Tweet
To see what we've added to the Electric Scotland site view our What's New page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/whatsnew.htm
To see what we've added to the Electric Canadian site view our What's New page at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/whatsnew.htm
For the latest news from Scotland see our ScotNews feed at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/
Electric Scotland News
Sorry for missing last weeks newsletter but due to eye issues I was simply unable to read the computer screen. I was due to return from my Toronto weekend visit on the Monday but it was Friday before I could see well enough to drive home.
Obviously since the last newsletter the big news has been the result of the referendum in Scotland where the No's got 55% against the Yes's at 45%.
There will no doubt be many discussions of why the YES camp failed to get a majority and I'll provide my take on it for you...
You should note that the parties in Scotland are mostly center left leaning and so there was little input by center right parties. Previously there had been a poll asking which way people might choose if there was a referendum and in that there were two choices. 1. Devomax and 2. Independence. Devomax was the choice to remain in the UK but get more powers for the devolved Scottish Government and in that poll Devomax got 70% of the vote and Independence 30%.
In the lasr week or so of the campaign we saw rather bullying tactics by the YES camp against the NO camp and we also saw the three UK party leaders getting together to promise Scotland more powers if they stayed in the union which was also effectively led by former Prime Minister Brown on the labour site.
At the end of the day I believe the key factor was that not enough people trusted the SNP to govern an Independent Scotland. Many of the YES voters also didn't trust them but were prepared to gamble that somehow the SNP would not get an overall majority in the first election after Independence.
In my opinion the SNP has no idea how to run an independent country and have very little knowledge on what is needed to do that. The plans they had to retain the pound showed no vision on currency issues. They made several statements on immigration which would probably have meant border controls. There insistence on being a member of the EU meant we'd cede major powers of independence to them. And no willingness to discuss the alternative of EFTA, EEA and the Nordic Council all showed great ignorance.
At the end of the day this became a party fight and not enough people trusted the SNP due to their lack of vision and bullying tactics.
You might read the Scottish Review article at http://www.scottishreview.net/KennethRoy175.shtml
I have also mentioned that the SNP seem to be developing a Police State in Scotland and here is an article about that from earlier this year. Not mentioned in it is the more recent questionnaires given to Scottish children which takes 40 minutes to complete and includes questions such as "Do your parents argue?". This suggested even more draconian rules by the SNP.
See http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...tice-secretary
See http://www.electricscotland.com/inde...ndineurope.htm as a good paper discussing Scotland in Europe.
I personally spoke to a number of YES voters who expressed a somewhat relieved expression at the result and it was clear to me that a number of YES voters were gambling that the SNP wouldn't be in a majority after the first election after the vote.
And so there were many questions around the SNP's fitness to govern an Independent Scotland and I suspect younger voters just weren't aware of many of these issues when they voted. When you consider how many years the SNP has been fighting for independence it was strange how many powers they were prepared to give back to Westminster and the EU if they'd been successful. And it was also strange that they didn't have a better vision for what an independent Scotland could achieve.
I would further say that there is a very large gap in political representation. Only the Tory party represents the center right and they have been totally discredited in Scotland and in my view a new party should be formed to represent this large section of the Scottish electorate.
Personally I have no doubt that Scotland could be a successful Independent country but no vision was provided on how we might have achieved that. The YES camp was totally dominated by the SNP and I believe that was the main reason we ended up voting to retain the Union along with the total failure of our media to explore alternative visions for independence. It was like we had a party political fight instead of a fight for true independence and therein was the reason we voted to stay with the Union.
The Scottish media totally failed to engage the public on the issues or explore alternatives to the SNP vision. They must take a large part of the blame in my view.
So that's my take.
The Alex Salmond Story
Now that he has resigned as First Minister the BBC has done a feature on his life. You can view this at http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-29219165
SCOTS could be asked to vote in another, quick-fire referendum on independence
if new powers promised to Scotland are not delivered, Nicola Sturgeon warned yesterday at the launch of her bid to become SNP leader and First Minister. See:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/stur...no-2-1-3550894
Ezoic becomes first US headquartered Google Adsense Partner
Ezoic has been selected as the first North American headquartered Google Adsense partner. The Google Adsense partnership will enable Ezoic to work even closer with Google Adsense to maximize the revenue of all publishers using the Ezoic system. Ezoic publishers will also have access to support and tips for Google Adsense that are not available to others.
The goal of the Google Adsense partner program is to help Adsense publishers by certifying only the most trusted and effective companies. The certification is a rigorous process that includes vetting the company, advanced training for all staff and providing partners with dedicated support and access.
This was a press release by Ezoic and as you might know we are currently working with them to better run our site by trying out hundreds of different templates for mobile, tablet and desktop users. The goal is to increase visitor numbers and income and our 12 week trial of this system goes on to the end of October. This also means that when you visit our site you will likely see different styles displayed depending on the device you are using to visit the site.
At the end of the 12 week period we will then move to the best performing templates as our default but there will still be some tests down the road to try to continue to deliver a better experience to our visitors. So when you visit our site you are actually served up our content through the Ezoic templates.
Ryder Cup
As you read this the 2014 Ryder Cup will be starting in Gleneagles, Scotland. A wee video introduction can be viewed
at
Sam Torrence gives you a hole by hole guide at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/gol...leneagles.html
And explore the course at http://www.rydercup2014.com/the-course/
Electric Canadian
You are certainly going to get a Scottish fix this week with the two books I put up...
History of Prince Edward Island
By Duncan Campbell (1875)
The principal aim of the Author has been to produce a History of Prince Edward Island, which might claim some degree of merit as to conciseness, accuracy, and impartiality, from the period it became a British possession until its recent union with the other confederated provinces of British North America. With the view to secure these ends, it was necessary that not only all available books and pamphlets relating to the island should be attentively perused, and the correctness of their statements tested; but that a vast mass of original papers, hitherto unpublished, should be carefully examined. Application having been made to His Excellency Lord Dufferin, through Sir Robert Hodgson, the Lieutenant-governor of the island, permission was granted to examine all the numerical despatches. This task imposed an amount of labor which had not been anticipated, and which seemed incompatible with the production of so small a volume. The Author is aware that there lies in the French archives at Paris a large deposit of interesting matter bearing on the history of the Maritime Provinces, and it is to be hoped that it will soon be rendered accessible to the English reader.It was necessary that a considerable portion of the work should deal with the Land Question. To its consideration the Author came in comparative ignorance of the entire subject, and therefore unprejudiced by ideas and associations of which it might be impossible for a native of the island entirely to divest himself. The soundness of the conclusions arrived at may be questioned; but it can be truly said that they have not been reached without deliberate consideration, and an anxious desire to arrive at the truth.
