TALES FROM BODE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 75

TALES FROM BODE.

Br Bod act.

IV.— SIR THOMAS DICK-LAUDER, BARONET; OR, "'TIS SIXTY .YEARS SINCE." Sixty years ago the subject of the following reminiscences was, in Scotland, a name to conjure by. He was intimately associated with three counties, Morayshira, and East and Mid Lothian. His connection with Bode and the other Western Isles, and with the Kyles of Bute, and the Western lochs existed only during the later years of his distinguished literary career, when he held the appointment of secretary to the Commissioners for Regulating the British Fisheries, an Edinburgh Board acting under the Treasury, and having the control of the herring and other fisheries on all the British Isles, but principally for those on the coasts of Scotland and the Isles. It was in these latter years of Sir Thomas's life that I, Bodach, had the great pleasure and privilege of being a good deal in his society — he being an elderly gentleman, and I not yet emerged from my teens. The Board of British Fisheries had (besides the use of two gun brigs) under its sole direction one cutter "of over 100 tons, and having a crew of 20 men. At the time in question — namely, the year 1841, a new vessel had been built in Steele's yard, Greenock. Having been launched about the time of the birth of Queen Victoria's first child, she was called the Princess Royal, and was known colloquially in the western lochs as the Rothesay cutter, because Rothesay Bay was her headquarters, and the officers and crew wero mostly natives of and residents in that royal burgh, most of us. indeed deriving our inspirations under the shadow of the walls of its ancient royal castle. Since, in my first Tale from Bode, I promised to write something about Sir Thomas Dick-Lauder, I have been taking steps to collect material. Had I known where to find such an ancient dame, I should have been^tempted to follow the example of Saul who visited the witch of Endor, and said, " Call me up Samuel."' Failing such a remembrancer, I have been in correspondence with sundry friends who knew Sir Thomas, and I" have been putting my own wits and brains to call me up the fond incidents of my youth. I did indeed keep a journal consisting of letters written to my mother (the penny postage had then just come into use), but that MS. has, alas, disappeared by fire in the A'icissitudes of New Zealand life. One thing I recollect. I was one day sitting at the cabin table writing my journal, when Sir Thomas kindly asked "What have you got there, Robert? " Ftold him it was a- little journal. He looked over it, made some friendly criticisms, and said, " Persevere • in doing so; it was by such work that I first learned to write with facility." For the friend of my youth was indeed both a copious and a, very distinguished writer. He may be said to have been, albeit pari passu, a follower in ..the distinguished footsteps of Sir Walter Scott. The tlieme of the writings of both of these eminent men was their beloved native land and its history : O Calecfbnia! stern and -wild, Meet nurse for a poetic child. I cannot pretend to give the readers of the Otago Witness a full catalogue of Sir Thomas Dick-Lauder's writings, but I can from recollection name some of them. I have in my wilderness- home few books to refer to, so I may make a few inaccuracies as to dates and such like minutise. About 1830 the country lying between Inverness and Aberdeen had been visited with veryheavy floods. Sir Thomas had at that time a seat at Relugas, in Morayshire. The graphic and interesting account which he wrote of these "Morayshire floods," and published' in, I think, an Edinburgh periodical, attracted the attention of literary men and archajologists. His other books -were, inter alia, "The Wolf of Badenoch," " Lochandhu," "Highland Rambles,"' "Legendary Tales of the Highlands," the two latter being in the form of a tour in the hills in company wjth Clifford, an English gentleman, Sir John M'Pherson-Grant, of Ballindaloch and Invereshie, one of the Gor-don-Cummings of Altyre, and sundry men of local lore with whom the tourists foregathered as they proceeded on their explorations. As they travelled onwards or halted, tired, for the night, legends more or less fabulous were recounted and commented upon. A local dominie proved a great acquisition. lam informed lliat these " Highlands Legends " were republished in one volume under that title in 1880, but I do not know the publisher's name. I may state that the original edition of "Highland