches upon the tower wall. "it is his signal," she whispered to herself as the sound was repeated once more. "ah me! i fear he will get himself into danger on account of these visits, and yet i cannot--i cannot bid him stay away." she muffled herself in a dark plaid, moved towards the door, opened it cautiously, and listening with dread, timidly ventured down to meet her lover. "i must and will beg him to-night to stay away in future" continued she, as she tripped cautiously down the narrow winding stair--"and yet to stay away? ah me, it is to leave me to my misery; but it must be done, unkind as it may be, otherwise he will assuredly be captured and slain, for i fear macrae suspects our meetings are not confined to the day and my father's presence." after stealing through many dark passages, corridors, and staircases, in out-of-the-way nooks, she emerged into the open air, through a neglected postern shadowed by a large alder, opposite the spot from which the sound proceeded. again she gazed into the shadow, and there leaning against a tree growing on the edge of the crag she saw a tall slender figure. well she knew the outlines of that form, and fondly her heart throbbed at the sound of the voice which now addressed her. "dearest," said the young munro in a low tone, "i thought thou wouldst never come. i have been standing here like a statue against the trunk of this tree for the last half-hour watching for one blink of light from thy casement. but it seems thou preferrest darkness. ah may, dear may, cease to indulge in gloomy forebodings." "would that i could, hugh," she answered sadly. "what thoughts but gloomy ones can fill my mind when i am ever thinking of the danger you incur by coming here so often, and thinking too of the woeful fate to which we are both destined." "think no more of it" said her lover in a cheerful tone. "we have hope yet." "alas, there is no hope. even this day my father hath fixed the time for--to me--this dreaded wedding? and thou hugh, let this be our last meeting--_mar tha mi!_ our last in the world. wert thou caught by inverinate, he so hates thee, he would have thy life by the foulest means." "fear not for that dearest. and this bridal! listen may, before that happen the eagle will swoop down and bear thee away to his free mountains, amid their sunny glens and bosky woods, to love thee darling as no other mortal, and certainly none of the clan-'ic-rathmhearlaich has heart to do." "ah me!" sighed may, "would that it could be so. i cannot leave my father until all other hope is gone, and yet i fear if i do not we are fated to be parted. even this may be the last time we may meet. i warn thee, hugh, i am well watched, and i beg you will be careful. hush! was that a footfall in the grove below the crag?" and she pointed to a clump of trees at some distance under where they were standing, and on the path by which he would return. "by my troth it may be so," said he. "better, dear may, retire to your chamber and i shall remain here till you bid me good night from your window." again they listened, and again the rustling met their ears distinctly. it ceased, and the maiden bidding her mountain lover a fond good night, ascended to her chamber, while he disdaining to be frightened away by sound, moved to his former position below the alder tree. seating himself at its root, with his eyes fixed on the window, in a voice low but distinct, he sang to one of the sweet sad lays of long ago, a ditty to his mistress, of which the following paraphrase will convey an idea:- "oh darling may, my promised bride, list to my love--come fly with me, where down the dark ben wyvis side the torrent dashes wild and free. o'er sunny glen and forest brake; o'er meadow green and mountain grand; o'er rocky gorge and gleaming lake- come,--reign, the lady of the land. come cheer my lonely mountain home, where gleams the lake, where rills dance bright; where flowers bloom fair--come dearest come and light my dark and starless night. one witching gleam from thy bright eye can change to halls of joy my home! one song, one softly uttered sigh, can cheer my lone heart--dearest come." the moment the song ceased the fair form of may macleod appeared at the casement overhead, she waved a fond farewell to her mountain minstrel and closed the window; but the light deprived of her fair face had no charm for him--he gazed once more at the pane through which it beamed like a solitary star, amid the masses of foliage, and was turning away when he found a heavy hand laid on his shoulder. "stay," exclaimed the intruder in a deep stern voice, whose tone the young chief knew but too well. "thou hast a small reckoning to discharge ere thou go, my good boy. i am macrae." "and i," answered the other, "am hugh munro, what seek'st thou from me?" "that thou shalt soon know, thou skulking hill cat," answered macrae throwing his unbuckled sword belt and scabbard on the ground and advancing with extended weapon. "indeed! then beware of the wild cat's spring," munro promptly replied, giving a sudden bound which placed him inside the guard of his antagonist, whose waist he instantly encircled within his sinewy arms with the design of hurling him over the crag on which they stood. the struggle was momentary. munro, struck to the heart with macrae's dagger, fell with may's loved name on his lips, while macrae, staggering over the height in the act of falling, so wounded himself by his own weapon as to render his future life one of helpless manhood and bitter mental regret. macleod was soon after slain in one of the many quarrels of the time, while his daughter may, the sorrowing heiress of the broad lands of cadboll, lived on for fifty years one long unrelieved day of suffering. fifty years! alas for the mourner--spring succeeded winter, and summer spring, but no change of season lightened may macleod's burden! fifty years! year by year passing away only brought changes to those who lived under her gentle sway, and among the dependents of her home; youth passed into age, young men and maidens filled the places of the valued attendants of her girlhood; but the lady--solitary--still a mourner, in her feudal tower grew old and bent, thin and wan, and still in her heart the love of her youth bloomed fresh for her betrothed. and then disease laid hold of her limbs--paralyzed--unable to move, she would fain have died, but the spell of cadboll was on her--death could not enter within its walls. sickness and pain, care and grief, disappointment, trust betrayed, treachery and all the ills which life is heir to, all might and did enter there. death alone was barred without. sadly her maidens listened to her heart breaking appeals, to the spirit of munro, her unwed husband, the murdered bridegroom of her young life, to come to her aid from the land of shadows and of silence. they knew her story of the fifty years of long ago, and they pitied and grieved with her, wondering at the constancy of her woman's heart. still more sadly did they listen to her appeals to be carried out from the castle to the edge of the precipice where the power of the spell ceased, there to look for, meet and welcome death; but they knew not the story of the spell, and they deemed her mad with grief. terrified at last by her appeals to the dead, with whom she seemed to hold continual conversation, and who seemed to be present in the chamber with them, though unseen, and partly, at length, worn out with her unceasing importunities, and partly to gratify the whim, as they considered it, of the sufferer, tremblingly they agreed to obey her requests and to carry her forth to the edge of the cliff. a frightened band, they bore the lady may, lying on her couch, smiling with hope and blessing them for thus consenting. over the threshold, over the drawbridge, her eyes fixed on the heavens, brightened as they proceeded. hope flushed with hectic glow upon her pale suffering face, grateful thanks broke from her lips. hastening their steps they passed through the gate, wound along the hill side, and as the broad expanse of ocean with the fresh wind curling it into wavelets burst upon the sight, a flash of rapture beamed on her countenance; a cry of joy rushed from her pallid lips--their feeble burden grew heavier. a murmur of welcoming delight was uttered to some glorious presence, unseen by the maidens, and all became hushed eternally. the lady may lay on her couch a stiffening corpse. the spell of cadboll had been broken at last. a macleod inhabited it no more, and decay and ruin seized on the hoary pile of which now scarcely a vestige remains to tell of the former extent and feudal strength of castle cadboll. (_to be continued._) the old claymore. this is the claymore that my ancestors wielded, this is the old blade that oft smote the proud foe; beneath its bright gleam all of home hath been shielded, and oft were our title-deeds signed with its blow. its hilt hath been circled by valorous fingers; oft, oft hath it flashed like a mountaineer's ire, around it a halo of beauty still lingers that lights up the tale which can ever inspire. the highland claymore! the old highland claymore, gleams still like the fire of a warrior's eye, tho' hands of the dauntless will grasp it no more- disturb it not now, let it peacefully lie. it twinkled its love for the bold chieftain leading, it shone like a star on the moon-lighted heath; as lightning in anger triumphantly speeding its keen edge hath swept on the pinions of death: wild-breathing revenge o'er the corse of a kinsman, dark-vowing their ancient renown to maintain; its sheen hath been dimmed by the lips of brave clansmen, unwiped till the foe was exultingly slain. the highland claymore! the old highland claymore, &c. it baffled the norseman and vanquished the roman, 'twas drawn for the bruce and the old scottish throne, it victory bore over tyrannous foemen, for freedom had long made the weapon her own. it swung for the braw chevalier and prince charlie, 'twas stained at drummossie with sassenach gore: it sleeps now in peace, a dark history's ferlie, oh! ne'er may be wakened the highland claymore. the highland claymore! the old highland claymore, &c. sunderland. wm. allan. curiosities from the burgh court records of inverness. 1st october 1621 to 17th april 1637. the volume examined ranges over the above period, and contains a great variety of matter, some of little or no interest now; and, of course, in such records there is, as might be expected, a great deal of sameness; we have, therefore, as set forth above, made some extracts of what we considered the most interesting and curious. quarrelsome neighbours. our first extract is one of common occurrence, and similar ones might be picked out of almost every second page. alexander cumming and james cumming, both burgesses of inverness, quarrel. mutual friends became security for each that they shall keep the peace and do one another no harm, under the penalty of 300 merks. in some instances the penalty is larger, and in others smaller, just according to the circumstances of the individuals:-"the head burgh court of inverness after michaelmas, held within the tolbooth of the same by james cuthbert of easter drakies, provost, andrew fraser, wm. paterson, elder, bailies, conjunctly and severally, the 1st day of october, the year of 1621 years, the suits called, the court fenced and affirmed as use is: that day, wm. gray in inverness is become acted surety, cautioner and lawburrows for alexander cumming, burgess there, that james cumming, burgess of the said burgh, shall be harmless and skaithless of the said alexander, in his body, goods and gear, in all time coming, otherwise than by order of law and justice, under the pain of 300 merks money, and the said alexander is become acted for his said cautioner's relief, whereupon took act of court." (signed) "james duff, clerk." "that day william robertson, elder, burgess of inverness, is become acted surety, cautioner and lawburrows for james cumming, that alexander cumming shall be harmless and skaithless of him, in all time coming otherwise than by order of law and justice in his body, goods and gear, under the pain of 300 merks money, and the said james is become acted for his cautioner's relief, whereupon, &c. "the justice and burgh court of the burgh of inverness, held [as above] the 25th day of october the year of god 1621 years, the suits called, the court lawfully fenced and affirmed as use is." results of drunken row. we have here rather a curious mode of challenge. the parties cut a quantity of straw, each taking a half, and then retire to the dempster gardens to test their strength. forms of challenge vary much. there is the gentlemanly way of throwing down one's glove or gauntlet, the biting of one's thumb as in romeo and juliet, and boys have their modes as well as their elders. we remember a common one in inverness some twenty-five years ago, was to count an opponent's buttons, those of his waistcoat, and then slap him in the face. another mode was, if any two were egged on to try their strength, the one gave the other what was called _fuge_. this was done in the following way:--a friend or second of one of the opponents said, 'will you fight him?' the answer, of course, was 'yes.' the friend then stretched out his right arm and said 'spit over that.' this being done, he was requested to follow up this procedure by giving his antagonist _fuge_, or a blow. the combatants, after either of the above formalities, retired with their respective friends to some unfrequented spot as the barnhill or longman, and there had a fair open set-to. no unfair advantage was permitted, and after a few rounds the affair was over, and the parties became friends again, or the trial of strength was adjourned to be renewed at some future period. unfortunately, however, for some of us boys if our then teacher got a hint of what was going on, which, somehow or other, he invariably did, then all concerned, both onlookers and combatants, got a good flogging right round. it will be observed that the magistrates of those days, who then had far more extensive powers than now, dealt in a very summary manner with the murderer. the heading-hill was the elevated part of muirfield. burt, a century later, gives a graphic account of an execution he once witnessed there:-"thou, john williamson skinner, art indicted for the cruel slaughter and murder of the late murdo m'ay vic david robe in culloden, which you committed yester-night, being the 24th of october instant, upon the fields of easter dempster within this burgh, after you being drinking in william m'andrew roy, his house, boasted, and gave evil speeches to the said late murdo appealled (_i.e._, challenged) him to the singular combat, and cut a quantity of straw and delivered the one-half thereof to him, and put the other part thereof in your purse, which was found with thee, whereupon you passed forth immediately out of the said house and took thy sword and targe with thee and followed the said late murdo to the said field, where thou onbeset (set on) him, and with thy drawn sword sticked and struck him in the belly, whereof he departed this present life immediately thereafter, you being taken with red hand, remain yet incarcerated therefor: wherethrough you have not only committed cruel murder and slaughter, but also been offering of singular combat, express against his majesty's laws and acts of parliament, which you cannot deny, and therefore you ought to die. "that day the said john williamson being accused on the said dittay in judgment, by finlay m'ay vic david robe and james m'ay vic david robe, brothers to the said late murdo, denied the same, therefore desired the same to be remitted to the trial and cognition of an assize, as he who was panelled, whereupon, &c. "names of the assize--john cuthbert of auld castle-hill, chancellor; james waus; james cuthbert, elder; william robertson, elder; alexander paterson; james cuthbert in merkinch; andrew fraser, merchant; thomas robertson, david watson, alexander taylor, james cuthbert jamesson, patrick anderson, jasper cuthbert, robert neilson, thomas m'noyiar, william gray, robert moncreiff, william m'conchie, merchant; william stevenson, francis bishop, james stewart: "that day the foresaid haill persons of assize being all sworn in judgment and admitted, and after trial and cognition taken by them of the said crime, have all in one voice convicted and filed the said john williamson to be the doer thereof; pronounced by the mouth of john cuthbert of auld castle-hill, chancellor of the assize, whereupon, &c. "that day the judges ordain the said john williamson to be taken to the heading-hill and there to be headed, and to sunder the head from the shoulders, for the said slaughter committed by him. doom given thereon and ordain his haill goods and gear to be escheated. whereupon, &c. "that day, thou william reid m'andrew roy in inverness, art indicted for the art and part, and counsel, of the cruel slaughter or murder of the late murdo m'ay vic david robe in culloden, upon the 24th day of october instant, where thou with john williamson skinner, thy accomplice, drinking with him in your own house in inverness, first boistit (boasted) the said late murdo, and thereafter appealled him to the singular combat, and cut straw to that effect, thou thereafter, with the said john williamson, passed immediately furth and followed the said late murdo to the field called easter dempster, where thou and the said john williamson beset the said late murdo, and thou took and held him while the said john williamson struck him, like as thou also with a knife you struck him in the womb, of the which strikes (blows) the said late murdo immediately deceased, which you cannot deny, and therefore thou ought to die. "that day the said william reid m'andrew roy, being accused on the said dittay in judgment by finlay m'ay vic david robe and james m'ay vic david robe, brothers to the said late murdo, denied the same, therefore desired to be remitted to the trial and cognition of an assize. whereupon, &c. [names of the assize as above set forth.] "that day the foresaid haill persons of assize being all sworn in judgment, and admitted, and after trial and cognition taken by them of the said crime, have all in one voice absolved and made free the said william reid m'andrew roy, pronounced by the mouth of john cuthbert of auld castle-hill, chancellor of the assize in judgment. whereupon, &c. "that day the judges absolve the said william reid m'andrew roy from the said crime. whereupon took act of court and instruments. (signed) "james duff, clerk." solemnities connected with the admission of burgesses. burgesses, two hundred years ago, had great privileges within burgh and had likewise proportionate duties to perform. many cases like the following have come under notice. in some instances the sums paid are larger, and in some much smaller. sometimes, however, a person is admitted a burgess without fee, because of the usefulness of his trade or profession, and occasionally as now the honour was conferred on some one of high rank or reputation. it will be noticed that the newly admitted burgess is to maintain and defend the true religion _presently preached_ within this kingdom. almost every newly elected burgess had to treat the magistrates and town council to cake and wine, and sometimes to something more substantial, and also to give certain fees to the burgh officers. "the burgh court of the burgh of inverness, holden within the tolbooth of the same by james cuthbert of easter drakies, provost; duncan forbes, andrew fraser, notary; and william paterson, elder; bailies of the said burgh, the last day of october, the year of god 1621 years, the suits called, the court lawfully fenced and affirmed, as use is:-"that day john paterson, merchant, gave in his petition desiring him to be admitted free burgess and guild brother of this burgh, and having tried his conversation have thought him meet to be in their society, and for the sum of ten merks money paid by him to james duff, clerk, in their names, and as collector thereof, therefore have admitted, nominated, and created the said john paterson free burgess and guild brother of this burgh of inverness, with power to him to use, haunt and exercise all manner of liberty and freedom as becometh a free burgess and guild brother of this burgh use to do, in all time coming, who has given the great solemn oath, the holy evangelist touched, that he shall maintain and defend the true religion presently preached within this kingdom, and that he shall be faithful and true to the crown and his majesty's acts and statutes, and that he shall be obedient to the provost, bailies, and council of inverness, keep their acts and statutes, and that he shall defend them and the liberty of the said burgh with his person, goods and gear, and that he shall scot and lot, watch and ward with them and the neighbours thereof, and that he shall not hail nor conceal their hurt nor harm, and that he shall not purchase no lordships in their contrar (in opposition to them), wherein if he does in the contrar, these presents to be null, as if they had never been granted, upon the which the provost in the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost, put the guild ring on his five fingers of his right hand, and created the said john free burgess and guild brother, with all ceremonies requisite. whereupon, &c." the buying of lordships or lands without the knowledge of, or in opposition to the wish and interest of the community was a heinous sin, and the guilty party was always disburgessed, which then meant ruin. the stamping of leather. inverness, from an early period, was noted for trade in hides and leather. before the opening up of the ready facilities now afforded twixt the west coast and the south by steamboats and railways, the highland capital was the chief outlet for all the produce of the western isles and north highlands, and consequently dealt largely in an export and import trade. the export consisted chiefly of fish, tanned hides, leather, and gloves; while the imports were wines, groceries, iron, ammunition, &c. this trade was, as a rule, with foreign parts, and principally with the netherlands. indeed, in early times because of the feuds twixt england and scotland, the latter was on a much more friendly footing with spain, france, the low countries, and denmark than she was with the sister country, and hence probably the old song- oh, have you any broken pots, or any broken branders? for i'm a tinker to my trade, i'm newly come from flanders! leather and tanned hides were exciseable, and hence the following appointments:-"at inverness the 2d day of the month of november, a.d. 1621, in presence of james cuthbert, provost; william paterson and duncan forbes, bailies:--that day mr samuel falconer of kingcorth, and alex. forbes, servitor to my lord duke of lennox, commissioners appointed by a noble lord, john lord erskine, for establishing keepers of the seal for sealing and stamping of leather and tanning of hides; by these presents have nominated and appointed andrew fraser, notary, burgess of inverness, keeper of the said stamp and seal, within the burgh of inverness and bounds thereabout following, to wit--from the shire of nairn at the east, to the height of strathglass at the west, including the priory of beauly therein, with the lands and bounds of urquhart, glenmoriston, and badenoch, abertarff, stratherrick, strathdearn, strathnairn; who has accepted the same and given his oath _pro fideli administratione_, and to be accountable to the said noble lord or his deputes for the same as law will, and this present commission to stand to the feast of whitsunday next to come 1622 years allenarly. whereupon took act of court. (signed) "james duff, clerk." "that day the said mr samuel falconer of kingcorth, and the said alex. forbes, servitor to my lord duke of lennox, commissioners appointed by a noble lord, john lord erskine, for establishing keepers of the seal for sealing and stamping of leather and tanned hides, by these presents have nominated robert dunbar, tutor of avoch, keeper of the said stamp and seal within the haill bounds, lands and parishes of the diocese and commissariat of ross (the priory of beauly only excepted), who has accepted the same and given his oath _pro fideli administratione_, and to be accountable to the said noble lord or his deputes for the same as law will, and this present commission to stand to the feast and term of whitsunday next to come, 1622 years allenarly. whereupon the said alex. forbes asked and took act of court. (signed) "james duff, clerk." an illegal proceeding and its punishment. "10th april 1622.--in presence of james cuthbert, provost; andrew fraser and duncan forbes, bailies of said burgh-"that day john cuthbert johnson being accused by catherine dunbar, spouse to francis brodie, for the riot committed by him this day,--viz., she being in her own booth, opposite the cross, in the morning doing her lawful business, the said john came to the booth door, closed and locked the door and enclosed her and her servants therein, and carried the keys thereof with him, and thereafter immediately he passed to the dwelling-house of the said catherine, and there closed four doors, and took away the keys with him, whereby she was constrained to cause break up the booth door, and to let her and her servants forth, to her great prejudice. "that day compeared the said john cuthbert and confessed the premises, alleging he did the same upon presumption and information, that she was taking some goods, gear, and plenishing furth of the said booth privily, which pertained to the late william cuthbert his brother, which he remits to the judge's interlocutor. "that day the foresaid judges ordain the said john cuthbert to remain in ward, aye and until they take order with him, and decern him, in like manner, to come to the booth and deliver the keys to the said catherine dunbar; and, in like manner, to come to her house, and there to deliver the other four keys, and to confess his offence, and ordain him to pay for his riot, committed by him, to the town's treasurer, fifty pounds money, and to remain in ward until he pay the same. whereupon took act of court. (signed) "james duff, clerk." a drunken, pugnacious, and disorderly tailor. it will be observed that he is not held responsible for his conduct _during_ drunkenness. the punishment is certainly severe, and he must have been an incorrigible individual if the "thief's hole" did not suffice, as from later accounts it was such a nuisance that on more than one occasion a cart load of peats had to be burnt therein to make the place _sweet_:-"9th july, a.d. 1622.--in presence of william paterson, senior, one of the bailies of the burgh of inverness:--that day thomas paterson, tailor in inverness, is become acted, in the burgh court books thereof, voluntarily, of his own free motive and will, that if ever he offend any person or persons within this burgh, either by word, work, or deed, before or after drunkenness, that he shall be taken to the thief's hole within the tolbooth of inverness, and there to remain for the space of twenty days, and thereafter to be taken to the cross, and there to be punished as a public offender, and to be banished out of the said burgh for ever; and if ever he be found in the said burgh after his banishment, in that case to be taken to the water of ness, and to duck him there, and thereafter to put him in ward until he die. whereupon robert sinclair asked and took act. (signed) "james duff, clerk." curious punishment for the abuse of the constituted authorities. "at inverness the 2d day of the month of september, a.d. 1622, in presence of james cuthbert, provost; andrew fraser, william robertson, senior, and william paterson, senior, bailies of said burgh:--that day the foresaid judges decern and ordain anton anderson for the back-biting and slandering of andrew fraser, bailie; and alexander logan, notary, for saying to them that the said persons have sold him to his contrar (opposite) party by seeking out of his decreet; and also for boasting (threatening) and menacing of the said persons, is decerned in twenty merks money; and likewise shall come to the cross by ten hours on saturday, in presence of the magistrates, conveyed by the officers from his own house, and there shall confess in presence of the haill people his offence, as likewise shall come two several sundays in white suits; and last thereof, shall come down in presence of the haill congregation and confess his fault, and to remain in ward until he obtain pardon for the same, under the pain of two hundred pounds. (signed) "james duff, clerk." an unfortunate and ill-matched couple. it would seem that the heinousness of the misdemeanour was increased because of the presence of strangers. the probable punishment of the female would be the ducking-stool, which, to the terror of all beholders, occupied a prominent position about the centre of the bridge street, on the right hand going towards the bridge from the cross:-"that day john christie and janet robertson, his spouse, for their riots committed by them on one another, these divers years bygone in back-biting, slandering, and abusing of one another with vile speeches, and in dinging (hitting), hurting, and bleeding of one another, and specially upon the last day of august last by passed, ye both enterit (attacked) one another, on the high king's causey in presence of divers strangers, and there the said john christie dang (hit) his said spouse, torrit (tore) her head, and kust (cast) her churge (cap) in the mire, and cast herself in the mire and tramped her with his feet; and likewise she in the meantime took her said spouse by the gorgit (throat), and in the craig (neck), most odious to be seen; therefore the said john, for his fault, is decerned in twenty pounds money, and to amit (lose) his liberty for one year, and in case he be found to commit the like fault in any time coming, to pay forty pounds money _toties quoties_, and in like manner remit the punishment of the said janet robertson for drunkenness and misbehaviour to the censure of the kirk. whereupon, &c." alex. fraser. (_to be continued._) * * * * * mr h. l. rolfe, the celebrated irish painter, has just finished a large natural history picture, entitled "a border feud." the scene is laid on a scotch loch. an otter has succeeded in taking a salmon, which it has just commenced to devour; an eagle is flying away, having been disappointed of its prey. this last effort of mr rolfe's is the most successful which has yet appeared from his studio. the christian knowledge society is bringing out a revised edition of their gaelic translation of the book of common prayer. on the druidical chants preserved in the choruses of popular songs in england, scotland, ireland, and france. by charles mackay, ll.d., f.s.a., _author of the gaelic etymology of the english and lowland scotch, and the languages of western europe_. the learned godfrey higgins informs us in his anacalypsis that "every word in every language has originally had a meaning, whether a nation has it by inheritance, by importation, or by composition." he adds that it is evident if we can find out the original meaning of the words which stand for the names of objects, great discoveries may be expected. the duke of somerset, in our day, expresses the same truth more tersely when he says that "every word in every language has its pedigree." all who are acquainted with the early lyrical literature of england and scotland, preserved in the songs and ballads of the days immediately before and after shakspere, must sometimes have asked themselves the meaning of such old choruses as "_down, down, derry down_," "_with a fal, lal, la_" "_tooral, looral_," "_hey, nonnie, nonnie_," and many others. these choruses are by no means obsolete, though not so frequently heard in our day as they used to be a hundred years ago. "_down, down, derry down_," still flourishes in immortal youth in every village alehouse and beershop where the farm labourers and mechanics are accustomed to assemble. one of the greatest living authorities on the subject of english song and music--mr william chappell--the editor of the popular music of the olden time, is of opinion that these choruses, or burdens, were "mere nonsense words that went glibly off the tongue." he adds (vol. i., page 223), "i am aware that '_hey down, down, derry down_,' has been said to be a modern version of '_ha, down, ir, deri danno_,' the burden of an old song of the druids, signifying, come let us haste to the oaken grove (jones, welsh bards, vol. i., page 128), but this i believe to be mere conjecture, and that it would now be impossible to prove that the druids had such a song." that mr chappell's opinion is not correct, will, i think, appear from the etymological proofs of the antiquity of this and other choruses afforded by the venerable language which was spoken throughout the british isles by the aboriginal people for centuries before the roman invasion, and which is not yet extinct in wales, in ireland, in the isle of man, and in the highlands and islands of scotland. julius cæsar, the conqueror of gaul and britain, has left a description of the druids and their religion, which is of the highest historical interest. that system and religion came originally from assyria, egypt, and phoenicia, and spread over all europe at a period long anterior to the building of rome, or the existence of the roman people. the druids were known by name, but scarcely more than by name, to the greeks, who derived the appellation erroneously from _drus_, an oak, under the supposition that the druids preferred to perform their religious rites under the shadows of oaken groves. the greeks also called the druids saronides, from two celtic words _sar_ and _dhuine_, signifying "excellent or superior men." the celtic meaning of the word "druid" is to enclose within a circle, and a druid meant a prophet, a divine, a bard, a magician; one who was admitted to the mysteries of the inner circle. the druidic religion was astronomical, and purely deistical, and rendered reverence to the sun, moon, and stars as the visible representatives of the otherwise unseen divinity who created man and nature. "the druids used no images," says the reverend doctor alexander in his excellent little volume on the island of iona, published by the religious tract society, "to represent the object of their worship, nor did they meet in temples or buildings of any kind for the performance of their sacred rites. a circle of stones, generally of vast size, and surrounding an area of from twenty feet to thirty yards in diameter, constituted their sacred place; and in the centre of this stood the cromlech (crooked stone), or altar, which was an obelisk of immense size, or a large oblong flat stone, supported by pillars. these sacred circles were usually situated beside a river or stream, and under the shadow of a grove, an arrangement which was probably designed to inspire reverence and awe in the minds of the worshippers, or of those who looked from afar on their rites. like others of the gentile nations also, they had their 'high places,' which were large stones, or piles of stones, on the summits of hills; these were called carns (cairns), and were used in the worship of the deity under the symbol of the sun. in this repudiation of images and worshipping of god in the open air they resembled their neighbours the germans, of whom tacitus says that from the greatness of the heavenly bodies, they inferred that the gods could neither be inclosed within walls, nor assimilated to any human form; and he adds, that 'they consecrated groves and forests, and called by the names of the gods that mysterious object which they behold by mental adoration alone.' "in what manner and with what rites the druids worshipped their deity, there is now no means of ascertaining with minute accuracy. there is reason to believe that they attached importance to the ceremony of going thrice round their sacred circle, from east to west, following the course of the sun, by which it is supposed they intended to express their entire conformity to the will and order of the supreme being, and their desire that all might go well with them according to that order. it may be noticed, as an illustration of the tenacity of popular usages and religious rites, how they abide with a people, generation after generation, in spite of changes of the most important kind, nay, after the very opinions out of which they have risen have been repudiated; that even to the present day certain movements are considered of good omen when they follow the course of the sun, and that in some of the remote parts of the country the practice is still retained of seeking good fortune by going thrice round some supposed sacred object from east to west." but still more remarkable than the fact which doctor alexander has stated, is the vitality of the ancient druidic chants, which still survive on the popular tongue for nearly two thousand years after their worship has disappeared, and after the meaning of these strange snatches and fragments of song has been all but irretrievably lost, and almost wholly unsuspected. stonehenge, or the _coir-mhor_, on salisbury plain, is the grandest remaining monument of the druids in the british isles. everybody has heard of this mysterious relic, though few know that many other druidical circles of minor importance are scattered over various parts of england, scotland, and ireland. in scotland they are especially numerous. one but little known, and not mentioned by the duke of argyll in his book on the remarkable island of which he is the proprietor, is situated between the ruins of the cathedral of iona and the sea shore, and is well worthy of a visit from the thousands of tourists who annually make the voyage round the noble isle of mull, on purpose to visit iona and staffa. there is another druidic circle on the mainland of mull, and a large and more remarkable one at lochnell, near oban, in argyllshire, which promises to become as celebrated as stonehenge itself, combining as it does not only the mystic circle, but a representation, clearly defined, of the mysterious serpent, the worship of which entered so largely into all the oriental religions of remote antiquity. there are other circles in lewis and the various islands of the hebrides, and as far north as orkney and shetland. it was, as we learn from various authorities, the practice of the druidical priests and bards to march in procession round the inner circle of their rude temples, chanting religious hymns in honour of the sunrise, the noon, or the sunset; hymns which have not been wholly lost to posterity, though posterity has failed to understand them, or imagined that their burdens--their sole relics--are but unmeaning words, invented for musical purposes alone, and divested of all intellectual signification. the best known of these choruses is "_down, down, derry down_," which may either be derived from the words _dun_, a hill; and _darag_ or _darach_, an oak tree; or from _duine_, a man; and _doire_, a wood; and may either signify an invitation to proceed to the hill of the oak trees for the purposes of worship, or an invocation to the men of the woods to join in the druidical march and chant, as the priests walked in procession from the interior of the stone circle to some neighbouring grove upon a down or hill. this chorus survives in many hundreds of english popular songs, but notably in the beautiful ballad "the three ravens," preserved in melismata (1611):- there were three ravens sat on a tree, _down-a-down! hey down, hey down_. they were as black as black might be, with a down! then one of them said to his mate, where shall we now our breakfast take, _with a down, down, derry, derry, down!_ a second well-known and vulgarised chorus is "_tooral looral_," of which the most recent appearance is in a song which the world owes to the bad taste of the comic muse--that thinks it cannot be a muse until it blackens its face to look like a negro:- once a maiden fair, she had ginger hair, with her _tooral looral lá_, di, oh! and she fell in love did this turtle dove and her name was dooral, hoopty dooral! _tooral looral_, oh my! this vile trash contains two celtic or gaelic words, which are susceptible of two separate interpretations. _tooral_ may be derived from the celtic _turail_--slow, sagacious, wary; and _looral_ from _luathrail_ (pronounced _laurail_)--quick, signifying a variation in the time of some musical composition to which the druidical priests accommodated their footsteps in a religious procession, either to the grove of worship, or around the inner stone circle of the temple. it is also possible that the words are derived from _tuath-reul_ and _luath-reul_ (_t_ silent in both instances), the first signifying "north star," and the second "swift star;" appropriate invocations in the mouths of a priesthood that studied all the motions of the heavenly bodies, and were the astrologers as well as the astronomers of the people. a third chorus, which, thanks to the elizabethan writers, has not been vulgarised, is that which occurs in john chalkhill's "praise of a countryman's life," quoted by izaak walton:- oh the sweet contentment the countryman doth find. _high trolollie, lollie, lol: high trolollie, lee_, these words are easily resolvable into the celtic; _ai!