The Author desires to express his special obligations for valuable matter to His Honor Sir Robert Hodgson, the Honorable Judge Pope, Professor Caven, Mr. Henry Lawson, the Honorable Judge Hensley, the Honorable Mr. Haviland, Mr. John Ings, Hon. Francis Longworth, Mr. J. B. Cooper, Mr. Arthur DeW. Haszard, Mr. Donald Currie, the Reverend Mr. McNeill, Mr. T. B. Aitkins, of Halifax, Mr. John Ball, Mr. F. W. Hughes, the Reverend Dr. Jenkins, Mr. Charles DesBrisay, Mr. J. W. Morrison, and others too numerous to mention.
The Honorable Judge Pope possesses rare and most important documents connected with the island, without which it would have been impossible to produce a satisfactory narrative, and which he at once courteously placed at the temporary disposal of the Author, rendering further service by the remarkable extent and accuracy of his information.
The Author has also to thank the People of Prince Edward Island, especially, for the confidence reposed in him, as proved by the fact of his having received, in the course of a few weeks, orders for his then unpublished work to the number of more than two thousand seven hundred copies,—confidence which he hopes an unprejudiced perusal of the book may, to some extent, justify.
Charlottetown, October, 1875.
You can read this book at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...tory/index.htm
Skye Pioneers and "The Island"
By Malcolm A. MacQueen (1929)
I am honored in being invited by the publishers to write a word or two in the form of an introduction to this most interesting volume from the pen of my good friend Malcolm A. Macqueen.
The author is a successful lawyer and man of affairs, as well as a facile writer, but he is more than that-he is a Highlander, with that pride of race surging through his blood-stream that has for years stimulated his people to high ideals and noble action-and that in brief has brought to the Gael the respect of all other peoples. Though three generations have separated him from the land of his fathers, the Isle of Skye, his enthusiasm has not grown cold, but rather have his affections for all that the Highlander stands for as a citizen of the Empire and a factor in the world's civilization been intensified. He combines with a strong admiration for the early Scottish Canadian pioneers, a mystical and spiritual love for all that is beautiful in life - a truly Hebridean characteristic.
The book will be received with a real joy not alone by his many friends throughout Canada and by his ain folk in his beloved Island home, Prince Edward, but by all who admire the perseverance, endurance and nobility of character displayed by those who faced the struggles of an unexplored land.
The narrative goes back to 1803 when Lord Selkirk arrived with his first Canadian settlement of Highlanders. Graphically and tenderly he takes up the story from the moment of the landing and traces his people in genealogical succession as well as their influence throughout all parts of the continent of America.
For this masterly labor of love no amount of research seemed too great or too tedious for the author. Indeed he has placed all of us whose hearts still go out in warmth to the old home across the seas, under a very deep obligation. While all other peoples manifest a regard for the place of their birth and the ashes of their fathers, it seems to me that in the Hebridean this worthy sentiment finds its most beautiful expression. Time and distance in his case do not weaken it-neither do generations efface it.
It was because of his admiration for those who set the path and blazed the trail that we are privileged to read a book of this nature-and a more worthy subject he could not have chosen.
Fortunate indeed is Canada or any other land that has among its intellectual citizens men like the author, who from the pressing exactitudes of professional, commercial and social life, take time to preserve memories that will always be an uplifting and patriotic influence.
You can read this book at http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...ioneersndx.htm
I might add that Prince Edward Island was my very first experience of Canada as I first set foot on Canadian soil. I documented my trip there at http://www.electricscotland.net/canada/ where I also took lots of pictures. However it should be noted that when I arrived they'd just had the heaviest fall of snow in there history! I was not really equipped for the cold so no hat or ear coverings or gloves. My ears were frozen and the tips of my fingers got frozen and it was six months before I got feeling back in them.
The Flag in the Wind
Given the comments in last weeks Flag that "Alex Salmond fought a brilliant referendum campaign. It is not his fault that the Scottish people did not vote for independence on this occasion," seems to be against the evidence and so it is going to be interesting to see where the Flag goes from this point on. Personally I hope they take the opportunity to question the status quo and profile new thinking about how Scotland could be run. Too many questions were deferred until the vote so simply weren't raised.
This weeks issue was compiled by Grant Thoms. I will say that his views mirror most of what the YES camp is saying that Salmond ran a great campaign. In my view he didn't and that is the root of the problem. Time to recognise that the SNP got it wrong and we need a new vision and the willingness to question SNP decisions rather than tamely accept their views.
Time to question things like...
1. Why are we so bound and determined to cede powers to the EU when EFTA, EEA and the Nordic Council would seem to be a better fit for Scotland?
2, Why were we so bound and determined to retain Sterling and why wasn't there any vision for a better system?
3. Why are we evolving into a Police State in Scotland with more police than we need, more armed police, more stop and searches and now quizzing our children as to what their parents do at home?
4. Why the SNP have poor knowledge of the International situation and what they can do to develop real practical knowledge of how the world works and how to build our own diplomatic core?
5. Why didn't the media in Scotland raise any of these questions prior to the referendum?
It is time some of these questions and others are explored so that the next time we get to vote we might actually get a YES vote.
You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org and no Synopsis this week.
Electric Scotland
Enigma Machine
Now have up puzzle 79 and 80.
An alternative to your crossword puzzle and created by a Scots Canadian, Doug Ross.
You can get to these at http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/enigma/
Communion Sunday
To which is added certain Discources from a University City by Andrew Kennedy Hutchison Boyd (1873).
Have now completed this book.
You can read it at http://www.electricscotland.com/bible/communion/
Glimpses of Church and Social Life in the Highlands in Olden Times
By Alexander MacPherson, FSA Scot. (1893).
Here is some of the account in Chapter V...Lachlan MacPherson of Buide, Chief of Clan Chattan - Cluny of the '45 which you might enjoy reading here...
“‘And when my weary eyes shall close,
By death’s long slumber blest,
Beside my dear-loved, long-lost home,
For ever let me rest.’
She spoke and died.
In yonder grave
Her dear remains are laid;
Let never impious murmur rise
To grieve her hovering shade.”
—The Wife of Cluny of the ’45.
