recover Berwick, made preparations for sustaining | pected, they marched away in a body, and took a siege, and assembled his own kindred and vas-possession of a hill above the town of Burntisland, sals to aid him in the discharge of his trust. ANDREW LUMSDEN. continuing firm to their purpose, but abstaining from all violence; and when several other young soldiers wished to join them, perhaps as much for the sake of the frolic as of any thing else, This gentleman, of the family of Cushnie, was they ordered them back to their quarters, telling about the person of the young pretender, the day them they had no cause of complaint, and no of the battle of Culloden, and after the flight re-claims to be adjusted, and that therefore they ceived from him a message, thanking him for his ought to obey their officers, and do their duty, fidelity and courage, and desiring him to provide and leave them, the Highlanders, to answer for for his own safety. He went abroad, and resided many years at Rome, which he has described in their conduct. Things remained in this state for some days. The Highlanders regularly sending his celebrated work," Remarks on the Antiquities of Rome and its Environs." This book cannot parties to the town for their provisions, and paybe too highly praised, and its merits can be besting punctually for what they procured. It hapappreciated by him who has used it as his guide pened fortunately that the regiment was at that in the survey of the magnificent remains of the time commanded by Major Alexander Donaldson, capital of the world. Mr. Lumsden afterwards than conciliating. Born in the Highlands, he had an officer of great experience, and not less firm passed many years at Paris, in the first literary served nineteen years in the forty-second regicircles, in the reign of Lewis XVI. His amiable manners rendered him every where welcome. He ment, and understood perfectly the peculiar habits died in his eighty-first year, at Aberdeen, Decem- Lieutenant Robert Barclay, the paymaster, an and dispositions of his countrymen, and aided by ber 26th, 1802, on a visit to his native city, at investigation took place, and every man's claim the house of John M'Gowan, Esq., who had been was clearly made out. When this statement was the friend and companion of his youth. laid before Lord Macdonald, on his arrival, he advanced the money claimed by the soldiers, which amounted to a considerable sum, taking upon himself the risk of recovering it from those whose In the year 1779, this corps was ordered up conduct had nearly ruined a brave and honourable from Fort George for embarkation, and quartered body of men, as they afterwards proved themin Burntisland and Kinghorn. Soon after they ar-selves to be. The result shows how this act of rived there, great numbers of the Highlanders insubordination was thought of; for no man was were observed in parties in earnest conversation. brought to a trial, or even put in confinement, and In the evening of the third day each company when all was settled, they embarked with the gave in a written statement, complaining of non-greatest alacrity. performance of promises of bounty money, unpaid, &c. and accompanied their statement with a declaration, that till these were satisfactorily set- Queen Caroline was so much incensed at the tled they would not embark. They requested at conduct of the Scots in the affair of Captain Porthe same time that Lord Macdonald, the chief and teus, that she threatened to turn Scotland into a patron of the regiment, should be sent for to see hunting-park. The duke of Argyle replied “Then, justice done to them. An answer not having been please your Majesty, it is time I were gone down 'urned soon enough, or in the manner they ex-to collect my hounds." MACDONALD'S HIGHLANDERS, OR SEVENTY SIXTH REGIMENT. SPIRITED REPLY OF THE DUKE OF ARGYLE. HIGHLAND TENURE. with Rob Roy, who was to purchase the cattle, and drive them to England for sale, the duke and It was only in modern times that the Highland he advancing an equal sum; (10,000 merks each, chiefs deigned to accept charters for their lands; and they preferred the pride of holding them by best ox or cow was seldom twenty shillings ;) all a large sum in those days, when the price of the the valour of their clans. Macdonald, of Kep-transactions beyond this amount to be on credit. poch, after charters came in use, refused to com- The purchases having been completed, Macgregor ply with the custom, saying he did not choose to drove them to England; but so many people had hold his land in a sheep-skin. This proud inde-entered into the same speculation, that the market pendence proved unfortunate for his family, as it prevented their recovery of their lands, lost on for much less than prime cost. was completely overstocked, and the cattle sold account of their conduct in 1745, after the general pardon and amnesty had been granted. The estates went to a distant branch. ROB ROY. Robert Macgregor Campbell was a younger son of Mr. Macgregor of Glengyle, (a respectable family in