_ or _aibhe!_ hail! or all hail! _trath_--pronounced _trah_, early, and _la_, day! or "_ai, tra, là, là, là_"--"hail, early day! day," a chorus which moses and aaron may have heard in the temples of egypt, as the priests of baal saluted the rising sun as he beamed upon the grateful world, and which was repeated by the druids on the remote shores of western europe, in now desolate stonehenge, and a thousand other circles, where the sun was worshipped as the emblem of the divinity. the second portion of the chorus, "_high trolollie lee_," is in celtic, _ai tra la, la, li_, which signifies, "hail early day! hail bright day!" the repetition of the word _la_ as often as it was required for the exigencies of the music, accounts for the chorus, in the form in which it has descended to modern times. "_fal, lal, là_," a chorus even more familiar to the readers of old songs, is from the same source. lord bathurst, afterwards earl of dorset, wrote, in 1665, the well-known ballad, commencing:- to all you ladies now on land, we men at sea indite, but first would have you understand how hard it is to write. with _a fal, lal, là_, and _a fal lal, là_, _and a fal, lal, lal, lal, là_. _fal_ is an abbreviation of _failte!_ welcome! and _là_ as already noted signifies a day. the words should be properly written failte! la! la! the chorus appears in the "invitation to may," by thomas morley, 1595:- now is the month of maying, when merry lads are playing, _fal, la, là!_ each with his bonnie lass, upon the greeny grass, _fal, la, là!_ the celtic or druidical interpretation of these syllables is, "welcome the day." "_fal, lero, loo_," appears as a chorus in a song by george wither (1588-1667):- there was a lass--a fair one as fair as e'er was seen, she was indeed a rare one, another sheba queen. but fool, as i then was, i thought she loved me true, but now alas! she's left me, _fal, lero, lero, loo_. here _failte_, as in the previous instance, means welcome; _lear_ (corrupted into _lero_), the sea; and _luaidh_ (the d silent), praise; the chorus of a song of praise to the sun when seen rising above the ocean. the song of sir eglamour, in mr chappell's collection, has another variety of the _failte_ or _fal, la_, of a much more composite character:- sir eglamour that valiant knight, _fal, la, lanky down dilly!_ he took his sword and went to fight, _fal, la, lanky down dilly!_ in another song, called "the friar in the well," this chorus appears in a slightly different form:- listen awhile and i will tell of a friar that loved a bonnie lass well, _fal la! lál, lal, lal, lá! fal la, langtre down dilly!_ _lan_ is the gaelic for full, and _dile_ for rain. the one version has _lanky_, the other _langtre_, both of which are corruptions of the celtic. the true reading is _failte la, lan, ri, dun, dile_, which signifies "welcome to the full or complete day! let us go to the hill of rain." _hey, nonnie, nonnie._ "such unmeaning burdens of songs," says nares in his glossary, "are common to ballads in most languages." but this burden is not unmeaning, and signifies "hail to the noon." _noin_ or noon, the ninth hour was so called in the celtic, because at midsummer in our northern latitudes it was the ninth hour after sunrise. with the romans, in a more southern latitude, noon was the ninth hour after sunrise, at six in the morning, answering to our three o'clock of the afternoon. a song with this burden was sung in england in the days of charles the second:- i am a senseless thing, with a hey! men call me a king, with a ho? for my luxury and ease, they brought me o'er the seas, _with a heigh, nonnie, nonnie, nonnie, no!_ mr chappell cites an ancient ballad which was sung to the tune of _hie dildo, dil_. this also appears to be druidical, and to be resolvable into _ai! dile dun dile!_ or "hail to the rain, to the rain upon the hill," a thanksgiving for rain after a drought. _trim go trix_ is a chorus that continued to be popular until the time of charles the second, when tom d'urfrey wrote a song entitled "under the greenwood tree," of which he made it the burden. another appears in allan ramsay's tea-table miscellany:- the pope, that pagan full of pride, he has us blinded long, for where the blind the blind does guide, no wonder things go wrong. like prince and king, he led the ring of all inquitie. _hey trix, trim go trix!_ under the greenwood tree. in gaelic _dream_ or _dreim_ signifies a family, a tribe, the people, a procession; and _qu tric_, frequently, often, so that these words represent a frequent procession of the people to the hill of worship under the greenwood tree. in motherwell's "ancient and modern minstrelsy," the ballad of hynd horn contains a celtic chorus repeated in every stanza:- near edinburgh was a young child born, with a _hey lilli lu_, and a _how lo lan_! and his name it was called young hynd horn, and the birk and the broom bloom bonnie. here the words are corruptions of _aidhe_ (hail); _li_, light or colour; _lu_, small; _ath_, again; _lo_, day-light; _lan_, full; and may be rendered "hail to the faint or small light of the dawn"; and "again the full light of the day" (after the sun had risen). in the nursery rhymes of england, edited by mr halliwell for the percy society, 1842, appears the quatrain:- _hey dorolot, dorolot_, _hey dorolay, doralay_, hey my bonnie boat--bonnie boat, hey drag away--drag away. the two first lines of this jingle appear to be a remnant of a druidical chant, and to resolve themselves into, _aidhe, doire luchd--doire luchd, aidhe doire leigh, doire leigh._ _aidhe_, an interjection, is pronounced hie; _doire_, is trees or woods; _luchd_, people; and _leigh_, healing; and also a physician, whence the old english word for a doctor, a leech, so that the couplet means hey to the woods people! to the woods people! hey to the woods for healing, to the woods for healing. if this translation be correct, the chorus would seem to have been sung when the druids went in search of the sacred mistletoe, which they called the "heal all," or universal remedy. there is an old christmas carol which commences- _nowell! nowell! nowell! nowell!_ this is the salutation of the angel gabriel. mr halliwell, in his archaic dictionary, says "nowell was a cry of joy, properly at christmas, of joy for the birth of the saviour." a political song in a manuscript of the time of king henry the sixth, concludes- let us all sing nowelle, nowelle, nowelle, nowelle, nowelle, and christ save merry england and spede it well. the modern gaelic and celtic for christmas is _nollaig_--a corruption of the ancient druidical name for holiday--from _naomh_, holy, and _la_, day, whence "naola!" the burden of a druidical hymn, announcing the fact that a day of religious rejoicing had arrived for the people. a very remarkable example of the vitality of these druidic chants is afforded by the well-known political song of "_lilli burlero_" of which lord macaulay gives the following account in his history of england:-"thomas wharton, who, in the last parliament had represented buckinghamshire, and who was already conspicuous both as a libertine and as a whig, had written a satirical ballad on the administration of tyrconnel. in his little poem an irishman congratulates a brother irishman in a barbarous jargon on the approaching triumph of popery and of the milesian race. the protestant heir will be excluded. the protestant officers will be broken. the great charter and the praters who appeal to it will be hanged in one rope. the good talbot will shower commissions on his countrymen, and will cut the throats of the english. these verses, which were in no respect above the ordinary standard of street poetry, had for burden some gibberish which was said to have been used as a watchword by the insurgents of ulster in 1641. the verses and the tune caught the fancy of the nation. from one end of england to the other all classes were constantly singing this idle rhyme. it was especially the delight of the english army. more than seventy years after the revolution a great writer delineated with exquisite skill a veteran who had fought at the boyne and at namur. one of the characteristics of the good old soldier is his trick of whistling lilliburllero. wharton afterwards boasted that he had sung a king out of three kingdoms. but, in truth, the success of lilliburllero was the effect and not the cause of that excited state of public feeling which produced the revolution." the mysterious syllables which lord macaulay asserted to be gibberish, and which in this corrupt form were enough to puzzle a celtic scholar, and more than enough to puzzle lord macaulay, who, like the still more ignorant doctor samuel johnson, knew nothing of the venerable language of the first inhabitants of the british isles, and of all western europe, resolve themselves into _li! li beur! lear-a! buille na la_, which signify, "light! light! on the sea, beyond the promontory! 'tis the stroke (or dawn) of the day!" like all the choruses previously cited, these words are part of a hymn to the sun, and entirely astronomical and druidical. the syllables _fol de rol_ which still occur in many of the vulgarest songs of the english lower classes, and which were formerly much more commonly employed than they are now, are a corruption of _failte reul!_ or welcome to the star! _fal de ral_ is another form of the corruption which the celtic original has undergone. the french, a more celtic people than the english, have preserved many of the druidical chants. in beranger's song "le scandale" occurs one of them, which is as remarkable for its druidic appositeness as any of the english choruses already cited:- aux drames du jour, laissons la morale, sans vivre à la cour j'aime le scandale; bon! _le farira dondaine_ gai! _la farira dondé_. these words resolve themselves into the gaelic _la! fair! aire! dun teine!_ "day! sunrise! watch it on the hill of fire (the sacred fire)"; and _la! fair! aire! dun de!_ "day! sunrise! watch it on the hill of god." in the recueil de chanson's choisies (la haye, 1723, vol. i., page 155), there is a song called danse ronde, commencing _l'autre jour, pres d'annette_ of which the burden is _lurelu la rela!_ these syllables seem to be resolvable into the celtic:--_luadh reul! luadh!_ (praise to the star! praise!); or _luath reul luath_ (the swift star, swift!); and _la! reul! la!_ (the day! the star! the day!). there is a song of beranger's of which the chorus is _tra, la trala, tra la la_, already explained, followed by the words--_c'est le diabh er falbala_. here _falbala_ is a corruption of the celtic _falbh la!_ "farewell to the day," a hymn sung at sunset instead of at sunrise. beranger has another song entitled "le jour des morts," which has a druidical chorus:- amis, entendez les cloches qui par leurs sons gemissants nous font des bruyans reproches sur nos rires indecents, il est des ames en peine, dit le pretre interessé. c'est le jour des morts, _mirliton, mirlitaine_. requiscant in pace! _mir_ in celtic signifies rage or fuss; _tonn_ or _thonn_, a wave; _toinn_, waves; and _tein_, fire; whence those apparently unmeaning syllables may be rendered--"the fury of the waves, the fury of the fire." _tira lira la._ this is a frequent chorus in french songs, and is composed of the gaelic words _tiorail_, genial, mild, warm; _iorrach_, quiet, peaceable; and _là_, day; and was possibly a druidical chant, after the rising of the sun, resolving itself into _tiorail-iorra la_, warm peaceful day! _rumbelow_ was the chorus or burden of many ancient songs, both english and scotch. after the battle of bannockburn, says fabyan, a citizen of london, who wrote the "chronicles of england," "the scottes inflamed with pride, made this rhyme as followeth in derision of the english:- "maydens of englande, sore may ye mourne for your lemans ye 've lost at bannockisburne, with _heve a lowe!_ what weeneth the kyng of englande, so soone to have won scotlande, with _rumbylowe!_" in "peebles to the play" the word occurs- with heigh and howe, and _rumbelowe_, the young folks were full bauld. there is an old english sea song of which the burden is "with a rumbelowe." in one more modern, in deuteromelia 1609, the word dance the rumbelow is translated- shall we go dance to round, around, shall we go dance the round. greek--_rhombos_, _rhembo_, to spin or turn round. the word is apparently another remnant of the old druidical chants sung by the priests when they walked in procession round their sacred circles of stonehenge and others, and clearly traceable to the gaelic--_riomball_, a circle; _riomballach_, circuitous; _riomballachd_, circularity. the perversion of so many of these once sacred chants to the service of the street ballad, suggests the trite remark of hamlet to horatio:- to what base uses we may come at last! . . . . . . imperial cæsar, dead and turned to clay, may stop a hole to keep the winds away. the hymns once sung by thousands of deep-voiced priests marching in solemn procession from their mystic shrines to salute with music and song, and reverential homage, the rising of the glorious orb which cheers and fertilises the world, the gift as well as the emblem of almighty power and almighty love, have wholly departed from the recollection of man, and their poor and dishonoured relics are spoken of by scholars and philosophers, as trash, gibberish, nonsense, and an idle farrago of sounds, of no more philological value than the lowing of cattle or the bleating of sheep. but i trust that all attentive readers of the foregoing pages will look upon the old choruses--so sadly perverted in the destructive progress of time, that demolishes languages as well as empires and systems of religious belief--with something of the respect due to their immense antiquity, and their once sacred functions in a form of worship, which, whatever were its demerits as compared with the purer religion that has taken its place, had at least the merit of inculcating the most exalted ideas of the power, the love, and the wisdom of the great creator. on visiting _druim-a liath_, the birth-place of duncan _ban_ macintyre. the homes long are gone, but enchantment still lingers, these green knolls around, where thy young life began, sweetest and last of the old celtic singers, bard of the _monadh-dhu'_, blithe _donach bàn_! never mid scenes of earth, fairer and grander, poet first lifted his eyelids on light; free mid these glens, o'er these mountains to wander, and make them his own by the true minstrel right. thy home at the meeting and green interlacing of clear-flowing waters and far-winding glens, lovely inlaid in the mighty embracing of sombre pine forests and storm-riven bens. behind thee these crowding peaks, region of mystery, fed thy young spirit with broodings sublime; each cairn and green knoll lingered round by some history, of the weird under-world, or the wild battle-time. thine were ben-starrav, stop-gyre, meal-na-ruadh, mantled in storm-gloom, or bathed in sunshine; streams from corr-oran, glash-gower, and glen-fuadh made music for thee, where their waters combine. but over all others thy darling bendorain held thee entranced with his beautiful form, with looks ever-changing thy young fancy storing, gladness of sunshine and terror of storm- opened to thee his heart's deepest recesses, taught thee the lore of the red-deer and roe, showed thee them feed on the green mountain cresses, drink the cold wells above lone doire-chro. how did'st thou watch them go up the high passes at sunrise rejoicing, a proud jaunty throng? learn the herbs that they love, the small flow'rs, and hill grasses, and made them for ever bloom green in thy song. yet, bard of the wilderness, nursling of nature, would the hills e'er have taught thee true minstrel art, had not a visage more lovely of feature the fountain unsealed of thy tenderer heart? the maiden that dwelt by the side of maam-haarie, seen from thy home-door, a vision of joy, morning and even the young fair-haired mary moving about at her household employ. high on bendoa and stately ben-challader, leaving the dun deer in safety to bide, fondly thy doating eye dwelt on her, followed her, tenderly wooed her, and won her thy bride. o! well for the maiden that found such a lover, and well for the poet, to whom mary gave her fulness of love until, life's journey over, she lay down beside him to rest in the grave. from the bards of to-day, and their sad songs that dark'n the day-spring with doubt, wring the bosom with pain, how gladly we fly to the shealings and harken the clear mountain gladness that sounds in thy strain. on the hill-side with thee is no doubt or misgiving, but there joy and freedom, atlantic winds blow, and kind thoughts are there, and the pure simple living of the warm-hearted folk in the glens long ago. the muse of old maro hath pathos and splendour, the long lines of homer majestic'lly roll; but to me donach bàn breathes a language more tender, more kin to the child-heart that sleeps in my soul. st andrews. j. c. shairp. +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | transcriber's note: in the original text, the word 'tra' in | | "_ai, tra, là, là, là_" is spelt with a breve over the a. | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ the celtic magazine. no. iv. february 1876. the state of the ossianic controversy. [concluded.] in prosecuting the geological and geographical confirmation of ossian on which we have lately been engaged, the most convincing proofs and the greatest difficulties alike are to be found in the frith of clyde. the levels of the water in that frith penetrating far inland, by paisley, rutherglen, and kilsyth, assumed unconsciously as matter of fact in the text of ossian, are in such obvious harmony with every word of the poems which relate to that region, that the poems in question cannot otherwise be understood; and we therefore cannot help believing not only that the poems themselves are genuine, but that they represent a geological phenomenon hitherto unsuspected in the world--are, in fact, a revelation in science. on the other hand, the levels thus assumed are so very far beyond anything admitted by geologists within the era assigned, as to seem not only extravagant but incredible; and if they cannot be maintained, their assumption as a fact will destroy the credibility of the poems in which the assumption is made. as regards the authenticity of these poems, however, the assumption itself is conclusive; for the translator did not see it, and could therefore never have fabricated the poems in which it appears. such poems must have been written by some eye-witness of the fact, who did not require to exaggerate; and the only question as regards reliability now to be settled, is whether he did exaggerate or no? was the clyde a sea to rutherglen, as he seems to affirm? was the kelvin a fiord to kilsyth, or nearly so, as he implies? was the leven an estuary to loch lomond, as we are bound to conclude? was the black cart a marine canal to ardrossan in the days of agricola? if so, the clyde must have been from 60 to 80 feet above its present level at the date supposed--and then, where was the roman wall? traces of that wall upon the clyde at a much lower level, it is said, still exist; and the old fortifications between dunglass and kilpatrick only 50 feet or thereby above the present level, put an end to the reliability, if not to the authenticity of ossian. this is the difficulty now to be disposed of; and of which, in passing, we need only say, that if macpherson had seen it he would certainly have avoided it; and therefore, that whoever was the author of the poems in which it occurs, macpherson was not. but it is with the difficulty itself we are now concerned, and not with the authorship. i. first then, suppose any statement, direct or indirect, had occurred in any greek or roman writer of the time--cæsar, tacitus, dion cassius, or ptolemy--affirming, or even implying, such a level in the clyde at the date in question, notwithstanding the roman wall, would the testimony of such authors have been rejected? if not, how would our geologists have disposed of it? or how would they have reconciled it with existing matters of fact? one can imagine the jealousy with which such texts would have been criticised; the assiduity with which every crevice on the coast would have been surveyed, not to contradict but to confirm them; and the fertility of invention with which theories would have been multiplied to harmonise them. strange as it may appear, however, facts and statements amounting very nearly to this do occur, and have hitherto been overlooked, or purposely omitted in silence. the roman wall, for example, stops short with a town at balmulzie on one side of the kelvin, and begins again with another town at simmerton, nearly a mile distant, on the opposite side of the kelvin; but why should such a gap be there, if the kelvin, which flows between, had not been something like a fiord at the moment? again, it is distinctly affirmed by herodian that the marshes of clydesdale south of the wall were constantly--end of the third, or beginning of the fourth century--emitting vapours which obscured the sky. but how could this be the case, if volcanic heat had not already been operating underneath, and the waters of the frith were then beginning to subside from their original higher levels? on the other hand, not only do statements to the effect alleged occur frequently in ossian, but whole poems are founded on the assumption of their truth, and cannot be understood without them. why then are not these taken into account by our geologists as contemporaneous testimony, in the same way as similar statements, if they had occurred in cæsar or in tacitus, would have been? because ossian hitherto has been looked upon by men of science as a fable; as a witness utterly unfit to be produced in court, and no more to be cared for or quoted in an ordnance survey, or in a professor's chair, than the arabian nights' entertainments are in a pulpit. by which very oversight or contempt, the most important revelations have been lost, and the most elaborate theories will soon be rendered useless. ossian, in fact, is as much an authority as either cæsar, or tacitus, or ptolemy; and in estimating the physical conditions of the world to which he refers, and which he describes, can no longer be either ignored or doubted. if his text seems to be at variance with existing facts, it must be more carefully studied; and if new theories are required to harmonise details they must be accepted or invented. we have had theories enough already, which have perished with the using; something more in harmony with facts, or that will better explain the facts, must now be forthcoming. ii. but the roman wall itself, which is supposed to be the greatest barrier in the way of our accepting ossian, has actually a literature of its own, little understood, in his favour. the three forts farthest west, and on which so much reliance has been placed as indicating the levels of the clyde when they were built and occupied, are those at chapel hill, near old kilpatrick, at duntocher, and at castlehill a little farther to the east; all under the ridge of the kilpatrick hills, and all--one of them very closely--overlooking the clyde. but in excavating the remains of roman architecture in these forts, stones have been found with symbolical sculptures upon them which are still in existence, or which have been accurately copied for public use. on one of the stones at chapel hill, farthest west, we have the figure of a wild boar in flight; on one at duntocher we have another wild boar, on two more there we have sea-dogs or seals and winged horses; on two more at castlehill we have another boar, and another seal, and an osprey or sea-eagle on the back of the seal; but beyond this to the eastward, although a boar still occurs, not another seal appears. how then is all this descriptive or symbolical sculpture, so plain and so significant, to be accounted for, if the frith of clyde had not then been a sea flowing up into the recesses of the land, as high almost as duntocher and castlehill? the wild boar is traceable throughout, for he inhabited the woods on the kilpatrick range, as far eastward, perhaps, as simmerton; and we find him eating acorns, even beyond that. on the other hand, no seal is represented at chapel hill, for the water there was too deep, and the banks too precipitous. it appears first at duntocher, and again at castlehill, because the sea flowed up into quiet bays and inlets there, where such amphibia could bask--of which, more hereafter; but it totally disappears beyond that, because the salt water ceased in the distance. the winged-horse, or pegasus, is more difficult to account for, and has greatly perplexed the learned antiquarians who have commented on him; but if the roman legionaries who built and occupied these western stations ever heard the caledonian harp, or listened to a celtic bard, or received an embassy, as we are expressly told they did, from men like ossian as ambassadors--the difficulty requires no farther explanation. the romans were neither blind nor senseless, and knew well enough how to represent the poetical genius of the country which they were attempting in vain to conquer, as well as the wild boars of its woods, and the sea-dogs in its estuaries; and have thus left behind them, in rude but significant sculpture, as true a picture as could be imagined of the men on the soil, and the beasts in the field, and the fish so-called in the sea, and the bird in the air--between simmerton and duntocher, in absolute conformity with the text of ossian. nor is there any possible reply to this by our antiquarian friends. the roman wall itself, to which they constantly appeal, supplies the evidence, and they are bound, without a murmur, to accept it. iii. but the levels of the wall, it may be said, as now ascertainable by actual survey--what other sort of evidence do _they_ afford? this question implies--(1) a range of observation from the kelvin at simmerton westward to duntocher in the first place, and then to chapel hill between old kilpatrick and dunglass. the intermediate forts on that line are separated by equal distances, nearly as follows:--from simmerton to new kilpatrick, 1¾ miles; from new kilpatrick to castlehill, 1¾ miles; from castlehill to duntocher, 1¾ miles; the lowest point in which range at duntocher is from 155 to 200 feet above the level of the clyde, leaving sufficient room, therefore, for the wall above the highest level assumed in the text of ossian. from duntocher to chapel hill there is a distance of 2½ miles, with no trace whatever of the wall between. chapel hill is considerably lower than duntocher, undoubtedly; but why is there so great a gap there, and no trace of a wall in the interval? either, because there never was a wall so close to the tide; or because the tide itself washed the wall away, having been built too close to its confines; or for some other more probable reason yet to be assigned. the fort at chapel hill itself, indeed, is the most indistinct of them all; and if a regular fort of any importance ever existed there, it must have suffered either partial inundation, or some other serious shock, unquestionably. (2) it implies also a corresponding survey of the ground intermediate between the wall and the river. now the intervening ground along the banks of the clyde, from chapel hill to the pointhouse at glasgow, is a low-lying flat with a gradual rise inland, at the present moment, of not more than 25 or 30 feet. but according to professor geikie's latest survey, the clyde must have been about 25 feet higher in the time of the romans than it now is--and professor geikie, we presume, is an authority on such subjects, who may be quoted along with hugh miller and smith of jordanhill:--therefore the whole of that strath, and the strath on the opposite side, from renfrew to paisley, on this assumption, must have been submerged at the same time; and there could be no dwelling-place for human beings--neither local habitation nor a name--within the entire compass of that now fertile and populous region. but two or three gaelic names survive on the northern verge of it, which not only indicate the presence of the sea there, but fix the very limits of its tide. dalmuir, for example, which means the valley of the sea; and garscadden, which means the bay of pilchards or of foul herring, must, in fact, have carried the waters up their respective streams to within less than a mile of the roman wall at duntocher and castlehill. it was in such retreats, then, that both salmon and herring (as the name of one of them imports) would take refuge in the spawning season; it was into such retreats also, they would be pursued by the seals; it was on the shore of such inlets the seals themselves would bask, when the romans saw them; and it is at the two forts respectively at the head of these inlets--duntocher and castlehill--that they have been actually represented in sculpture. could anything be more conclusive as to the proximity of the tide, and very character of the shore, within a bowshot or two of the wall in that neighbourhood, where there is now a distance of more than two miles between it and the river? and yet even more conclusive, in connection with this, is the fact that on the southern verge of the strath, right opposite to these, are other gaelic names equally significant--such as kennis, the head of the island; ferinis, the hero's island; and fingal-ton, which speaks for itself--at the same or a similar level with dalmuir and garscadden, that is from 100 to 200 feet above the present level of the clyde, which seems to demonstrate beyond doubt that the whole intervening space of seven miles in breadth, with the exception of such small islands as those named above, was then an arm of the sea to the depth of 50 feet at least, if not more. (3) our survey is thus narrowed to a single point--the existence and alleged position of the fort at chapel hill, between old kilpatrick and dunglass, on the banks of the river; and here it should be observed as between the two extremities of the wall, east and west, that where it touches the frith of forth at carriden the height of its foundation ranges from about 150 to 200 feet above the level of the sea, and where it approaches the clyde at duntocher it is nearly the same--which was probably its terminus. there is scarcely a vestige of it now traceable beyond that, and that it was ever carried farther in reality is a matter of acknowledged uncertainty. but scattered fragments of masonry, as we have seen, and the dimmest indications of a fort deep down in the earth have been discovered or imagined at chapel hill to the westward, which seems to be about 50 feet above the level of the clyde--leaving still a very large margin beyond professor geikie's estimate; and a great deal of conjecture about what might, or might not have been there, has been indulged in by antiquarians. for the present, however, until proof to the contrary has been shown, let us accept as a fact that some military station had really been established there in connection with the wall--then, how have its fragments been so widely scattered? how has it been so completely entombed that it can only be guessed at under the soil? and how has the connection between it and the wall, more than two miles distant, been obliterated? no other fort on the line, that we know of, is now in the same condition; and therefore, we repeat, either the romans were foolishly contending with the tide, by building too close to its confines, and the tide drove them back and overthrew their works; or the fort itself was originally on a higher level, and the shock of an earthquake, or a landslip from the mountains, or both together, carried the whole mass of masonry and earthwork at this particular point down to their present level, where they would be washed by the tide and silted up in their own ruins. this is a view of the matter, indeed, which no antiquarian, so far as we are aware, has hitherto adopted; but any one who chooses to look with an unprejudiced eye, for a moment, at the enormous gap in the hills immediately behind, reaching down to the shore and including this very region, must be satisfied that the case was so; and recent discoveries--one of a quay-wall or foundation of a bridge at old kilpatrick, about 4 feet deep in a field; and another of a causeway, more than 20 feet submerged and silted up under sea-sand, on the same side of the river, near glasgow, will most probably confirm it. one other question, however, yet remains, touching this mysterious fort, which we may be allowed to say only "ossian and the clyde" can enable us to answer--why was such a fort ever thought of there at all? it was either to receive provisions and reinforcements from the sea; and if so, then it must have been on the very verge of the frith, and the water must have been sufficiently deep there. or it was to watch the estuary of the leven, and to prevent the native caledonians either landing from the sea, or coming down from the hills to turn the flank of the wall at duntocher, and so surprising the romans in the rear; and this, beyond doubt, was its most important purpose as a military station on the line. but we have elsewhere explained (in the work above alluded to) that there was a regular route for the caledonians from dunglass to campsie, which still bears the name of fingal; and fyn-loch, the very first rendezvous on that line, is on the top of the hill immediately above the fort in question. the romans, who must have been fully aware of this, made their own provision accordingly. in sight of that fort, therefore, fingal and his people might embark or disembark on their expeditions through dumbartonshire at pleasure; but it would require to be at a reasonable distance westward, on the sides of dumbuck or in the quiet creek at milton, if they wished to escape the catapults and crossbows of the conquerors of the world. now the earthquake, which extended up the whole basin of the clyde, seems to have changed all that. the fort was sunk or shattered, as we suppose, and the frith began to fall; and antiquarians who do not believe in ossian, or who do not keep such obvious facts in view, have been puzzled ever since, and will be puzzled ever more, attempting to account for it. iv. in adducing this evidence--partly antiquarian and partly geological--we have restricted our survey exclusively to the roman wall, for it is on this important barrier between the forth and clyde that those who object to the geography of ossian are accustomed to fall back. but the sort of testimony it affords might be easily supplemented by a survey of the clyde itself, which can be shown, and has been shown, by incontestable measurement on the coast of ayrshire, to be sinking at the rate of ¾ of an inch annually for the last forty or fifty years at least; and if such subsidence has been going on for fifteen hundred years at the same rate, the level of the frith in the days of the romans must have been even higher than we now allege. a critic in the _scotsman_, who, himself, first demanded such a survey, and to whom the survey when reported in the same paper--august 30th, 1875--was troublesome, appeals boldly in an editorial note to the authority of hugh miller, and again demands that the survey be transferred from girvan to glasgow, because "the height to which the tide rises is a very fluctuating quantity"--in ayrshire, we presume. as for hugh miller, we can find nothing whatever in his pages to the purpose; and if such a distinguished authority is to be relied on in the present controversy, we must insist on his very words being quoted. as for the fluctuation of the tide, if it fluctuates in one place more than another, what is the use of appealing to it at all? and as between the ayrshire coast, and the renfrewshire or lanarkshire coast, on the same side of the frith, unless "the moon and one darn'd thing or another" have special disturbing influence in ayrshire, what difference can there be in the regularity of flow between girvan and glasgow? this learned adversary in the _scotsman_ must surely have been at his wit's end when he took refuge in such an absurdity, and we may safely leave him where he is, to revise his own calculations and recover his composure. all this might be insisted on anew; but the object of the present argument is simply to show to the readers of the _celtic magazine_ that the ossianic controversy must of necessity be removed to another and a higher sphere than ever. there are certain points, indeed, on which philological inquiries may still be of the utmost importance as regards the gaelic original, and these we cheerfully consign for discussion to those whom they most concern; but these will never decide the question of authenticity in its proper form, or establish ossian in his proper place as a witness-bearer of the past. the sense of macpherson's translation, as it stands, must be honestly ascertained; its testimony verified, or otherwise, by direct appeal to the subject matter of its text; and its value in the literature of the world determined, on the same principles, and by the very same process as that of any other public record would be in the history of the world. such investigation has now become indispensable. in ossian's name alike, and in that of science, as well as of common sense, we demand it, and will never be satisfied until it has been accorded. p. hately waddell. * * * * * we direct the reader's careful attention to the following interesting statistics regarding occupiers of land in ireland:--the agricultural statistics of ireland recently completed for 1873 show that in that year there were in that country 590,172 separate holdings, being 5,041 less than in the preceding year. the decrease was in the small holdings. the number of holdings not exceeding one acre fell to 51,977, a decrease of 908, and the number above one acre and not exceeding 15 acres, shows a decrease of 3,777. the holdings above one acre can be compared with the numbers in 1841. since that date the total number has decreased 22 per cent. the number of farms above one and not exceeding five acres has fallen to 72,088 (in 1873), a decrease of 76.8 per cent.; the number of farms above five and not exceeding 15 acres has diminished to 168,044, a decrease of 33.5 per cent.; the number above 15 and not exceeding 30 acres has risen to 138,163, an increase of 74.1 per cent.; and the number above 30 acres has increased to 159,900, an increase of 228.8 per cent. of the total number of holdings in 1873, 8.8 per cent. did not exceed 1 acre; 12.2 per cent. were above 1 and not exceeding 5 acres; 28.5 per cent., 5 to 15 acres; 23.4 per cent., 15 to 30 acres; 12.4 per cent., 30 to 50 acres; 9.4 per cent., 50 to 100 acres; 3.7 per cent., 100 to 200 acres; 1.4 per cent., 200 to 500 acres; 0.2 per cent., above 500 acres. more than 60 acres in every 100 of the land comprising farms above 500 acres are bog or waste. as the farms diminish in size, the proportion under bog and waste decreases until it amounts to only 7.1 per cent. on the smallest holdings. the average extent of the holdings not exceeding 1 acre is 1 rood and 32 perches, and of farms above 500 acres 1,371 acres and 19 perches. as in many instances landholders occupy more than one farm, it has been considered desirable to ascertain the number of such persons, and it has been found that in 1873 the 590,172 holdings were in the hands of 539,545 occupiers, or 2,293 fewer than in the preceding year. there were in 1873 50,758 occupiers whose total extent of land did not exceed 1 acre; 65,051 holdings above 1 and not exceeding 5 acres; 150,778 holdings above 5 but not exceeding 15 acres; 124,471 holdings above 15 but not exceeding 30 acres; 65,991 holdings above 30 and not exceeding 50 acres; 50,565 holdings above 50 but not exceeding 100 acres; 20,764 holdings above 100 but not exceeding 200 acres; 8,799 holdings above 200 but not exceeding 500 acres; and 2,368 holdings above 500 acres. the whole 590,172 holdings extended over 20,327,196 acres, of which 5,270,746 were under crops, 10,413,991 were grazing land, 13,455 fallow, 323,656 woods and plantations, and 4,305,348 bog and waste. the estimated population of ireland in the middle of the year 1873 was 5,337,261. new year in the old style in the highlands. old mr chisholm sat at his parlour fire after a hearty new year dinner. his wife occupied the cosy arm-chair in the opposite corner; and gathered round them were a bevy of merry grand-children, enjoying new year as only children can. their parents were absent at the moment, and the family group was completed by a son and daughter of the old couple. mr chisholm was in a meditative mood, looking into the bright blazing fire. "well," he observed at last with an air of regret, "the new year is not observed as it was when we were children, wife. it's dying out, dying out greatly. when these children are as old as we are there will be no trace of a christmas or a new year holiday. what did you say you had been doing all day bill?" he asked, turning to his son. "shooting," said bill, "and deuced cold i was. catch me trying for the 'silver medal and other prizes' another new year's day." "shooting may be interesting" said mr chisholm, "but as you say it is cold work. we had sometimes a shot at a raffle in my young days, but usually we had more exciting business. shinty my boy, shinty was our great game," and mr chisholm looked as if he greatly pitied the degeneracy of the latter days. "i have played shinty myself" said bill, "and i see it is still played in badenoch and strathglass, and among wild highlanders in edinburgh. but it's too hard on the lungs for me, and besides we never play it here." "the more's the pity, bill. there's no game ever i saw i could compare to shinty. talk about cricket, that's nothing to it. shinty was suited to a new year's day; it kept the spirits up and the body warm. i should like to have a turn at it yet--wouldn't i run?" and the old man's heavy frame shook as he chuckled at the idea. "however, there's no use speaking; is tea ready wife?" "no, and it won't be for half-an-hour yet, perhaps longer" said mrs chisholm. "you know we have to wait bella and john," indicating her married daughter and her husband. "then," said the old man, "come here bairns and i shall tell you how i spent one of my early new year's days." "yes, do, grandfather," shouted a happy chorus; "now for a story." "not much of a story" replied mr chisholm, "but such as it is you shall have it. i was born and bred in the country, you know, my father being a small farmer. the district was half-lowland, half-highland, and we mixed the customs of both. at that time shinty was a universal winter game, and greatly we prided ourselves on our smartness at the sport. and it was a sport that required a great deal of smartness, activity, strength, presence of mind, and a quick sure eye. many a moonlight night did the lads contend for the honour of hailing the ball. on this particular day there was to be a match between two districts--twenty men a-side, and the stake £5 and a gallon of whisky. our leader was a carpenter, named paterson, who was the hero of many a keenly contested shinty match. "the eagerly expected morning at last arrived. the new year was taken in by the young folk trying for their fortune in 'sooans.' bless me bairns, don't you know what 'sooans' is? no; then the thin sooans was made for drinking like good thick gruel; the thick was like porridge, but that we never took on a christmas or new year morning. about four o'clock i came down to the kitchen, and there found my mother superintending the boiling of the 'sooans,' and the place filled with the servants, girls, and men, and some of our neighbours. my friend paterson, who had an eye to one of the servants (a pretty country lassie) had walked four miles to be present. wishing them all a happy christmas i sat down to share the 'sooans' with the rest. "'well paterson,' said i, 'how do you feel this morning? nothing, i hope, to interfere with your running powers.' "'no thank ye, willie,' said he, 'i'm as supple as a deer.' "'supple enough,' said one of the men with a grin; 'he was here first this morning. wasn't he, maggie?' "''twould be lang afore ye were first,' retorted maggie; 'the laziest loon on the whole country side.' "by this time the 'sooans' were ready, and we were all unceremoniously turned out of doors. in our absence ten bowls were filled. in two of these a ring was placed, signifying, of course, speedy marriage; a shilling put into two others represented the old bachelor or old maid; and a half-crown in another represented riches. called in, we had each to choose a dish, beginning at the youngest. great was the merriment as we drained our dishes, but at the last mouthful or two we paused, as if afraid to peer into dark futurity. "'here goes,' exclaimed paterson first of all, and he emptied his dish. at the bottom lay a shilling, which he exhibited amidst a general shout of laughter. "'what have _you_ got maggie,' was the next exclamation. with a titter maggie produced a ring. "'and here's the other ring' cried jock, the 'laziest loon in the country side.' 