28. Cluny and Breakachy Burial-place.
WE now come to the burial-place for many generations of the Macphersons of Cluny—the chiefs of Clan Chattan—and of their near relatives, the Macphersons of Breakachy. Within or near the present railed enclosure, although the fact is not recorded on any existing tombstone, there lie the remains of Lachlan Macpherson of Nuide, who on the death of his cousin in 1722 became, as heir male, Macpherson of Cluny and Chief of the Clan. He lived to a ripe old age, “venerable and respected throughout the whole country.” Breaking down with grief and disappointment on hearing the tidings of the sad disaster
On bleak Culloden’s bloody moor, the aged chief, within a very short time afterwards, sunk under the weight of the many misfortunes which then overtook the Cluny family. His wife was Jean, a daughter of Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, the Chief of the Camerons, a lady distinguished for her force of character. After her husband’s death in 1746, and the accession of her son to the chiefship, her jointure - house was at Ballintian of Nuide, and it is related that to her funeral a thousand men “ fit for battle ” assembled. When the cortege reached St Columba’s Churchyard, where her husband’s remains had been interred some years previously, the Gynack (a tributary of the Spey in the immediate vicinity of the churchyard) being at the time in high flood, the grave was found to be nearly filled with water. In place of being laid beside her husband, her remains were in consequence interred in the Middle Churchyard — some two hundred yards distant—and her grave is said to be near the northwest corner of the foundation of the church which at one time stood in that churchyard. The severance thus brought about of the remains of husband and wife gave rise, it was supposed, to such poignant distress on the part of the disconsolate chief that he could not rest in his grave, and it was firmly believed by some of the old natives that in the dead of night his ghost continually passed to and fro between the two churchyards. Only a very small portion of St Columba’s Churchyard was enclosed, and, in the recollection of many still living, the site of old “Jess Warren’s” house and garden formed part of what had in olden times been consecrated ground. The road to the present meal-mill was sacrilegiously made right through this ground, and the bed of the old mill-lade dug out among the graves. Before the bridge which stood near the present smithy was constructed, this stream had to be crossed by a ford. Here one dark night James Robertson, the miller and beadle of Kingussie, a worthy somewhat fond of the native mountain - dew, and well known to be of a very superstitious nature, and particularly timorous at night, was confronted by a wag from the village wrapped up in a white sheet. The “ghost,” with menacing voice, pretended to represent the departed chief, and thus remonstrated in the native vernacular with the terror-stricken beadle: “A Sheumais ! a Sheumais! is ole, is ole, a bhuin sibh riumsa agus ri Ino mhnaoi! Is flinch agus fuar mo chasan gach oidhche o’ tighinn g’a h-amharc anus a’ chladh eile ! C'arson, Carson nach do chitir sibh ri m’ thaobh i ? ” (i.e., “James! James! badly, badly have you used me and my wife! Wet and cold are my feet every night going to visit her in the other churchyard! Why, why did you not place her by my side?” Never afterwards, it is said, was the worthy beadle seen out of his house after dark.
The only son of Lachlan of Nuide was the famous Cluny of the ’45, who was born in 1706, and succeeded to the chiefship of the clan on the death of his father.
“Come, listen to another song,
Should make your heart beat high,
Bring crimson to your forehead,
And the lustre to your eye ;
It is a song of olden time,
Of days long since gone by,
And of a baron stout and bold
As e’er wore sword on thigh !
Like a brave old Scottish cavalier,
All of the olden time !
He had his castle in the north,
Hard by the thundering Spey;
And a thousand vassals dwelt around,
All of his kindred they.
And not a man of all that clan
Had ever ceased to pray
For the Royal race they loved so well,
Though exiled far away
From the steadfast Scottish cavaliers,
All of the olden time!”
In some letters addressed by the celebrated Simon, Lord Lovat, to Lochiel of the time, and contributed by the present Lochiel to the ‘Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness,' there is an amusing account given of the courtship and marriage of Cluny of the ’45 to Lord Lovat’s eldest daughter. The following letter “represents,” says Lochiel, “the lover as either very bashful or somewhat unskilful in his addresses, as he was a whole week at Beaufort without finding an opportunity of ‘popping the question’:”—
“My dear Laird of Lochiel,—As I sincerely have greater confidence in you than in many other men upon -the earth, you know, for several reasons that I have past grounds for this confidence that I have in you, this entire trust that I have in your friendship for me, and in your absolute honour and integrity and uprightness of heart, obliges me to send you this express to acquaint you that your cousine Cluny Macpherson came here, and after staying some days, he desired to speak to me by myself, which I very easily granted. After some compliments, he very civilly proposed to marry my daughter Jenyie, who is with me. I was truly a little surprised; I told him all the obligeing things I could think, and told him that I would never let my daughter marry any man if he was of the first rank of Scotland beyond her own inclinations. So that he must speak to herself before I give him any other answer than that I was obliged to him. But the house being very throng with strangers, he could not get spoke to her though he stayed a week here. I advised him to make his visit a visit of friendship, since he had not been here of a long time, and not to speak to her till he should make one other visit; and that in the meantime, since I had as great confidence in his cousine Lochiel as he had, that I would runn one express to you to know your opinion and advise, which he was pleased with, and said he would likewise write to you. I therefore beg of you, my dear cousine, that you let me know candidly and plainly your sentiments without the least reserve, as you know I would do to you. I am quite a stranger to the gentleman’s circumstances, only that I always heard they were not very plentiful. But whatever may be in that, as the connection that his family has with yours, was the motion that did engage me to do all the good offices in my power to all the Macphersons when they were much pursuite (?) by the Duke of Gordon, so that same argument disposes me to be civil to him, and whatever may happen in his present view, I am resolved to behave to him so kindly, so as to persuade him that I have a greater regard for him and his family on your account than I have for most people in the Highlands. The gentleman’s near concern in you, if people knew my writing, might construct it by going in headlong to this affair. But I assure you, my dear cousine, that the plain case is, that I am fully convinced that if he was your Brother, it would have no byass with you to advise me to an affair that would not be honourable and fit for my family, as I am fully convinced that you will send me the real sentiment of your heart, and let me know Clunie’s circumstances, which you cannot be ignorant off. And I declair to you upon honour that I will neither speak to my daughter, nor to any mortal, until I have your return to this. One of my great motives for giving ear to this affair is the view that I have, that it might unite the Camerons, Macphersons, and the Frasers as one man, and that such method might be fallen upon them as might keep them unite for this age that nothing would alter. But this desire will never make me agree to any proposition against my daughter’s inclination, or contrary to a reasonable settlement.”
The above letter is in duplicate, one copy autograph, the other written by an amanuensis, but both signed; one is dated the 10th, the other the 18th February 1742. To the latter is appended a postscript in the same handwriting as the holograph of the 10th. It is as follows :—
“I do assure you, my dear Cousin, that if circumstances answer in a reasonable manner, that I am in my own inclinations entirely for the affair. Adieu, mon cher cousin.”