Rambles" -of which I possess an author's presentation copy, was dedicated to John, Duke of Argyll (grandfather of the present duke), the author's life-long intimate friend, and the latest surviving of four dukes, the sons of one mother, who was herself one of the beautiful Miss Gunnings, and who married successively the two Scottish dukes of Hamilton and Argyll, leaving to each noble family two sons, who all four inherited the highest honours of their respective houses. When the Eglinton Tournament took place in August, 1859, Sir Thomas was selected to write an account of that memorable field, and a very handsome volume was the result. And here let me claim the privilege of a garrulous old man, and say that I, too, was present at the tournament. One point with reference thereto I should like cleared up; -which I daresay some one of your readers can do. for me. The principal event of the tournament occurred on the last, the third, day of the display. The knight of the red lion was unhorsed by the lord of the tournament. The latter personage was, of course, the Earl of Eglinton himself. I have always been in the belief that the knight of the red lion was Prince Louis Napoleon, then a needy refugee living in Ayrshire, and afterwards Emperor of the French. I have observed, I think in a recent number of Longman's Magazine, that Andrew Lang says that the knight of the red lion was the (mad) Marauess of Water- [ :

ford. Andrew is most probably correct, bu I should like to know for certain which o us is right. Another national function, the recording of which was entrusted to Sir Thomas, "wa Queen Victoria's first visit to Scotland. Th Royal party came in 1842 by sea from Lon don to Lcith. The only royal yacht ii those da3~s was a sailing ship called thi Royal George. There were very fey steamers in those daj-s, .and as usual th< Royal Navy had only inferior craft, one— the first, I think, being a sore of gunboa> called Radamauthus (Auglice : the devil': pot boy). None were fitted to carry Roya' personages. The Royal George had a sad .«tormy voyage, and took many days going the 400 miles. If I recollect right, she wa< taken in toy/ by a mercantile steamer. A1 all events, the refurn trip southwards was made with the aid of the Trident, a vert well-equipped steam vessel of the Genera] Steam Navigation Company, which ordinarily traded between Leith and London in some 48 hours. I recollect Sir Thomas telling us that he sent the proofs before publication to the Queen and her Royal husband for revision. Sir Thomas had related that during the terrible voyage in the Roya] George Prince Albert was seasick, but her Majesty stood the s1 orm. very. well. When the proofs came back to the author an important alteration had been made, and the Royal personages had changed places in the above sentence. ■ Such was the dear Queen's loyalty to the husband of her youth when: she took upon her own shoulders the not unwomanly character of being herself a bad sailor. And now in 1901 we see how-his-tory repeats itself, and that the mercantile steamship Ophir is used for the Heir Apparent^ cosmopolitan voyage in preference to any vessel of the Royal Navy. But perhaps I ought to proceed to describe the thiee months' voyage amongst the Western Isles and the Orkneys and Shetlands, during which I was in daily intercourse with the subject of this tale. Sir Thomas had been but recently appointed Secretary to the Board of British (Fisheries, and the commissioners considered it a very fitting thing that he should make an inspection of the coasts of Scotland on board their new cutter the^ Princess Royal. With us, also officially, was Mr James Wilson, one of the Fishery Commissioners, a learned naturalist and an author himself ; also a notable angle, as witness his treatise on the rod in the volume published under the name of " The Rod and the Gun." When I add that Mr Wilson was own brother to Professor John Wilson (," Christopher North'") I need scarcely add that he was of a very talented family. My own position on board was- clerk and accountant to the commander, it being considered that such an appointment was requisite, as his vessel and his guests would absorb all Captain John Stewart's time. He was a native of Bute (or Bode), and with many of his crew claimed descent from the first Stewart King of Scotland and the immortal hero, Bruce. No person was more popular in Loch Fyne and all along the western lochs than_ this amiable gentleman, and no person more welcome at the hospitable dwellings of the lairds and lords of the West