'maggie, you're my lass for this year anyway.' "maggie tossed her head in superb disdain. "'i'll try my luck now,' said i, and drained my dish. my luck was to get the second shilling. so you see wife, though i got you i was intended to be a bachelor. the half-crown, i think, fell to a man who could never keep a sixpence in his purse. "after breakfast we started for the place of meeting. our men joined us one by one, and many more came to see the game. as we passed the cottages the girls called to us to see that we supported the honour of the place, and returned victorious, to which we replied 'ay, that we will,' and flourished our clubs with vigour. before we reached the appointed ground the procession had greatly increased in numbers, and a large crowd at the spot welcomed us with tossing up of bonnets and rounds of cheering. soon afterwards our opponents arrived, headed by a piper, and their leader jack macdonald. their appearance also excited hearty cheering, and preliminaries were soon arranged. "the sides were very equally matched. macdonald was an active young ploughman, who came neatly dressed in a velveteen jacket and corduroy trousers, the latter adorned with rows of buttons. paterson, of course, was our mainstay; and besides him, we had an innkeeper, as stout and round as one of his own barrels, who, singular to say, was a capital shinty player. our opponents had the assistance of an enthusiastic schoolmaster, who, even in those days, encouraged sports among his pupils, in spite of the remonstrances of some of the wiseacres. our clubs were carefully selected. some preferred a sharp square crook, some a round one, just as they happened to excel in hitting or 'birling'--that is, in getting the ball within the bend, and running it along upon the ground. the ball, composed of cork and worsted, was at once strong and elastic. "the hails, four hundred yards apart, were duly measured out and marked by upright poles. then the players ranged themselves in the centre of the field, macdonald and paterson hand to hand; and at the understood sign the ball was thrown down and the strife commenced. i don't know whether the rules were the same in all places, but with us no kicking or throwing of the ball was allowed. we could stop it by any means we pleased, but we could strike it forward only with our clubs. the players were ranged in opposing ranks; and it was against all rule for a player, even in the heat of contest, to turn round to his opponents' side, though he might, by so doing, obtain a more convenient stroke. should such a thing happen, the roar of "clipsides ye" from a dozen throats, and the thwack of two or three clubs on his legs would soon apprise the unlucky individual of his fault. "as long as the ball was in the midst of the players there was great scrambling and confusion. the lads pushed and shouted; club stuck fast in club; and the ball was tossed from side to side without any advantage to either party. paterson watched his opportunity, and cleverly picking the ball from the other clubs, he gave it a hasty stroke which brought it close to me, eagerly waiting for it outside the thick of battle. in a moment i had caught it, and sped along the field, 'birling' rather than hitting, followed by the whole troop, cheered by my friends and stormed at by my opponents. macdonald, rushing fast and furious, first came up and seized my club with his as i was about to administer a stroke. for a second or two we were both helpless; macdonald first succeeded in extricating his weapon, and struck the ball backwards two or three yards. the other players were almost upon us, when i struck up macdonald's club, caught the ball again and shot a-head. macdonald overtook me with a few bounds, for he was now thoroughly roused and heated; but stretching too far to hit the ball he fell on his knee. the schoolmaster, however, was now upon me, and the ball was hurled back by him among the troop of players. macdonald had sprung to his feet almost in an instant, and darted back to the contest. "again the scene of confusion recommenced. backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards, swayed the excited crowd, every face flushed, and every muscle strained to the utmost. shins and arms received some awkward blows in the strife, but no one cared as long as the injuries were unimportant. macdonald at last succeeded in pulling out the ball, and getting it for a moment into a clear space, he delivered a tremendous blow, which drove it far on the road to hail. there was a race who should reach it first. paterson succeeded, and drove the ball far down the field, but out of the direct way and into a whin bush. 'hands,' shouted his nearest opponent; and at this call the stout innkeeper, who was nearest the bush, caught up the ball and brought it into the open field. "'high or low' said the innkeeper, holding his club in his right hand and the ball in his left. "'high,' said his opponent. "the ball was immediately thrown into the air and both tried to strike it as it fell. the innkeeper was successful, but the blow was necessarily a feeble one, and carried the ball but a few yards. "the contest continued during the greater part of the day, neither side being able to claim a decided advantage. during a momentary pause paterson flung off his boots, sharp frost as it was, and was followed by macdonald, the innkeeper, and myself. the innkeeper freely regaled himself from his pocket-flask, and actually became more eager and active. late in the afternoon he got a-head with the ball, and skipped forward, sometimes 'birling' and sometimes hitting it, until he was within twenty yards of hail. another blow would have finished the match, when macdonald caught the ball and ran back with it, most wonderfully eluding all the clubs, now wielded by arms for the most part greatly fatigued. paterson, thrown off his guard by the suddenness of the movement, was left behind. the innkeeper pursued macdonald closely--so closely, indeed, that his bulky body obstructed all movements but his own. macdonald was in high spirits, when, running against an opponent in front, he turned round for a moment to our side to secure a better stroke. the innkeeper, foaming with rage and disappointment, roared out 'clipsides ye,' and administered a blow to macdonald's leg that caused him to halt for an instant. that halt was fatal. i darted past and hoisted the ball to paterson, who seized it and carried it easily through the now scattered ranks of our opponents. once out into the open field it was a direct chase. paterson had better wind than any man on the field, and having got so far ahead he made the most of his advantage. macdonald pursued him hotly. twice he came up with paterson, twice he struck at the ball, and both times struck the ground just as the object of his pursuit was carried forward by our leader's weapon. after that all was over. paterson took the ball to within twenty yards of hail, and then with a well-directed blow sent it between the winning posts. a loud shout rent the air. in the excitement of the moment i attempted leapfrog over the stout innkeeper, and both came to the ground. "after this the whisky was broached, and mutual healths followed. the game had been so well contested that there was no ill-feeling; and we promised to give our opponents an opportunity of revenge another day. late at night we returned to my father's house, where a good supper was spread for us in the barn. a hearty dance followed, and so new year's day, old style, came to a close. don't you think it was a jovial day?" "not a doubt about it" said bill, "only the sport was rather rough. do you really mean to say that you threw off your boots for the play?" "that we did my boy in the heat of the match, and it was not so unusual as you may suppose. highlanders were tough lads in those days, and they didn't fear a blow or a bruise." "did many accidents happen?" asked bill. "when clubs were swinging about freely i should think heads were in danger." "serious accidents were rare" replied mr chisholm. "ankles and legs and hands did get some smart knocks, but heads generally escaped. in the thick of the strife there was no use swinging clubs in the air. we could only push and thrust, and pull the ball out with the crook. in a race we struck as we ran, giving short rapid strokes; and when a player delivered a sweeping blow, he had generally space for the swing of his club. i remember a boy getting his face laid open by an awkward fellow; but such an occurrence was rare among experienced players. we could handle our clubs as you handle your guns--scientifically. there are not usually many casualties at a shooting match--eh bill?" "but, grandfather, what came of paterson?" asked little mary. "did he marry maggie?" "oh, that's the subject of interest to you, lassie. no, he didn't. women are always contrary. maggie married the 'lazy loon' jock; he made the most of his good fortune in getting the ring, and the marriage was long cited as a proof of the unfailing certainty of the oracle." "grandfather," cried henry, "have you made us the totum? didn't you used to play the totum on new year's day?" "that we did boy" said mr chisholm. "the youngsters thought it a capital game, and the elders did not refuse to join in it. yes, harry, i made you the totum, and by-and-bye we shall have a game." "let us have it now" cried the children springing up in eager excitement. "let us have it now; we have all brought our pins." mr chisholm cheerfully acquiesced. the group gathered round a little table, each with a stock of pins displayed, to be staked on the game now about to be commenced. look at the totum as harry takes it up and balances it between the thumb and second finger of the right hand. it is only a piece of wood about half an inch long, cut away to a sharp point below, and having a slender spike thrust in at the top to serve as a handle. it is four square, and a letter is carved on each side--namely, "t," "d," "n," and "a." each player stakes a single pin, and each in rotation gets his chance of whirling the totum. if, after whirling, the totum falls with the letter "a" uppermost, all the stakes become the prize of the player; if "t" is the uppermost letter he only takes one; if "n" appears he gets nothing at all; while "d" obliges him to contribute a pin from his private stock to the heap in the centre. every whirl comes to be watched with as much eagerness as if a fortune depended on the result. the nature of the game having been made sufficiently plain, mr chisholm leads off with a whirl which sends the totum spinning round so fast as to be almost invisible; but gradually relaxing its speed it falls at last, exposing upon its upper surface the letter "n," carved, if not with elegance, at least with sufficient plainness to show that it is a veritable "n" and no other letter of the alphabet. "nickle nothing," shout the children, as they clap their hands with delight. then harry takes his turn. he holds the totum very carefully between his finger and thumb, poising it with intense gravity; then looks at the letter next him, twirls the toy backward and forward, and finally propels it by a sudden jerk from his fingers. it whirls like a top for a few seconds, watched by eager faces, and ultimately falls with the letter "d" uppermost. "d put down" bursts from the merry group; and the boy looks very disappointed as he withdraws a pin from his private stock and places it among the general deposit. grandfather enters into the fun with as much enthusiasm as the children, and the spirit of gambling has taken possession of the new year party. the smallest girl--four years old--next takes the totum. she places it between the thumb and forefinger, screws her mouth to make an effort, and placing the point on the table gives it a whirl. it goes round three or four times with a convulsive staggering motion, and at last falls, "a" uppermost, amidst a general shout of laughter and applause. "a, take them all--lizzy has got the pins"--and the surprised and happy child, proud of her success, gathers the heap to her own stock, while the others each replace a stake. so the lively little game proceeds amidst varying success. possessions grow and diminish as the totum makes its rounds; and before the game ends mr chisholm is reduced to his last pin. he holds it up with rueful countenance, confessing himself a ruined man, while the children clutch their treasures, and boast of their success. "grandfather is beaten--is beaten at the totum" cried mary as her father and mother at length arrived. "he showed us how to play, and look at the pins we have gained." "may you always be as happy with your gains," said the old man resuming his paternal attitude. "now you know how we spent our old new years. sooans and shinty, and the totum--they were all simple maybe, but there was pleasure in them all. many a heart was lost at the 'sooans'; many a hand made strong at shinty; and many a little head got its first notion of worldly competition from the totum. take your seats, boys and girls, for here's the tea!" knockfin. cumha----mhic-an-toisich. why shrouded in gloom is clan chattan? clan chattan! clan chattan! tears circle the crest of clan chattan! clan chattan! clan chattan! ochone! our light is reft, burning too brief, ochone! the darkness left, fills us with grief. streamlets are singing woe, torrents in sorrow flow, flow'rets on ev'ry leaf, bear the red dew of grief. ochone! the beam of clan chattan is low.- deep-bosomed the woe of clan chattan! clan chattan! clan chattan! far rings the lament of clan chattan! clan chattan! clan chattan! ochone! our joy-lit star, sunk in the night. ochone! his soul afar, swiftly took flight: hero-sires welcomed him, pealing their deathless hymn, loud on their happy shore, angels the pæan bore: ochone! the pride of clan chattan sleeps on.- still brightly he smiles on clan chattan! clan chattan! clan chattan! his spirit is guarding clan chattan! clan chattan! clan chattan! ochone! his mem'ry lives, ever in bloom. ochone! its beauty gives light to his tomb: matrons and maidens mourn, life in its glory shorn, stalwart sons, fathers grey, dash the sad tear away. ochone! the _love[a] of clan chattan ne'er dies_. wm. allan. sunderland. footnotes: [a] "love" here means the chief. the game laws. [the conductors of the _celtic magazine_ in their prospectus, and in their first number, state that "they will at all times be ready to receive contributions from both sides on any question connected with the highlands, and of interest to highlanders." in whatever light the subject of the following remarks may be viewed, it will readily be admitted that it has an interest for highlanders sufficient to entitle it to temperate discussion in these pages]:-the game laws in scotland, as our readers are aware, consist chiefly of various statutes designed to secure to landed proprietors what the common law, while it leaves them without the means of effectually securing, declares them entitled to, the exclusive possession and use of their land. the common law maxim, that an owner is entitled to the sole enjoyment of his own ground, the legislature has practically given effect to from time to time by passing various enactments pointing to that end. these somewhat numerous statutes are almost identical in effect in the three kingdoms, to which some of them extend; nor does the common law throughout materially vary. it is not our intention, however, to emulate sir roger de coverley, whose explanations of the game acts used to gain great applause at quarter sessions, by entering upon a minute analysis of them here. we mean to confine ourselves simply to a critical examination of the various attacks to which they have been subjected, and an endeavour to make a brief and impartial survey of their effect on the prosperity of the highlands. in entering upon the consideration of adverse criticisms, we find that they are easily resolved into two classes:--first, there are those as to what opponents term the unnecessary severity and injurious influence of the game laws upon poachers; and secondly, the injury indirectly effected by them upon tenant-farmers, agricultural and pastoral. sympathy for the poacher is frequently proclaimed by anti-game law agitators. they will tell you that the disposition to pursue game is inherent in human nature; that the indulgence of this irrepressible propensity ought to be regarded with a lenient eye: that game cannot be identified as property, and that the man who takes it should not be considered or treated as a thief; dilating the while on the sad misfortunes that an occasional lapse into the fields in search of a hare or a rabbit may bring upon an agricultural labourer and his family, ultimately it may be involving them in ruin. these arguments, however, though at first sight appearing to have some foundation in reason, do not satisfactorily stand the test of serious scrutiny. they are such as could be brought to bear for what they are worth against the operation of almost all repressive laws in the kingdom. smuggling, for instance, is not generally looked upon as a breach of the moral law, nor does it present itself to common eyes in an odious light; yet it is a crime punishable by penal laws for the sake of increasing revenue. the man who takes his own agricultural produce and converts it into a wholesome and refreshing beverage for his own domestic use is liable to a very much heavier penalty than he who steps on to his neighbour's property and puts out his hands to take what he has neither laboured for nor purchased. in the one case we can imagine an honest industrious labourer, actuated only by a desire for the comfort of himself and his family, manufacturing his own goods into nourishing and sustaining ale, heavily punished for his untaxed enjoyment of the bounties of providence; whereas, in the other case, the poacher, as a rule, is a person with a turn for idleness, an aversion to all honest and steady labour, and a taste for luxurious indulgences above his means, who persists in illegally invading another's property in the pursuit and seizure of its produce. this character is specially applicable to the poaching class in the highlands. any one familiar with prosecutions in poaching cases there must see that the offenders brought up for trial form a limited list of mean-spirited cringing creatures, upon whom any sort of sympathy would be sadly thrown away, whose faces are well known to the procurator-fiscal as they appear in rather regular succession in the dock. it may be said that almost nine poaching prosecutions out of ten are instituted against old and habitual offenders, who calculate, like blockade runners, that a few successful raids will enable them cheerfully to pay the fines inflicted on the occasions of their capture. as deer-stalking and grouse shooting, to be effective, require day-light, and pheasant breeding is the exception not the rule in the north, cases of night poaching, the worst and most severely punishable, are of unfrequent occurrence, while fines of two pounds, the highest that can be inflicted for day poaching, in the most aggravated cases, is not heavy enough even when coupled with costs to make habitual and systematic poaching an altogether unprofitable occupation. we have no difficulty therefore in saying that the game laws do not press with undue severity upon the labouring classes in the highlands, by whom, on the whole, poaching is now an offence rarely committed; and we believe that in saying so we express the opinion of those classes themselves. any complaints that have been made have not proceeded from them but from third parties who have endeavoured to range themselves as pretended friends to compass their own ends. there is just one direction in which we might hint that improvement is possible. we would wish to see a sliding scale of fines legalised, by which lighter penalties would be exigible for first offences and repeated transgressions less leniently punishable than at present. we have now to consider that more vexed and intricate portion of our subject, the operation of the game laws upon the position of the tenant-farmer. this we have stated to be indirect, because, in reality, many of the results complained of might be continued in existence independently of the operations of these laws. the points at issue between landlord and tenant, over which such torrents of discussion have been poured, are really questions of contract been individuals, which could and would arise, were the game laws abolished. but as complaints are coupled with a demand for the abolition of these laws as a panacea, we cannot avoid briefly examining their relation to the interests of agriculture. whether owing to bucolic trust in the friendly intentions of a conservative government, or to hopelessness of there being any advantages derivable therefrom, it is worthy of observation that the recent agitation on this question, as well as on the kindred subjects of unexhausted improvements and hypothec denominated by mr hope in his observations in "recess studies," "hindrances to agriculture," have now entered upon a quiescent phase. a few years ago an agricultural dinner was no sooner eaten by the assembled agriculturists than the game laws were tabled with the toddy, and both hotly, and in some cases ably discussed. but a change for the better is now noticeable in the atmosphere of cattle club meetings and wool fair dinners whereat the voices of game preservers may even be heard amid applause. monotony was the rock on which the agitation was in danger of being shipwrecked, and as the results did not appear to be commensurate to the labour, as the stone seemed to be rolled up the hill in vain, so far as concerned the passing of any favourable parliamentary measure, swords have again been turned into more useful ploughshares, and spears into less ornamental pruning hooks. the opportunity is therefore not an unfavourable one for a calm survey of the situation. it is a well-known principle in jurisprudence that a contract between two parties capable of contracting in respect to a subject matter known to both, if adhered to by either, is inviolably binding; and with the free action of this principle as between parties, except in a matter of life and death, the legislature always has had, and we confidently believe, always will have a delicacy in interfering. if there is no vital principle, or specialty in a contract between landlord and tenant in regard to an heritable subject, such as an arable farm, that necessarily takes it out of the list of ordinary contracts, no government would seriously entertain or assist the passing of a measure for imposing fetters upon one of the parties to that contract, exceptional legislation to obtain an advantage for the lessee to the detriment of the lessor. are there then such specialties? tenant-farmers allege (1) that land is not an ordinary subject of contract owing to the extent being limited, and is a possession the owners of which stand in the relation merely of national trustees, bound to administer in the way most beneficial to the people; (2), that tenants are not capable of contracting on equal terms with their landlords, and that the weaker party should receive legislative protection in the shape of an inalienable right to ground game; and (3), that in being compelled to sign game preservation clauses, the subject matter of that part of their agreement is one the full extent of which must, from its nature, be unknown to them. to this reply is made--(1), that the possession of land is no more a monopoly than the possession of cattle or any other commodity, that is continually in the market and sold to the highest bidder; that the fact of the supply being limited, and necessarily in the hands of the few, in comparison with the many who wish to use it, is no reason why exceptional restrictions should be placed on its being let out for hire, but rather the reverse; as well might the possessors of money, who are few in comparison with those who wish to borrow it, be statutorily bound to lend it out at less than it would otherwise bring; and that those who invest money in land, having no contract with the state, cannot be interfered with by the state in the management of it in the way they believe most advantageous to themselves; (2), that farmers as a rule, and particularly those who make the greatest noise about the game laws, are quite capable of attending to their own interests in any contract with proprietors as to leasing of land; that if they are glad to obtain it on the proprietors' terms, that is occasioned by the legitimate operation of the laws of supply and demand, which equally affect all other contracts; and that to give them an inalienable right to ground game, which they would immediately convert into money value by sub-letting, would simply amount to confiscation of part of the enjoyment of property, and in effect amount to depriving proprietors of a considerable part of the equivalent for which they gave their money; and (3), that when a tenant makes an acceptable offer for a farm, he does so after the fullest investigation as to its capabilities and disadvantages, and with a good knowledge of the amount of game on the ground, and the damage likely to be occasioned thereby; and, as thus, the amount of rent offered is fixed by him after all these points have received due consideration at his hands, he is precluded from afterwards crying out against the one-sidedness of his contract. it will thus be seen that there is just as much to be said on the one side as the other; and clamour notwithstanding, we believe, the day is still distant when the legislature will step in to interfere with free contract between landlord and tenant, by laying down conditions which even both parties with their eyes open, and of mutual consent, will not be allowed to alter. in other words, in an age when the cry is for freedom from all special advantages to owners of land, such as hypothec and entail, so as to place it on an open footing with all other subjects, it would be strange, indeed, were exceptional legislation required for the lessees of land to give them the special advantages which the spirit of the age denied to their landlords. are we to have landlord right levelled down while tenant right is to be levelled up? we have yet to see it. it cannot, however, in fairness be denied that there are certain circumstances in which the tenants' third complaint above-mentioned is just and reasonable. while a tenant is strictly tied down under the conditions of his lease to a certain rotation of cropping, and various other regulations regarding his use of the land, the proprietor is left practically unfettered as to the extent of increase of game that he may allow to take place. immunity in such an event is secured to the latter, either by a clause to that effect in the lease or by the prudent reluctance of the tenant to pursue his landlord through court after court in the knowledge that even the extra-judicial expense of such procedure would quickly amount to more than the ultimate damages awarded, if awarded at all, and that the feelings engendered by the contest would stand in the way of a renewal at the expiry of the lease. there is here, undoubtedly, a manifest hardship to the tenant, for which the legislature would be justified in passing a remedial measure. it would quite consist with the acknowledged and equitable principles of jurisprudence that cheap and speedy redress for the tenant against such uncontemplated and undue increase of game should be provided by legislative enactment. all wrongs have their remedies; but the remedy in such a case is not the giving an inalienable right to ground game to the tenant, as that would amount to a wronging of the landlord, who might wish to reserve such right at any cost of compensation to the tenant for damage really inflicted. what is desirable is, that such damage should be assessable, and the value thereof recoverable with the least possible trouble and expense to the tenant. we think that this could be most effectually secured by the statutory appointment in each county of a competent, impartial, and reliable assessor whose duty it would be to inspect and record the amount of game existing on every farm in that county at the entry of the tenant, and who would be bound at any future season on the application, either of the proprietor or of the tenant, to re-inspect that farm and report as to whether there was any appreciable increase in the stock of game thereon, and if so to issue an award and valuation of the amount of damage thereby occasioned, the amount of which the tenant would be legally entitled to deduct at payment of the next half-year's rent. the expense of this inspection, according to a fixed scale of charge, should be payable by the landlord where damages were found exigible; but, otherwise, where the tenant's claim was decided to be unfounded, the whole expense would, in equity, be payable by him to the assessor. of course, there are objections that can be raised to the adoption of this, as of any other proposed compromise; but on a careful consideration they will not be found insuperable. enthusiasts there are and will remain who will demand that an inalienable right to ground game be gratuitously conferred upon them. but by the great majority of agriculturalists who think temperately it is agreed that the only possible settlement of the ground game question is one of compromise. we have been credibly informed that in the counties of forfar and caithness, farmers, to whom the right to ground game had been made over, after short experience of the unexpected trouble and expense connected with the due keeping down of hares and rabbits, had entreated their landlords to relieve them of the burden, which they had at first unreflectingly and gladly assumed. the damage done by game on agricultural farms in the highlands is altogether inconsiderable in affecting the agricultural prosperity of the country. our opinion is that if the truth were fairly told farmers would confess that where the shoe pinches is in the pressure of high rents caused by their own mutual competitions for farms, rather than the trifling damage done by game. the bringing forward of the game question has been merely the trotting out of a stalking horse. there were no complaints of game or game laws in the good old times when the rents were low. our grandfathers and great-grandfathers were rejoiced to furnish the laird with a good day's sport, in the fruits of which they generally participated. game must have done as much harm then as now, but farmers in those days did not feel pushed to meet the rent day. they could live on a smaller income; they did not seek or require the same luxuries, and had less outlay in labour. of course, a great deal has happened since then, but it cannot be said that for this the lairds are entirely to blame. then to rent a farm was synonymous with making money; now it as often means losing it. with higher rents, the result of a keener demand, a farmer's profits have been sadly diminished, and he too often exerts his ingenuity in discovering grounds of deduction from a rent he feels to be burdensome. on the sound enough principle of abolishing special privileges of all kinds he can fairly advocate the abolition of hypothec, but when in the same breath he turns his back upon that principle by calling for the creation of the extraordinary privilege of an inalienable right to ground game, he asks too much and has every probability of getting too little. there is no necessity for saying anything in reply to the attacks of a few pastoral tenants or large sheep farmers. it is now matter of history that by repeated and uncontradicted assertion a comparatively small and uninfluential sheep-farmer clique had thoroughly convinced themselves, and almost persuaded a portion of the public, that deer forests were responsible for all the misery and poverty in the highlands, for all the cruel evictions which were carried out to make room, not for deer, but for those very farmers who made such a noise. having succeeded in infecting some impressionable people, including not a few writers in the press who knew as little of a deer forest and its surroundings as they did of the great sahara, there was at one time some danger of the outcry becoming general; but the report of the parliamentary commission so completely exposed the nakedness of the land, so thoroughly demonstrated the absence of anything like reasonable foundation for complaint, as to convince even the most extreme politician of the utter absurdity of the position assumed. the cry never did find an echo in the heart of the highlander. he knew too well that the same justice had been meted out to him and his by the predecessors of those very farmers, as they themselves were then receiving at the hands of the wealthy sassenach. he knew that the evil of depopulation had been accomplished in the highlands, not by the introduction of deer, but of sheep on a large scale by lowland farmers before ever deer forests had come to be considered a source of revenue. it was, therefore, somewhat amusing to the highland people to witness the descendants of these lowland _novi homines_ smitten upon the thigh and roaring lustily. the only bribe they promised allies was the offer of mutton a twentieth of a penny per pound cheaper, and highlanders refused to be bought over at that price, especially as its payment was more than doubtful. the deer forest agitation has died a natural death. peace to its ashes. we have hitherto confined ourselves to discussing the so-called disadvantages of the game laws: we have yet to consider the facts on the other side of the question, by which those disadvantages are altogether overbalanced. as the space allotted to us in this magazine, however, has its limits, we will meanwhile content ourselves with enumerating _seriatim_ a few of the manifold benefits accruing to the highlands from game laws and game. these are--(1), the great increase of rental from land, which is manifestly beneficial, not only to the proprietors, but to all classes in the country in which they spend their incomes; (2), the residence in the highlands for so many months yearly of wealthy sportsmen, who, if game were unpreserved and consequently non-existent, would have no inducement so to reside; (3), the remunerative employment afforded by those sportsmen to the labouring classes; (4), the profits made by shopkeepers and others in the various highland towns, by supplying the requirements of such sportsmen; (5), the opening up of the country by railways, which could not have been remuneratively effected for years yet to come in the highlands without the traffic afforded by the conveyance of sportsmen and their belongings; (6), the advancement of civilization in the north, by the opening up of roads and the building of handsome lodges in remote localities, and the circulation of money involved in the execution of these improvements. this enumeration might be extended to various minor details, but we think we have said enough to satisfy every candid and impartial reader that a very serious blow would be inflicted upon the prosperity of the highlands by the abolition of the game laws--laws which are by no means the antiquated and useless remains of feudalism so strongly denounced by radicalism run mad. the truth of this need not be altogether left to abstract speculation. we have a crucial instance in the case of the american republic, where the absence of such laws was felt to be so prejudicial to the general welfare that game regulations were passed much more stringent