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pses/index.htm
The Great Floods of August 1829
Added chapters XIX & XX. which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../floodsndx.htm
Songs of Scotland
Added pages 82 to 160 to the 4th Volume which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/music/cunningham/
Henry Dryerre
Added four more Worthies, James Y. Geddes, Rev. Wm. Herdmam, James M'Nab and James Crockart which you can read at:http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/dryerre/
Memorials of John Murray of Broughton
Added the Appendix and Index to complete this book which can be read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/charles/
Calendar Of Documents Relating to Scotland
Added Part 6 (1264 - 1272) to Volume 1 which can be read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/records/bain/
Clan Baird
Got told of a new web site for Clan Baird called "Baird Heritage" so have added a link to it from our Clan Baird page at:http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...toc/baird.html
I also got in a pdf document giving up to date information on the current state of the Baird clan which you can read on the same page.
Highland Rambles
And Long Legends to Shorten the Way by Thomas Dick Lauder (1837).
Have now posted up more articles from this book...
Comparatively Recent Destruction of the Forests
Mr. Russel and the Reaver
Scenery of the Finhorn
The Cairn of the Lovers
In the article on Findhorn you read...
Author.—I think that it in many respects surpasses all that you have hitherto seen. In truth, I know no river scenery in Great Britain at all to be compared in sublimity to that of the Findhom about Ferness. Indeed, it rises more into that great scale of grandeur exhibited by some of the Swiss gorges than any thing I have ever met with at home.
There is a YouTube video showing many scenes of this river which can be found by searching for River Findhorn on YouTube, It's around 50 minutes in playing time.
You can read these articles at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...uder/index.htm
Clan Leslie Society International
Got in the July 2014 newsletter which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/fami...ers/leslieint/
A look back at the life of Ian Paisley
As I have the complete 4 volume history of Ulster up on the site it seems only right to profile the death of Ian Paisley.
You can read this at
http://www.electricscotland.org/show...of-Ian-Paisley
Scotland-UN Committee
Got in another two papers, "Assessment of the International Situation" and "Appeal to the US Congress to Support Scotland’s Cause".
You can read these at: http://www.electricscotland.com/inde...scotlandun.htm
911
At this time of year we always like to remember the 911 event and all the people killed in it. At the time we did a tribute and said we'd always keep that on the site. Of course as I didn't do a newsletter last week you might have missed this but you can still read it at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/usa/terror_america.htm
Poems Issued a week before the Referendum
Stan Bruce sent is three short poems which we've added to his page under the above title. You can read them at:http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/banff/
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
Beth send in a special third section of her publication in time for the referendum and while I got it up didn't manage to highlight it in the previous newsletter which didn't happen.
You can see this at http://www.electricscotland.com/bnft
And Finally...
Some more stories from The Book of Scottish Anecdote...
ALEXANDER SELKIRK
Alexander Selkirk, who was rendered famous by ?lIons. de Foe, under the name of Robinson Crusoe, was born in Largo, 1676. His history, divested of fable, is as follows:-
Having gone to sea in his youth, and in the year 1703, being sailing master of the ship "Cinque Ports," Captain Stradling, bound for the South Seas, he Was put on shore on the island of Juan Fernandez, as a punishment for mutiny. In that solitude he remained four years and four months, from which he was at last relieved and brought to England by Captain Woods Rogers. He had with him in the island his clothes and bedding, with a firelock, some powder, bullets and tobacco, a hatchet, knife, kettle, his mathematical instruments, and Bible. He built two huts of Pimento trees, and covered them with long grass, and in a short time lined them with skins of goats which he killed with his musket, so long as his powder lasted (which at first was but a pound); when that was spent he caught them by speed of foot. Having learned to produce fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together, he dressed his victuals in one of his huts and slept in the other, which was at some distance from his kitchen. A multitude of rats often disturbed his repose by gnawing his feet and other parts of his body, which induced him to feed a number of cats for his protection. In a short time these became so tame that they would lie about him in hundreds, and soon delivered him from the rats, his enemies. Upon his return, he declared to his friends that nothing gave him so much uneasiness as the th0ughts, that when he died his body would be devoured by those very cats he had with so much care tamed and fed. To divert his mind from such melancholy thoughts, he would sometimes dance and sing among his kids and goats, at other times retire to his devotion. His clothes and shoes were soon worn, by running through the woods. In the want of shoes he found little inconvenience, as the soles of his feet became so hard that he could run everywhere without difficulty. As for clothes, he made for himself a coat and cap of goats' skins, sewed with little thongs of the same, cut into proper form with his knife. His only needle was a nail. When his knife was worn to the back, he made others as well as he could of some iron hoops that had been left on shore, by beating them thin and grinding them on stones. By his long seclusion from intercourse with men, he had so far forgot the like of speech, that the people on board Captain Rogers's ship could ·scarce understand him, for he seemed to speak his words by halves. The chest and musket which Selkirk had with him on the island are now (1790) in the possession of his grandnephew, John Selkirk, weaver in Largo.
SCOTTISH TROOPS IN 1642
I observed that these parties had always some foot with them, and yet if the horse galloped, or pushed on ever so forward, the foot was as forward as they, which was an extraordinary advantage. Gustavus Adolphus, that King of soldiers, was the first that ever I observed, who found the advantage of mixing small bodies of musquetters among his horse, and had he had such nimble strong fellows as these, he could have proved them above all the rest of his men. These were those they call Highlanders: they would run on foot with their arms. and all their accoutrements, and keep every good order too, and yet keep pace with the horses, let them go at what rate they would. When I saw the foot thus interlined among the horse. together with the way of ordering their flying parties, it presently occurred to my mind, that here was some of our old Scots come home out of Germany, that had the ordering of matters: and if so, I knew that we were not a match for them. I confess the soldiers made a very uncouth figure. especially the Highlanders, the oddness and barbarity of their arms seemed to have in it something remarkable. They were generally tall swinging fellows; their swords were extravagantly, and I think insignificantly broad. and they carried great wooden targets, large enough to cover the upper parts of their bodies. Their dress was as antique as the rest; a cap on their heads, called by them a bonnet, long hanging sleeves behind. and their doublet, breeches, and stockings of a stuff they call plaid, striped across red and yellow, with short cloaks of the same. There were three or four thousand of these in the Scots army, armed only with swords and targets; and in their belts some of them had a pistol, but no muskets at that time amongst them. - Defoe.
A PHILOSOPHICAL YOUTH
A little boy, wandering alone in the direction of some crags, tumbled over, but escaped unhurt, though a good deal frightened. When he came home he narrated the misfortune he had met with, and his sister said to him, "An' did ye greet when ye got up again, Johnny?" To which he replied "What wad hae been the use o' greetin' when there was naebody there to hear me?"