Country ; , for they all knew for certain that they and their families would, if public duty permitted, have a nice sail on board the Rothesay cutter, and yachts were then infrequent. Many tokens of friendship were bestowed on Captain Stewart, which form valued heirlooms among his numerous descendants,' of whom some 50 reside in New Zealand at the present day. But I must here not omit to enter a further parallel between the two baronets beforementioned. Sir Walter Scott was the first baronet of his line, and had v hfi lived into the later Victorian era he would surely have been ennobled. Sir Thomas DickLauder's title .was of older creation. He was a baronet of Scotland and Nova Scotia, the creation dating well back into the seventeenth century. Sir Thomas claimed some modified right of ennoblement, maintained that his order had still a land claim on some portion of Nova Scotia, and always addressed his letters to his wife, " The Honourable Lady Dick-Lauder," the " Honourable " being in right of her husband being a baronet of Scotland and Nova Scotia. It is pretty certain that, had Sir Walter Scott been alive in 1842, he would have been selected to be the historian^of the Royal tour, but as the Great Wizard of the North, the genius who had decked Scotia's brow for ever with an immortal wreath of poesy and national romance, had departed this life 10 years earlier, the next best litterateur was fixed upon in Sir Thomas Dick-Lauder, whose book on the subject was, like all his writings, a success and a most interesting record. Sir Walter was by 15 years the senior, and both died a little over 60 years of age. A further very remarkable coincidence as connecting these two distinguished baronets is that they both made voyages round the north of Scotland, between the Forth and the Clyde. In the wreface to "The Pirate" Sir Walter" states that in 1814 he sailed in the Pharos, the supply vessel of the Northern Lighthouses Board. The voyage was from the Forth to the Clyde, the opposite direction to that taken by us 27 years thereafter. Now, if you ! transpose the two figures at the end of 1 the year of Sir Walter's voyage, you get i our year. 1841. The story of "The* Pirate" I is about Norna, of the Fitful Head, aud the two beautiful sisters, Minna and Brenda, and is well worthy the perusal of all who love Norse and other ancient lore. When we passed the Fitful Head, the southern promontory of the Shetland Isles, I recollect, as we were tossed about Sumburgh Roost, for it was very stormy, Sir Thomas recounted to us less-informed voyagers the whole of Scott's narrative, amending it on only one point of history — namely, that whereas Scott would seem to claim for Norna a real existence, he, Sir Thomas, had ascertained that Norna was only a supposititious character. We found afterwards, on j getting to Lerwick, the capital of Shetland, ' and on questioning the Rev. Dr Barclay, the parish minister, a great authority on Shetland lore, that Sir Thomas's view was correct, and was the universal belief of the most ancient inhabitant^. Six Walter's,

t making Norna a relative to the two young >f ladies of the tale, v/ho are real personages, is manifestly a mistake. y ' It was in the month of August, 1841, s that we set sail from Greenock. We ane chored for the night in llothepay Bay. .- | Next day the secretary, Sir Thomas, and l ! Mr Wilson, the commissioner, entered on. c j their official duties, saw Mr Mouatt, the t ; fishery officer, and were conducted round s ! the numerous herring-curing establishments -I of the Royal burgh. They also visited the b ' old Royal Castle of Rothesay, in which kings 3 | have both lived and died, and from which 1 i the Heir-apparent to the throne of the Brit- , ! ish Empire derives his chief title in the I'> peerage of Scotland — namely, Duke of 3 j Rothesay. And I. "Bodach," for one. cannot; b ' see why that title and the higher dignity of j J Prince of Scotland are nevei used -j by his Royal Highness, the Prince L i now in our midst, seeing, they are both of - them his inheritance, just as much as the i ; dukedoms of Cornwall and York. If thesa - j remarks should haply meet the eye of the • • other Scottish duke who is now acting aa . ; the Prince of Scotland's equerry, perhaps I j his Grace may- see fit to- ask "the Royal I , Duke how it is that his Royal Highness is • travelling under two of his minor titles, L ' inasmuch as Prince is a higher title thai* duke. i i Tc return to " Tis Sixty Years Sine© " ; . the two visitors Jikewise visited Kean's • cottage, a romantic gem- of a