than in this country, and where, at present, as mr j.d. dougall in his admirable treatise on "shooting" informs us, "there exist over one hundred powerful associations for the due prosecution of game law delinquents, and these associations are rapidly increasing, and appear to be highly popular." "here," he adds, "we have one struggling anti-game law league: in the states there are over one hundred flourishing pro-game law leagues. the cry of a party here is:--utterly exterminate all game as vermin; leave nothing to shoot at. the increasing general cry across the atlantic is:--preserve our game and our fish for our genuine field sports." so long as our game laws continue to increase the prosperity of the country without infringing upon the liberty of the people, they stand in little need of defence; are not much endangered by attack. evan mackenzie. a remarkable feudal custom. it is happy for the present age that the ancient manners and customs, which were practised in the highlands and islands under the feudal system, have long since fallen into oblivion. it would fill volumes to relate the numerous practices which were then resorted to by the feudal lords, many of which were cruel in themselves, and entailed great hardships on their submissive vassals who were bound to obey. as the chiefs had full power over the life and death of their retainers, such of them as betrayed any disobedience or opposition to the stern demands of their superiors, rendered themselves liable to the severest punishment, and frequently to nothing less than the penalty of death. the national laws of kings and queens had then but little influence in checking or counteracting the peremptory enactments of feudalism. the following striking instance of the remarkable practices alluded to will furnish a specimen to the readers of the _celtic magazine_, of what took place in skye, not much more than a century and a half ago. no sooner did the death of a tenant take place than the event was announced to the laird of the soil. the land-stewart, or ground-officer, incurred the displeasure of his master unless that announcement were made no later than three days after it had occurred. immediately after the deceased farmer had been consigned to the grave, the disconsolate widow, if he had left one, was waited upon by a messenger from the landlord, to deliver up to him the best horse on the farm, such being reckoned then the legal property of the owner of the soil. this rule was as unalterable as the laws of the medes and persians. on large and extensive farms the demand was submitted to without much complaint, by the widow, children, or heirs of the deceased, but it pressed hard upon the occupiers of small tenements of land, and particularly so on helpless widows. but whoever refused, or attempted to evade this heartless enactment, forfeited every right to their farms in future, and became liable to have all their goods and chattels confiscated to the laird. it frequently happened that a poor farmer had but one horse, yet even this circumstance did not mitigate the cruelty of the practice; for the solitary animal was taken away, and frequently so to the great distress of the younger branches of the orphan family, who mourned bitterly, and often shed tears for the loss of their favourite animal. a circumstance took place in the parish of strath, which was, it is said, the means of abolishing this abominable rule. about the beginning of the seventeenth century a farmer, of the name of mackinnon, was gathered to his fathers in the parish, and after his interment the laird's messenger visited the afflicted widow, and, as usual, demanded the best horse on her little farm. her husband having been a kinsman of the laird, and expecting, in her distress, to receive some sympathy from her chief, and at all events, some relaxation of that rule which had been all along so resistlessly put in force, she showed much reluctance to part with the animal. seeing this, the officer became more and more determined to have it. the widow, in the same manner, became more and more determined in her refusal, and appealed to him in vain to submit the case to the decision of her chief. the officer was inexorable, and becoming incensed at the woman's pertinacity he turned from words to blows, and inflicted some severe wounds on the helpless female to the effusion of blood. she, however, retaliated, and through desperation, assuming more courage, addressed her little son, a boy of four, that stood weeping by her side, and said to him in her own emphatic vernacular:- "cha mhac mar an t-athair thu, a' lachlainn oig, mar diol thu le fuil droch caithreamh do mhàthar; 's mar smàil thu gu bàs, le diòghaltas air chòir, am borb-fhear fiadhaich so, am mòrtair gu'n nàr!" _literally translated:--_ "thou art not a son like the father, my young lachlan, unless thou requite with blood the ill-treatment of thy mother; and unless thou dash to death, with due revenge, this fierce and savage fellow--this bare-faced murderer!" the mother's charge to her boy cannot be said to be tempered with much christian feeling or principle, yet it was according to the generally cherished practices of the system under which she lived. then it was that might was right, and revenge bravery. but to return to the subject--the widow's cries and tears, excitement and eloquence, were all in vain. the officer made off with the horse and delivered it to his chief. matters went on in this way, in various quarters, for a considerable time, until at length, and about twenty years thereafter, the same officer appeared on the same errand at a neighbouring widow's door, and deprived her as usual of her best horse. the circumstance was brought under the notice of lachlan og, and having been, no doubt, frequently reminded of the cruelty inflicted by that official on his mother, was determined to embrace the present befitting occasion for displaying his dire revenge. it may be stated that young lachlan was noted in the district for his great agility and muscular strength. he made no delay in pursuing the officer, and having come up to him at the distance of some miles, he seized him by the neck and sternly demanded the widow's horse, reminding him, at the same time, of the treatment inflicted by him on his mother twenty years before. the officer stood petrified with fear, seeing fierceness and revenge depicted so very unmistakably in young mackinnon's face. yet still he grasped the animal by the halter, and would not permit his youthful assailant to intermeddle with it. the strife commenced, and that in right earnest, but in a few moments the officer fell lifeless on the ground. mackinnon, seizing his dirk, dissevered the head from the body, and washed it in a fountain by the wayside, which is still pointed out to the traveller as "_tobar a' chinn_," or "the well of the head." he then, at once, mounted the horse, and galloped off to the residence of his chief, carrying the bloody head in his left hand on the point of his dirk. his appearance at the main entrance, with the ghastly trophy still bleeding in his hand, greatly alarmed the menials of the mansion. without dismounting he inquired if mackinnon was at home, and being told that he was, he said, "go and tell my chief that i have arrived to present him with the head of his officer 'donnuchadh mor,' in case that he might wish to embalm it and hang it up in his baronial hall as a trophy of heartlessness and cruelty." the message was instantly delivered to the laird, who could not believe that such a diabolical deed could be perpetrated by any of his clan, but still he came out to see. on his appearance in the court, lachlan og dismounted, did obeisance to his chief, and prominently exhibited the dripping head, by lifting it up on his dirk. "what is this, lachlan, what murder is this?" asked the excited chief. lachlan explained the whole in full detail, and related the circumstances of the present transaction, as well as of the inhuman treatment which his mother had received when he was a child. the chieftain pondered, paused, and declared that these cruelties had been practised unknown to him. he granted a free pardon to lachlan og, appointed him his officer in room of donnuchadh mor, and issued an edict over all his estate that thereafter neither widow nor orphan, heir, nor kindred, would ever be deprived by him of their horse, or of any other part of their property. sgiathanach. general sir alan cameron, k.c.b., colonel 79th cameron highlanders. [continued]. chapter iv. these acts of loyalty by the highlanders in recognition of their stewart princes were not long concluded when the same virtue was called into action to defeat the intentions of _other rebels_ (as they were rudely termed) from disputing the authority of the british sovereign, or dismembering any portion of his territory in the american colonies. an abridged outline of what came to be the war of independence may not be out of place or uninteresting even at this distant date. north america had been chiefly colonised by the british people--the settlements of the dutch and french were few and unimportant. the colonists were in the enjoyment of liberal institutions, and the country being fertile, the population rapidly increased; while, at the same time, immigrants from europe continued to arrive annually on its shores. the mother country being oppressed with debt, it was proposed to make her transatlantic subjects contribute a portion towards her relief. this resulted in the imposition of a stamp duty on various articles. the americans would neither afford assistance, nor would they sanction the taxation proposed to be placed on tea, &c.; and at a meeting of congress resolutions of separation were adopted, followed by the act of declaration of independence. george iii. and his parliament determined on chastising the recusants, and hence the commencement of the american civil war. jealousy of great britain, and a desire to humble her, induced france to join the americans, as also did spain. against the combined efforts of these allies, however, the british sustained unsullied their ancient renown. the war continued with alternate successes, and disappointments to the contending parties for about six years, at the end of which honourable peace was concluded between them, and america was henceforth declared an independent state; and in acknowledgment of the able services rendered to her, the colonists elected general washington as the first president of the new republic. during the progress of the war the americans were guilty of many acts of cruelty to whomsoever fell into their hands, some of which fell to the share of alan cameron. the royal highland regiment, to which he was attached, was stationed in quebec when canada was threatened with invasion by general arnold at the head of 3000 men. the colonel of alan's regiment (maclean) who had been detached up the river st lawrence, returned by forced marches and entered quebec without being noticed by arnold. the fortifications of the city had been greatly neglected, and were scarcely of any use for the purposes of defence. the strength of the british within its walls was under 1200, yet they repulsed the repeated attacks of the american generals. here it was that alan cameron came for the first time into hostile contact with the enemy, and both his regiment and himself acquitted themselves with great gallantry--on one occasion in particular, when an assault was made by generals arnold and montgomery, in which the latter was killed and the other wounded. arnold foiled in this attempt, established himself on the heights of abraham, thus blockading the town and reducing the garrison to great straits; but this was all he succeeded in, as he was beaten in every attempt to gain possession of the lower town, by the intrepid gallantry of colonel maclean and his highlanders. on the approach of spring general arnold despairing of success, withdrew his forces, raised the siege, and evacuated the whole of canada. released from this defence the battalion entered on enterprises in different parts of the province, and to enable it to do so more effectually, colonel maclean transformed a limited number of it into a cavalry corps, for out-post duties and otherwise acting as _scouts_. of this body alan cameron got the command. daring and sometimes over-zealous, he often led himself and his company into situations of desperate danger. on one occasion they were surrounded by a strong force of the enemy, from which they escaped with the utmost difficulty, and only by the personal prowess of each individual and the fleetness of their steeds. the americans communicated with the british commander to the effect that "this fellow (alan) and his men had been guilty of the _un_military proceeding of tampering with the native indians in their loyalty to american interests," stating a determination of vengeance as the consequence. it is not known whether alan was apprised of this charge or not; at any rate he continued his incursions for some time. the threat was not unintentional, as the succeeding events proved, and an unfortunate opportunity enabled the enemy to give it effect. alan and nearly one-half of his company were seized. the latter they made prisoners of war, but committed him to the jail of philadelphia as a common felon, where he was kept for two years and treated with the most vindictive harshness. this proceeding was denounced by the british general as "contrary to all military usage," but his representations proved unavailing. the ardent nature of the imprisoned highlander chafed under restraint, and finding no hope of release he was constant in vigilance to procure his escape. this he was at last enabled to effect through his jailer having neglected to fasten the window of his place of confinement, which was on the third storey. his ingenuity was put to the severest test. he, however, managed to tie part of the bed-clothes to the bars of the window, and descended with its aid. the blanket was either too short, or it gave way; anyhow alan came to the ground from a considerable height, and being a heavy man, in the fall he severely injured the ankles of both feet. in this crippled state he was scarcely able to get away to any great distance, but somehow managed to elude the search of his enemies. although the americans, as a nation, were in arms against great britain, still among them were many families and individuals who were slow to forget their ties of kinship with the people of the "old country," and philadelphia contained many possessing such a feeling. alan, on his first arrival in that country, became acquainted with and obtained the friendship of more than one of these families. to the house of one of them, in his emergency, he decided on going. this was a mr phineas bond (afterwards consul-general in that city) who received the prisoner without hesitation, and treated him with the utmost consideration. alan, however, before he would accept shelter and hospitality, explained to mr bond his condition and how he became a prisoner, adding that he merely desired rest for a day or two to enable him to escape towards the british cantonments. mr bond made him welcome and promised him every assistance. both were fully impressed with the danger and delicacy of their position, and alan like an honourable soldier was now more anxious about that of his host than his own. he, therefore, embraced the very first opportunity of relieving his chivalrous friend of so undesirable a guest. without entering into details as to the nature of his escape, it is enough to state that after frequent chances of being recaptured, he arrived at a station where some british troops were quartered. among these were some officers and men with whom he had served in the early part of the campaign, but he had become so altered in condition that they scarcely believed him to be the alan cameron they knew. his relative (colonel maclean) sent his aide-camp to have him conveyed to head-quarters, on arrival at which he was most attentive to do everything that could be done. medical inspection however, pronounced alan unfit for active service for at least a year. this was disappointing news to him, as he feared his career in the army was likely in consequence to come to an untimely end. colonel maclean recommended him to repair at once to europe and procure the most skilful advice for the treatment of his wounds and broken limbs. alan concurred and returned to england on sick leave, where he arrived in 1780. he had not been many months at home when news arrived of the conclusion of the war; and with that happy consummation colonel maclean's corps was reduced, the officers were placed on the "provincial list"--a grade not known in the army at the present day--government, in addition to their pay, giving them and the other men grants of lands in the following proportions--5000 acres to a field officer; 3000 to a captain; 500 to a subaltern; 200 to a sergeant; and a 100 to each soldier. these conditions were applicable only to those who remained in or returned within a given time to the colony. in the case of absentees one-half of the above number of acres was the extent of the grants, but they were allowed to sell their lots. as alan had been promoted to the rank of captain he had 1500 acres which he turned into cash. this capital and his pay was the only means possessed by this "provincial officer." he was, however, only one of many similarly situated on the termination of the american war. chapter v. the transport ship brought home other invalids besides alan cameron, one of whom, colonel mostyn, and himself came to be on terms of warm friendship. this gentleman, descended from one of the best families in wales, and having many relatives resident in london, was of considerable service to alan in the matter of introductions to the society of these relations and other friends. "american officers," as those returned from the war, were termed, were welcomed wherever met with. among them alan was not the least distinguished, perhaps the more so on account of his unfortunate adventure with his lochaber adversary in the duel; and his subsequent distinguished career in america. at the house of one of colonel mostyn's relatives, alan met a young lady who was destined not many months after to become his wife. this was the only child of nathaniel philips of sleebeich hall, pembrokeshire. the heiress of a wealthy squire was beyond alan's expectations; besides he understood there were more than one aspirant for her hand, who were themselves possessors of many broad acres, therefore it could scarcely occur to the mind of the "provincial officer" to enter the lists against such influential competitors. however that may be, alan's success with the lady may have been much the same as that of another with desdemona: "her father bade me tell the story of my life, the battles, sieges, and fortunes i had passed. i ran it through, even from my boyish days; of the moving accidents by flood and field; of the hair-breadth 'scapes and the imminent deadly breach; and of being taken by the insolent foe. to these things would desdemona seriously incline, and devour up my discourse. when i did speak of some distressful stroke, that i had suffered, she gave me a world of sighs. she wished she had not heard it; but bade me, if i had a friend that loved her, i should teach him how to tell my story, and _that_ would woo her." duke--"i think this tale would win my daughter too." alan cameron became the favoured suitor of miss philips, but both felt the barrier of the squire's consent to be insurmountable. nor was there any circumstance likely to arise in favour of alan's worldly position to make him acceptable to mr philips as his son-in-law. honourable conduct acted on alan's feelings, and directed the proper course to be pursued. he made his visits to the house of their mutual friend less often and at greater intervals. squire philips was at the time, and had for some few years, been a widower; and it was reported and believed that he was contemplating a second marriage. moreover, the intended spouse was scarcely yet out of her teens, while he was past middle age, and his daughter was also her senior. her father's intentions created disappointment, if not dissatisfaction in miss philips' mind, which, it is alleged, was one of the causes that moved her not to view elopement with serious objection. there is no record of the occurrence to guide further reference than that alan cameron and miss philips had betaken themselves to gretna green without the knowledge or consent of her father, where marriages were solemnised without the preliminary formalities necessary at hanover square. notwithstanding that a pursuit ensued either by the parent or other friends, it was not successful in interrupting the marriage of the runaway pair. instead of returning to london with his bride, alan went towards the capital of his native country, where he and his wife remained for several months. it now, however, became almost a necessity that he would get into some office, the emoluments of which would add to his slender income. after some delay he was fortunate in getting an appointment through the intercession of a friend with whom he had served in america. this appointment was on the militia staff of one of the english counties. alan retained it until the fortune of events reduced the displeasure of the father-in-law to that state when mutual friends thought they could do something to induce the squire to forgive and forget. these friends did not fail to take advantage of this state of feeling, and embraced the opportunity to obtain for alan an interview with his wife's father, which resulted, as desired by all, in full forgiveness to both son and daughter. this reconciliation, like the wooing of miss philips, was also somewhat after the manner of that of desdemona's father, who replied, "i had rather adopt a child than get it. come hither. i do give thee that with all my heart, which--but thou hast already--with all my heart, i would keep from thee. for your sake i am glad i have no other child, thy escape would teach me tyranny." this act of grace was important to alan, as the allowance to his wife, which followed, enabled them to live in affluence in comparison with their past state. squire philips had not married at the time rumour had formerly assigned, but he did enter into that state, and that after he had become a sexagenarian. by the second marriage the squire--unlike the father in the play--"had another child." this child is yet living, in the person of the venerable dowager countess of lichfield, herself the mother of a numerous family of sons and daughters, including the present peer, as also the wife of the noble lord the member for the county of haddington. _(to be continued)._ highland melodies.--the gaelic society of london finding that regret has been frequently expressed that the plaintive melodies of the highlands should be allowed to pass away, have, we are glad to learn, taken steps to preserve them in a permanent form, and are now preparing for publication a selection of the best and most popular airs. the verses will be given in gaelic and english, and the pianoforte accompaniments are arranged with special attention to their distinctive characteristics by herr louis honig, professor of music, london; while slight variations are introduced to render the melodies more acceptable to the general taste. editions of the dance tunes of our country are numerous, but the gaelic vocal airs, set to music, have not hitherto been attainable. the issue is limited to 250 copies, which the society are patriotically supplying at cost price--namely, 10s 6d per copy; or free by post to the colonies for 12s. we feel assured that this want has only to be known to secure the necessary number of subscribers for the few remaining copies. _literature._ _the "aryan origin of the celtic race and language."_ the above is the title on the outside of a book by the rev. canon bourke, president of st jarlath's college, tuam, ireland. the book is in every respect a wonderful and interesting one to the celt, at home and abroad, whether he be scotch or irish. time was when the scottish celt looked with great suspicion on his irish cousin, while the irishman had no great love for his scottish neighbour. even yet a good deal of this feeling prevails, particularly among the uneducated. our own experience, however, has been that the irish celt is not behind the scotch gael in generosity and all the other virtues which are the special characteristics of the race. the book before us is in several respects calculated to strengthen the friendship which is being rapidly formed, and which ought to subsist among the intelligent of each of the two great branches of the celtic family--scotch and irish. frequent references of an appreciating and commendable kind are made in this work to the labours of scotchmen in the field of celtic literature. canon bourke, like a true-hearted son of ireland, with that magnanimity characteristic of the race, holds out his right hand to every scottish scholar in the field of celtic or keltic research, and says in effect--_cia mar a tha thu? buaidh gu'n robh air d'obair!_ although the "aryan origin of the celtic races and language" is all the title on the cover, inside the book, the title is much more comprehensive, consisting, as it does, altogether of 27 lines. but even this large and comprehensive title-page does not give anything like an adequate idea of the extent and variety of the contents of the book. taking it up with the expectation of finding a learned treatise on the aryan origin of the celtic race and celtic languages one will be disappointed; but no one will be disappointed with the work as a whole, for though its contents do not bear throughout on the above subject, they are all thoroughly celtic; and as a collection of celtic gleanings, will well repay a perusal. it is, indeed, a sort of celtic repository--the writer's celtic reading for many years being apparently thrown into a crucible, and having undergone a certain process there, are forged out into the handsome and bulky volume before us. it has, however, all the appearance of having been very hastily got up. indeed, in the preface, which is dated, "feast of the nativity of the b.v.m., 1875," we are told that a mere accident has given the first impulse to the composition of the work, and that accident appears to have been that at a social meeting of irish clergymen in 1874 the subject of conversation turned on the language and antiquities of ireland. after doing justice to the "four masters," of whom irishmen are, with good reason, so very proud, the decay of the gaelic language in ireland is alluded to, and the cause of that decay described at some length, and it is pointed out that, in consequence of this neglect, when an irish patriot appeals to the sentiment of his race, the appeal must be made, not in the language of old ireland, but in the language of the conquering saxon. father mullens in his lament for the celtic language of his countrymen "must wail his plaint in saxon words and saxon idiom, lest his lamentation should fall meaningless on the ears of ireland." and this decay father mullens pathetically describes:- it is fading! it is fading! like the leaves upon the trees, it is dying! it is dying! like the western ocean breeze, it is fastly disappearing as the footsteps on the shore, where the barrow and the erne, and loch swilly's waters roar; where the parting sunbeam kisses the corrib in the west, and the ocean like a mother clasps the shannon to its breast: the language of old eire, of her history and name, of her monarchs and her heroes, of her glory and her fame; the sacred shrine where rested through her sunshine and her gloom the spirit of her martyrs as their bodies in the tomb! the time-wrought shell, where murmured through centuries of wrong the secret shrine of freedom in annal and in song, is surely fastly sinking into silent death at last, to live but in the memory and relics of the past! in ireland as in some other countries (perhaps we may say with some degree of truth in our own highlands of scotland) the simple uneducated peasants are, in the law courts, treated with the greatest display of harshness because they cannot give evidence in the english tongue. canon bourke refers to a case of this nature that occurred during the last year in tuam. a witness, sally ryan, who appeared to have understood english, but could not speak it, and consequently would not give her evidence in that language, was removed as an incompetent witness! is that justice? we know that in the courts in scotland a good deal of harshness is occasionally used towards witnesses who cannot speak english. the fact remains, that in the highlands there are many whose only language is gaelic, and if their saxon rulers have a desire to administer the law justly they must learn to deal more gently with such as are ignorant of the english language. we also know from personal observation that gaelic witnesses frequently give evidence by means of very incompetent interpreters, thoroughly ignorant of the idiom of the language, and are thus very often misrepresented. a bungling interpreter bungles a witness, and nothing is more calculated to invalidate evidence than being given in a loose incoherent manner. on this point we are at one with the learned canon bourke. considerable space is devoted to the pronunciation of the word celtic--the question being whether it should be pronounced keltic or seltic. professor bourke argues, and gives good reasons, that it should be written keltic and pronounced keltic. he is unquestionably right in his contention for the pronunciation, but as we have no k in the scotch or irish gaelic alphabet it is difficult to agree with him as to the spelling, but the fact remains that it is almost universally pronounced seltic and written celtic, and has in that form taken such a root that it can scarcely be ever altered. what then is the use of fighting over it? in the compass of this necessarily short review it is quite impossible to give an adequate idea of the work before us. while the work exhibits great learning and research, we think the rev. author might have bestowed more care on such a valuable work. several typographical errors present themselves, and in many cases the professor's composition exhibits clear evidence of undue haste in the writing and arrangement. but _humanum est errare_. nothing is perfect, and the book before us is no exception to the general rule. the celtic student will, however, find it invaluable, and no one who takes an interest in celtic philology, antiquity, manners, and customs (indeed everything and anything celtic), should be without a copy; for it is a perfect store of celtic learning. _the scottish gael, or celtic manners as preserved among the highlanders. by the late james logan, f.s.a.s. edited with memoir and notes by the_ rev. alex. stewart, "nether lochaber." _issued in 12 parts at 2s each. inverness: hugh mackenzie, bank lane. edinburgh: maclachlan & stewart. glasgow:_ john tweed. we have before us the first and second parts of this valuable work. the frontispiece is a coloured plate of two highland chiefs dressed in the stewart and gordon tartans; and the other engravings, which are well got up, are in every case _fac-similes_ of those in the original edition, which had become so scarce that it was difficult to procure it even at a very high price. logan's _scottish gael_ has long been held as the best authority on the antiquities and national peculiarities of scotland, especially on those of the northern or gaelic parts of the country where some of the peculiar habits of the aboriginal race have been most tenaciously retained. the valuable superintendence and learned notes of "nether-lochaber," one of our best celtic scholars and antiquarians, will very materially enhance the value of the work, which is well printed in clear bold type, altogether creditable to the printer and to the editor, but, particularly so, to the public-spirited publisher. we have no hesitation in recommending the work to all who take an interest in the literature of the gael. song of the summer breeze. _dedicated by permission to the_ rev. george gilfillan. when balmy spring has ceased to wring the youthful bud from the old oak tree, and the sweet primrose no longer glows on the glad hill-side by the sunfilled sea; when the cuckoo's wail has ceased to go o'er hill and dale in a pensive flow, and the deepest shade in the woods is made, and the brightest bloom on the fields is laid; when the lord of light with a lover's pride pours a beauty bright o'er his blushing bride, that lies below his glowing gaze, in a woodland glow, and a flowery blaze; when winter's gloom of wind and rain is lost in the bloom of the flower-lit plain, and his ruins grey have died away in the love-sent breath of the smiling day; when the beauteous hours of the twilight still with dewy tears in their joy-swelled eyes see the peaceful flowers on the cloudless hill send scented gifts to the grateful skies; and the wave-like grain o'er the sea-like plain in peaceful splendour essays to rise;- from my silent birth in the flowery land of the sunny south at time's command. as still as the breath of a rosy mouth, or rippling wave on the sighing sand, or surging grass by the stony strand, i come with odour of shrub and flower stolen from field and sunny bower from lowly cot and lordly tower. borne on my wings the soul-like cloud- that snowy, mountain-shading shroud that loves to sleep on the sweet hill's crest, as still as the deep with its voice at rest,- is wafted in dreams to its peaceful nest; at my command the glowing land scorched by the beams of the burning sun, listing the sounds of the drowsy bees, thirsting for rain, and the dews that come when light has died on the surging seas, awakes to life, and health, and joy; i pour a life on the sickening trees, and wake the birds to their sweet employ, amidst the flowers of the lowly leas; from the sweet woodbine that loves to twine its arms of love round the homes of men, or laugh in the sight of the sun's sweet light 'midst the flower gemmed scenes of the song-filled glen, and the full-blown rose that loves to blush 'midst the garden bowers where the pensive hours awaiting the bliss of the summer showers list to the songs of the warbling thrush,- i steal the sweets of their fragrant breath; from the lily pale that seems to wail with snow-like face and pensive grace o'er the bed that bends o'er the deeds of death, i brush the tears that she loves to shed for the early biers of the lovely dead. when still twilight with dew-dimmed eye sees the lord of light from the snow-white sky, descend at the sight of the coming night, 'midst the waves of the deathful sea to die! when glowing day has passed away in peace on the tops of the dim-seen hills, that pour from their hearts the tinkling rills that dance and leap in youthful pride, to the brimming river, deep and wide, that bears them in rest to their distant sleep; and the gladsome ocean that ever presses the bridal earth in fond caresses, rages no more in a wild commotion; when the distant hills appear to grow at the touch of evening bright, and the sunless rivers seem to go with a deeper music in their flow, like dreams thro' the peaceful night, i fade away with the dying day, like the lingering gleam of the sun's sweet ray! david r. williamson. * * * * * transcriber's notes the spellings "ahead" and "a-head" are both used in this text. the following amendments have been made to the text: p. 106 "wont" changed to "won't"; p. 114 "familar" changed to "familiar"; p. 115 "buccolic" changed to "bucolic"; p. 122 "soverign" changed to "sovereign"; p. 124 "similiarly" changed to "similarly"; p. 129 "errane" changed to "errare"; p. 130 full stop added after "david r". proofreading canada team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net (this book was created from images of public domain material made available by the university of toronto libraries (http://link.library.utoronto.ca/booksonline/).) [illustration: armorial bearings of the clan fraser, with the maple leaf entwined for canada.] the clan fraser in canada souvenir of the first annual gathering toronto, may 5th, 1894. by alexander fraser (mac-fhionnlaidh) toronto: mail job printing co. 1895. prefatory note the chief object aimed at by the publication of this little volume is to furnish, in a concise and inexpensive form, information regarding the clan fraser not readily accessible to clansmen in canada. it is also hoped a perusal of the contents will strengthen the clan sentiment, and deepen the interest in the ancient clan bond and in the long and illustrious history of the clan. but the book being essentially an account of the first annual gathering held by the clan in the province of ontario, it will be an interesting souvenir of that pleasant event; and probably the hope may not be too sanguine that its appearance will mark an onward step in the record of the clan in the dominion. the publication has been undertaken under the auspices of the newly-formed clan fraser in canada, and the thanks of the editor are due to professor w. h. fraser, of toronto university, and to mr. alexander fraser (of fraserfield, glengarry), the printing committee of the clan; also to mr. j. lewis browne, for the music to which the "fraser drinking song," written by mrs. georgina fraser-newhall, has been set. a. f. toronto, february, 1895. contents. page. introduction 9 fraser's highlanders 11 seventy-first regiment 15 fraser de berry's organization 16 formation of the clan fraser in canada 21 first annual clan dinner 22 toast of "the clan," containing references to:- origin of the clan, change of surnames 31 origin of the name "fraser"--the norman-french theory 37 mr. skene's position criticised 39 the bond between lord lovat and the marquis de la frezelière 40 scottish origin of the name 42 mr. homer dixon's argument 43 the frasers in the lowlands 45 the clan fraser established in the highlands 49 succession of the chiefs 50 alexander of beaufort 56 succession of the strichen family 58 a curious prediction 59 reply to the toast 62 a guest honored 65 toast of "the clan in canada." 