And that's it for this week and hope you all enjoy your weekend. I might add that as the nights are getting longer you might enjoy doing a few of our jigsaw puzzles which you can find at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/jigsaws/index.htm
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com/whatsnew.htm
To see what we've added to the Electric Canadian site view our What's New page at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/whatsnew.htm
For the latest news from Scotland see our ScotNews feed at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/
Electric Scotland News
Sorry for missing last weeks newsletter but due to eye issues I was simply unable to read the computer screen. I was due to return from my Toronto weekend visit on the Monday but it was Friday before I could see well enough to drive home.
Obviously since the last newsletter the big news has been the result of the referendum in Scotland where the No's got 55% against the Yes's at 45%.
There will no doubt be many discussions of why the YES camp failed to get a majority and I'll provide my take on it for you...
You should note that the parties in Scotland are mostly center left leaning and so there was little input by center right parties. Previously there had been a poll asking which way people might choose if there was a referendum and in that there were two choices. 1. Devomax and 2. Independence. Devomax was the choice to remain in the UK but get more powers for the devolved Scottish Government and in that poll Devomax got 70% of the vote and Independence 30%.
In the lasr week or so of the campaign we saw rather bullying tactics by the YES camp against the NO camp and we also saw the three UK party leaders getting together to promise Scotland more powers if they stayed in the union which was also effectively led by former Prime Minister Brown on the labour site.
At the end of the day I believe the key factor was that not enough people trusted the SNP to govern an Independent Scotland. Many of the YES voters also didn't trust them but were prepared to gamble that somehow the SNP would not get an overall majority in the first election after Independence.
In my opinion the SNP has no idea how to run an independent country and have very little knowledge on what is needed to do that. The plans they had to retain the pound showed no vision on currency issues. They made several statements on immigration which would probably have meant border controls. There insistence on being a member of the EU meant we'd cede major powers of independence to them. And no willingness to discuss the alternative of EFTA, EEA and the Nordic Council all showed great ignorance.
At the end of the day this became a party fight and not enough people trusted the SNP due to their lack of vision and bullying tactics.
You might read the Scottish Review article at http://www.scottishreview.net/KennethRoy175.shtml
I have also mentioned that the SNP seem to be developing a Police State in Scotland and here is an article about that from earlier this year. Not mentioned in it is the more recent questionnaires given to Scottish children which takes 40 minutes to complete and includes questions such as "Do your parents argue?". This suggested even more draconian rules by the SNP.
See http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...tice-secretary
See http://www.electricscotland.com/inde...ndineurope.htm as a good paper discussing Scotland in Europe.
I personally spoke to a number of YES voters who expressed a somewhat relieved expression at the result and it was clear to me that a number of YES voters were gambling that the SNP wouldn't be in a majority after the first election after the vote.
And so there were many questions around the SNP's fitness to govern an Independent Scotland and I suspect younger voters just weren't aware of many of these issues when they voted. When you consider how many years the SNP has been fighting for independence it was strange how many powers they were prepared to give back to Westminster and the EU if they'd been successful. And it was also strange that they didn't have a better vision for what an independent Scotland could achieve.
I would further say that there is a very large gap in political representation. Only the Tory party represents the center right and they have been totally discredited in Scotland and in my view a new party should be formed to represent this large section of the Scottish electorate.
Personally I have no doubt that Scotland could be a successful Independent country but no vision was provided on how we might have achieved that. The YES camp was totally dominated by the SNP and I believe that was the main reason we ended up voting to retain the Union along with the total failure of our media to explore alternative visions for independence. It was like we had a party political fight instead of a fight for true independence and therein was the reason we voted to stay with the Union.
The Scottish media totally failed to engage the public on the issues or explore alternatives to the SNP vision. They must take a large part of the blame in my view.
So that's my take.
The Alex Salmond Story
Now that he has resigned as First Minister the BBC has done a feature on his life. You can view this at http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-29219165
SCOTS could be asked to vote in another, quick-fire referendum on independence
if new powers promised to Scotland are not delivered, Nicola Sturgeon warned yesterday at the launch of her bid to become SNP leader and First Minister. See:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/stur...no-2-1-3550894
Ezoic becomes first US headquartered Google Adsense Partner
Ezoic has been selected as the first North American headquartered Google Adsense partner. The Google Adsense partnership will enable Ezoic to work even closer with Google Adsense to maximize the revenue of all publishers using the Ezoic system. Ezoic publishers will also have access to support and tips for Google Adsense that are not available to others.
The goal of the Google Adsense partner program is to help Adsense publishers by certifying only the most trusted and effective companies. The certification is a rigorous process that includes vetting the company, advanced training for all staff and providing partners with dedicated support and access.
This was a press release by Ezoic and as you might know we are currently working with them to better run our site by trying out hundreds of different templates for mobile, tablet and desktop users. The goal is to increase visitor numbers and income and our 12 week trial of this system goes on to the end of October. This also means that when you visit our site you will likely see different styles displayed depending on the device you are using to visit the site.
At the end of the 12 week period we will then move to the best performing templates as our default but there will still be some tests down the road to try to continue to deliver a better experience to our visitors. So when you visit our site you are actually served up our content through the Ezoic templates.
Ryder Cup
As you read this the 2014 Ryder Cup will be starting in Gleneagles, Scotland. A wee video introduction can be viewed
at
Sam Torrence gives you a hole by hole guide at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/gol...leneagles.html
And explore the course at http://www.rydercup2014.com/the-course/
Electric Canadian
You are certainly going to get a Scottish fix this week with the two books I put up...
History of Prince Edward Island
By Duncan Campbell (1875)
The principal aim of the Author has been to produce a History of Prince Edward Island, which might claim some degree of merit as to conciseness, accuracy, and impartiality, from the period it became a British possession until its recent union with the other confederated provinces of British North America. With the view to secure these ends, it was necessary that not only all available books and pamphlets relating to the island should be attentively perused, and the correctness of their statements tested; but that a vast mass of original papers, hitherto unpublished, should be carefully examined. Application having been made to His Excellency Lord Dufferin, through Sir Robert Hodgson, the Lieutenant-governor of the island, permission was granted to examine all the numerical despatches. This task imposed an amount of labor which had not been anticipated, and which seemed incompatible with the production of so small a volume. The Author is aware that there lies in the French archives at Paris a large deposit of interesting matter bearing on the history of the Maritime Provinces, and it is to be hoped that it will soon be rendered accessible to the English reader.It was necessary that a considerable portion of the work should deal with the Land Question. To its consideration the Author came in comparative ignorance of the entire subject, and therefore unprejudiced by ideas and associations of which it might be impossible for a native of the island entirely to divest himself. The soundness of the conclusions arrived at may be questioned; but it can be truly said that they have not been reached without deliberate consideration, and an anxious desire to arrive at the truth.