residence on the banks of Loch Fad, in Bute, where i Kean sought retirement from the cares of sock and buskin. While they were on ; shore, a distinguished visitor came on board, m-less a personage than Christopher North. ! It fell to my lot to do the honours of her Majesty's deck and cabin. Well do I remember the burly picturesque figure, the flowing sun-kissed locks and the radrant .smile as this Edinburgh professor of moral philosophy, accompanied by a lady, his daughter, I think, came up* the gangway. He took an interest in the accommodation provided for his brother James, who, he told me, was rather careless, of personal comfort. I said I should see that Mr Wil-so-i was always supplied with warm stockings when required. The professor's' genial presence is with me still, and I can think of one or more New Zealanders of the pre- . sent day who might, if required, personate ] him. Leaving Rothesay Bay, our next port j was Lach Ryan. We tacked- down the outer 1 Firth of Clyde, past romantic Arran and j Ailsa Craigh, that uninhabited rock in the I fairway of vessels bound for Glasgow, which I gives a name to a seabird and a title to a. I marquis, whose more hospitable abode, Cul- ! zean Castle, the home of the Kennedys, lies • along the adjoining coast of Ayrshire. Having reached Loch Ryan, the two gentlemen 1 landed at Stranraer, transacted inspection duty, and were the guests for the night of the Earl of Stair, at Culhorn. I may mention that there existed an intimate friendship between Sir Thomas and the Dalrvmple family. Sir Thomas's eldest &on, afterwards j Sir John, married a daughter of Mr North Dalrymple, a: future Earl of Stair. Both. ! families were of Whig politics, and Sir i Thomas had been of great service to hia I party. H& tolH us that Lord Melbourne, j the British Premier, had offered him the 1 govemoi'ship of a North American colony, but, having a large family of daughters, he felt obliged to decline the high honour. [ The objection might not have applied in . these later days, when noblemen of high. j rank occupy gubernatorial office in the coloj nies and bring their Avhole families with. '• them. From Stranraer we crossed over to j thvi sister isle and landed on the Giant's 1 Causeway. That wonderful natural basaltic | pavement had been very much run upon for j specimens, and the most-sided pillar, called the Keystone — with. I think, eight sides, was lowered by depredators below the level of the other paving pillars which form the close causeway. We next called at Loch Indaal, in the Scottish Island of Islay, th<? birthplace- of many a puncheon of ■whisky. The trade is now carried on on the mainland of 'Kintyre, where at Campbslltown, under tlfe Messrs Greenlees, oceans of mountain dew are transformed into thafc potent spirit' which circulates *the wide world. At Bowmore, in Islay, is a perfectly circular parish church, built probably by some descendant or admirer of John o' Gioat, 'n that worthy's style of architecture, where we were privileged to hear gospel truth, without, however, the embellishment of any in- " strumental music, the feist of whistles having been from- the times of John Knox until ? short time subsequent to oui visit an unknown quantity in Scottish worship. The- Laird of Islav was then .of the old Argyll-Campbell stock, and we spent a most agreeable afternoon with the family of the chieftain. Alas, that an old, highly respected family should now have fallen into obscurity! The son of ■ thft house, Johnnie I&lay, the beau ideal of a stalwart young Highland chieftain, afterwards became celebrated in literature, became an attache of Royalty and was permitted to retain the style of Campbell of Islay up to his death, a few years ago at Windsor Castle. Proceeding onwards, the Princess Royal was found one fins morning at anchor off the Island of Colonsay, where we visited the venerable and honoured chief of the M'Neills. The personal appearance of Colonsay, the laird, still lives in my memory. His large family of sons attained probably the highest distinction of any family in Scotland. One of them, Sir John M'Neill, ■was our ambassador to the Peisian Court, and a learned orientalist. There was a relationship between our Mr James Wilson and the family. I think Sir John's first wife was a sister of the Wilsons. Sir John afterwards married Lady Emma. Campbell, only sister of the late Duke of Argyll. The yoTmgest son, Duncan M'Neill, was a distinguished lawyer, rose to the highest rank in the profession as Lord Justice General,

