and write with the utmost confidence of the General Assembly's rule, the teaching of Gaelic first, of whose existence I did not know till I saw it in your queries, but according to which I acted with the most beneficial results as to mental cultivation and progress." His children, he adds, were generally able to read the Gaelic Bible tolerably at the close of their first year's attendance, when English was begun, but Gaelic was continued till thoroughly mastered. That after three or four years at school, the learning of the two languages became a pleasure, the English reading book was translated verbatim into Gaelic, and vice versa, and that children, now grown up in that parish, who began with Gaelic are the more correct speakers and writers. Under the present Code regulations it is necessary to begin a child at once to learn English, and after he is able to read tolerably, let him begin Gaelic reading in any of the easy primers published, continuing with an occasional lesson until he can read the Bible well. This exercise, along with oral translation from the very first, will amply repay the teacher in the increased intelligence of his scholars; but teachers cannot be expected to change their present system until they be paid for teaching Gaelic ; nor can we look for much improvement until Government sanction a few changes upon the code. Children in the Highlands ought to be "infants" till the completion of their eighth year; a pupil teacher ought to be allowed for the first 40 scholars, and one for every 30 additional. School Boards should be obliged to appoint at least one Gaelic-speaking teacher in every school, and a majority of the pupil teachers should have Gaelic as a prescribed exercise. An extended system of bursaries at schools and colleges ought to be established by subscription, and be held by the best scholars and pupil teachers. Inspectors, or their assistants, should have a competent knowledge of Gaelic, and I may also remark here, that all doctors, lawyers, procurators, sheriffs, judges, and all others besides, whose calling leads them to have intercourse with Highlanders, would find themselves placed on sure vantage ground, were they able to speak and write the good old language of ancient Alban. If, in this attempt, I have stated any facts, or made any suggestions, that may help onward the cause of Gaelic, and of its teaching in Highland schools, that may stimulate the lovers of our. ancient language to promote its culture, and advance the welfare of our countrymen in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, my labours shall have been well spent. TO CONTRIBUTORS.-" Brigadier Mackintosh of Borlum," by Alexander Mackintosh Shaw; "Pre-historic Names of Weapons," by Hector Maclean; "Sonnets descriptive of Lochawe," by Evan MacColl; and "An Echo of Celtic Etymologies," by Donald Macgregor, will appear in our May number. BOOKS RECEIVED." The Oranaiche" (Second Part); by Archibald Sinclair, Glasgow; and the "Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness," THE CELTIC MAGAZINE. No. XIX. MAY 1877. VOL. II. THE LAST SCENES OF FLORA MACDONALD'S LIFE, WITH A VARIETY OF COLLATERAL INCIDENTS. BY THE REV. ALEX. MACGREGOR, M.A. THE qualities and virtues of female life have not been so frequently developed as those of the opposite sex. This arises from the circumstance that the sphere in which Providence has more immediately appointed them to occupy is of a more domestic character. The virtues of female private life have seldom any record beyond that which is left in the esteem and affection of relatives and friends. Many of the most estimable, and perhaps the most valuable and worthy, of women have acquired no wide fame. Contented to fulfil their duties humbly, though ardently, their difficulties, their struggles, their devotedness, and their usefulness have been known but to comparatively few. Their unobtrusive virtues, however venerated in their own circle, have made but comparatively little claim upon public attention, and hence the world has but little acquaintance with their simple yet instructive history. To this, however, there are many honourable exceptions. Not a few of the fair sex have distinguished themselves in science, literature, the fine arts, and various other walks of life. Even of the positive heroic we have the brave, masculine deeds of the celebrated "Maid of Orleans”—a lady whose natural enthusiasm, if not rather wild fanaticism, carried her far beyond the bounds of legitimate duty. The subject of the present narrative was distinguished for her earnest and faithful devotion to the duties which she considered herself called upon to perform; and these duties she did perform amid severe trials and imminent perils. Her prudent measures, patient endurance, and active fortitude never appear to have forsaken her, nor did the hazard of her own life, from the cause which she had espoused, render her for a moment indifferent to the purpose which she had in view, or chill her benevolent exertions in the behalf of her fellow sufferers. The various hardships which fell to the lot of this gallant lady, in rescuing the unfortunate Prince, are already well known. Her subsequent trials, on account of the part which she took in the interest of the Royal fugitive, were no doubt such as have seldom fallen to the lot of an unprotected female to endure. She was brought to London (as will be afterwards described), where she was kept as a State prisoner for nearly twelve months. An Act of Indemnity was eventually passed, by means of which the brave heroine was set at liberty, and permitted to return to her native Highland hills. Greater attention could not be paid to any distinguished lady than was paid to her by all classes of the nobility, in the Metropolis and elsewhere; yet her gentle heart longed for the homely welcome which she knew awaited her from her friends in Skye, and in the Long Island. She was, as expressed by the bard of Ledaig,— 'G iarraidh dh' ionnsuidh sneachd nan ard-bheann, 'S creagan corrach tir a' cairdeis, Ged tha cluaintean Shasuinn aillidh, 'S mor gu'm b'-fhearr 'bhi measg nan Gaidheal. 