67 " "distinguished clansmen" 73 in art 74 in science 76 in literature 81 in theology 87 in war 88 in politics 90 organization of the clan 92 georgina fraser-newhall 93 fraser's drinking song 96 simon fraser, discoverer of the fraser river 98 simon lord lovat, beheaded on tower hill 103 brigadier simon fraser 104 second annual dinner 107 constitution and by-laws of the clan 109 list of officers 112 illustrations: frontispiece--armorial bearings of the clan menu and toast list card 23 alexander fraser (macfhionnlaidh) 33 robert lovat fraser 63 ex-mayor john fraser 75 william a. fraser 79 georgina fraser-newhall 94 simon, fourteenth lord lovat 102 brigadier simon fraser 105 introductory the gael has proved himself not less a pioneer of civilization, and adaptable to changing conditions of living, than a lover of the traditions of his race, holding tenaciously by ancient usages and manners, and stirred profoundly by racial sentiment. as a pioneer he has reached "the ends of the earth," possessing the unoccupied parts of the world. as a patriot he has established not a few of his cherished customs in the land of his adoption. his love of kindred is probably his most notable characteristic; it found embodiment in the clan system, under which his race achieved its greatest triumphs and enjoyed its greatest glories, and the bond of clanship, with its inspiring memories, the true clansman will never disregard. while the clan system, as such, would be impracticable in the british colonies under present-day conditions, even more so than in its old home in the highlands of scotland, its spirit lives, leavening the system of government and exercising no small influence in the fusion of heterogeneous elements into new and distinct peoples. these observations are applicable in a peculiar degree to canada, where a very large number of clansmen have found a second highland home. many of the forests which rang with the clash of the claymore in the struggle for british supremacy, fell afterwards to the axe of the gaelic settler. his trail lies across the continent, from ocean to ocean. his energy and intelligence have been honorably felt in every walk of life, and his enterprise and skill have done much to develop and upbuild the dominion. no body of people occupies a more distinguished place in this respect than the frasers; indeed, even among the clans, no name is more closely identified than that of "fraser" with the early days of canada. to tell of their services on the field, in government, in commerce, in the professions, would occupy a large volume, as would a similar story of other clans, and an attempt to do so, in an introductory chapter, would be altogether out of place, but there are a few events of importance to the country in which the frasers figured to which it will be well to allude with fitting brevity. those who hold the norman theory believe the first of the name of "fraser" in scotland, "came over with william the conqueror," and they ask no better proof of the antiquity of the name. if the early connection of the clan with canada be any satisfaction to clansmen there, then it may be stated with truth that the first settlers of the name "came over with wolfe the conqueror," and their services were as conspicuous in the military operations conducted by the intrepid young general, who gave his life for his country on the plains of abraham, as were those performed by any brave knight, whose name may be found on the roll of battle abbey. the story of fraser's highlanders forms one of the most romantic chapters in the annals of the clans, and should the time come when it is fairly and fully given to the world, it will prove a valuable addition to the history of highland life and of early canada. for the part taken by the clan in the uprising of 1745, lord simon was beheaded on tower hill and the fraser estates were forfeited to the crown. the master of lovat appeared at the head of the clan on the stuart side; but, as he was young at the time and had acted by his father's command, he was pardoned, and in 1757, in accordance with the wise, conciliatory policy of mr. pitt, he was commissioned to raise a regiment of his clansmen, of which he was appointed lieutenant-colonel commanding. in general stewart's sketches a brief but interesting account of this, the old seventy-eighth regiment, is given, an extract from which will show the strength of the clan ties then existing, and the high character of the men who were raised on the lovat territory. general stewart says: "without estate, money or influence, beyond that influence which flowed from attachment to his family, person and name, this gentleman (the master of lovat), in a few weeks found himself at the head of 800 men, recruited by himself. the gentlemen of the country and the officers of the regiment added more than 700, and thus a battalion was formed of 13 companies of 105 rank and file each, making in all 1,460 men, including 65 sergeants and 30 pipers and drummers." all accounts concur in describing this regiment as a superior body of men; their character and actions raised the military reputation and gave a favorable impression of the moral virtues of the sons of the mountains. the uniform was the full highland dress, with musket and broadsword, dirk and sporran of badger's or otter's skin. the bonnet was raised or cocked on one side, with a slight bend inclining down to the right ear, over which were suspended two or more black feathers. the regiment embarked at greenock, and landed at halifax in june, 1757, and followed the fortunes of the war for six years. "on all occasions," says stewart, "this brave body of men sustained a uniform character for unshaken firmness, incorruptible probity and a strict regard both to military and moral duties." their chaplain was a man of note as of stature. his name was robert macpherson, but he was known in the regiment as _an caipeal mor_, being of large physique. he exercised the traditional authority of a highland minister, and we are told that the men were always anxious to conceal their misdemeanors from him. the cold climate, it was feared, would prove too severe to the frasers, who wore the kilt, and an attempt, kindly conceived, no doubt, was made to change the "garb of old gaul" for the trews. the proposal aroused strenuous opposition; officers and men opposed the change and finally were successful. the strength of feeling awakened may be judged from the words of one of the soldiers in the regiment: "thanks to our generous chief, we were allowed to wear the garb of our fathers, and, in the course of six winters, showed the doctors that they did not understand our constitution; for in the coldest winters our men were more healthy than those regiments that wore breeches and warm clothing." a somewhat amusing anecdote is related of how the nuns of the ursuline convent, where the frasers were quartered in 1759-60, endeavored to induce governor murray to be allowed to provide sufficient raiment for the kilted soldiers, but, of course, without success. at louisburg, montmorenci, ste. foye and on the plains of abraham, the frasers distinguished themselves greatly. one of the most eloquent tributes to their prowess was spoken by the hon. p. j. o. chauveau, the french-canadian, at the inauguration in 1855 of the statue of bellona sent by prince napoleon for the monument erected on the famous battlefield. the french-canadian historian garneau, and other writers in whose veins courses the blood of the vanquished at quebec, have borne generous testimony to their military bearing and good conduct. garneau writes of the battle of carillon, 1758: "it was the right of the trench works that was longest and most obstinately assailed; in that quarter the combat was most sanguinary. the british grenadiers and highlanders there persevered in the attack for three hours, without flinching or breaking rank. the highlanders above all, under lord john murray, covered themselves with glory. they formed the troops confronting the canadians, their light and picturesque costumes distinguishing them from all other soldiers amid the flames and smoke. the corps lost the half of its men, and twenty-five of its officers were killed or severely wounded;" and the genial le moine, half highland and half french, says: "the frasers of 1759 and of 1775 readily courted danger or death in that great duel which was to graft progress and liberty on that loved emblem of canada, the pride of its forests--the maple tree. if at times one feels pained at the ferocity which marked the conflict and which won for fraser's highlanders at quebec, the name _les sauvages d'ecosse_,[1] one feels relieved, seeing that the meeting was inevitable, that the sturdy sons of caledonia, in levis' heroic grenadiers, did find a foe worthy of their steel. scotchmen, on the field of ste. foye, in deadly encounter with france's impetuous warriors, doubtless acknowledged that the latter were not unworthy descendants of those whom they had helped to rout england's soldiery on the fields of brangé, crevant and verneuil." [footnote 1: it is but fair to state that fraser's highlanders showed no more ferocity than the usages of war justified. there were barbarous atrocities committed, undoubtedly, but for these, the highlanders were not responsible.--a.f.] at the close of the war many of the officers and men settled in the provinces of quebec and nova scotia, having obtained their discharge and grants of land in the new world. it was not long ago computed that the descendants of these highlanders in the province of quebec numbered 3,000, but merged in the french-canadian peasantry to such an extent that even the names have lost their original form. in nova scotia the name fraser flourishes in every township of every county. there have been many accessions to the clan since the days of the seventy-eighth and the battle of the plains, but at least four-fifths of those bearing the clan name in canada to-day, trace their descent from the victorious clansmen of cape breton and quebec. on the outbreak of the american war the royal highland emigrants were embodied, and in that regiment, commanded by the gallant lieut.-colonel allan maclean (son of torloisk), 300 men who had belonged to fraser's regiment enlisted. in the interval between the cession of canada and the american war, the lovat estates were restored to the master of lovat, for his eminent services (the title was kept in abeyance), and he was asked to raise a regiment, the seventy-first, of two battalions. this he speedily accomplished and soon found himself at the head of a double regiment numbering 2,340 officers and men. they behaved with the highest distinction throughout the war and earned flattering encomiums from the commanding officers. general stewart, than whom no more competent authority has written of highland regiments, and but few who have understood highland character better, whose sketches have furnished facts to all subsequent writers on the subject, speaks of the seventy-first, fraser's highlanders, thus: "their moral conduct was in every way equal to their military character. disgraceful punishments were unknown. among men religious, brave, moral and humane, disgraceful punishments are unnecessary. such being the acknowledged general character of these men, their loyalty was put to the test and proved to be genuine. when prisoners, and solicited by the americans to join their standard and settle among them, not one individual violated the oath he had taken, or forgot his fidelity or allegiance, a virtue not generally observed on that occasion, for many soldiers of other corps joined the americans, and sometimes, indeed, entered their service in a body." the seventy-first did not leave many behind as settlers, and the reference to it here is only permissible as illustrating the high character of the clan, of which the seventy-eighth, which left its quota of settlers behind, formed an important part. general simon fraser's intimate connection with canada, as commanding officer of fraser's highlanders (1757), and in other interesting respects, may suffice as a reason why a good anecdote of him may be here related. when the seventy-first mustered at glasgow, lochiel was absent, being ill at london. his absence had not, evidently, been explained to his company, for they demurred to embark without their chief; they feared some misfortune had befallen him. general fraser had a command of eloquent speech and he succeeded in persuading them to embark with their comrades. it is related that while he was speaking in gaelic to the men, an old highlander, who had accompanied his son to glasgow, was leaning on his staff gazing at the general with great earnestness. when he had finished, the old man walked up to him and, with that easy familiar intercourse, which in those days subsisted between the highlanders and their superiors, shook him by the hand, exclaiming "simon, you are a good soldier, and speak like a man; so long as you live, simon of lovat will never die;" alluding to the general's address and manner, which was said to resemble much that of his father, lord lovat, whom the old highlanders knew perfectly. the de berry organization. we have now seen the origin of the frasers in canada; they came in war, but the swords were readily turned into ploughshares, and the arts of peace cultivated with a constancy and success that equalled their intrepidity and valor on the battlefield. years rolled on, the clan multiplied and prospered, and, in the course of time, a project was entered upon for the formation of a new clan fraser on canadian soil. the leading spirit of the movement was the hon. john fraser de berry, a member for the legislative council of the province of quebec. a meeting of frasers was held in response to the following public advertisement: fraser clan. the frasers of the province of quebec are respectfully requested to meet at the office of messrs. thomas fraser & co., at the lower town, quebec, on saturday, the twenty-fifth day of january, 1868, at ten o'clock a.m., to take into consideration the advisability of organizing the "clan" for the dominion of canada. john fraser de berry, a. fraser, a. fraser, sr., a. fraser, jr., j. r. fraser, fred. fraser, january 21, 1868. john fraser, j. fraser. at this meeting preliminary steps were taken to further the object in view, and another meeting was held on february 8th, 1868, of which the following report has been taken from the _quebec mercury_: at a meeting of the "frasers" of the province of quebec, held at mrs. brown's city hotel, on the 8th february, 1868, alexander fraser, esq., notary, ex-member for the county of kamouraska, now resident in quebec, in the chair; mr. omer fraser, of st. croix, acting as secretary. 1. it was unanimously resolved: that it is desirable that the family of "frasers" do organize themselves into a clan with a purely and benevolent social object, and, with that view, they do now proceed to such organization by recommending the choice of a chief for the dominion of canada; a chief for each province; a chief for each electoral division; a chief for each county; a chief for each locality and township. 2. that the chief of the dominion of canada be named "the fraser," and that he be chosen at a general meeting of the frasers of all the provinces; the said meeting to be held on the second thursday in the month of may next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, in such place in the city of ottawa as will then be designated. 3. that it is desirable that the chief of the province of quebec and the chiefs of the electoral divisions represented at said meeting be chosen forthwith; and that the chief elected for this province be authorized and empowered to name the chiefs for such divisions as are not represented at present, the said selection shall, however, be subject to the approbation of the frasers of the division interested, who will make the same known at a meeting to be called without delay, by the chief of the province of quebec, with the view to proceed to the nomination of the chiefs of counties comprehended in the said division. 4. that chiefs of counties be obliged to convene also without delay, a meeting by which shall be chosen all the chiefs of parishes or townships. 5. that it shall be the duty of the chief chosen for a parish or township to report to the chief of his county as early as possible, the number of frasers residing in his parish or township; and of the chief of the county in his town, to report to the chief of his electoral division, who will transmit it, together with his own report, to the chief of his province; the said report to contain the number of frasers in his division, in order that the force of the clan in each province may be ascertained on the 14th of may next, at the meeting at ottawa. 6. that it is advisable that the meeting at ottawa, representing all the clan, be composed of all its divers chiefs from the chiefs of provinces, even to the chiefs of parishes or townships inclusively, and any other frasers who may desire to attend at the same. 7. that the above resolutions and the nominations, which are to take place this day, or which may be made hereafter by the chief of the province, shall be considered as preliminary and temporary, as they are made with the sole object of organizing the clan, and not to bind in any manner whatever the frasers, who will be at perfect liberty to reorganize themselves completely anew at the ottawa meeting. 8. that the clan shall not be considered to exist until and after the next anniversary or dominion day, the first of july next, under such rules and regulations as will be adopted at the meeting at ottawa; the frasers of this meeting protest energetically against any intention, which might be attributed to them, of dictating their will to their namesakes of this province; they are simply attempting to organize and with a benevolent object, to adopt temporarily the above resolutions the better to attain that end. 9. that the sister provinces of ontario, nova scotia and new brunswick be respectfully requested to organize themselves, and to send delegates to the meeting at ottawa, on the fourteenth of may next, that time having been selected because in all probability the parliament will still be in session, and the members may attend the session before dispersing. 10. that all proceedings be respectfully submitted to the "fraser" family, which is one of the most ancient, one of the most noble, one of the most influential, and one of the most numerous families of the dominion of canada. 11. that all the newspapers throughout the dominion of canada, who have subscribers of the name of fraser, are requested to publish the proceedings of this meeting. after which the meeting proceeded to the nomination of the following officers, who were unanimously elected: i. to be the chief of the province of quebec: the honorable john fraser de berry, esquire, one of the members of the legislative council of the said province, etc., being the fifty-eighth descendant of jules de berry, a rich and powerful lord (seigneur) who feasted sumptuously the emperor charlemagne, and his numerous suite, at his castle in normandy, in the eighth century. ii. for the following electoral divisions: _lauzon_,--thomas fraser, esquire, farmer, of pointe levis. _kennebec_,--simon fraser, esquire, of st. croix. _de la durantaye_,--alexander fraser, esquire, farmer, of st. vallier. _les laurentides_,--william fraser, esquire, of lake st. john, chicoutimi. _grandville_,--jean etienne fraser, esquire, notary. _green island stadacona_,--alexander fraser, esquire, notary, st. roch, quebec. the meeting having voted thanks to the president and secretary, then adjourned. alex. fraser, _president_. omer fraser, _secretary_. there was a good response to the call for the general meeting, letters having been sent broadcast over the dominion. as chief of the frasers of british north america, the hon. james fraser de ferraline, in the province of nova scotia, was elected. he was a scion of the ferraline and gorthlic families of the clan. one hundred and eleven subordinate chieftains of provinces and districts were elected and mr. john fraser de berry was appointed secretary to the "new clan fraser," as it was called. for various reasons, chief among them being, probably, its elaborate constitution and the intangible purposes for which it was called into existence, the organization did not make satisfactory headway and in the course of not many years it failed to attract any public attention whatever, and ceased to exist. in its brief career it gathered some interesting information about the clansmen. in a report drawn up by the secretary, de berry, whose exertions on its behalf were unwearying, it is stated that there were then over 12,000 persons, men, women and children of the name fraser, some speaking french, not one of whom was a day laborer, or "earning daily wages," but all in comfortable circumstances, many in positions of honour and trust. formation of the clan fraser in canada although mr. john fraser de berry's scheme failed it was believed that there was room for a less pretentious and more practicable clan organization in canada. there was little diminution of the clan feeling; the desire of those having the same origin and name, the same glorious clan history, in common, to enjoy a friendly intercourse, was natural and reasonable, and at length it assumed a practical form. early in the spring of 1894 a meeting was held in the office of the _toronto daily mail_, at which there were present: messrs. george b. fraser, commission agent; robert lovat fraser, barrister; alexander r. fraser, druggist; dr. j. b. fraser, physician; alexander fraser (of fraserfield, glengarry), secretary to the boiler inspection company; w. h. fraser, professor of languages at the toronto university; w. a. fraser, civil engineer and contractor; w. p. fraser, clerk, dominion bank; andrew fraser, commercial traveller; and alexander fraser, of the editorial staff of the _daily mail_. the last named, descended from the clan mhic fhionnlaidh sept of the struy frasers, was appointed chairman of the meeting and mr. w. a. fraser, also descended from good strathglass stock, was appointed secretary. all agreed that a clan organization ought to be formed and as a first step it was thought well to test the feeling of the clansmen at a family dinner, which it was decided should be held on may 5th, 1894. those present formed themselves into a committee to make arrangements for holding the dinner and the chairman and secretary of the meeting were appointed chairman and secretary of the committee. invitations were sent to every member of the clan in ontario, montreal, new york, buffalo and detroit, whose name the committee was able to procure, and about three hundred replies were received, in which, without exception, an earnest hope for the success of the proposed organization was expressed. the dinner took place as had been decided upon, on may 5th, 1894, at webb's restaurant, toronto, and an account of the proceedings will now be given. [illustration of menu cover: "mor fhaich" clan fraser in canada, first annual dinner may 5th 1894] _a chuirm sgaoilte; chuaias an ceol ard sholas a'n talia nan triath._--oisean. menu soup. scotch broth. fish. boiled sea salmon from the cruives of lovat. sgadan beag poll-a-roid. pomme natural, anchovy sauce. bread and butter rolled. entrees. haggis punch a la romain. joints. roast beef. spring lamb. vegetables. mashed potatoes. asparagus. french peas. entremets. fraser pudding. curds and cream. oat cakes. assorted fine cakes. shortbread. cheese. biscuits. radishes. neapolitan ice cream. nuts. figs. dates. fruits. coffee. "_smeorach stratharaigeig; uiseag an urlair._"--sean-fhocai. toast list 1. the queen. "she wrought her people lasting good." 2. the chief. "tostamaid ar ceann a cinnidh; mac-shimi mor na morfhaich." "master, go on, and i will follow thee to the last gasp, with truth and loyalty." bagpipe music--"morar sim." 3. the clan. "i tell you a thing sickerly, that yon men will win or die; for doubt of deid they sall not flee." "'n uair 'thig an cinneadh frisealach, tha fios gur daoine borb iad." bagpipe music--"caisteal dunaidh." 4. our guests. "sir, you are very welcome to our house." bagpipe music--"aird mhic-shimi." "highland fling," by master norman fraser. 5. the clan in canada. "kindred alike, where'er our skies may shine, where'er our sight first drank the vital morn." bagpipe music--"fhuair mac-shimi air ais an oighearachd." 6. distinguished clansmen. "of singular integrity and learning, yea, the elect o' the land." (_a_) in art; (_b_) in science; (_c_) in literature; (_d_) in theology; (_e_) in war; (_f_) in political life. 7. the ladies. "disguise our bondage as we will, 'tis woman, woman, rules us still." "and when a lady's in the case, you know, all other things give place." 8. deoch an doruis. _air (fonn) "clementine."_ deoch an doruis, deoch an doruis, deoch an doruis, 's i tha ann; deoch an doruis, sguab as i, cha'n eil mac-na-bracha gann. auld lang syne. god save the queen. the bagpipe music will be furnished by mr. robert ireland, pipe major of the 48th highlanders, toronto. [illustration of clan device of targe and crossed swords] the clan dinner. although the number that sat around the festive board was much smaller than had been expected, the elements requisite for a successful gathering were strongly in evidence, and, as a matter of fact, the inaugural dinner of the clan turned out to be a most satisfactory event. many of the absentees had conveyed good reasons for their absence, and hearty greetings to the assembled company. from a large number of letters it would be difficult to make a selection for the reader and the demands of space would prevent it, although some of them are really worth reproducing. of special interest were the letters from messrs. o. k. fraser, brockville; john fraser, wm. lewis fraser and thomas fraser, new york; p. m. fraser, st. thomas; donald fraser, windsor; r. j. fraser, barrie; r. m. fraser, goderich; rev. r. d. fraser, bowmanville; rev. j. b. fraser, m.d., annan; john fraser, montreal; w. g. fraser, buffalo; hon. christopher finlay fraser, and b. homer dixon, k.n.l., toronto; the last named a fraser on the maternal side and a gentleman deeply versed in the history of the clan. the dining hall presented a very attractive appearance. the table was made beautiful with a tastefully arranged and selected display of flowers and plants, and appropriate to the occasion there were stags' heads on the walls, and the fraser clan tartan draped the pillars, doorway and windows. there were a number of articles of interest sent by friends, such as finely executed mezzo-tint pictures of simon lord lovat, beheaded in 1747, and of brigadier simon fraser, the hero of saratoga; and a water-color of the clan arms, from mr. b. homer dixon; a map of inverness-shire, showing the clan possessions at various stages of its history, with the lands in the hands of cadets of the clan, a life-size copy of hogarth's picture of simon lord lovat, the "last of the martyrs," a life-size copy of an engraving of sir alexander fraser of phillorth, founder of the university of fraserburgh, sent by the chairman. the menu card, a copy of which has been reproduced for this volume, will be found to have been a clever effort of the artist, mr. w. a. fraser, secretary of committee. a representation of the falls of foyers is given on the cover, and on the last page a celtic armorial device surrounded by the names of a number of old fraser estates. the chairman was mr. alexander fraser (macfhionnlaidh); and the vice-chairs were occupied by mr. robert lovat fraser, barrister, toronto, and ex-mayor fraser of petrolea. a picture of the company is given on another page, which will form an interesting reminiscence of the happy gathering. from the picture, the face of one who was present at the dinner is unfortunately absent, that of mr. henry sandham fraser, and that of mr. wm. fraser, of whom a brief notice is given on another page, appears, although he was not present, as he would have been were it not that he was just then stricken down with illness, to which, not long afterwards, he succumbed. the dinner was excellently served, and then came the toast list with the speeches. the first toast was that of: "the queen." the chairman in proposing the health of the queen said:--our clan has invariably been a loyal one, even in the rising which terminated so fatally on the battlefield of culloden, the clan fraser took part, believing that they were striking a blow for the rightful king. i am sure we all agree that no sovereign has ever held sway over the british empire who is more worthy of the regard of men of highland blood than her majesty queen victoria. she who has given so many proofs of regard for the highland people is beloved by them in return. her volumes of her life in the highlands, one of which has been well translated into gaelic and the other indifferently so, bear testimony to the deep interest with which she regards that portion of her ancient kingdom of scotland, to which we lay claim as our native land. she has gone in and out among the peasantry and gentry with perfect confidence in their loyalty and in their attachment to her person. she surrounded herself by faithful highlanders, and their services to her, whether in the household or in positions of public preferment, have been uniformly of a high character and invariable success. that she may long live and rule in the hearts of her people, no body of men can wish more strongly than this company that has given to her name its just place of honor at the head of the toast list. the toast was cordially honored. "the chief." the chairman next proposed the toast of the chief. he said: it is stated that a man of the name of cameron, who had fought at the battle of falkirk with the royal army, his clan being on the side of the prince, joined his kinsmen after the battle, but still wore the royal uniform in the bonnet of which there was a cockade. lord kilmarnock, coming up and seeing an armed royalist, as he thought, suspected danger to the prince, and in an altercation he snatched the cockade from the soldier's hat and trampled upon it. this aroused the ire of the camerons who saw their comrade maltreated, and they resented kilmarnock's interference, saying, "no colonel nor general in the prince's army can take that cockade out of the hat of a cameron except lochiel himself." i mention this incident as affording a good example of the bond of fealty by which the clansman was held to his chief. to him the chief was supreme in all things. he was not only the head of his family, but the provider and protector of the clan. his authority he derived from his position, his position he secured, sometimes by the good-will of the clan, but generally on account of birth. the clansmen considered themselves as the children of the chief, and the system demanded that they subordinate themselves to his rule. without a chief or his substitute there could be no organized clan, and it is rightly understood how important was his position under the clan system. chiefs of our clan proved themselves to be worthy of the position, as a rule, and simon joseph, lord lovat, the young nobleman who now holds the chiefship, already gives promise of faithfully following in the footsteps of his forefathers. at the celebration of his majority, not long ago, there was a considerable gathering of clansmen and others to do him honor, and the manner in which he performed his part as host on that occasion is an augury of a distinguished future. it is said that he shows a deep interest in the welfare of his people, that he is a young man of highly patriotic feelings, and, as his sphere of usefulness is a wide one, he, no doubt, will have ample opportunity of filling the highest expectations of the clan. following the traditions of his house he has entered the army, and, should he decide to follow arms as a profession, no doubt the military genius of his race, bequeathed to him through a long line of ancestors, will win for him honorable distinction as a soldier. i now ask you to charge your glasses and to drink to the health of our young chief with highland honors. the toast was drunk with highland honors; the company singing "he's a jolly good fellow," after which the piper played the clan welcome, "morar sim." mrs. charles gordon fraser was at this stage introduced, and her little boy, master norman fraser, attired in highland costume, gave a spirited and clever execution of the highland fling, for which he was enthusiastically cheered. "the clan." the chairman proposed the next toast, that of the clan. he said:--in rising to propose the toast of the evening, my first duty, it seems to me, is to express my sense of the great honor done me by my clansmen in asking me to preside over the first family dinner of the clan in this province. many there be with us, who, from age and distinction and fitness in every respect, ought to have come before me, and who would have done greater honor to the position on such an occasion as this, than i can hope to do, even with your kind indulgence. the rather active part it has been my privilege to take in bringing about this happy gathering may have suggested your choice, and should i be right in this conjecture, that fact but deepens the feeling with which i regard the honor. but a still more arduous duty laid upon me was to give the toast of the evening, that of "the clan." i can assure you it required all the courage i could muster to undertake the task. the motto of the clan was held up to me, but i did not forget that _je suis prest_ ought to be the corollary of _paratus sum_, and i fear that but few could step into the breach and do full justice to the great clan fraser. in assigning the toast, moreover, the request was made that i should give as much information regarding the clan, as could well be packed into a speech, even if the limit of time should have to be extended over that which is usually allowable for an after dinner effort; but, as i understand the information is intended for a wider circle of clansmen than is here, i feel assured of your patience and forbearance while i struggle through a narrative, the length of which under other circumstances would have been an unpardonable breach of good taste. the clan system holds an intermediate position between the patriarchal and feudal systems. it is sometimes confused with the former, more rarely with the latter. the feudal lordship, in its genius and scope of operation, was diametrically opposed to the salient characteristics of the clan system. the distinctions need not be enlarged upon here, let it suffice to draw attention to the fact that clanship was a distinct form of government, under well recognized and applied principles. in modern literature we find the characteristic most emphasized to be the loyalty with which the clansman followed and served his chief, as in the words of the quotation on our toast list, "master, go on and i will follow thee, to the last gasp, with truth and loyalty." that truth and loyalty, however, was not born of a servile, but of a highly patriotic feeling, for the bond which united chief and clansman was that of kindred and common interest, and not of hire and servitude. this explains why a people so highly sensitive, fiery and impetuous as the celts, gave such loyal and perfect allegiance to the chief of the clan. [illustration: alexander fraser (_mac-fhionnlaidh_) chairman.] since the fact that we were to hold a clan gathering got abroad, i have been asked for information regarding the origin of the clans in the highlands. how these clans were first established authentic history does not record with clearness. we are left in the task of unravelling the origin of the clans to meagre allusions in classical writings, in genealogies which, to some extent at least, are mythical, and to tradition, ever changing with the progress of the centuries. there can be no question that many of the clans grew gradually from the native population after the consolidation of the scottish kingdom. we know that tribes, some bearing names of modern clans, existed in what may be described as prehistoric times, in the ordinary acceptation of that term, in that part of scotland north of the forth and clyde. amongst these were the bissets, the fentons of the aird, and others, whose names still survive in the county of inverness, and who must have to some extent merged into the fraser clan, by adopting the name of the lord of the manor. i do not like to quote john hill burton as an authority, prejudiced, as he manifestly is, and unfair, as a rule, when dealing with the highlands and the celts, but a passage from his unreliable life of simon, lord lovat, will show how a surname may impose itself on a community and how clans have been, to some extent, constituted. he says: "in some instances the foreign family adopted a purely celtic patronymic from the name of the sept of which they were the leaders. in other cases, such as the gordons and frasers, the sept, probably absorbing various small tribes and admitting to its bosom many stray members owning strange varieties of gaelic names, took the name of the leader; hence we find the purest gaelic spoken by people enjoying the norman names of a gordon or a cumin. but, whether the imported lord of the soil adopted the name of the tribe or the tribe that of their lord, the unyielding influence of old national customs and peculiarities prevailed, and their families gradually adapted themselves in speech and method of life to the people over whom they held sway." this principle holds good in the case of the composite fraser clan, and a curious example is afforded by an extract from the allangrange ms., with respect to the rev. wm. fraser, of kilmorack, published in that repository of highland lore, the celtic magazine:-"bishop hay, maternal uncle to agnes lovat, carried away by kenneth mackenzie (a bhlair), seventh baron of kintail, when he sent away his first wife margaret, daughter of john, earl of ross, advised kenneth and the lady's friends that a commission should be sent to the pope in 1491 to procure the legitimation of their union. this was agreed to, and the following is the account of the commissioners:-"'to that effect one called donald dhu mcchreggie, priest of kirkhill, was employed. this priest was a native in kintail, descended of a clan there called clan chreggie, who, being a hopeful boy in his younger days, was educated in mackenzie's house, and afterwards at beullie by the forementioned dugall mackenzie (natural son of alexander 'ionraic' vi. of kintail pryor yrof). in the end he was made priest of kirkhill. his successors to this day are called frasers. of this priest are descended mr. william and mr. donald fraser.' "the author of the ardintoul mss. gives a slightly different version, and says: 'to which end they sent mr. andrew fraser, priest of kintail, a learned and eloquent man, who took in his company dugald mackenzie, natural son of alexander inrig, who was a scholar. the pope entertained them kindly, and very readily granted them what they desired, and were both made knights to the boot by pope clement viii., but when my knights came home they neglected the decree of pope innocent iii. against the marriage and consentricate of the clergy, or, otherwise, they got a dispensation from the then pope clement viii., for both of them married. sir dugal was made priest of kintail and married nien (daughter) dunchy chaim in glenmoriston. sir andrew likewise married, whose son was donall dubh macintagard (black donald, son of the priest) and was priest of kirkhill and chapter of ross. his tacks of the vicarage of kilmorack to john chisholm, of comar, stands to this day. his son was mr. william macahoulding, _alias_ fraser, who died minister of kiltarlady. his son was mr. donald fraser, who died minister of kilmorack; so that he is the fifth minister or ecclesiastical person in a lineal and uninterrupted succession, which falls out but seldom, and than which, in my judgment, nothing can more entitle a man to be really a gentleman; for that blood which runs in the veins of four or five generations of men of piety and learning and breeding cannot but have influence, and it confirms my opinion that the present mr. wm. fraser (who is the fifth) has the virtues and commendable properties of his predecessors all united in him.'" we see here the ease with which a maccreggie could become a fraser, and, bearing in mind the principle noticed by hill burton, there is no difficulty in accounting for the origin and growth of our clan in the highlands. whether we can tell the day of the month and the year on which andrew or simon fraser first gazed on the winding beauly or not--and the date can be approximately fixed--we, at all events, have no deep, unfathomable problem to solve as to the formation of the fraser clan. we know that the founder of the name in inverness-shire arrived there as the head of a powerful lowland house, that he settled among the native caledonians of the country, assumed possession of the lands then forming his estate; that the people, who were as celtic as those in any portion of the highlands, bearing such names as gille-criosd, mac-killweralicke, gill' aindrea, etc., rallied around him, accepted his authority, became his followers, and gradually adopted the name. as has been remarked, some of those who were thus absorbed were the bissets and the fentons of the aird; there were also the haliburtons, the corbets, and the graemes of lovat, whose estates fell into the possession of the fraser family. from this beginning it is an easy matter to follow the fortunes of the clan down the centuries from 1296, or thereabout, until the present day. but it is not as easy, nor is it as important, although interesting, to deal with the origin of the name and the ancient seat of those who bore it long, long ago. yet the theories respecting the origin of the name must be taken notice of as traditions of interest, at least to the clan. we meet the name of "fraser" in various spellings in ragman roll, which dates a.d. 1292-97. seventeen gentlemen of the family are on the roll, and the spellings given are: fraser, fresar, frisel, frisele, freshele, de fraser, and de frisle. whence derived? a norman-french and a celtic origin have been ascribed to it. the norman-french origin.