The Author desires to express his special obligations for valuable matter to His Honor Sir Robert Hodgson, the Honorable Judge Pope, Professor Caven, Mr. Henry Lawson, the Honorable Judge Hensley, the Honorable Mr. Haviland, Mr. John Ings, Hon. Francis Longworth, Mr. J. B. Cooper, Mr. Arthur DeW. Haszard, Mr. Donald Currie, the Reverend Mr. McNeill, Mr. T. B. Aitkins, of Halifax, Mr. John Ball, Mr. F. W. Hughes, the Reverend Dr. Jenkins, Mr. Charles DesBrisay, Mr. J. W. Morrison, and others too numerous to mention.
The Honorable Judge Pope possesses rare and most important documents connected with the island, without which it would have been impossible to produce a satisfactory narrative, and which he at once courteously placed at the temporary disposal of the Author, rendering further service by the remarkable extent and accuracy of his information.
The Author has also to thank the People of Prince Edward Island, especially, for the confidence reposed in him, as proved by the fact of his having received, in the course of a few weeks, orders for his then unpublished work to the number of more than two thousand seven hundred copies,—confidence which he hopes an unprejudiced perusal of the book may, to some extent, justify.
Charlottetown, October, 1875.
You can read this book at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...tory/index.htm
Skye Pioneers and "The Island"
By Malcolm A. MacQueen (1929)
I am honored in being invited by the publishers to write a word or two in the form of an introduction to this most interesting volume from the pen of my good friend Malcolm A. Macqueen.
The author is a successful lawyer and man of affairs, as well as a facile writer, but he is more than that-he is a Highlander, with that pride of race surging through his blood-stream that has for years stimulated his people to high ideals and noble action-and that in brief has brought to the Gael the respect of all other peoples. Though three generations have separated him from the land of his fathers, the Isle of Skye, his enthusiasm has not grown cold, but rather have his affections for all that the Highlander stands for as a citizen of the Empire and a factor in the world's civilization been intensified. He combines with a strong admiration for the early Scottish Canadian pioneers, a mystical and spiritual love for all that is beautiful in life - a truly Hebridean characteristic.
The book will be received with a real joy not alone by his many friends throughout Canada and by his ain folk in his beloved Island home, Prince Edward, but by all who admire the perseverance, endurance and nobility of character displayed by those who faced the struggles of an unexplored land.
The narrative goes back to 1803 when Lord Selkirk arrived with his first Canadian settlement of Highlanders. Graphically and tenderly he takes up the story from the moment of the landing and traces his people in genealogical succession as well as their influence throughout all parts of the continent of America.
For this masterly labor of love no amount of research seemed too great or too tedious for the author. Indeed he has placed all of us whose hearts still go out in warmth to the old home across the seas, under a very deep obligation. While all other peoples manifest a regard for the place of their birth and the ashes of their fathers, it seems to me that in the Hebridean this worthy sentiment finds its most beautiful expression. Time and distance in his case do not weaken it-neither do generations efface it.
It was because of his admiration for those who set the path and blazed the trail that we are privileged to read a book of this nature-and a more worthy subject he could not have chosen.
Fortunate indeed is Canada or any other land that has among its intellectual citizens men like the author, who from the pressing exactitudes of professional, commercial and social life, take time to preserve memories that will always be an uplifting and patriotic influence.
You can read this book at http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...ioneersndx.htm
I might add that Prince Edward Island was my very first experience of Canada as I first set foot on Canadian soil. I documented my trip there at http://www.electricscotland.net/canada/ where I also took lots of pictures. However it should be noted that when I arrived they'd just had the heaviest fall of snow in there history! I was not really equipped for the cold so no hat or ear coverings or gloves. My ears were frozen and the tips of my fingers got frozen and it was six months before I got feeling back in them.
The Flag in the Wind
Given the comments in last weeks Flag that "Alex Salmond fought a brilliant referendum campaign. It is not his fault that the Scottish people did not vote for independence on this occasion," seems to be against the evidence and so it is going to be interesting to see where the Flag goes from this point on. Personally I hope they take the opportunity to question the status quo and profile new thinking about how Scotland could be run. Too many questions were deferred until the vote so simply weren't raised.
This weeks issue was compiled by Grant Thoms. I will say that his views mirror most of what the YES camp is saying that Salmond ran a great campaign. In my view he didn't and that is the root of the problem. Time to recognise that the SNP got it wrong and we need a new vision and the willingness to question SNP decisions rather than tamely accept their views.
Time to question things like...
1. Why are we so bound and determined to cede powers to the EU when EFTA, EEA and the Nordic Council would seem to be a better fit for Scotland?
2, Why were we so bound and determined to retain Sterling and why wasn't there any vision for a better system?
3. Why are we evolving into a Police State in Scotland with more police than we need, more armed police, more stop and searches and now quizzing our children as to what their parents do at home?
4. Why the SNP have poor knowledge of the International situation and what they can do to develop real practical knowledge of how the world works and how to build our own diplomatic core?
5. Why didn't the media in Scotland raise any of these questions prior to the referendum?
It is time some of these questions and others are explored so that the next time we get to vote we might actually get a YES vote.
You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org and no Synopsis this week.
Electric Scotland
Enigma Machine
Now have up puzzle 79 and 80.
An alternative to your crossword puzzle and created by a Scots Canadian, Doug Ross.
You can get to these at http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/enigma/
Communion Sunday
To which is added certain Discources from a University City by Andrew Kennedy Hutchison Boyd (1873).
Have now completed this book.
You can read it at http://www.electricscotland.com/bible/communion/
Glimpses of Church and Social Life in the Highlands in Olden Times
By Alexander MacPherson, FSA Scot. (1893).
Here is some of the account in Chapter V...Lachlan MacPherson of Buide, Chief of Clan Chattan - Cluny of the '45 which you might enjoy reading here...
“‘And when my weary eyes shall close,
By death’s long slumber blest,
Beside my dear-loved, long-lost home,
For ever let me rest.’
She spoke and died.
In yonder grave
Her dear remains are laid;
Let never impious murmur rise
To grieve her hovering shade.”
—The Wife of Cluny of the ’45.