Perthshire,) by a daughter of Campbell of Glenlyon, sister to the commander at the massacre of Glenco. He was born some time between 1657 and 1660, and married Helen Campbell, of the family of Glenfalloch. As cattle was at that period the principal marketable produce of the hills, the younger sons of gentlemen had few other means of procuring an independent subsistence, than by engaging in this sort of traffic. At an early period Rob Roy was one of the most respectable and successful drovers in his district. Before the year 1707, he had purchased of the family of Moutrose, the lands of Craigrostane, on the banks of Lochlomond, and had relieved some heavy debts on his nephew's estate of Glengyle. While in this prosperous state he continued respected for his honourable dealings, both in the Lowlands and Highlands. Macgregor returned home, and went to the duke, to settle the account of their partnership, and to pay the money advanced, with the deduction of the loss. The duke, it is said, would consent to no deduction, but insisted upon principal and interest. "In that case, my lord," said Macgre gor, "if these be your principles, I shall not make it my principle to pay the interest, nor my interest to pay the principal; so that if your Grace do not stand your share of the loss, you will have no money from me." On this they separated. No settlement of accounts followed; the one insisting on retaining the money unless the other would consent to bear his share of the loss. Nothing decisive was done, till the rebellion of 1715, when Rob Roy "was out," his nephew Glengyle commanding a numerous body of the Macgregors, but under the control of his uncle's superior judgment and experience. On this occasion the duke of Montrose's share of the cattle speculation was expended. The next year his Grace took legal means to recover his money, and got possession of the lands of Craigrostane, on account of his debt. This rendered Macgregor desperate. Determined that his Grace should not enjoy his lands with impunity, he collected a band of about twenty followers, declared open Previously to the Union, no cattle had been permitted to pass the English border. As a boon, or encouragement, however, to conciliate the peo-war against him, and gave up his whole course of ple to that measure, a free intercourse was allowed. The marquis of Montrose, created duke the same year, one of the most zealous partizans of the Union, was the first to take advantage of this privilege, and immediately entered into partnership regular droving, declaring that the estate of Montrose should in future supply him with cattle, and that he would make the duke rue the day he quarrelled with him. He kept his word; and for nearly thirty years, that is, till the day of his death, regularly levied contributions on the duke he had received, and was in the act of depositing and his tenants; not by nightly depredations and it in a press or cupboard; at the same time sayrobberies, but in broad day, and in a systematic ing, that he would cheerfully give all in the bag manner, on an appointed time, making a complete for Rob Roy's head. This notification was not sweep of all the cattle of a district; always pass-lost on the outside visitor, who instantly gave ing over those not belonging to the duke's estate, orders, in a loud voice, to place two men at each or the estates of his friends and adherents. And window, two at each corner, and four at each of having previously given notice where he was to the two doors, thus appearing to have twenty be on a certain day, with his cattle, he was met men. Immediately the door opened, and he walked there by people from all parts of the country, to in, with his attendant close behind, cach armed whom he sold them publicly. These meetings, with a sword in his right, and a pistol in his left or trystes as they were called, were held in differ- hand, and with dirks and pistols slung in their ent parts of the country; sometimes the cattle belts. The company started up, but he desired were driven south, but oftener to the north and them to sit down, as his business was only with west, where the influence of his friend, the duke Killearn, whom he desired to hand down the bag, of Argyle, protected him. and put it on the table. When this was done, he When the cattle were in this manner driven desired the money to be counted, and proper reaway, the tenants paid no rent, so that the duke ceipts to be drawn out, certifying that he received was the ultimate sufferer. But he was made to the money from the duke of Montrose's agent, as suffer in every way. The rents of the lower farms the duke's property, the tenants having paid their were partly paid in grain and meal, which was rents, so that no after-demand could be made on generally lodged in a store-house, or granary, them on account of this transaction; and finding called Girnal, near the loch of Monteith. When that some of the people had not obtained receipts, Macgregor wanted a supply of meal, he sent he desired the factor to grant them immediately, notice