--skene settles this theory in a summary fashion. he accepts it as indubitable, and had he refrained from giving the grounds upon which he bases his opinion, his deservedly high reputation as a celtic historian might have satisfied the general reader as to the truth of his _ipse dixit_. but the two reasons he advances are absurd. from his own words you will learn how he disposes of the origin of the clan: "of the norman origin of the family of the frasers it is impossible for a moment to entertain a doubt. they appear during the first few generations uniformly in that quarter of scotland which is south of the firths of forth and clyde, and they possessed at a very early period extensive estates in the counties of east lothian and of tweeddale; besides the name of frisale, which is its ancient form, appears in the roll of battle abbey, thus placing the norman character of their origin beyond a doubt." mr. skene's first reason is that, "they appear during the first few generations uniformly in that quarter of scotland which is south of the forth and clyde." had this part of scotland been at that time inhabited by normans, mr. skene's position would not seem so surprising as it does; but, as a matter of fact, at the time when the frasers, according to skene himself, flourished in the south of scotland, the population there was celtic, and his plain reasoning is: "the frasers first appear in scottish records as part of a celtic population; therefore they must be of norman origin!" mr. skene's second reason, while not so manifestly absurd, is equally weak. it is: "the name of frisale, which is the ancient form of "fraser," appears in the roll of battle abbey, thus placing the norman character of their origin beyond a doubt." and it is on such grounds as these that mr. skene proceeds. why, the ingenious senachies, skilled in genealogy, if not in the unravelling of charter deeds, could give an infinitely more plausible statement of a continental descent. in the first place, it is now impossible to authenticate the genuineness of the roll of battle abbey; and in the second place, if the roll were beyond question, there is nothing to show that the frisale whose name appears on it was the progenitor of the scottish frasers. mr. skene does not pretend to prove that he passed from england to scotland and founded the family there. but although he does not give us details, mr. skene's theory can be nothing else than that frisale, the follower of william the conqueror, was the same who received the lands held by the family in 1109 in the south of scotland from the scottish monarch. let us see how this theory will bear examination. one sentence disposes of it completely and forever. there were frasers in possession of estates in the south of scotland before the battle of hastings, and from them gilbert fraser, who figures in the cospatrick charter of 1109, was descended. long before 1109 the family had possessions in the lothians and tweeddale and farther to the north. it requires no more than this statement of fact to dispose of the roll of battle abbey and the frisale whose name furnished the late historiographer royal of scotland with an easy outlet from an apparently difficult position. but supposing we allow for a moment the prior occupation of the frasers to disappear from view, and with skene begin at 1109 with gilbert fraser. even then the case for frisale would be hopelessly weak. the battle of hastings was fought in 1066. from 1058 to 1093 malcolm ceanmor sat on the scottish throne; he it would be, according to skene, who gave frisale the grant of the extensive estates of the tweeddale frasers. but he was the bitter foe of william the conqueror, who supplanted edgar atheling, whose sister margaret was malcolm's queen, and whose nephew, also named edgar, reigned in scotland until 1107. is it credible that malcolm or donald bane, or duncan, or edgar, would strip their own nobles, in times of very uncertain warfare, of their lands, in order to bestow them upon aliens, and these aliens the feudal vassals of their turbulent, warlike enemy? no careful reader of that period of scottish history can believe that to have been possible. if it be said that alexander i. and david i. favored norman courtezans with grants of land on feudal titles, the answer is that alexander mounted the throne not earlier than 1107, when the frasers had already achieved historic prominence. while these remarks may suffice to indicate how valueless are the reasons put forward by mr. skene, they do not touch other theories pointing to a french origin prior to the reign of malcolm ceanmor. but these other theories having been rejected by mr. skene and his school, we may conclude that they rest their case on the statements just alluded to and disposed of. annalists and clan historians have, however, gone into particulars of the norman-french theory. according to some the name was derived from the _fraise_ or 'strawberry' leaves in their arms, and it was related that they sprang from the frezels of france. others give different origins; but, before laying before you the serious objections to the norman-french theory, it is right that i should repeat what has been in many quarters regarded as strong circumstantial evidence in its favor. i refer to the bond entered into, as late as the first part of the eighteenth century, between simon lord lovat (who was beheaded) and the marquis de la frezelière. lord lovat was a fugitive in france at the time, and he was befriended by the marquis. he wrote his life in french, afterwards translated into english and published in 1796. in it he makes the following statement:-"the house of frezel, or frezeau de la frezelière, is one of the most ancient houses in france. it ascends by uninterrupted filiation, and without any unequal alliance, to the year 1030. it is able to establish by a regular proof sixty-four quarterings in its armorial bearings, and all noble. it has titles of seven hundred years standing in the abbey of notre dame de noyers in touraine. and it is certain, that, beside these circumstances of inherent dignity, the house de la frezelière is one of the best allied in the kingdom. it numbers among its ancestors on the female side daughters of the families de montmorenci, de rieux, de rohan, de bretagne, de la savonniere, de la tremouille, de la grandiere, and de st. germains. through the houses de montmorenci, de rieux, de rohan, and de la tremouille, to which the marquis de la frezelière is nearly allied, he can trace his filiation through all the french monarchs, up to charlemagne, king of france and emperor of the west. down again through the various branches of the illustrious house of france, m. de la frezelière may, without impropriety, assert his alliance to all the royal houses and almost all the principal nobility of europe. "it is demonstrated by various historians, by the tradition of the two families, and from letters written from time to time from one to the other, that the house of frezel or frezeau de la frezelière in france, and the house of frezel or fraser in scotland, were of the same origin, and derived from the same blood. the marquis de la frezelière, the head and representative of the frezels or frezeaus in france, and lord lovat, the representative of the frezels or frasers in the north and the highlands of scotland, having happily encountered each other at paris in the second journey that lord lovat made to france for the service of his king (1702), were therefore both of them highly gratified with the opportunity that offered itself of renewing their alliance and declaring their affinity in a common and authentic act of recognition drawn up for that purpose. "this record was executed on the one part by the marquis de la frezelière himself, by the duke de luxembourg, the duke de chatillon and the prince de tingrie, the three worthy and illustrious children of the late marshal de luxembourg montmorenci, whose heroic exploits are not less glorious and celebrated than his descent is ancient and august. several other lords of the house of montmorenci, the marquis de rieux, and many noblemen related by blood and marriage to m. de la frezelière, joined with the marquis in affixing their signatures to this act of recognition. on the other part it was executed by simon lord lovat, mr. john fraser, his brother, and mr. george henry fraser, major of the irish regiment of bourke in the french service, for themselves, in the name of their whole family in scotland. "by this deed the kindred of the two houses of the frezels or frasers is placed out of all possible doubt. accordingly from the moment in which it was executed the marquis de la frezelière regarded lord lovat rather as his brother and his child than as his remote relation; and had his re-establishment in scotland nearer his heart than his own elevation in france." [twenty portrait photographs of: j. h. fraser chas. fraser a. w. fraser norman fraser andrew fraser jno. fraser elisha a. fraser dr. mungo fraser dr. j. b. fraser a. r. fraser alexander fraser john fraser alexander fraser robt. l. fraser w. p. fraser william fraser hugh miller w. h. fraser geo. b. fraser jas. fraser] the scottish origin of the name.--logan, author of the "scottish gael," agrees with those who claim a scottish origin for the name. he derives it from _frith_, 'a forest,' and _siol_--'seed,' 'offspring.' his theory has at least the merit of great probability, and is certainly to be preferred to the norman-french, unless the latter can be supported by better evidence than has yet been brought forward. in a most interesting volume on surnames by mr. b. homer dixon, k.n.l., published in 1857, there are very suggestive notes on the surname "fraser." he agrees with logan, and he combats the norman origin. his interest in the clan fraser is one of descent from a notable cadet family, and in connection with the origin of the name he has kindly furnished me with the following valuable statement:-"i differ from skene and the older writers who derive the frasers either from pierre fraser, who came to scotland about the year 800, and whose son charles was made thane of man in 814, or from julius de berry, of averme in the bourbonnais, who, in the year 916, gave charles the simple so delicious a dish of strawberries that the king changed his name to 'de fraize' and gave him 'fraizes' for arms. "according to the best authorities hereditary surnames were not used until about the year 1000, and arms were certainly not borne until after the norman conquest, being only introduced about four score years later at the time of the second crusade, viz., a.d. 1146, and therefore more than two centuries after the date of those ascribed to julius de fraize. "that the last lord lovat believed in his norman descent i do not doubt. early in the last century (a.d. 1702) he signed a bond of recognition with the marquis frezeau or frezel de la frezelière, declaring that their name and origin were the same and acknowledging themselves as relations. the frezeaus, however, were anjevins from near saumur, while the first scotch fraser was said to be a bourbonnais; still both parties were probably easily satisfied with their bond, which only went to prove apparently more clearly the antiquity of the families, however unnecessary, for the frezeaus or frezels were one of the most ancient houses in france, and the frasers are undoubtedly one of the noblest families in scotland. burton, in his life of lord lovat, london, 147, p. 104, throws discredit upon lord lovat's statement (memoirs of lord lovat, london) of the antiquity of the family of frezeau de la frezelière, because, forsooth, there is no account of the family in 'le père anselme,' but moreri (grand dicte. histe. basle, 1740) says 'the family was one of the most ancient in the kingdom' (almost the very words of lord lovat), 'and one of the most illustrious of the province (anjou), where they have possessed from time immemorial the seigniory of the frezelière.' moreri adds that there were chevaliers frezel in 1030, and, commencing his pedigree with the chevalier geoffrey, living in 1270, carries it down uninterruptedly to the marquis de la frezelière, et de monsieur baron de lasse, lieutenant-general in the army and first lieutenant-general in the artillery, who died in 1711. "both the marquis and lord lovat were mistaken, however, for the anjevin name does _not_ signify 'strawberry,' neither does that family bear 'fraises' in their arms, but frezeau or frezel de la frezelière signifies 'ash of the ash plantation or wood,' from the romance word _fraysse_, 'an ash tree;' and in auvergne there is a family styled 'du fraisse,' who bear an ash tree in their arms. similar names to frezel de la frezelière are le bastard de la bastardière, freslon de la freslonnière, raband de la rabandière. "it is true that the name frisell occurs in the roll of battle abbey; but even allowing that to be authentic, what proof is there that the frisell who accompanied the conqueror in 1066, was the ancestor of gilbert de fraser, who possessed large estates in tweeddale and lothian in the time of alexander i. (1107-1174)? "this gilbert, the first of the family mentioned, is called 'de,' but the name was more frequently written without that prefix. "i believe that the frasers are scotch _ab origine_ and repeat that i consider the name to be gaelic and older than the arms, which were canting arms, such as we have a royal example of as early as the time of louis vii. (of 1180), who covered the shield of france with blue, the tincture of his royal robes, and then charged the same with lilies, derived originally from isis, formerly worshipped in france. "the _fraises_ are quartered with three antique crowns, and here again authors differ, most writers saying they are for bisset. even nisbet makes this error, although on another page he gives the arms of bisset of beaufort as 'azure a bend argent!' others say they were granted to sir simon fraser, the 'flower of chivalrie,' the friend of wallace and bruce, for having three times re-horsed his king at the battle of methven, in 1306. this _may_ be their origin, but if so they were probably granted to or adopted by his grand nephew and heir, sir andrew fraser, for sir simon fraser was taken prisoner at this very battle, conveyed to london and beheaded. it is worthy of note, however, that the grants, near neighbors and often allied to the frasers, bear three antique crowns, though of a different tincture. hugh, fifth lord lovat, married a daughter of the laird of grant, by whom, however, he had no issue. he died 1544." in another note mr. dixon says: "the court language of scotland, at the time this family took their arms, which are totally different from those of the french house of frezeau or frezel, was a medley of teutonic and french." in the lowlands of scotland.--but whether the derivation be from the romance _fraysse_, 'an ash tree,' or the gaelic _frith_, 'a forest,' we find the chief of the name firmly established as a powerful scottish noble, manifesting the patriotism and national sentiment to be looked for in a native born baron, as early as 1109. his name was gilbert de fraser, who, in the year named, witnessed a charter known as the cospatrick charter. it is generally conceded that he is the first with whom documentary history begins. that there were frasers in tweeddale and lothian before him is certain, and the names of some of them have survived, but with this gilbert begins the unbroken record of lineage which comes down to our own day. the lands possessed by the frasers in the south of scotland were extensive, and the family power was great, as will be indicated in the course of the brief reference to it which will be here made. gilbert had three sons, oliver, udard and another whose name is not now known. oliver succeeded his father and built oliver castle, by which his name survives. there are many interesting descriptions of this old stronghold; that in the ordnance survey report i quote on account of its brevity: "an ancient baronial fortalice in tweedsmuir parish, s. w. peeblesshire, on the left side of the river tweed . . . crowning a rising ground which now is tufted with a clump of trees, it was the original seat of the frasers, ancestors of the noble families of lovat and saltoun, and passed from them to the tweedies, who figure in the introduction to sir walter scott's _betrothed_, and whose maternal descendant, thomas tweedie-stodart (b. 1838; suc. 1869), of oliver house, a plain modern mansion hard by, holds 1144 acres in the shire. . . oliver castle was the remotest of a chain of strong ancient towers, situated each within view of the next all down the tweed to berwick, and serving both for defence and for beacon fires in the times of the border forays. it was eventually relinquished and razed to the ground." oliver died without issue, and, his brother udard, evidently having predeceased him, the succession went to udard's son, adam, who was succeeded by his son, lawrence, on record in 1261, and who was in turn succeeded by his son, lawrence. the second lawrence had no male issue, but had two daughters, one of whom married a tweedie, carrying with her fraser lands, and the other of whom married a macdougall. the succession in the male line now reverted to gilbert's third son, whose name is lost, but who had two sons, simon and bernard. both these succeeded to the chiefship, simon's issue being female. it was after this simon that keith-simon was named. bernard raised the fortunes of the family considerably, and his name frequently occurs in connection with questions of first class importance. he was the first of the name to have been appointed sheriff of stirling. he was succeeded by his son, gilbert, styled "vicecomes de traquair," or sheriff of traquair, father of three historic personages, sir simon, sir andrew, and william, the bishop of st. andrew's and chancellor of scotland, an extended reference to whom i with difficulty refrain from making. as a prelate and a statesman he rendered high service to his country. his brother, sir simon, the elder, succeeded his father, gilbert. he is designated the elder to distinguish him from his famous son, sir simon the patriot. he took a leading part in the affairs of the nation. he, his two brothers and a nephew, richard fraser, lord of dumfries, were four of the arbiters in the baliol claim to the scottish crown. he died in 1291, and was succeeded by sir simon the patriot, the greatest and most renowned of all the fraser chiefs. all i can say of him is that he was the compatriot, the coadjutor and compeer of sir william wallace, and one of the noblest knights whose deeds are recorded on the page of history. he has furnished ancient and modern historians with a subject for patriotic eulogy and enthusiastic praise. as a soldier and statesman he was _facile princeps_. he was the hero of roslin; he was the only scottish noble who held out to the last with sir william wallace, and was one of the first to welcome and aid the bruce, whom he re-horsed three times at the battle of methven, where he was taken prisoner; and he was the only scottish knight at that time whose patriotism entitled him to the brutal indignities of edward's court, and a death, in 1306, similar to that of sir william wallace. the patriot's family consisted of two daughters; the elder married sir hugh hay, ancestor of the noble house of tweeddale, and the younger, sir patrick fleming, ancestor of the earls of wigton. male issue having again failed, the succession went back to sir andrew fraser, sheriff of stirling, already mentioned as second son of sir gilbert fraser, sheriff of traquair. sir andrew was the patriot's uncle. he is styled "of caithness," on account of having married a caithness heiress, and at that point begins the interest of the family in the north of scotland. he was both a brave knight and a powerful lord, and, like his brothers, bore his part valorously and well in the senate and on the field. he lived to occupy the position of chief but two years. he was the first chief of the family who won large possessions in the north, while the headquarters were still in the southern countries. the well-known neidpath castle was one of the family strongholds. it was a massive pile, of great strength, the walls being eleven feet thick. it is situated in peeblesshire and is still to be seen. the strawberries appear in the crest of the hays on the keystone of the courtyard archway, a connecting link with the frasers, from whom it passed to the hays of yester, in 1312, with the daughter of the patriot. before following the family to the lovat estates, in inverness-shire, it may not be amiss to recapitulate the succession in the south. it was as follows: i. gilbert de fraser, ii. oliver fraser, iii. adam fraser, iv. laurence fraser, v. laurence fraser, vi. simon fraser, vii. bernard fraser, viii. sir gilbert fraser, ix. sir simon fraser, x. sir simon fraser, xi. sir andrew fraser. the clan in the highlands.--the family extended northward by the marriage of sir andrew to a caithness heiress, through which he acquired large estates in that country. his was a notable family of sons. the eldest, named simon, gave the family its patronymic of "mac-shimi" (pronounced mac-kimmie). he (simon) married the daughter of the earl of orkney and caithness, and it is believed by the family historians that this marriage brought the first lovat property to the family. it would appear that the countess of orkney and caithness, namely, simon fraser's mother-in-law, was the daughter of graham of lovat, and that her right in the lovat property descended to her daughter, simon's wife, in whose right he took possession. thus, we see how the names fraser and lovat, now for so long a time almost synonymous, were first brought together, and how the frasers obtained a footing on territory which has become indissolubly linked with their name. sir andrew fraser's other sons were sir alexander, andrew and james; the first named, a powerful baron and statesman, who attained to the office of chamberlain of scotland, held previously, as we have seen, by his uncle, bishop fraser. in consideration of distinguished services, he was given in marriage mary, sister of king robert bruce, and widow of sir nigel campbell, of lochow. he possessed lands in kincardine, of which county he was sheriff. he was killed at the battle of dupplin. andrew and james, his brothers, with their brother, simon of lovat, were slain at the battle of halidon hill, july 22nd, 1333, and all four were in the front rank of the soldiers of their time. the chiefs of the clan fraser date from: i. simon, sir andrew's eldest son. he had three sons--simon and hugh, who both succeeded him in honors and estates, and james, who was knighted on the occasion of the coronation of robert iii. ii. simon succeeded his father, when still very young, and gave proof, in the field, that the military genius of the family was inherited by him. he died unmarried, after a brief but brilliant career, and his estates and the chiefship went to his brother, iii. hugh, styled "dominus de lovat." and, now, i shall keep briefly to the line of chiefs, and shall not burden you with many personal incidents that have come down to us, with respect to any of them, until we come to lord simon, who suffered death on tower hill. hugh was succeeded by his two sons, first by alexander, the eldest, then by hugh, the second son. from his third son, john, sprang the frasers of knock, in ayrshire; and from duncan, his fourth son, the frasers of morayshire. iv. alexander is described as a "pattern of primitive piety and sanctity to all around him." he died unmarried. an illegitimate son, named robert, was the progenitor of "sliochd rob, mhic a mhanaich." v. hugh, his brother, who succeeded, acquired lands from the fentons and bissets, by marriage with the heiress of fenton of beaufort. the names of these lands, it will be interesting to note, forming as they do an important part of the estates long held by the frasers. they are: guisachan, now the property of lord tweedmouth; comar, kirkton, mauld, wester eskadale and uchterach. this hugh, the fifth chief, was the first to assume the title of lord lovat. he had three sons, thomas, alexander, who died unmarried, and hugh. the first lord lovat was succeeded by his son, vi. thomas, whose assumption of the title is not mentioned by the family historians, but of whose accession there is good documentary proof. the silence of the historians, however, has led to an error in the designation of his successors. for instance, his brother, vii. hugh, who succeeded him, is called hugh, second lord lovat, instead of hugh, third lord lovat. this lord lovat had two sons, thomas and hugh, the former of whom was prior of beauly, and died young and unmarried. he was succeeded by his son, viii. hugh, fourth lord lovat, who had a decisive brush with the macdonalds, under the lord of the isles, when the latter besieged the castle of inverness in 1429. he was a peer of parliament, and is supposed to have been the first lord lovat to have attained to that dignity, with the title, lord fraser of the lovat. he had four sons, who deserve mention: thomas, who succeeded; hugh, a brave soldier and accomplished courtier, who was slain at flodden; alexander, from whom sprang the old cadets of farraline, leadclune, etc.; and john, the historian of henry viii., the learned franciscan and astute ambassador. there were also two illegitimate sons--thomas and hugh, the latter, progenitor of the frasers of foyers, and of many other fraser families, known as "sliochd huistein fhrangaich." ix. thomas, fifth lord lovat, added the lands of phopachy, englishton, bunchrew and culburnie, the last-named place from henry douglas, to the family estates, which were assuming very large proportions. he had a large family. the eldest son, named hugh, succeeded to the estates. from the second son, william, sprang the frasers of belladrum, culbokie, little struy, etc.; from james, the frasers of foyness; from robert, the frasers of brakie, fifeshire; from andrew, "sliochd anndra ruadh a chnuic" (kirkhill); from thomas, "sliochd ian 'ic thomais"; john married a daughter of grant of grant, with issue; and from hugh ban of reelick (an illegitimate son), came the frasers of reelick and moniack. x. hugh, sixth lord lovat, was the chief of the clan at the time of the disastrous fight with the macdonalds at kinlochlochy, of which i shall read a short description later on.[2] at this affray lord hugh and his eldest son, simon, were slain. his second son, alexander, succeeded, and his third son, william, was ancestor of the frasers of struy. his fourth son, hugh, died young and unmarried. xi. alexander, seventh lord lovat, a man of literary tastes, lived in comparative retirement. his three sons were: hugh, his successor; thomas, first of knockie and strichen, from whom the present chief, whose family in 1815 succeeded to the fraser estates, sprang, and james, ancestor of the frasers of ardachie, the memoir and correspondence of a scion of which, general james stuart fraser, of the madras army, was a few years ago, given to the world, as the distinguished record of a soldier, a scholar and a statesman. xii. hugh, the eighth lord lovat, succeeded at the age of fourteen. he was noted for his proficiency in archery, wrestling, and the athletics of the day; he greatly encouraged the practice of manly exercises on his estates. he was a staunch supporter of regent murray, and at the reformation secured possession of the priory of beauly and the church lands pertaining to it, including the town lands of beauly, and some of the best tacks on the low-lying part of the present estates, in the parishes of kilmorack and kiltarlity, the mere names indicating the value of the grant: fanblair, easter glenconvinth, culmill, urchany, farley, craigscorry, platchaig, teafrish, annat, groam, inchrorie, rhindouin, teachnuic, ruilick, ardnagrask, greyfield, the mains of beauly, as well as valuable river fishings. mr. chisholm batten's book on beauly priory contains many interesting facts regarding the acquisition of these fertile and extensive lands, for which his lordship paid a certain sum of money. he married a daughter of the earl of athol, and had two sons, simon and thomas, and a natural son, named alexander, who married janet, daughter of fraser of moniack. thomas died in his ninth year. lord hugh died at towie, in mar, on his way home from edinburgh. it was suspected that he had been poisoned. xiii. simon, ninth lord lovat, succeeded at the tender age of five. thomas of knockie became tutor for the young chief, an office of power and responsibility. he was married three times. by his first wife, catherine mackenzie, he had issue, a son and daughter, hugh, his successor, and elizabeth. by his second wife, the daughter of james stuart, lord doune, he had two sons and three daughters: sir simon of inverallochy, sir james of brea, anne, margaret and jean. his third wife was catherine rose of kilravock. xiv. hugh, tenth lord lovat, had already a large family when he succeeded to the estates. three years after his accession his wife died, leaving him with nine children, six sons and three daughters. her death cast a gloom over his life, and, practically retiring from business, the management of the estates for a time fell on his son simon, master of lovat, a young man of the brightest promise, whose untimely death was a second severe blow to his father. his dying address is a remarkable production. his next elder brother, hugh, became master of lovat, and sir james fraser, of brea, became tutor. the master of lovat married lady anne leslie, and died a year afterwards, during his father's lifetime, leaving a son, hugh, who succeeded to the titles and estates. hugh the tenth lord lovat's issue were: simon and hugh, to whom reference has just been made; alexander, who became tutor; thomas of beaufort, father of the celebrated simon; william, who died young; james, who died without issue, and mary, anne and catherine. xv. hugh, grandson of the tenth lord lovat, succeeded as eleventh lord lovat, when only three years old. at sixteen he was, to use the words of the chronicler, "decoyed into a match" with anne, sister of sir george mackenzie of tarbat, the famous lawyer, the lady being at the time of the marriage, about thirty years of age. there were born to them a son, named hugh, who, from a black spot on his upper lip, was nick-named "mac-shimi, ball dubh," "black-spotted mackimmie;" and three daughters. xvi. hugh, "the black-spotted," succeeded as twelfth lord lovat. he married a daughter of murray, marquis of athole, a connection in which the pretensions of the murrays, thwarted by simon of beaufort, find their source. this chief left four daughters, but no son, and having had no brothers or uncles on the father's side, the succession went to thomas of beaufort, surviving son of hugh, the tenth lord lovat, and grand-uncle of hugh, "the black-spotted." xvii. thomas of beaufort assumed the title as thirteenth lord lovat, and would probably have been left in undisputed possession but for the marriage contract made by the twelfth lord, at the instance of the athols, settling the estates on his eldest daughter, failing male heirs of his body. it is true that afterwards he revoked this settlement in favor of the nearest male heir, viz., thomas of beaufort, but the validity of the later document was contested, and it was only after a long and extraordinary struggle, in which plot, intrigue and violence played a part, as well as protracted litigation, that his son's title to the estates was confirmed. xviii. simon of beaufort succeeded his father, as fourteenth lord lovat, after, as has been stated, many years of fierce contest concerning his rights. he had an elder brother, named alexander, who, according to report then current, died young in wales, and without issue. his younger brothers were named hugh, john, thomas, and james. the cause of alexander's flight to wales forms one of the best known legends of the family. there are various versions of it, but i shall give that most commonly related by old people in the district of the aird: alexander arrived, somewhat late, at a wedding at teawig, near beauly. his appearance was the signal for the piper to strike up the tune, "tha biodag air macthomais," some of the lines of which run: tha biodag air mac thomais, tha biodag fhada, mhor, air; tha biodag air mac thomais, ach's math a dh' fhoghnadh sgian da. tha biodag anns a chliobadaich, air mac a bhodaich leibidich; tha biodag anns a chliobadaich, air mac a bhodaich romaich. tha bhiodag deanadh gliogadaich, 'si ceann'lt ri bann na briogais aig'; tha bucallan 'n a bhrogan, ged 's math a dh' fhoghnadh ial daibh. it was whispered to alexander that the piper selected this tune to cause merriment at his expense, and the youth, to turn the jest against the piper, determined to rip open the bag of the pipes, with his dirk. but in doing so, his foot slipped, and he fell heavily towards the piper with the naked dirk in his outstretched arm. the piper was fatally wounded, and alexander, who had been an extreme partizan of the jacobites, believed that were he tried for the murder of the piper, the hostility of sir george mackenzie, of tarbat, would inevitably secure a sentence of death against him. he fled to wales, where he was befriended by earl powis, under whose protection, it is said, he lived on, married, and had issue, while his next younger brother, simon, enjoyed the title and estates. mr. john fraser, of mount pleasant, carnarvon, not long ago, laid claim to the chiefship, title and estates, on the ground that he is a lineal descendant of this alexander, and although he lost his case in one trial, he is still gathering evidence, with the view of having it re-opened and further pushing his claim. for his share in the jacobite rising of 1745, simon, fourteenth lord lovat, was beheaded on tower hill, april 9th, 1747. lord simon's faults were not few, but he has been a much maligned man; his vices have been flaunted before the world, his virtues have been obscured. in extreme old age he gave up his life on the scaffold; and his fate, believed by some to be richly deserved, by others has been characterized as martyrdom. he left three sons, simon, alexander and archibald campbell fraser. xix. simon succeeded to the chiefship, but that honor was unaccompanied by the estates and title, which had been forfeited to the crown. for his services as commandant of fraser's highlanders in the service of the house of hanover, he was specially thanked by parliament, and the paternal estates restored to him. i have been informed by the grand master mason of ontario that this colonel simon (afterwards general simon fraser of lovat) was the first provincial master mason in upper canada, the order having been established there at the time of the stirring events in which fraser's highlanders participated while in quebec. general simon married, but without issue, and his brother alexander having predeceased him without issue, he was succeeded in possession of the estates by his half-brother, xx. colonel archibald campbell fraser of lovat. the title was still held in abeyance. colonel archibald was a man of erratic habits, but a kind-hearted highlander, and a man of no mean ability. an account of his honors and public services he embodied in an inscription on his tombstone, but while the production is typical of his well-known eccentricity, as a matter of fact, not a little of the praise which he takes to himself for services to his country and his county, was well deserved. he had five sons, all of whom predeceased him. his eldest son was named simon frederick. he became member of parliament for inverness-shire. he died in 1803, unmarried, but left one son, archibald thomas frederick fraser, well-known in our own day as "abertarf," from having resided there. none of the other sons of colonel archibald left legitimate issue, and at his death, in 1815, the succession reverted to the frasers of strichen, descended, as already observed, from thomas fraser of knockie and strichen, second son of alexander, the sixth lord lovat, represented, at the time of colonel archibald's death, by xxi. thomas alexander fraser, of strichen, who succeeded to the estates, and was created lord lovat by act of parliament, in 1837; and, in 1857, succeeded in having the old title restored to him. the succession of the strichen family created a strong hostile feeling among the clansmen and the old tenants generally, many of them believing that other aspirants who appeared had stronger claims. the frasers of strichen, however, were able to satisfy the courts as to the validity of their claim, and they were confirmed in the possession of the estates. a curious incident of the time may be briefly related, to illustrate both the feeling then prevailing concerning the succession, and the religious beliefs which were held then in the highlands. it was, and to some extent yet is, believed that the divine purpose, with respect to every-day events, may be disclosed in appropriate portions of scripture which impress themselves intensely on the mind of the devout believer. two tenant-farmers, whose names, if given, would at once be a guarantee of their good faith, and of their respectability, went from the vicinity of belladrum to the neighborhood of redcastle, to a man whose piety gave him an eminent place among the men of ross-shire. they went to confer with him about the lovat estates, and to find out whether he had any "indication" of the "mind of the lord" as to whether the frasers of strichen would be established in their tenure of the estates against all comers. they were hospitably welcomed, and, their errand having been made known, their host replied that he had had no such indication. they remained that night, the next day and the night following, but during all this time did not see their host. on the morning of the third day he joined them at the frugal breakfast, after which he led them to a window overlooking the beauly firth and said: "since your arrival i have pled hard for light at the throne. if god ever did reveal his will to me by his word, he did so last night. you see a fishing-smack before you on the firth; as sure as you do observe her there, with her sail spread, catching the wind, so sure will, in god's good time, the strichens pass away from the possession of the lovat estates, and the rightful heir, will come to his own. my warrant, given to me in my wrestling with god, is this prophetic passage: 'and thou, profane, wicked prince of israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the lord god: remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. i will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and i will give it him.' (ezek. xxi., 25-27) god's purpose thus revealed will not be fulfilled in our day, nor likely in the day of our children, but our grandchildren will likely see it accomplished." the old man's words made a deep impression; but only a few friends were informed of them, not only because they were held as a sacred message, but also because of the "power of the estate office." whatever may be thought of beliefs thus formed, no one who knew the devout, simple-hearted highlander of the generation just gone, will fail to appreciate the humility and sincerity with which such beliefs were entertained. but to return to the fortunes of the house of lovat. thomas alexander, fifteenth lord lovat, married a daughter of sir george jerningham, afterwards baron stafford, and had male issue, simon, allister edward, george edward stafford (b. 1834, d. 1854), and henry thomas. his second son, allister edward, rose to the rank of colonel in the army; was married, with issue, one son. hon. henry thomas attained to the rank of colonel of the 1st battalion scots guards. lord lovat died in 1885, and was succeeded by his eldest son, xxii. simon, sixteenth lord lovat, who, born in 1828, and married to the daughter of thomas weld blundell, was already a man of mature years at the time of his accession. he was known in song as "fear donn an fheilidh." he was noted for his generous qualities and his kindness to the poor. he was a keen sportsman, expert with rod, gun and rifle, a marksman of repute. he did much to encourage the militia movement, and commanded the inverness-shire regiment for many years. the circumstances of his sad and sudden death, from an affection of the heart, while grouse-shooting on the moy hall moors, in 1887, are fresh in our minds. an extract from a newspaper article, written on the occasion of his death, may be taken as a fair estimate of his character: "by this sudden and painful blow a nobleman has been taken away who filled a conspicuous place in this vicinity, and who was held in the highest respect. having succeeded to his father in 1875, he has enjoyed the title and estates for only twelve years (1887). but as master of lovat he was known for many years before that time as a worthy and popular representative of a great and ancient highland house. no county gathering seemed to be complete without his presence. . . . homely in his manner, he was never difficult to approach, and his kindness of spirit showed itself in many ways. conscientious and sober in judgment, he steadily endeavored to do his duty; and his lamented death caused a blank which cannot easily be filled." he left a family of nine, and was succeeded by his eldest son, xxiii. simon joseph, seventeenth lord lovat, to whose health, as our chief, we