28. Cluny and Breakachy Burial-place.
WE now come to the burial-place for many generations of the Macphersons of Cluny—the chiefs of Clan Chattan—and of their near relatives, the Macphersons of Breakachy. Within or near the present railed enclosure, although the fact is not recorded on any existing tombstone, there lie the remains of Lachlan Macpherson of Nuide, who on the death of his cousin in 1722 became, as heir male, Macpherson of Cluny and Chief of the Clan. He lived to a ripe old age, “venerable and respected throughout the whole country.” Breaking down with grief and disappointment on hearing the tidings of the sad disaster
On bleak Culloden’s bloody moor, the aged chief, within a very short time afterwards, sunk under the weight of the many misfortunes which then overtook the Cluny family. His wife was Jean, a daughter of Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, the Chief of the Camerons, a lady distinguished for her force of character. After her husband’s death in 1746, and the accession of her son to the chiefship, her jointure - house was at Ballintian of Nuide, and it is related that to her funeral a thousand men “ fit for battle ” assembled. When the cortege reached St Columba’s Churchyard, where her husband’s remains had been interred some years previously, the Gynack (a tributary of the Spey in the immediate vicinity of the churchyard) being at the time in high flood, the grave was found to be nearly filled with water. In place of being laid beside her husband, her remains were in consequence interred in the Middle Churchyard — some two hundred yards distant—and her grave is said to be near the northwest corner of the foundation of the church which at one time stood in that churchyard. The severance thus brought about of the remains of husband and wife gave rise, it was supposed, to such poignant distress on the part of the disconsolate chief that he could not rest in his grave, and it was firmly believed by some of the old natives that in the dead of night his ghost continually passed to and fro between the two churchyards. Only a very small portion of St Columba’s Churchyard was enclosed, and, in the recollection of many still living, the site of old “Jess Warren’s” house and garden formed part of what had in olden times been consecrated ground. The road to the present meal-mill was sacrilegiously made right through this ground, and the bed of the old mill-lade dug out among the graves. Before the bridge which stood near the present smithy was constructed, this stream had to be crossed by a ford. Here one dark night James Robertson, the miller and beadle of Kingussie, a worthy somewhat fond of the native mountain - dew, and well known to be of a very superstitious nature, and particularly timorous at night, was confronted by a wag from the village wrapped up in a white sheet. The “ghost,” with menacing voice, pretended to represent the departed chief, and thus remonstrated in the native vernacular with the terror-stricken beadle: “A Sheumais ! a Sheumais! is ole, is ole, a bhuin sibh riumsa agus ri Ino mhnaoi! Is flinch agus fuar mo chasan gach oidhche o’ tighinn g’a h-amharc anus a’ chladh eile ! C'arson, Carson nach do chitir sibh ri m’ thaobh i ? ” (i.e., “James! James! badly, badly have you used me and my wife! Wet and cold are my feet every night going to visit her in the other churchyard! Why, why did you not place her by my side?” Never afterwards, it is said, was the worthy beadle seen out of his house after dark.
The only son of Lachlan of Nuide was the famous Cluny of the ’45, who was born in 1706, and succeeded to the chiefship of the clan on the death of his father.
“Come, listen to another song,
Should make your heart beat high,
Bring crimson to your forehead,
And the lustre to your eye ;
It is a song of olden time,
Of days long since gone by,
And of a baron stout and bold
As e’er wore sword on thigh !
Like a brave old Scottish cavalier,
All of the olden time !
He had his castle in the north,
Hard by the thundering Spey;
And a thousand vassals dwelt around,
All of his kindred they.
And not a man of all that clan
Had ever ceased to pray
For the Royal race they loved so well,
Though exiled far away
From the steadfast Scottish cavaliers,
All of the olden time!”
In some letters addressed by the celebrated Simon, Lord Lovat, to Lochiel of the time, and contributed by the present Lochiel to the ‘Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness,' there is an amusing account given of the courtship and marriage of Cluny of the ’45 to Lord Lovat’s eldest daughter. The following letter “represents,” says Lochiel, “the lover as either very bashful or somewhat unskilful in his addresses, as he was a whole week at Beaufort without finding an opportunity of ‘popping the question’:”—
“My dear Laird of Lochiel,—As I sincerely have greater confidence in you than in many other men upon -the earth, you know, for several reasons that I have past grounds for this confidence that I have in you, this entire trust that I have in your friendship for me, and in your absolute honour and integrity and uprightness of heart, obliges me to send you this express to acquaint you that your cousine Cluny Macpherson came here, and after staying some days, he desired to speak to me by myself, which I very easily granted. After some compliments, he very civilly proposed to marry my daughter Jenyie, who is with me. I was truly a little surprised; I told him all the obligeing things I could think, and told him that I would never let my daughter marry any man if he was of the first rank of Scotland beyond her own inclinations. So that he must speak to herself before I give him any other answer than that I was obliged to him. But the house being very throng with strangers, he could not get spoke to her though he stayed a week here. I advised him to make his visit a visit of friendship, since he had not been here of a long time, and not to speak to her till he should make one other visit; and that in the meantime, since I had as great confidence in his cousine Lochiel as he had, that I would runn one express to you to know your opinion and advise, which he was pleased with, and said he would likewise write to you. I therefore beg of you, my dear cousine, that you let me know candidly and plainly your sentiments without the least reserve, as you know I would do to you. I am quite a stranger to the gentleman’s circumstances, only that I always heard they were not very plentiful. But whatever may be in that, as the connection that his family has with yours, was the motion that did engage me to do all the good offices in my power to all the Macphersons when they were much pursuite (?) by the Duke of Gordon, so that same argument disposes me to be civil to him, and whatever may happen in his present view, I am resolved to behave to him so kindly, so as to persuade him that I have a greater regard for him and his family on your account than I have for most people in the Highlands. The gentleman’s near concern in you, if people knew my writing, might construct it by going in headlong to this affair. But I assure you, my dear cousine, that the plain case is, that I am fully convinced that if he was your Brother, it would have no byass with you to advise me to an affair that would not be honourable and fit for my family, as I am fully convinced that you will send me the real sentiment of your heart, and let me know Clunie’s circumstances, which you cannot be ignorant off. And I declair to you upon honour that I will neither speak to my daughter, nor to any mortal, until I have your return to this. One of my great motives for giving ear to this affair is the view that I have, that it might unite the Camerons, Macphersons, and the Frasers as one man, and that such method might be fallen upon them as might keep them unite for this age that nothing would alter. But this desire will never make me agree to any proposition against my daughter’s inclination, or contrary to a reasonable settlement.”
The above letter is in duplicate, one copy autograph, the other written by an amanuensis, but both signed; one is dated the 10th, the other the 18th February 1742. To the latter is appended a postscript in the same handwriting as the holograph of the 10th. It is as follows :—
“I do assure you, my dear Cousin, that if circumstances answer in a reasonable manner, that I am in my own inclinations entirely for the affair. Adieu, mon cher cousin.”