i The. southerly buster at its height, With -wind and rain and sleet, Is bound to give us every night Wet clothes and cold damp feet. Bad coughs and colds must then prevail, We'll try to make them fewer, And take a dose of ne\er-fail — Some Woods' Geeat Pepperaiikt Cuus>

and was raised to the peerage as Baron 'Colonsay, of Colonsay, the elder brothers permitting him to become, by purchase, the head of the clan. A young grandson of old Colonsay himself, a youth about my own callow age. I -also very well recollect. We were then only a few hours in each other's company, and I have no doubt at that time neither of us formed a very exact estimate of each other. This world is, astronomically speaking, only a small •spot of space, and the two youths of 1841 were destined to meet again in 1893. This was at Wanganui, to which place "Bodach"' Ihad journeyed to assist at the wedding of a niece, and where he found young Colonsay developed into Captain M'Neill and settled as a really model farmer and progressive colonist. We shall probably meet again be,fore crossing the river. I rather think we called at Ob'an ; but then, I was so often at anchor in that very deep bay — now r become, ■with its railway privileges, the tourist •entrepot of the "Western Highlands — that 1 ■do not remember whether this was one of "the times or not. I recollect, however, going 'through the Sound of Mull and entering Koch Snnart. where some visitors came on "board who "had evidently spent most of their days amongst their native heather. "One of them, a Mr Maclachlan, having visited the quarters of the crew and seen the cooking galley, amused us by his -unsophisti'.cated remark : "I see you keep up the old 'Highland fashion, the fire in the middle of 'the floor." And here I must go back still earlier than "60 years since. Four years earlier, I was in the Sound of Mull — it must have been "in July oi August, — when a passing vessel comnrunicated the important intelligence that King William was dead, and we were now all under the reign of Queen Victoria, a. girl of JLB summers ; the passing skipper adding prophetically, "Her winters have yet to come !" I should ere this have recorded that, over and above the official reports to the "Honourable Fishery Commissioners and the Lords of the Treasury, Mr Wilson wrote a book in two volumes. The author was the very eoul of humour : we all found him a great resource on a wet day, when the weather confined us on board. He had such a fund of humour, that even the most stolid of us — for we sometimes had eight or ten in the -sabin — did not miss a copious library, although the thoughtful Sir Thomas had taken care to send on board a tolerably -good supply of books, notably Captain "Maryatt's works, which I got pretty well off by heart. Mr Wilson's narrative was •published in 1842, at Edinburgh, and -was called "A Voyage Round the Coasts of -Scotland and the Isles," by James Wilson, I\R.S.E. It was so full of fun that one ■would almost think it was -a record of -a pleasure trip. So thought Joseph Hume, 'JM.P., the radical economist, who asked in the House of Commons whether the First Lord of the Treasury could .give some explanation of fchis pleasure "trip, which he ' understood had been performed in a Government vessel at the axpense of the public. The First Lord replied that "the highly, en--tertaining tmd instructive work of -Mr Wilson was his owd doing, and the work of his own exuberant fancy, and that the Honourable' Member for Montrose would find in the Blue Books the highly learned and important reports of Sir Thomas Dick-Lauder and Mr James Wilson. It was for the latter, the scientific reports upon fishery matters, that the voyage was undertaken, and her Majesty's Government were well 'satisfied that they had got value to the full for all the costs incurred." I may state that ■the anatomical and philosophical investigations of Mr Wilson during our voyage, and ths official reports of himself and Sir Thomas, which were based upon these investigations, formed a fund of information upon which all fishery legislation was for very many years founded and enacted. .The ■popular book written by Mr Wilson is profusely embellished with sketches by Sir ! Thomas who was an indefatigable and very proficient sketcher from Nature. He filled' eight books. The sketches were done in pencil and afterwards filled over in iDk. Sir Thomas >asked me 'to ink over some one day, but I was so slow and timorous lest I should spoil them, that he said I was taking too great pains. He added that he took •these numerous, sketches so that when he got home