to a number of the tenants to meet him at" to shew his Grace, (said he,) that it is from him the Girnal, on a certain day, with their horses, to I take the money, and not from these honest men, carry home his meal. They met accordingly, who have paid him," After the whole was conwhen he ordered the horses to be loaded, and cluded, he ordered supper, saying, that as he had giving a regular receipt to his Grace's storekeeper got the purse he should pay the bill; and after for the quantity taken, he marched away, always they had drank heartily together for several entertaining the people very handsomely, and hours, he called his Bailie to produce his dirk, careful never to take the meal till it had been and lay it naked on the table. Killearn was then lodged in the duke's store-house, in payment of sworn, that he would not move, nor direct any rent. When the money rents were paid, Macgre- one else to move from that spot, for the space of gor frequently attended. On one occasion, Mr. an hour after the departure of Macgregor, who Graham, of Killearn, (the factor,) had collected thus cautioned him: "If you break your oath, the tenants to pay their rents, all Rob Roy's you know what you are to expect in the next men happened to be absent, except Alexander world; and in this"--pointing to his dirk. He Stewart, the Bailie. With this single attendant then walked away, and was beyond pursuit before he descended to Chapellairoch, where the factor the hour expired. and tenants were assembled. He reached the house after it was dark, and looking in at the window, he saw Killearn, surrounded by a number of the tenants, with a bag full of money which At another collection of rent, by the same gentleman, Macgregor made his appearance, and carried him away, with his servants, to a small island in the west end of Loch Cathrine; and having kept him there for several days, entertain- terror into the minds of the troops whom he often ing him in the best manner, as a duke's represen- defeated and out-generalled. tative ought to be, he dismissed him with the usual receipts and compliments to his Grace. In this manner did this extraordinary man live in open violation and defiance of the laws of his country, and died peaceably in his bed, when nearly eighty years of age. His funeral was attended by all the country round, high and low, the duke of Montrose, and his immediate friends, only excepted. How such things could happen, at so late a period, must appear incredible; and this, too, within thirty miles of the garrisons of Stirling and Dumbartor, and the populous city of Glasgow; and, indeed, with a small garrison stationed at Inversnaid, in the heart of the country, and on the estate which had belonged to Macgregor, for the express purpose of checking his depredations. The truth is, the thing could not have happened had it not been for the peculiarity of the man's character; for with all his lawless spoliations, and unremitting acts of vengeance and robbery against the Montrose family, he had not an enemy in the country beyond the sphere of their influence. He never hurt or meddled with the property of a poor man; and, as has been stated, was always careful that his great enemy should be the principal and the only sufferer. Had it been otherwise, it was quite impossible that, notwithstanding all his enterprises, address, intrepidity, and vigilance, | he could have long escaped, in a populous country, with a warlike people, well qualified to execute any daring exploit, such as the seizure of this man, had they been his enemies, and willing to do so. Instead of which, he lived socially among them, that is, as social as an outlaw, always under a certain degree of alarm, could do; giving the education of gentlemen to his sons, frequenting the most populous towns, and whether in Edinburgh, Perth, or Glasgow, equally safe, at the same time that he displayed great and masterly address in avoiding or calling for public notice. These instances of his address struck One of the instances occurred in Breadalbane, when an officer and forty chosen men were sent out after him. The party crossed through Glenfalloch to Tynedrum; and Macgregor, who had full information of all their movements, was with a party in the immediate neighbourhood. He put himself in disguise of a beggar, with a bag of meal hung on his back; (in those days alms were always bestowed in produce ;) went to the inn at Tynedrum, where the party was quartered, walked into the kitchen with great seeming indifference, and sat down among the soldiers. They soon found the beggar was a lively sarcastic fellow, when they began to attempt some practical jokes upon him. He pretended to be very angry, and threatened to tell Rob Roy, who would quickly show they were not to give, with impunity, such usage to a poor harmless person. He was immediately asked what he knew of Rob Roy, and if he could tell where he was. On his answering that he knew him well, and where he was, the serjeant informed the officer, who immediately sent for him. After