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pses/index.htm
The Great Floods of August 1829
Added chapters XIX & XX. which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../floodsndx.htm
Songs of Scotland
Added pages 82 to 160 to the 4th Volume which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/music/cunningham/
Henry Dryerre
Added four more Worthies, James Y. Geddes, Rev. Wm. Herdmam, James M'Nab and James Crockart which you can read at:http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/dryerre/
Memorials of John Murray of Broughton
Added the Appendix and Index to complete this book which can be read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/charles/
Calendar Of Documents Relating to Scotland
Added Part 6 (1264 - 1272) to Volume 1 which can be read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/records/bain/
Clan Baird
Got told of a new web site for Clan Baird called "Baird Heritage" so have added a link to it from our Clan Baird page at:http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...toc/baird.html
I also got in a pdf document giving up to date information on the current state of the Baird clan which you can read on the same page.
Highland Rambles
And Long Legends to Shorten the Way by Thomas Dick Lauder (1837).
Have now posted up more articles from this book...
Comparatively Recent Destruction of the Forests
Mr. Russel and the Reaver
Scenery of the Finhorn
The Cairn of the Lovers
In the article on Findhorn you read...
Author.—I think that it in many respects surpasses all that you have hitherto seen. In truth, I know no river scenery in Great Britain at all to be compared in sublimity to that of the Findhom about Ferness. Indeed, it rises more into that great scale of grandeur exhibited by some of the Swiss gorges than any thing I have ever met with at home.
There is a YouTube video showing many scenes of this river which can be found by searching for River Findhorn on YouTube, It's around 50 minutes in playing time.
You can read these articles at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...uder/index.htm
Clan Leslie Society International
Got in the July 2014 newsletter which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/fami...ers/leslieint/
A look back at the life of Ian Paisley
As I have the complete 4 volume history of Ulster up on the site it seems only right to profile the death of Ian Paisley.
You can read this at
http://www.electricscotland.org/show...of-Ian-Paisley
Scotland-UN Committee
Got in another two papers, "Assessment of the International Situation" and "Appeal to the US Congress to Support Scotland’s Cause".
You can read these at: http://www.electricscotland.com/inde...scotlandun.htm
911
At this time of year we always like to remember the 911 event and all the people killed in it. At the time we did a tribute and said we'd always keep that on the site. Of course as I didn't do a newsletter last week you might have missed this but you can still read it at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/usa/terror_america.htm
Poems Issued a week before the Referendum
Stan Bruce sent is three short poems which we've added to his page under the above title. You can read them at:http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/banff/
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
Beth send in a special third section of her publication in time for the referendum and while I got it up didn't manage to highlight it in the previous newsletter which didn't happen.
You can see this at http://www.electricscotland.com/bnft
And Finally...
Some more stories from The Book of Scottish Anecdote...
ALEXANDER SELKIRK
Alexander Selkirk, who was rendered famous by ?lIons. de Foe, under the name of Robinson Crusoe, was born in Largo, 1676. His history, divested of fable, is as follows:-
Having gone to sea in his youth, and in the year 1703, being sailing master of the ship "Cinque Ports," Captain Stradling, bound for the South Seas, he Was put on shore on the island of Juan Fernandez, as a punishment for mutiny. In that solitude he remained four years and four months, from which he was at last relieved and brought to England by Captain Woods Rogers. He had with him in the island his clothes and bedding, with a firelock, some powder, bullets and tobacco, a hatchet, knife, kettle, his mathematical instruments, and Bible. He built two huts of Pimento trees, and covered them with long grass, and in a short time lined them with skins of goats which he killed with his musket, so long as his powder lasted (which at first was but a pound); when that was spent he caught them by speed of foot. Having learned to produce fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together, he dressed his victuals in one of his huts and slept in the other, which was at some distance from his kitchen. A multitude of rats often disturbed his repose by gnawing his feet and other parts of his body, which induced him to feed a number of cats for his protection. In a short time these became so tame that they would lie about him in hundreds, and soon delivered him from the rats, his enemies. Upon his return, he declared to his friends that nothing gave him so much uneasiness as the th0ughts, that when he died his body would be devoured by those very cats he had with so much care tamed and fed. To divert his mind from such melancholy thoughts, he would sometimes dance and sing among his kids and goats, at other times retire to his devotion. His clothes and shoes were soon worn, by running through the woods. In the want of shoes he found little inconvenience, as the soles of his feet became so hard that he could run everywhere without difficulty. As for clothes, he made for himself a coat and cap of goats' skins, sewed with little thongs of the same, cut into proper form with his knife. His only needle was a nail. When his knife was worn to the back, he made others as well as he could of some iron hoops that had been left on shore, by beating them thin and grinding them on stones. By his long seclusion from intercourse with men, he had so far forgot the like of speech, that the people on board Captain Rogers's ship could ·scarce understand him, for he seemed to speak his words by halves. The chest and musket which Selkirk had with him on the island are now (1790) in the possession of his grandnephew, John Selkirk, weaver in Largo.
SCOTTISH TROOPS IN 1642
I observed that these parties had always some foot with them, and yet if the horse galloped, or pushed on ever so forward, the foot was as forward as they, which was an extraordinary advantage. Gustavus Adolphus, that King of soldiers, was the first that ever I observed, who found the advantage of mixing small bodies of musquetters among his horse, and had he had such nimble strong fellows as these, he could have proved them above all the rest of his men. These were those they call Highlanders: they would run on foot with their arms. and all their accoutrements, and keep every good order too, and yet keep pace with the horses, let them go at what rate they would. When I saw the foot thus interlined among the horse. together with the way of ordering their flying parties, it presently occurred to my mind, that here was some of our old Scots come home out of Germany, that had the ordering of matters: and if so, I knew that we were not a match for them. I confess the soldiers made a very uncouth figure. especially the Highlanders, the oddness and barbarity of their arms seemed to have in it something remarkable. They were generally tall swinging fellows; their swords were extravagantly, and I think insignificantly broad. and they carried great wooden targets, large enough to cover the upper parts of their bodies. Their dress was as antique as the rest; a cap on their heads, called by them a bonnet, long hanging sleeves behind. and their doublet, breeches, and stockings of a stuff they call plaid, striped across red and yellow, with short cloaks of the same. There were three or four thousand of these in the Scots army, armed only with swords and targets; and in their belts some of them had a pistol, but no muskets at that time amongst them. - Defoe.
A PHILOSOPHICAL YOUTH
A little boy, wandering alone in the direction of some crags, tumbled over, but escaped unhurt, though a good deal frightened. When he came home he narrated the misfortune he had met with, and his sister said to him, "An' did ye greet when ye got up again, Johnny?" To which he replied "What wad hae been the use o' greetin' when there was naebody there to hear me?"
And that's it for this week and hope you all enjoy your weekend. I might add that as the nights are getting longer you might enjoy doing a few of our jigsaw puzzles which you can find at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/jigsaws/index.htm
Alastair