have drained our glasses this evening. that he may have a long and happy life is our fervent prayer; and may god grant him wisdom and grace that he may be a useful and a prosperous chief; that he may add new lustre to the distinguished name he bears, and prove worthy of the ancestry of which he is the proud representative. we have now traced the long line of chiefs from the beginning down to the present day, and i must thank you for the wonderful patience with which you have listened to the dry bones of genealogy; in what remains[3] i hope i shall prove less tedious than in that which i have concluded. the speaker then referred briefly to the aberdeenshire frasers, and to some of the principal cadet families of the clan. he gave an explanation of the coat of arms, related a number of interesting clan incidents, including forays, clan feuds, and anecdotes of a local character. at some length he described the home of the clan, pointing out its extent on a map of inverness-shire, colored to show the gradual increase and decrease of territory, which kept pace with the varying fortunes of the clan; expatiating on the great variety and beauty of its scenery, tributes to which he quoted from christopher north, david macrae, robert carruthers and evan maccoll. [footnote 2: see account by rev. allan sinclair, a. m., in celtic magazine.] [footnote 3: this part of the speech, being of a general character, has been omitted for consideration of space.] * * * * * [illustration: mr. robert lovat fraser, 1st vice-chairman.] mr. robert lovat fraser, vice-chairman, replied to the toast. he said: my duty, through the kindness of the committee, is certainly not so arduous in replying to the toast of the evening, as that which has been imposed upon the chairman in proposing it. the length of his address, the facts regarding the origin and the outlines of the history of the clan which he gave, make it unnecessary for me to dwell at length on this interesting topic. indeed, i found on listening to the chairman, that i had a great deal to learn about our clan, and i am sure that i express not only my own thanks, but yours to him, in placing before us, so clearly and minutely, the leading facts regarding our ancestry and kindred. all my life long i have been an ardent admirer of some of the more prominent frasers who have figured in our clan history. my own connection with the clan in the highlands is somewhat remote, the last of my forefathers who resided there having had to leave his home and friends, on account of the part which he took with his clan in the uprising of '45. but although we have been cut off from that close connection which is thought necessary to keep alive a sentimental interest in such things, i can assure you that no clansman born within the shadow of castle downie can boast with greater truth of possessing more enthusiasm and interest than i in all that pertains to the clan fraser. the clan has a history which we as clansmen should so study as to become perfectly familiar with it. its record has been written in the events of the times as well as on the page of history, and no more inspiring or patriotic duty lies to our hand than the study of that record. i firmly believe that the influence of the clan feeling was a good influence, and that the idea of kinship and responsibility to each other for good behavior, as to kinsmen, had much to do in bringing about the high moral tone which distinguishes the highland clans. it did much also to prepare the minds of those people for the enlightenment and love which christianity brought with it, and which are so strikingly exemplified in the highland character. i would say therefore to the young men, 'employ part of your evenings in the reading of the clan history,' and to the older people, 'devote a little of the time of your remaining years to a like purpose.' i do not think it necessary, after what we have just heard, to enter into historic details; neither is it necessary to defend the honor of the clan where there are no assailants. the clan has taken its place honorably among its contemporaries and neighbors. it invariably performed its duty in a manner highly creditable to the public spirit of its members and to their high standard of justice. there were it is true at times in the clan, as in every other body of people, men whose names have been perpetuated because of evil rather than good. these, however, have been singularly few in the clan fraser, and even where statements are found to their discredit, the malice of interested foes not infrequently lends a heightened color to charges which might to some extent have been founded on fact. this i believe to be true in the case of simon lord lovat, who had the misfortune to be the subject of biographical sketches by his enemies, but of whom a juster view now prevails. happily the prominent clansmen, whose characteristics needed no defence, but called forth admiration and emulation, were many. to name them would be but to recite a long and distinguished list. their characteristics were such as to challenge public commendation. with them as examples no clansman need feel ashamed of the name. but what i should like to impress most of all upon our clan throughout the country is the necessity for a sentiment of loyalty to the clan name and its traditions. seeing that we have such a history let us prize it. let every clansman feel proud of it, and let him see to it that his conduct and ambition are in every way in keeping with the record of the past, and in this way prove himself not only a good citizen, a good neighbor and a good friend, but a good clansman, and hand down the character of the clan unsullied to posterity. this would be a most laudable ambition and one which i feel sure every fraser worthy of the name will strive earnestly to attain. two gentlemen, frasers all but in name, had been invited as guests. they were mr. b. homer dixon, consul general for the netherlands, and mr. hugh miller, j. p., both of toronto. their health was proposed by the chairman, who paid a high compliment to mr. homer dixon, who, he said, had taken the warmest interest in matters relating to the clan, and who was a living encyclopedia of information regarding its history and affairs. mr. dixon's connection was derived from his maternal side, and not a few clan relics were in his possession. his absence from the gathering was on account of indifferent health, and it was regretted very much by those present. in coupling mr. miller's name with the toast, the chairman referred to that gentleman's long connection with the business interests of the city of toronto. mr. hugh miller was a relative of his namesake, the famous geologist, and his name was as well known in ontario business and national circles, as was that of his distinguished namesake in the field of literature and science. mr. miller rightly claimed to be of fraser stock--he certainly had the fraser spirit. he sat with them as an honored guest, but none the less an honored clansman. mr. miller, in reply, expressed the great satisfaction with which he had received an invitation to be present at what he might truly describe as a gathering of his own clansmen. it was well known that in scotland, as in other countries, men were often named after the occupations which they followed, and it was not a mere tradition but a fact within the knowledge of his immediate forebears that they were of pure fraser stock. they had worn the fraser tartan, and had always taken a deep interest in whatever pertained to the affairs of the clan. when the chairman, in giving the toast of the clan, had referred to the places associated with the name, he was brought back in memory over a long period of time. at his age, the sweep of memory to boyhood's days was a long one, and he could well recall the events in the highlands of scotland over sixty years ago. he had a loving and familiar recollection of scenes, than which there were none more beautiful under the sun, and of people who had animated these fair surroundings. the fraser estates were among the finest in britain, affording examples of beauty calculated to leave a very vivid impression on the youthful mind, and during his long life his early impressions had ever remained fresh and green. he remembered the time when the succession to the chiefship and estates was in hot dispute, and he knew how deeply the clansmen were moved by that contest. down to that day the feeling of the clans was as strong as of old, and doubtless if occasion arose, it would prove to be strong still. at that time there were various claimants for the honors and possessions of the ancient house of lovat, and as a boy he saw a good deal of those who were prominently concerned in the case. the frasers were very anxious that the true heir by blood should succeed, and much was privately as well as openly done on behalf of the various contestants, according as the clansmen believed in the various claims put forward. as to the main object of their re-union that evening, he could do nothing but express his sincere hope that a strong association of the frasers would be formed. there was no reason whatever why such an organization should not flourish in canada, where those bearing the name could be numbered by thousands. he had the good fortune to know not a few frasers in canada, and he could honestly say that none of them, so far as he knew, ever did anything that in any way tarnished the good name of the clan. he had great hopes of the success of the movement from the enthusiasm of the gathering, and from the fact that those who had taken the matter in hand were men of energy and capacity. he could now only thank them for having honored the toast in such a hospitable manner, and wish them all success in the projected organization. "the clan in canada." mr. r. lovat fraser, vice-chairman, in proposing the toast of "the clan in canada," said: the clan in canada is not, of course, as important as the clan at large, but it has an importance altogether its own, and has a record not unworthy the parent stem. it is a branch of a goodly tree, and bears fruit of the finest quality. no clan has done more, if as much, for canada as the clan fraser. coming with the famous seventy-eighth regiment they did their duty at louisburg and quebec, and stamped the clan name indelibly on the history of canada, from ocean to ocean. not only did they render services in the east, but in pioneer work helped to open up the west by travel, trade and commerce. a distinguished clansman and a relation of my friend on the right (fraserfield) was the discoverer of the fraser river. to those of us who highly prize the integrity of the british empire it must be a source of pride to know that the part taken by the seventy-eighth in lower canada helped very much to keep the american continent for the british crown. the history of that time clearly proves that had the fortunes of war been adverse in canada to the british arms, the french would have been in a position to overrun and seize the whole of north america. this is a fact which is sometimes lost sight of, but is one of much satisfaction to us as clansmen. to those whose names have been coupled with this interesting toast, i must leave the duty of dealing at length with it, and i rejoice that both of them are gentlemen thoroughly familiar with the subject and of recognized ability as speakers. i refer to mr. e. a. fraser, barrister of detroit, and our worthy friend, mr. g. b. fraser, of toronto. mr. e. a. fraser said: mr. vice-chairman, chairman and clansmen, although hailing from the other side of the line, i am a canadian-born clansman, my native place being bowmanville, near this beautiful queen city. i passed my younger days in this province, attended the schools here, and am as familiar with the affairs of the country and with our clansmen in the country as those who have not left it to reside under another flag. i can therefore speak with confidence to this toast, but you will excuse me if i speak briefly, as the honor was unexpected, and i do not wish to make it appear that any words of mine that may come on the spur of the moment would be sufficient to lay before you, in proper form, what our clan has done for canada and the position which it occupies to-day in the affairs of the country. it is easy to speak of louisburg and quebec; it is easy to dilate on the names of distinguished clansmen familiar to us all for the prominent positions they have taken among their fellows, but the work performed by the clan in canada would not then be half told. we must go back to the hoary forests, to the backwoods, where the early settlers bent their energies to the opening up of the country. that noble pioneer work in which our clansmen shared, and shared in large numbers, it seems to me, has an importance that is not as often recognized as it ought to be. it is difficult for the imagination even to grasp the peculiar task that lay before the early settlers of this vast, heavily-timbered, unbroken, unopened, untravelled country. now that we can take a seat in the railway car at halifax and leave it at vancouver, we can form but the very faintest conception of what this country was one hundred years ago, when those hardy mountaineers ranged themselves alongside the lowland scot, the englishman, the irishman, the german and the frenchman, to hew down the lords of the forest, to turn the wilderness into well cultivated fields, to turn the log cabins into the mansions that now adorn the plains, and to form, as they do, a sturdy peasantry second to none in the world. when the pen of a genius has dealt with those times, a chapter will be written for the civilized world more interesting, probably, than any yet penned. we have to leave the high places of military fame and statesmanship and enter the factory and the counting-house to trace there the career of the pioneers of industry and commerce, and among them we find our clansmen performing those duties which the necessities of the country demanded. if we turn to the professions, our clan is found to hold its own. to the church, to law, to medicine, to art, to politics, we have given men of whom we are proud. the walk of life in canada that has not been trodden by a clansman would be only an undesirable one for any man to tread. if i may be permitted to say it--coming as i do from the great state of michigan--i would say that in that state, where our clansmen are very numerous, they not only hold their own, but have attained to eminence in business and in the professions. we have men of distinguished ability at the head of the legal fraternity of our state; we have men whose genius in business has secured them wealth and position; we have men who in humbler spheres have rendered patriotic services to the state, and who, one and all, show that they have not lost the characteristics of the clan in new associations and callings. before sitting down i should like to express the great pleasure i have experienced at this gathering of clansmen. i would have come twice as far to be present, and trust that the organization, the formation of which will undoubtedly be sanctioned here to-night, will be the means of bringing us together frequently to enjoy ourselves as we are now doing. mr. g. b. fraser, of toronto, followed, in response to the same toast. he said: mr. vice-chairman, chairman and clansmen, i frequently have to regret my lack of ability to discharge a duty of this nature to my own satisfaction. the subject allotted to me is one with which i cannot claim to be unfamiliar. it is a subject of great interest, and on such an occasion as the present, a subject which ought to be treated with some detail in order to perpetuate the names and deeds of clansmen who have done their duty nobly and well by this the land of our adoption. i find myself, however, not lacking in material, but in that ability--which seems to be born in some men--to place my information lucidly and briefly before you. some speakers have already referred, and others will, later on, refer to the origin of the clan fraser in canada. i shall not trespass on that part of the subject, but coming down to this century we find a clansman whose name will ever live in canada. i refer to simon fraser, the discoverer of the fraser river, whose life, when it comes to be written, will certainly shed lustre on the clan name. he was descended from a cadet family of the lovats, came with his parents to canada from the eastern states, and settled at glengarry. his worthy relative, fraser of fraserfield, sits here on my right, and proud i am to welcome him to this feast. john fraser de berry, the founder of the new clan fraser, was a man of extraordinary personality, whose acquaintance i first made at the time of the trent affair. i happened to be in montreal at that time, and received a telegram from de berry that he wished to see me. he came from quebec city, and we met in the st. lawrence hall. i was very much impressed with the singular interview which took place between us. of course he was full of the project of his clan fraser, full of the history and genealogy of the clan. he was an enthusiast, and in common with many enthusiasts could look but with impatience on the practical, prosaic side of things. with due formality, acting by what he believed to be his authority as a chieftain of the clan, he invested me with power to raise a company of frasers, in an allotted district in western ontario, which was delineated on a military plan in his possession. i could not do otherwise than accept the commission, which was that of captain, from this venerable-looking and earnest chief. had i been able to withdraw from business, i have no doubt that i should have been, in a very short time, at the head of a company numbering at least one hundred stalwart clansmen, who would have given a good account of themselves in the field. but, as you are aware, the occasion for defence quickly passed away, and no more was heard of the proposed regiment of frasers, of which my company was to have formed a part. the most remarkable fact which impressed itself upon me then, and one that i yet consider remarkable, was the manner in which de berry had the province divided into military districts on his maps, the exact information which he had regarding the locations in which the clansmen resided, and the mass of details with which he seemed to be perfectly familiar. i could not understand how he acquired all this information, but have been informed since, by some who were associated with him, that he spared no means to trace out every fraser in the country, through the voters' lists, the township registration books and the village directories. the amount of work involved in such research must have been enormous, and i can well believe that for many years de berry devoted his time, as a man of leisure, to this project. he also appointed me as one of the one hundred and eleven chieftains of the new clan, the chief of which was a descendant of a cadet of the lovat family, residing in nova scotia, but the organization was too unwieldy, and its objects were rather vague for practical purposes. for a number of years meetings were held in montreal of a very interesting character, but with de berry's death and that of a number of those more prominently associated with him interest died out, and now we hear of the new clan no more. we can profit by their experience in our own undertaking, and doubtless we shall be able to form an organization which will live, and which will perpetuate the name and traditions associated with the name and with this new country. i have practically confined myself to de berry's name, not because there is a lack of clansmen on my list, whose memories deserve to be perpetuated, such as, for instance, the founder of the fraser institute, in montreal; john fraser, the author; john a. fraser, the artist; judge fraser and colonel fraser, of glengarry; but because some of these will doubtless be alluded to by other speakers, and, because having devoted so much time to a man whose name and personality i cannot but regard as of peculiar interest to us, i have left myself but little time to refer to those clansmen whom i held, and still hold, in high esteem, and in whose name i thank you for the toast proposed and honored in such a fitting manner. "distinguished clansmen." mr. r. l. fraser, the vice-chairman, then proposed the toast of "distinguished clansmen in art, science, literature, theology, arms and politics." he said: i had almost concluded that all frasers are distinguished clansmen, and distinguished in the highest sense of the word, though it were better, perhaps, to be more modest, and hence the division into which this toast has been divided. while we rightly draw much of our inspiration from the seat of the clan across the sea, it is well that we should remember, and remember generously, those of our clan in this country who have secured high positions in life. among our artists the name "fraser" takes high rank. some of the fraser artists i have known personally, and can bear testimony not only to their fame, but to their personal qualities. canadian art owes much to mr. j. a. fraser and mr. w. lewis fraser, now sojourning in europe. literature claims the names of james lovat fraser, the distinguished classical scholar, of john fraser, of donald fraser, and others well known in canada. science also has its devotees and distinguished students, especially medical science and theology. frasers both in canada and in the old land have taken front rank in the profession of arms, and have distinguished themselves from the time of sir simon fraser, the compeer and companion of wallace and the savior of scotland, down to the present day. in politics the clan has certainly won its share of such honors as the public delight to bestow. the reply to this toast has been entrusted to a splendid array of able clansmen. for clansmen distinguished in arts, ex-mayor fraser, of petrolea, will reply; for those in science, dr. j. b. fraser; for those in theology, dr. mungo fraser; for those in literature, professor w. h. fraser; for frasers in war, mr. alexander fraser (fraserfield); and for those in politics, mr. w. p. fraser. [illustration: ex-mayor john fraser, 2nd vice-chairman.] ex-mayor fraser, replying for the "frasers in art," said: mr. chairman and gentlemen,--your committee, in selecting me to speak for our clansmen in art, acted of course on the assumption that i possessed the necessary qualifications for the task. at the outset, however, i must, in justice to all concerned, but more especially to the frasers who have won distinction in art, confess that my attainments in that department are hardly such as to entitle me to a hearing in response to this important toast. but i am to some extent emboldened and sustained by the reflection that, as this is in a sense a family gathering, the shortcomings of a fraser will pass, if not unobserved, at least without provoking unfriendly comment. permit me then, on behalf of the artists of our clan, to thank you for the cordial and enthusiastic manner in which you have received this toast. among the many distinguished clansmen who have, in almost every sphere of human endeavor and usefulness, shed unfading lustre, not only upon our clan, but upon humanity in general, our artists have secured an honored place. of necessity, those of our clan who have excelled in art are few in number; indeed, the artists of the world and of the ages might almost find standing room in this banquet hall. but our clan has perhaps produced its quota, and some of them have taken high rank. it is not my purpose to mention the names of all; in fact, i am unable to name more than two, viz., charles fraser and john a. fraser. the former was a distinguished portrait painter of south carolina who died in 1860 at the age of 78 years. he left a large number of portraits, all of which are said to have much artistic merit, and some of which have acquired considerable historic value. of mr. john a. fraser it is hardly necessary to speak here. by his works we know him. a collection of canadian paintings without one or more of his masterly representations of canadian scenery would assuredly be incomplete. let that suffice for our modern artists. it occurs to me, as it must have done to us all at one time or another, that our clan must have produced great artists in the bygone ages. assuredly greece and italy did not produce _all_ the old masters. the fraser clan nourished then and was of course represented in art; but, just as in the newspaper--the product of the "art preservative"--there is to be found an occasional artist who, impelled by modesty or an exaggerated regard for his personal safety, uses a _nom de plume_--for instance, "junius," _vox populi_ or "a disgusted subscriber"--so there were, i fancy, in the days of long ago, frasers in art who unmindful of posterity or perchance distrustful of their own powers, as genius so frequently is, worked under cover of such names as raphael, leonardo da vinci, michael angelo, canova, etc. a slight effort of the imagination will enable a fraser to accept this theory. the fraser has ever been great on the "tented field." there, indeed, he has won renown, for his "fierce, native daring" has never been surpassed. but there are still victories to be won, infinitely greater than any achieved in battle. the grandest painting is yet to be painted, and we who are the first in canada to assemble in honor of our ancient and beloved clan shall ever fondly cherish the hope that the first place in art will be occupied by a fraser. but from whatever clan or country the master shall come, the frasers will be among the first to do him honor. i thank you, mr. chairman and gentlemen, for the patient hearing you have given me. * * * * * the reply to the part of this toast referring to "science" was made by dr. j. b. fraser, m. d., c. m., r. c. p. and s. k., toronto. he said: mr. chairman, vice-chairman, and brother clansmen, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to meet such a representative gathering of the old and distinguished "clan fraser" as we have here to-night. it arouses one's enthusiasm to think of the leading position our forefathers took in the history of scotland, and the many deeds of valor performed on the battle field; and although they were pre-eminently noted as warriors, still we have many instances in which they shone in the realms of science. in replying to the toast of "the frasers in science," allow me to give you a few brief biographical sketches of a few of our ancestors. sir alexander fraser, of philorth, was born in 1537, and died in 1623. he succeeded his grandfather to the estates in 1569, and at once began to improve the estate and advance the welfare of his clansmen. at this time philorth was the baronial burgh, and boasted of a commodious harbor; but after the improvements referred to he changed the name to fraserburgh. having conceived the idea of founding a university, in spite of the strenuous opposition of the town of aberdeen, he obtained powers to build a university at fraserburgh, with all the privileges of the older universities. the remains of this building still existed in 1888. on account of his interest in education and high scholastic attainments he was knighted in 1594. his motto was "the glory of the honorable is to fear god." john fraser, f. l. s., was born in 1750, and died in 1811. he was a noted botanist, and visited north america five times in search of new and unknown specimens. he collected a great many plants in newfoundland and later on at charleston, virginia. in 1796 he visited st. petersburg, where he was introduced to the notice of the empress catherine, who purchased his entire collection of plants. in 1798 he was appointed botanical collector to the czar paul, and by him sent to america for a fresh collection. as a tribute to his ability he was elected a fellow of linnean society (f.l.s.) sir alexander fraser, m. d., belonged to the durris branch of the family. he was educated at aberdeen university, and having risen by his skill high in the ranks of physicians and surgeons he was appointed physician to charles ii., whom he accompanied in his travels through scotland. spotswood, in his history of scotland, speaks highly of his learning and skill. he died in 1681. robt. fraser, f. r. s., son of rev. geo. fraser, was born in 1760, and educated in glasgow university, where he obtained the degree of m. a., when he was but 15 years of age. he studied for the church of scotland, and was appointed in an official capacity to the prince of wales, afterward george iv. in 1791 the earl of breadalbane asked him to accompany him on a tour through the western isles and the highlands of scotland, undertaken with the view of improving the state of the people. the prince of wales gave him leave, and at the same time stated his faith in his ability to plan some means by which the people would be benefited, and wished him success. he succeeded so well that he was chosen to conduct a statistical survey of ireland, and was the means of originating several important works, among others the harbor of kingstown, sometimes called queenstown. he published several works on agriculture, mines, mineralogy, fish, etc. he died in 1831. simon fraser was an explorer of some note, and was sent by the hudson's bay company to establish new trading posts, and prospect for minerals, etc. he wrote many papers from 1806 to 1808. the fraser river was named after him.[4] [footnote 4: see sketch of his life later on.] lewis fraser was a zoologist of some note, and was appointed as curator of the zoological society of london. he travelled through south america, studying the character and habits of different animals and birds, and as the result of his travels published a work called "zoologia typica," or figures of rare and new animals. in 1888 his son was curator of the zoological and general sections of the indian museum of calcutta. william fraser, ll. d., was born in 1817 in banffshire, and was ordained pastor of the free middle congregation of paisley in 1849. in 1872 the university of glasgow conferred on him the degree of ll. d., on account of his scientific attainments. in 1873, in recognition of his long services as president of the philosophical society, he was presented with a microscope and purse of sovereigns. he died in 1879. [illustration: mr. william a. fraser, secretary-treasurer.] alexander campbell fraser, d. c. l., ll. d., was born in 1819. his father was a minister and his mother a sister of sir duncan campbell. he was educated in the universities of edinburgh and glasgow, and in 1842 won a prize for his essay on "toleration." in 1859 he was dean of the faculty in arts, university of edinburgh, and in 1871 was appointed examiner in moral science; the same year he received the degree of ll. d. from the university of glasgow. later he was appointed examiner in moral science and logic at the india civil service examinations. he was elected a member of the athenian club--without a ballot--for eminence in literature and philosophy. he afterward received the degree of d. c. l., oxford university. professor thos. richard fraser, m. d., f. r. s., was born in calcutta, india, in 1841, and graduated in medicine in edinburgh in 1862. in 1863 he acted as assistant professor of materia medica, and in 1869 was appointed as assistant physician in the royal infirmary. he was afterward appointed examiner in materia medica in london university, and was elected medical health officer for mid-cheshire; he was also appointed examiner in public health by london university. he was dean of the faculty in 1880. he is a f. r. s., f. r. c. p., edinburgh; member of the pharmaceutical society, britain; corresponding member of the therapeutical society of paris, and of the academy of natural sciences of philadelphia. when the international medical congress met in london in 1881 he was appointed president of one section, and again president of one section in 1885. his work has been chiefly in the direction of determining the physiological effects of medicinal substances, with the view of establishing an accurate and rational basis for the treatment of disease. i have now mentioned some of the names recorded in history of frasers that were distinguished in science, and as i have occupied more than my share of time, i will take my seat, conscious that i have been able to mention but a few of the many clansmen distinguished for their scientific attainments. as i said at the outset i have enjoyed a great deal of pleasure in this gathering of clansmen. in looking over the record of a few of our brethren distinguished in science, so as to glean a few facts for this occasion, i recognized more than ever before the substantial services rendered to mankind by men bearing our name, and now that we have foregathered a small company, it may be, but a select one, i feel that you share with me the pride with which we regard our clan and name. * * * * * professor w. h. fraser, in replying to the sentiment, "distinguished clansmen in literature," said: gentlemen,--i thank you heartily for the way in which you have received this toast, and for the honor you confer on me in asking me to answer for our distinguished literary clansmen living and dead. literature is the mirror of life. life is action: literature is contemplation and words. my knowledge of the history of the clan leads me to the conclusion that most of its distinguished members were men of deeds rather than words, and that they lived at times and under circumstances when deeds rather than words had value--men like sir alexander, who fought by robert bruce's side at bannockburn, or that other sir alexander mackenzie fraser of the last century, described by contemporaries as "mild as a lamb and strong as a lion," who had said to him in public by his general, "colonel fraser, you and your regiment have this day saved the british army," or the fraser who fought with wolfe before quebec, and a host of others. these men did not write literature, but perhaps they were better employed. i think they were, but at any rate they are the men who furnish the basis for literature--heroism, fidelity and devotion. the clan has, however, not been wanting in scholars and writers, nor in those who patronized and furthered learning. what think you of a fraser--sir alexander of philorth--who in the 16th century built a grand university? it is getting to be the fashion now for rich men to build and endow seats of learning, but a man with such foresight and generosity in those early times in scotland is surely deserving of all praise. although not a few of the early frasers won fame by the sword, some wielded to good purpose that mightier weapon, the pen. such was james fraser of brea, in ross-shire, who wrote copiously on theology, and who went to prison, by orders of archbishop sharp, as a preacher at conventicles. another divine and scholar was james fraser, of pitcalzian, in ross-shire, a son of the manse; a famous controversialist he was, and wrote a book against the arminianism of grotius that has kept its ground in scotland till the present day, although he died as long ago as 1769. these are some of our older literary celebrities. time will not permit me to mention all those who belong to the present century, or whose lives extended into it. there was archibald campbell fraser of lovat, 38th mcshimi, who died in 1815. as a school-boy he saw the fight at culloden, and was afterwards foreign consul in barbary, and was author of the "annals of the patriots of the family of fraser, frizell, simson or fitzsimson." it must in truth have been a mighty book if it recorded them all. a curious piece of literature from his pen was the very long and very laudatory epitaph for his own tomb erected by himself. robert fraser, of pathhead, fifeshire, lived up till 1839. he was an ironmonger, but of such remarkable literary and linguistic tastes that in leisure moments he acquired latin, greek, french, german, italian and spanish. his poetry, which i regret is not accessible to me, was, it is said, characterized by fine feeling and nicety of touch. truly a remarkable man. his ruling passion was strong in death, for he passed out of life dictating some translations of norwegian and danish poems. there are other ways of making literature besides writing it yourself. james fraser, an inverness man, was one of those who have made literature by proxy. who does not know fraser's magazine? that pioneer publication in this field of literature, dating from 1830, with its famous contributors like thackeray, carlyle, j. a. froude and father prout. this fraser was also a famous publisher, a man of taste and judgment, and did more to advance literature than almost any man of his time, notwithstanding carlyle's reference to him as "that infatuated fraser with his dog's-meat tart of a magazine." contemporary with fraser of the magazine was james baillie fraser, also an inverness man and a famous traveller who explored the himalaya mountains, and who was the first european to reach the sources of the jumna and ganges. he came home, and wrote an account of his travels. a little later he donned persian costume, explored the larger part of persia, and wrote a two-volume account of his journey. turning to romance, he wrote "kuggilbas," a tale of khorasain; and this was the first of a long list of eastern tales, histories and travels, the mere enumeration of which would take us on pretty far towards to-morrow morning. a beautiful and sympathetic literary figure is that of lydia falconer fraser, the wife of hugh miller. here are some lines from a poem of hers on the death of their first-born child: "thou'rt awa, awa, from thy mother's side, and awa, awa, from thy father's knee; thou'rt awa from our blessing, our care, our caressing, but awa from our hearts thou'lt never be. * * * * * thou'rt awa, awa, from the bursting spring time, tho' o'er thy head its green boughs wave; the lambs are leaving their little foot-prints on the turf of thy new-made grave." what gentleness and sweetness in these lines! one of her prose works, "cats and dogs," still holds its own as one of the minor classics of natural history. rev. robert william fraser, a perthshire man, succeeded rev. dr. guthrie in st. john's church, edinburgh, in 1847, and was a learned and eloquent divine and a diligent pastor. he found time to write all but one of a dozen of important works on divinity, history, physical and natural science. he was a solid man. i must not omit william fraser, the educational reformer who helped david stow to carry out his training system for teachers in scotland, and who later investigated scottish education, and wrote an important book on the subject of which the results were afterwards embodied in legislation. he died in 1879. along with him may well be mentioned the late james fraser, bishop of manchester, a very famous man from forfarshire, one of the frasers of durris, of whom it has been said that there has not been in this generation a more simple or noble soul. he interests us especially for his work in education, and forms a connecting link between our school system and english educational reform, for he visited canada and the united states in 1865, and drew up a report which his biographer, thomas hughes, calls "a superb, an almost unique piece of work." it was the basis of the foster act of 1870, by which enormous changes were introduced in the direction of the american system. worthy of being put by his side was rev. donald fraser, d.d., who died two years ago, of whom we should hear more under the head of theology. he received part of his education in old knox college, toronto, and was pastor of the cote street church, montreal, from which he was called to inverness, thence to london, england. in my mass of material, i had almost forgotten patrick lord fraser, who died only five years ago. he was a very great man of the law, one of scotland's greatest, and wrote extensively on legal subjects. the frasers, however, were not all heavy writers. many of us remember john fraser, who met his death by accident in ottawa in 1872. he was best known as "cousin sandy." he had been a chartist before coming to canada. he was a tailor by trade, and laid aside the needle for that other sharp pointed instrument, the pen. most of his work was controversial and sarcastic. here is a sample of his rollicking verse, reminding one strongly of the ingoldsby legends: "william blyth was a scape-grace--as many boys are- who with prudence and forethought was always at war; his genius was active; i've heard, or have read, that his grandma was nervous; his father was dead; and his mother, released from connubial vows, brought home to her dwelling a second