some conversation, the beggar consented to accompany them to Crianlarich, a few miles distant, where he said Rob Roy and his men were, and that he believed their arms were lodged in one house, while they were sitting in another. He added, that Rob Roy was very friendly, and sometimes joked with him, and put him at the head of the table; "And when it is dark," said he, “I will go forward; you will follow in half an hour, and when near the house, rush on, place your men at the back of the house, ready to seize on the arms of the Highlanders, while you shall go round to the front, with the serjeant and two men; walk in, and call out that the whole are your prisoners, and don't be surprised although you see me at the head of the company." As they marched on they had to pass a rapid stream at Dalrie, a spot celebrated on account of the defeat of Robert Bruce, by Macdougal of Lorn, in the year 1304. Here the soldiers asked their merry friend, the beggar, to carry them through on his back. This he did, sometimes taking two at a time, till he took the whole over, demanding a penny from each for his trouble. When it was dark they pushed on, the beggar having gone before. The officer fellowed the directions of his guide, and darted into the house, with the serjeant and three soldiers. They had hardly time to look to the end of the table, where they saw the beggar standing, when the door was shut behind them, and they were instantly pinioned, two men standing on each side, holding pistols to their ears, and declaring they were dead men if they uttered a word. The beggar went out and called in two more men, who were instantly secured, and so on in the same manner with the whole party. Having been disarmed, they were placed under a strong guard till morning, when he gave them a plentiful breakfast, and released them on parole, (the bailie attending with his dirk, over which the officer gave his parole,) to return immediately to their garrison, without attempting any thing more at this time. This promise Rob Roy made secure by keeping their arms and ammunition, as lawful prize of war. Some time after the same officer was again sent after this noted character; probably to retrieve his former mishap. In this expedition he was more fortunate, for he took two of the freebooters prisoners, in the higher parts of Breadalbane, near the scene of the former exploit, but the conclusion was nearly similar. He lost no time in proceeding in the direction of Perth, for the purpose of putting his prisoners in jail; but Rob Roy was equally alert in pursuit. His men marched in a parallel line with the soldiers, who kept along the bottom of the valley, on the south side of Loch Tay, while the others kept close up the side of the hill, anxiously looking for an oppor-| tunity to dash down and rescue their comrades, if they saw any remissness, or want of attention on the part of the soldiers. Nothing of this kind offered, and the party had passed Tay bridge, near which they halted and slept. Macgregor now saw that something must soon be done, or never, as they would speedily gain the low country, and be out of reach. In the course of the night he procured a number of goat-skins, and cords, with which he dressed himself and his party in the wildest manner possible; and pushing forward before day-light, took post near the road-side, in a thick wood below Grandtully castle. When the soldiers came in a line with the party in ambush, the Highlanders, with one leap, darted down upon them, uttering such yells and shouts, as, along with their frightful appearance, so confounded the soldiers that they were overpowered and disarmed, without a man being hurt on either side. Rob Roy kept the arms and ammunition, released the soldiers, and marched away in triumph, with his rescued men. The terror of his name was much increased by exploits like these, which perhaps lost nothing by the telling, as the soldiers would not probably be inclined to diminish the danger and fatigues of a duty in which they were so often defeated. But it is unnecessary to repeat the stories preserved and related of this man and his actions, which were always daring and well contrived, often successful, but never directed against the poor, nor prompted in revenge, except against the duke of Montrose; and without an instance of murder or bloodshed committed by any of his party, except in their own defence. In his war against the Montrose family he was supported and abetted by the duke of Argyle, from whom he always received shelter when hard pressed, or, to use a hunting term, when he was in danger of being earthed by the troops. These two pow erful families were still rivals, although Montrose had left the Tories, and joined Argyle and the Whig interest. It is said that Montrose reproached Argyle, in the House of Peers, with protecting the robber Rob Roy; when the latter, with his usual eloquence and address, parried off the accusation, (which he could not deny,) by jocularly answering, that if he protected the robber, the other supported him. |