'S iomadh buaidh tha, 'luaidh, riut sinte,— Nadur fiachail, fialaidh, finealt', Cridhe blath, le gradh air 'lionadh, 'S caoimhneas tlath do dh'ard 's do dh'iosal! Of these beautiful lines the following free version may be given: 'Mid the pomp of huge London her heart still was yearning What poet may praise her! her virtues to number, She is comely and kind, and of gracefulest greeting, And a heart with warm blood, and a pulse ever beating, Before Flora was taken from Skye to the great Metropolis, she had many difficulties to encounter. In a brief space of time the various movements of the Prince through Skye, Raasay, and other adjacent localities soon became public; and the fact of his having been harboured by friendly parties in those quarters soon aroused the energy and zeal of the Government -- officials against all who were known to give the least aid to the Prince for effecting his escape. Flora was considered the chief actor in this hazardous adventure. She had, however, a great number of stern coadjutors, and faithful accomplices. Among these were Clanranald and his lady,Donald Roy Macdonald, brother of Hugh Macdonald of Baileshear, in North Uist, Donald Macleod of Galtrigal in Skye,-Malcolm Macleod, -old Kingsburgh, and several others. Of all the Prince's friends, none could be more sincere and true to him in his misfortunes than the said Donald Macleod of Galtrigal. He was a shrewd and ingenious man, and capable of carrying out with great caution, whatever scheme he might have devised for the great object which he had in view. Hence, the more eager was the desire of the Government officers to get him captured, that he might stand trial for his offences. This was accomplished by a countryman of his own, Major Allan Macdonald of Knock, in Skye, an officer who had more opportunities than others of ferreting out Donald Macleod's movements. Major Allan, commonly called "Ailean a' Chnoic," was reputed to be a stern, cruel-hearted man, who had but few favourites in his native Isle. He treated the poor Jacobites in the Western Isles with uncalled-for severity, so that he was literally detested by most of his acquaintances, and particularly so by such as had embraced the Prince's cause. A certain priest in Uist, who cherished of course no brotherly love towards Major Allan, composed some verses to him of the most cutting and satirical description possible. Of these severe stanzas a few lines may be given for the amusement of Celtic readers. This pungent satire ran as follows: Ciod i do bharail air Ailean a' bheist? Cha teid e o'n bhaile gu'n iul as a dheigh, Bithidh claidh' air tarsuing, mar gu'n deanadh e tapadh, B'e sin cuinneag a' mhaistridh, is ceis phaisgte nam breug! Tha dubh-phuill uir Ailean a' Chnoic, 'S ait leam a chluinntinn air Ailean a' Chnoic, Donald Macleod was made prisoner in Benbecula by the said Major Allan Macdonald, and conveyed to London. On his release in June of the following year, he was presented by Mr John Walkinshaw of London, with a handsome silver snuff-box, beautifully chased and gilt. It remained, and likely still remains, an heirloom in the possession of his descendants. Donald Macleod was one of those well to-do farmers in Skye, who lived comfortably on their comparatively small tenements of land, and paid then from £30 to £60 of rent. This class of respectable farmers is now all but extinct. They were reckoned as gentlemen, and contrived to give good education to their children, by clubbing together, and employing tutors from the south to give instruction in all useful branches. Hence arose the fact that Skye, of all other localities in the Highlands furnished more officers for the army, and more to fill other high offices under Government, than any other province of its extent in the kingdom. When it became known for a certainty that Prince Charles had succeeded in making his way to the mainland, and in ultimately arriving in France, the Royal Forces scattered over the Western Isles became much excited that the object of their research had thus escaped. Greatly annoyed at the failure of their vigilance in guarding the sea-coasts of these rugged Islands, the commanders by sea and land became doubly aroused to make their best of an expedition now all but hopeless. They became determined to wreak their vengeance, if possible, upon the various actors in the stratagem by which the Prince had eluded their grasp. Kingsburgh's guilt in this great affair was discovered by the captain of one of the Government ships. That venerable old gentleman was consequently arrested, sent prisoner to Fort-Augustus, and thence to Edinburgh Castle, where he was treated with painful severity and cruelty for a whole year. All his precautions and plans for concealment proved abortive from an incidental circumstance that took place at the time. Two days after the Prince had left Kingsburgh, Captain Ferguson of the Government warship, sailed across from the Long Island, as the rumour had spread that the Prince had escaped to Skye, and he cast anchor at the Crannag, a harbour close by the Chamberlain's residence. He went ashore for the purpose of procuring some fresh provisions, and other requisites. He met a dairymaid attending some cattle in an adjacent field, and entered into conversation with her, as he did with all parties with whom he came in contact, in expectation of eliciting something relative to the subject of his search. The unsuspecting maid let fall some expression that arrested the Captain's attention as being something important, or might lead to it. He asked her if she had ever seen a man-of-war, and in the blandest terms, induced her to go on board the ship, to inspect all that could there be seen. The maid was treated with very much kindness, and was flattered by several nice presents. Captain Ferguson spoke Gaelic, and the young woman thought him the nicest and kindest gentleman she had ever seen. All the country news were asked, and every thing relative to her master, his name, his occupation, his family,-the name of the place, and such like familiar matters were freely discussed. The poor girl, ignorant of who her entertainer was, told him, with an air of pride, that she had seen Prince Charles, that he was a night at her master's house, and that his appearance pleased her much, but that he did not appear to her to be so kind as he himself was. She stated farther, that the Prince's shoes were all torn, and that he wore a cota-clo, that is a kelt coat, that belonged to Mr Allan, her master's son. This was all that Ferguson wanted, and by means of this imprudent disclosure, the Government officials obtained the first direct proof of the Prince's motions, and of the manner in which Kingsburgh had acted. On the day that the Prince left Kingsburgh House for Portree, the old gentleman, apprehending danger, crossed the hill to the east side of the Island, but his pursuers soon discovered him at a place called Lealt. Young Allan, however, managed all along to escape the researches of the Government officers, and consequently was never made prisoner, although active as any in the Prince's cause. Flora, on the other hand, with her natural gallantry, made no attempts to conceal herself, although she was well aware that she was diligently sought after. After having parted with 1 |