hand spouse, who gave her a heart, somewhat hard and obtuse, in exchange for her furniture ready for use. now william like others, without leave would roam, and be absent when lather the second came home; so he of the step, which step-father should be, said 'to save the lad's _morals_ we'll send him to sea.'" the boy was confined in a water-cask for bad conduct. "and the wave cleared the deck of the vessel, and she like one half 'seas over' rolled about in the sea. then a shriek was heard, and the boatswain roar'd 'there's bill and the tub gone overboard!'" he floated to shore after an interview with a shark, a cow switched her tail against the tub, and bill caught it while the cow fled, and wrecked the tub, but saved bill's life, although he remained unconscious. "but was roused from his swoon by a beautiful yankee who brought dough-nuts and tea, it was genuine twankay. an angel of light in the garb of humanity, and that garb of the saxony's best superfine, what her countrymen term the 'real genuine.' bill was charmed and concluded, with some show of reason, that to her annexation could never be treason." and he was annexed in due time. we have some poets still living, gordon fraser, john w. fraser, and others; on them i must touch lightly. gordon is a writer on "lowland lore," and writes good ballads of his own, like the one beginning: "'twas an eerie nicht, an' the storm-cluds lower'd, an the lichtnin's glent was keen, an' the thunner roll'd, but nane were cower'd i' the clachan till-hous bien." it is a fearsome ghost story well told. john w. is a very charming writer. his ballad of the courtship of "bell" is first-rate, and it begins: "sin' bell cam' to bide in our toun, the warl' has a' gaen ajee; she has turned a' the heads o' the men, and the women wi' envy will dea. o, but bell's bonnie! dink as a daisy is she; her e'en are as bricht as the starnies that shine in the lift sae hie." such are some of our literary men, and they are very creditable specimens. i know that i have left out more than i have given. i have not said a word about all the frasers in gaelic literature, whose name must be legion, because i cannot follow them in that language. our clan has a good proportion of the literary in it, and i believe we are all literary critics. i never knew a fraser yet who had not excellent literary taste and judgment. the reasons why more literature has not been produced is very clear to my mind, and depends on a prominent characteristic of the clan--great modesty. this must be thrown aside if you are going to rush into literature. many a fraser has had it in him to produce the highest sort of literature, who from this cause has never written a line for the public. when the clan succeeds in throwing off this defect, we may expect the production of literary works on a par with the best that has been written. * * * * * the reply to the toast of "frasers in theology" was entrusted to the rev. mungo fraser, d.d., of hamilton, who had to leave by train for home before this toast was reached. his reply summarised is as follows: "there are many clansmen who stand high in theology, if we be allowed to understand by that term the wider and more comprehensive sphere of work in the church of christ. in the memory of those who admire subjective writings of an extremely searching character, the name of the rev. james fraser, of brea, will occupy an undying place. to those who give the highest rank among ministers to pulpit ability, the frasers of kirkhill, for three generations, will afford examples of eloquence and those gifts of oratorical power that appeal so irresistibly to the popular ear. by those who regard the administrative functions of the pastor as of importance, the name of bishop fraser, of manchester, is justly esteemed, and in a less prominent, but not less important degree, the name of dr. william fraser, for a long period the senior clerk of the presbyterian church in canada; and theological literature finds a writer of ability and copiousness in dr. donald fraser, at one time of montreal and afterwards of london, england. the clan contributed a great many names to the roll of distinguished clergymen, men who, in their different spheres, rendered noble service to the cause of christ. and among them are men, some of whose names have been mentioned by the vice-chairman, of ability, of high character, whose personal influence over the people was strongly felt. in canada the name of fraser has an honored place among the ministers of the churches. they are doing their duty nobly and well, and if the names of some of them be not widely known outside of their own country, it must not be forgotten that a clergyman's best fame and best reward is his good name among those for whom he directly labors, and for whose welfare he gives his best endeavors. did time permit, it would be comparatively easy to speak at length of those who have held their own in the theological sphere, but sufficient has probably been said to indicate that the clan has done its duty in one of the most interesting and important fields of human effort open for the welfare of man. * * * * * the part of the toast dealing with "the frasers in war," was replied to by mr. alexander fraser (of fraserfield, glengarry). he said: after what we have heard of the clan this evening we must come to the conclusion that it has always been distinguished for its military spirit, and i regret on that account, all the more, that the duty has fallen upon me to reply to the "frasers in war." not that i do not appreciate to the fullest extent that spirit which distinguished them and probably in no small degree share it, but i am not a man of words, and i feel i shall not be able, even in a small way, to do justice to this theme. undoubtedly the military character of the clan goes back to its very origin, for if the frasers did come from normandy, they must have been selected on account of their military ability, for those were the days when length and strength of arm and good generalship were the most valuable qualifications a man could possess. but, coming down to the earlier times in scotland, we find our clansmen heading the warlike and chivalrous nobles of that country, in their devotion to the crown, and in their exploits in the field in defence of country and patrimony. i need not enter into a detailed description of the times when the lowland frasers served their country and their king with an unswerving devotion whose lustre time will not dim, nor the researches of modern historians tarnish. down through history in the highlands they have ever shown themselves to be a brave and warlike race, furnishing individuals of conspicuous ability and distinction in arms. no treatment of this toast would be complete that should omit a reference to fraser's highlanders that embarked under the command of the chief of the clan in 1757, and took part with wolfe's army in all the engagements, from louisburg to the close of the war. at quebec the frasers distinguished themselves in an especial manner. in the struggles which took place early in the century, between the canadians and americans, the frasers did their duty, proving that down to our own times they maintained their old reputation. in the british army, from the formation of the highland regiments, in 1739, to the present day, the clan has given many distinguished officers and many brave men to its country's service, and i know i can speak with truth when i say that the old spirit still prevails, whether you look at home or abroad. so true is this that i may conclude these remarks in the stereotyped words of the after-dinner speaker by saying that should the occasion ever demand it, the frasers will be ever ready to draw their claymores and shed their blood in the country's service as of yore. mr. w. p. fraser spoke for "the frasers in politics." he said: mr. chairman, vice-chairman and brother clansmen, it would seem that the toast of distinguished clansmen is quite an inexhaustible one. much has been said of our clansmen in the various ranks of life, but i believe no more than is deserved. as a matter of course the frasers have ranked high in politics. we have not had a prime minister of the name in the dominion of canada, but we have given to the legislatures of ontario, quebec, and the lower provinces, many of their most useful members, their most eloquent speakers, and their most responsible statesmen. we have borne our share of public duty in this country, both in the rank and file of political workers, and as leaders. i do not need to go far afield to find some of the more striking examples. there is one name so long and honorably associated with the fortunes of this province that it merits premier recognition. i refer to that of the hon. christopher finlay fraser, who would have responded to this toast himself to-night, were it not that he has been suffering from severe illness for some time, and has not sufficiently recovered to take his place among us. reference has been made to his letter of regret, and i feel sure that every word in it is true--that it is the outcome of his sincere feeling; for mr. fraser is as much a clansman as he is a politician, and has ever manifested the same deep interest in matters connected with his clan, as he has displayed in the public duties which he is called upon to perform. the position which he occupies, the services which he has rendered, his wide sphere of influence, his sterling honesty and unblemished record--these lie as an open book before you. for me to expatiate upon them would be quite superfluous. his name will go down in the annals of our statesmen as one of the most competent ministers of the crown who ever held office in this province, as one of subtle intellect who served his country and his party in great crises, as one who gave his talents generously and disinterestedly to the welfare of his fellow-beings, and in a peculiar manner helped to lay the foundations of a great nationality in this country. another of our clansmen, whose telegram of regret shows that he has been intercepted on the way from the far east to our gathering, has made the name famous in the politics of canada, and is likely to attain to still greater eminence in the future. at his home in nova scotia he has long been known as a man of probity, ability, and capacity for public duty. it is not so long ago that he was first heard of in these western parts, but already he has sprung into notice, and his services are in request at many public gatherings. i am sure we all regret the absence of mr. d. c. fraser, m.p. for guysboro', to-night. he is not only a politician but a patron of learning and celtic literature. to his generous heart and open hand many a struggling highlander owes much, and through his encouragement not a few scholarly productions have seen the light of day. were i to venture beyond canada i should find frasers playing a prominent part in the field of politics in south africa, in the australias, in the east indies, and even in south america. it was only the other day we heard of a clansman born in nova scotia, but of good inverness stock, who had been appointed delegate to the inter-colonial conference to be held in ottawa this summer. i refer to the hon. simon fraser, of victoria. i have no doubt his clansmen here will be glad to welcome him, and to wish the utmost success to his mission. i must refrain at this hour from any reference to what frasers have done in political life in the old land. the chiefs of the clan numbered among them many men of eminence in politics. of these we have heard something already to-night, and when the call of public duty comes, i feel sure a fraser will be ready to step forward to perform his part in a worthy manner. organization. a resolution was carried in favor of the formation of an organization of clansmen in canada, having for its main objects the promotion of social intercourse among the members, the collection of facts from which to prepare a biographical album of the members and other clansmen, and the promotion of objects which may be of interest to the clan; and that those present form a general committee to act in the matter, the committee of this gathering to act as an executive committee, for the purpose of drafting a constitution for the clan to be submitted to the next gathering of the clan. the clan song, composed by request, for this gathering, by mrs. georgina fraser newhall, and set to music composed by mr. j. lewis browne, will be found, with a biographical sketch and portrait of the authoress, on pages 93 to 97. georgina fraser newhall. authoress of "fraser's drinking song." [illustration: mrs. georgina fraser newhall] "the frasers of stratherrick, where are they?" to this pensive question by charles fraser mackintosh comes an oft echoed and lusty answer from many distant lands. indeed the question is, "where are they not?" for it is safe to say that there is no country where the english language to-day prevails, in which stratherrick may not claim a son. their new homes have not the historical charm of the old, but wherever the frasers have gone, away from the home of their fathers, they have acquitted themselves well. a scion of a stratherrick house was james george fraser, who many years ago settled at galt, ontario. like his brother capt. charles fraser, now residing in glasgow, scotland, he was attached to a highland regiment in his younger days, but withdrawing from the service, he came to canada with his young wife, christina macleod. at galt was born a family of three sons, william, charles and andrew, and four daughters, christina, jessie, elizabeth and georgina, the youngest of whom is the subject of this brief sketch. on the maternal side her descent is traced from the families of lochend and braemore. her great-grand parents were george mackenzie, second son of john mackenzie i. of lochend (of the gairloch family), and christina, daughter of captain hector munro of braemore. george mackenzie was a distinguished officer, and attained to the rank of lieut.-colonel of the famous rosshire buffs, the 78th highlanders. his daughter christina married angus macleod of banff with issue, two sons, donald and george, and several daughters, of whom christina, as already stated, married james g. fraser of galt, ontario. georgina fraser was born about the beginning of the sixties, and was educated in the public and high schools of her native town. after the death of her parents she removed to toronto, and taking up the study of shorthand entered upon the life of an amanuensis and teacher of stenography. she taught large classes in the towns surrounding toronto, and in victoria university, when that institution was located at cobourg. she was the first woman in canada to adopt this profession as a means of self-support, and to her belongs the honor of adding a new vocation to those upon which canadian women may enter. in addition to these duties miss fraser undertook journalistic work, and was the first lady writer in toronto to conduct the department devoted to woman's interests, now so important a weekly feature in the great dailies in canada. in 1884, while occupying the important position of assistant secretary to general manager oakes of the northern pacific railway at st. paul, minn., she became the wife of mr. e. p. newhall, of the pacific express co. in omaha. notwithstanding household cares and ill-health mrs. newhall still finds time to indulge in her old taste for literature, wielding an earnest pen in advocacy of those reforms which most interest women of advanced thought. she has achieved considerable fame as a writer of short stories, and her compositions of verse bear the mark of the true poet's touch. as a clanswoman mrs. newhall is fond of claiming the right to call herself a "black" fraser, nature having endowed her with that darkness of hair and eyebrow which is supposed to stamp all the possessors thereof as "true frasers." fraser's drinking song. (the fraser motto is "je suis prest"--"i am ready.") words by georgina fraser newhall. music by j. lewis browne. [illustration of musical score of fraser's drinking song] fraser's drinking song. 1 all ready? let us drink to the woman who rules us to-night- to her lands; to her laws; 'neath her flag we will smite ev'ry foe, hip and thigh, eye for eye, blow for blow- are you ready? 2 all ready? then here's to the mothers who bore us, my men; to the shieling that sleeps in the breast of the glen where the stag drinks it fill from the rill by the crag- are you ready? 3 all ready? fill your glass to the maid you adore, my boys; wish her health, wish her wealth, long life, and all joys; full measure (may it swim to the brim) of pleasure- are you ready? 4 all ready? and here's to the country we live in, my lads; it is here we have struggled and thriven, my lads? god bless it, may beauty and duty possess it- are you ready? 5 all ready? a fraser! a fraser forever, my friends; while he lives how he hates, how he loves till life ends; he is first, here's my hand, into grand hurrah burst- are you ready? simon fraser. discoverer of the fraser river. the life-work of the discoverer of the fraser river illustrates the pioneer spirit which animated the early settlers of canada. there was the pluck, the love of adventure, the endurance, the prompt response to the call of duty, the expansive idea which kept abreast of ever opening possibilities, and the rare tact displayed in new, embarrassing and important transactions. simon fraser was in many respects a great man and one of whom his clansmen may well feel proud. his grandfather was william fraser, of culbokie, whose wife margaret macdonell, of glengarry, was the possessor of the famous _balg solair_ in which was stowed away a manuscript of ossianic poetry, which figures in the dissertations on the authenticity of macpherson's ossian, and regarding which the following interesting passage occurs in the correspondence of the late bishop alexander macdonell: "i myself saw a large ms. of ossian's poems in the possession of mrs. fraser of culbokie, in strathglass, which she called "_am balg solair_" (a bag of fortuitous goods). this lady's residence being between my father's house and the school where i used to attend with her grandchildren, at her son's, culbokie house, by way of coaxing me to remain on cold nights at her own house, she being cousin to my father, she used to take up the _balg solair_, and read pieces of it to me. although a very young boy at the time, i became so much enraptured with the rehearsal of the achievements of the heroes of the poem, and so familiar with the characters, especially of oscar, cathmor, and cuthchullin, that when macpherson's translation was put into my hands in the scotch college of valladolid in spain, many years afterwards, it was like meeting old friends with whom i had been intimately acquainted. mrs. fraser's son, simon, who had a classical education, and was an excellent gaelic scholar, on emigrating to america in the year 1774, took the _balg solair_ with him as an invaluable treasure. on the breaking out of the revolutionary war, mr. fraser joined the royal standard, was taken prisoner by the americans and thrown into jail, where he died." william, of culbokie, and his wife margaret macdonell had nine sons. of these, archibald and john fought under wolfe at quebec. john settled at montreal, and became chief justice of the montreal district. in 1774, or more probably in 1773, simon left home, and settled near bennington, vermont. here his son, the subject of this sketch, was born in 1776. his mother and her family came to canada after the death of his father (as stated above), and settled in glengarry. simon was the youngest of the family. he was placed in school in montreal, where he resided with his uncle, the chief justice. in 1792, at the age of sixteen, he became an articled clerk with mctavish, frobisher & co., to the north-west fur trading co., which had its headquarters in montreal. in 1802 he became a partner, and subsequently went out to the far north. in 1805 he came down from fort athabasca to fort william, and was then nominated to cross the rocky mountains, to extend out-posts and form trading connections with the indians. he responded at once to the call. he said he would undertake the expedition provided they gave him a sufficient outfit. this the company were only too glad to do. it was a very hazardous undertaking. he crossed the mountains with thirty men--clerks, axemen, guides and interpreters. he soon found himself in a wild and desolate region. as he went on he built block-houses, and took possession of the country in the name of the king. in 1806 he discovered the river which takes its name from him. he discovered many rivers and lakes which he named after different members of the company. he traced the fraser river to its source, and met many different tribes of indians, some friendly, others hostile. at one time they met different tribes who were very friendly and made a great feast for them; they killed their _fattest dog_ for him, which of course he feigned to eat; but at the same feast the chiefs held a council and decided to put him to death, which the interpreter, who understood their language, told him, and they stole quietly away. he first named the river now known as the fraser river, the "great river," and called the place "new caledonia." here he left some of the party, and crossed westerly into the open country, and built another house near a lake, which he called fraser's lake. he was now with four men in the midst of indians who had never before either seen or heard of the "pale face." on the border of this lake he witnessed an indian ceremony. he was brought by the indians to where they had a large burying-ground, where one of the chiefs of their tribe was being buried. an immense number of warriors were assembled, and after a most solemn and impressive ceremony, mr. fraser was invited by signs to approach the grave. he did so, and gave immense satisfaction by engraving his name on a post which had been planted over the remains of the departed warrior. in july, 1807, he received fresh supplies from the north-west co., who at the same time urged him to trace with all possible speed the "great river" to the sea, they being apprehensive that the americans would get ahead of the british in that quarter, as in the previous year 1806, captains lewis and clarke had gone down the "columbia," and were extending american authority along the western coast of america, and astor, on the part of the americans, was also looking anxiously towards the northern section. the north-west co. therefore urged mr. fraser to spare no expense in achieving the object of their desires. mr. fraser built another trading-house on the "great river" in 1807, and reached the ocean in july, 1808. he remained but a short time there on account of the hostility of the indians. returning he again met numerous and large bodies of indians speaking several different languages. they assembled to see the wonderful pale faces who had come among them. an idea of how they regarded white men may be formed from the fact that when hundreds of them were congregated together, at the discharge of a single rifle they would fall prostrate on the ground, so great was their astonishment. had it not been for mr. fraser's wonderful energy and enterprise, there would not be a railroad to-day from ocean to ocean over british territory. simon, lord lovat. beheaded on tower hill. [illustration: the right honourable simon lord frasier of lovat, chief of the clan of the frasers &c.] no fraser chief has achieved more notoriety than simon, the fourteenth lord lovat. his enemies avenged themselves for the failure of their nefarious plots against him by supplying, at a cheap rate, the charcoal with which prejudiced historians have blackened his memory. but while his fate is still held up as a warning to evil doers, it has been proved, beyond peradventure, that his character has been much maligned, and that he appears rather as a man of inexhaustible resources, availing himself of whatever means lay nearest to his hand to extricate himself from enormous difficulties and to attain objects which, though of personal advantage to himself and clan, were as honorable as they were just, and wholly in keeping with the customs of his day. his efforts to secure the chiefship and the honors of his house, and to extend the power of the clan, were genuinely patriotic. his lordship certainly was a man of learning and ability. he was an admirable letter writer, and passages in his correspondence show that he had wonderful facility in writing and a capital style. the picture here given is from a mezzo-tint in possession of mr. b. homer dixon, from a painting of lord lovat, by david le clerc, a swiss who was in england in 1715 and 1716. the picture which is supposed to have been taken in 1715, when lord lovat was about forty-eight years old, is marked: "le clare, _pinxt_. j. simon, _fecit_." although armour had been disused before lord lovat's time, it was the fashion at that period for gentlemen to be painted in armour. the mezzo-tint is very rare. brigadier simon fraser. [illustration: brigadier-general fraser, younger of balnain.] among the officers of fraser's highlanders were several clansmen destined to rise high in military distinction. of them few are better known in the clan than captain simon fraser of balnain, afterwards quarter-master general in ireland, a post which he quitted to serve as brigadier-general in burgoyne's army in america. he had served in the scotch regiment in the dutch service, and was wounded at bergen-op-zoom. he spoke french perfectly and to this accomplishment and his coolness was due his signal service at quebec, where he saved the transports from discovery at a critical moment before the precipice was scaled. smollet relates the incident as follows:--"the french had posted sentries along shore to challenge boats and vessels and give the alarm occasionally. the first boat that contained the english troops being questioned accordingly, a captain of fraser's regiment, who had served in holland, and who was perfectly well acquainted with the french language and customs, answered without hesitation to _qui vive_?--which is their challenging word--_la france_; nor was he at a loss to answer the second question, which was much more particular and difficult. when the sentinel demanded, _a quel regiment_? the captain replied, _de la reine_, which he knew by accident to be one of those that composed the body commanded by bougainville. the soldier took it for granted this was the expected convoy (a convoy of provisions expected that night for the garrison of quebec), and, saying _passe_, allowed all the boats to proceed without further question. in the same manner the other sentries were deceived; though one, more wary than the rest, came running down to the water's edge and called, _pour quoi est ce que vous ne parlez pas haut?_ 'why don't you speak with an audible voice?' to this interrogation, which implied doubt, the captain answered with admirable presence of mind, in a soft tone of voice, _tai toi nous serens entendues!_ 'hush! we shall be overheard and discovered.' thus cautioned the sentry retired without further altercation." at the time of the revolutionary war, brigadier-general simon fraser was second in command of the british army, under burgoyne. he fell at saratoga under circumstances which prove his great ability as an officer. the american historians say that general burgoyne had lost his head, and the american general morgan perceiving it, called two of his best riflemen and said: "you see that fine fellow on the white horse? it goes against my heart to do it, but you must pick him off, or we lose the battle." they watched their opportunity, shot general fraser, and the americans won the day. the picture here given is said to be a good likeness. it has been produced from a mezzo-tint in the possession of mr. b. homer dixon, toronto. second annual gathering. "three triumphs in a day; three hosts subdued in one: three armies scattered like the spray, beneath one common sun." the second annual gathering and dinner of the clan fraser in canada was held on the 25th day of february, 1895, that date having been selected in honor of the scots' victory at roslin on february 25th, 1303, when the army was commanded by sir simon fraser, the patriot (p. 48). the place of meeting was the rossin house, toronto. the gentlemen were accompanied by lady friends, a departure from the custom generally observed on similar festive occasions, that contributed greatly to the pleasure of the evening. the committee in charge of the arrangements was composed of dr. j. b. fraser (chairman of programme committee), professor w. h. fraser, messrs. g. b. fraser, r. l. fraser, alexander fraser (fraserfield), alexander r. fraser, w. p. fraser, andrew fraser, alexander fraser (macfhionnlaidh), chairman; and w. a. fraser, secretary. those present were rev. dr. mungo fraser, hamilton; mr. w. lewis fraser, new york; mr. donald fraser, kingston; mr. r. i. fraser, barrie; mr. andrew fraser, barrie; messrs. robert lovat fraser, george b. fraser, and miss fraser; professor w. h. fraser and mrs. fraser; dr. j. b. fraser and mrs. fraser; alexander fraser (fraserfield), mrs. fraser and miss kate fraser; alexander r. fraser and mrs. fraser; alexander fraser (macfhionnlaidh), mrs. fraser, miss fraser, mrs. georgina fraser-newhall, and mrs. ramsay; mr. w. a. fraser and mrs. fraser; dr. pyne and mrs. pyne; alexander fraser (parkdale), and miss fraser; w. p. fraser, donald fraser, charles fraser, mrs. c. g. fraser and master norman fraser, james fraser, henry sandham fraser. letters of regret at their inability to attend were read from messrs. e. a. fraser, detroit; d. fraser, montreal; ex-mayor fraser, petrolea; o. k. fraser, brockville; a. fraser, hamilton; p. m. fraser, st. thomas; rev. r. d. fraser, bowmanville; and rev. dr. j. b. fraser, annan. mr. alexander fraser (macfhionnlaidh) presided, and the vice-chairs were occupied by messrs. george b. fraser and r. l. fraser, and mr. w. a. fraser acted as secretary. the after-dinner programme was interesting and varied. besides the usual toasts it included the "fraser's drinking song," composed by mrs. georgina fraser-newhall, and sung by mrs. alexander fraser; readings by prof. w. h. fraser, bagpipe selections by pipe-major macswayed, and highland dancing by master norman fraser. the speeches contained a great deal of information regarding the clan, and were very interesting. most eloquent was the speech delivered by mr. w. lewis fraser, of new york, who entered into the history of the clan at considerable length; and that by mrs. georgina fraser-newhall, in response to the toast of her health. a group photograph was successfully taken of the company by the aid of a flash-light, which will remain a memento of a very pleasant gathering. before dispersing the report of the committee on the organization of the clan was read. it set forth that meetings had been held at which the clan had been organized, and the annexed constitution and by-laws prepared: the clan fraser in canada. (_instituted may 5th, 1894._) constitution and by-laws. [illustration of the crest of the clan] article i.--name.--the name of this organization shall be: "the clan fraser in canada." article ii.--objects.--the objects of the clan shall be: the cultivation of friendly intercourse and social relations among those bearing the surname "fraser," and the promotion among its members of love for the clan, and increased interest in its history and traditions: the collection of clan records, traditions and anecdotes; of documents bearing upon the clan history; of information relating to notable clansmen, especially with reference to the early history of the clan in canada; and the compilation of an album of portraits and biographical sketches of clansmen in canada: the furtherance of the interests of clansmen, whether in scotland or in canada, and the giving of such assistance to clansmen in need as may be within the power of the clan. article iii.--membership.--persons bearing the surname "fraser," by birth or by marriage, shall be eligible for membership in the clan. honorary membership may be conferred on distinguished clansmen, or on persons, not clansmen, who have rendered conspicuous service to the clan. article iv.--arms, motto and badge.--the arms of the clan fraser in canada shall be the same as those of the clan proper, with the difference of a wreath of canadian maple leaves intertwined (a fac-simile of which is impressed on this constitution); the "motto" and "badge" shall be that of the clan fraser--motto, "je suis prest"; badge, a sprig of yew--_taxus baccata_. article v.--(_a_) executive officers.--the executive officers shall consist of a chief, chieftains (as hereinunder provided for), secretary-treasurer, historians, curator, and a bard. (_b_)--trustees and councillors.--there shall be three trustees, six councillors, a pipe-major and pipers. (_c_)--honorary chief and chieftains.--the chief of the clan fraser, "mac-shimi," shall be the honorary chief, and honorary chieftainship may be bestowed on clansmen who merit very high clan honor. article vi.--gatherings.--the clan shall gather once a year, on a day to be decided upon by the executive committee, for the transaction of business. that gathering shall be known as the annual business meeting of the clan. on the evening of the same day a clan dinner, or other form of entertainment, shall take place. article vii.--at the annual business meeting of the clan the executive officers, trustees, councillors and pipers, honorary chief (when vacant), and honorary chieftains (when honorary chieftainship is conferred), shall be elected; and the roll of members, prepared by the executive committee, shall be revised. article viii.--the principle upon which chieftains and councillors shall be elected shall be as follows: the province of ontario shall be divided into five districts, viz.: ottawa, kingston, toronto, hamilton and london, from each of which and from each of the other provinces of canada, a chieftain shall be elected. a chieftain may be also elected from each of the states of the american union, as an interest in the clan may be manifested. the ontario districts shall comprise the following counties: ottawa.--glengarry, prescott, stormont, dundas, grenville, carleton, russell, renfrew. kingston.--addington, lennox, frontenac, hastings, prince edward, leeds, lanark. toronto.--northumberland, peterborough, haliburton, victoria, durham, ontario, muskoka, parry sound, nipissing, york, peel, toronto. hamilton.--wentworth, lincoln, welland, brant, waterloo, simcoe, dufferin, grey, wellington, halton. london.--middlesex, elgin, oxford, norfolk, haldimand, kent, lambton, essex, bruce, huron, perth. there shall be at least one councillor elected to represent each district in ontario. article ix.--the executive officers, trustees and councillors shall form a general committee, which shall prepare the business for the annual meeting. the executive officers shall form the executive committee of the general committee. the general committee and the executive committee may appoint sub-committees with power to transact business on behalf of the clan. article x.--duties of officers.--the chief shall preside at all the meetings of committees, at the annual business meeting, and at the annual entertainment of the clan; in his absence the duties of the chief shall devolve upon the chieftains in order of seniority, and in the absence of all of them the clansmen present shall elect a chairman _pro tem_. the secretary-treasurer shall keep a correct minute of the business transacted at the meetings of committees and at the annual meeting of the clan; he shall keep a roll of the membership of the clan; with the chief he shall convene the meetings, and shall conduct the correspondence and general business of the clan; he shall submit his accounts to an audit annually or on the demand of the executive committee. the historians shall compile the clan album, and shall edit any papers containing information regarding the clan or clansmen which may be secured for the clan. the curator shall have the custody of all property belonging to the clan, including papers and books not in use by the proper officers, and shall account for the same to the trustees in whom the property shall be vested on behalf of the clan, and who shall submit a report of their stewardship to the annual meeting of the clan. article xi.--the roll of membership shall be compiled by the executive committee, and shall be subject to revision at the annual business meeting. article xii.--the officers shall wear insignia of office; and an officer holding the same office for three terms (not necessarily consecutively) shall become the possessor of the insignia as his own property. article xiii.--the constitution and by-laws may be altered or amended at the annual business meeting of the clan, by a two-thirds vote of the membership, personally or by mandate; but notice of any such alteration of amendment in specific terms must be lodged with the secretary-treasurer at least two months before the date of the annual business meeting so that members may be notified when the announcement of the annual business meeting shall be made. by-laws. 1. the fee of membership shall be one dollar annually for gentlemen, and the sum of fifty cents for ladies and minors. 2. the annual meeting of the clan shall be held on a date to be decided upon by the executive committee; in deciding upon the date, however, the convenience of the greatest number of the membership shall be the chief consideration. 3. twelve members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the annual meeting. 4. a member may be expelled from the clan for a transgression of any of its rules, or any other sufficient cause. notice of intended expulsion must be given to the secretary-treasurer, who shall lay it before the executive committee for report at the annual business meeting, and to the member whom it is proposed to expel. voting shall be by ballot, and a majority must vote "yea" before a member can be expelled. the annual revision of the roll of membership referred to in the constitution, article xi., shall in no way be understood to imply expulsion from membership. 5. the following shall be the order of business: 1st. reading of minutes of previous meeting; 2nd. reading of communications and action thereon; 3rd. unfinished business of previous meeting; 4th. new business; 5th. election of officers; 6th. adjournment. signed on behalf of the committee. alexander fraser, _chairman_. w. a. fraser, _secretary_. the above constitution and by-laws were duly adopted and ordered to be printed. the officers. the following officers were elected for the term 1895-'96: _honorary chief_, lord lovat. _honorary chieftain_, mr. charles fraser mackintosh, inverness _chief_, mr. alex. fraser (macfhionnlaidh), toronto. _chieftains_, district of ottawa: mr. alex. fraser, westmeath. kingston: mr. donald fraser, kingston. toronto: mr. g. b. fraser, toronto. hamilton: rev. dr. mungo fraser, hamilton. london: ex-mayor fraser, petrolea. provinces--maritime provinces: d. c. fraser, m. p., new glasgow, n.s. quebec: mr. donald fraser, montreal. northwest territories: mr. j. g. fraser, regina, n.w.t. british columbia: mr. w. fraser, vancouver, b.c. state of michigan: mr. e. a. fraser, detroit, u.s.a. new york: mr. w. lewis fraser, new york. _councillors_, ottawa: mr. a. w. fraser, ottawa. kingston: mr. o. k. fraser, brockville. toronto { mr. alex. fraser (fraserfield), toronto. { dr. j. b. fraser, toronto. hamilton: mr. r. i. fraser, barrie. london: mr. wm. fraser, of port stanley. _secretary-treasurer_, mr. w. a. fraser, toronto. _chaplain_, rev. dr. mungo fraser, hamilton. _historians_, prof. w. h. fraser and mr. alex. fraser, toronto. _curator_, mr. alexander fraser, toronto. _trustees_, messrs. r. l. fraser, toronto; abner fraser, hamilton; a. g. fraser, london. _bard_, georgina fraser-newhall, omaha. * * * * * transcriber's notes:page 7 page reference for "constitution and by-laws of the clan" corrected from "110" to "109". page 20 "the emperor charlemange" changed to "the emperor charlemagne" page 30 "the childdren of the chief," changed to "the children of the chief," page 39 "whose sister margaret was malcom's queen," changed to "whose sister margaret was malcolm's queen," page 41 "the highlands of scotlands," changed to "the highlands of scotland," page 100 "and built another house near a ake," changed to "and built another house near a lake," page 109 "motto, "ju suis prest";" changed to "motto, "je suis prest";" inconsistencies in capitalization and spelling retained.