to his dear ones and his friends, the •drawings would aid his desci-iptions. Sir Thomas sketched in all weathers, and many ' a drenching 'his sketchbook -got from the rain or the salt. sea spray, as he stood midway up the companion ladder robed £n sou'wester and oilskin coat. The following tribute of appreciation is copied from the preface of Mr Wilson's book: "I have endeavoured to dwell chiefly on whatever matters may be regarded as of general interest, the special objects of our more professional inquiries being discussed in separate reports which Sir Thomas Dick-Lauder and myself have already had the satisfaction of laying before the honourable commissioners. My bos'; thanks are due to the gentleman just' named, not only for the use of his sketchbooks, from which ths illustrations of the present volumes have been mostly drawn, but for access to his journal. By consulting the latter my own impressions have been strengthened and refreshed, and my chief regret now is that one so much "more able than myself to do justice to the subject, ] both with pen and pencil, should have been .prevented by 'other and more important avocations iron undertaking the task." Theso volumes of Mr Wilson are profosely embellished from Sir Thomas's sketchbooks. -Unfortunately I have not the volumes, otherwise I might exercise my limited knowledge of photography by sending sotne -to the Witness, along with thefe remarks. Proceeding on northwards, we rounded [Araamurch&n Point, the most western land of the Maud of Great Britain, and passed Loch Moidart and Loch Sheil. At.

Borrowdale, on Loch Shell, was unfurled the standard of Charles Edward, claiming to be Prince of Wales and Scotland, in August 1745. Passing still north, we entered Loch Hourn and transacted fishery business. Next, entering the inner Sound of Skye, that is, the Kyles between Skye and the mainland, as distinguished from the "Minch," or outer jouruU -sre came to Ejrleakin, the official

abode of Mr Angus Mackintosh, fishery officer. Many of the older readers of the Otago Witness who hail from those romantic regions will recollect this old gentleman. He was zealous in the performance of his duties, but very matter of fact. He had evidently not been nursed by "0 Caledonia, stern and wild," for he was anything but a "poetic child." In these farnorthern parts of New Zealand, I have met with only one native of Skye. a Mr Munio. who personally, in his youth, of course, knew Mr Mackintosh. This was very interesting to me. especially as Mr Munro recollected also our commander, Captain John Stewart. Of both, Mr Munro spoke in the highest terms of appreciation. I do r.ot kiiow how long the land officer survived the ordeal of our visit. bu( I doubt not he is now numbered with the blessed. Captain Stewart died in 1860, surviving his retirement on pension only one cr two years. His age then was 74. How I recollect his, age so exactly is that he was one of three coevals. At one point of our voyages, the (second) Duke of Sutherland came on board from his Grace's own yacht. Comparing ages with It's intimate friend, Sir Thomas, and with the captain it appeared that they were all three born in the fame year — 1786. At Portree, TScalpa, Dunvegan. and TRaasay, we heard many traditions of Dr Johnson's Highland tour, as also of Bonnie Prince Charlie's inroad to claim his rights ; , but as I am allowed (am I?) columns, and not pages, I must uot at present enter upon these interesting subjects. As regards ths later tour, T am but a poor specimen of a Boswell, recounting my acquaintance with a gentleman whom I cannot rate lower than Johnson, though thej' stood on different platforms. For one thing, my task is easier, for I have not to vindicate the honour and glory of Scotland against the assaults of my hero. At Dunvegan Castle we spent a few days. "Mr Tolmie, an English agriculturist of portly size, had lately leased from the chief of the Macleods an extensive tract of country, and was showing good results. He complained, however, of the lack of sunshine. The Macleod himself was a very old acquaintance and endeared ally of our Sir Thomas. Their sons had been educated together by an Oxford tutor, at Dunvogm. On a previous visit Sir Thorn-is had found the English tutor well qualified in classic; and other college lore, but wofully deficient in the pronunciation of the English language. He remarked to the visitor, "1 never znw zuch a pleass as this ; never zee the zun's fea^s." The Macleod and Sir Thomas agreed, however, that their sons ran no risk of contamination, as the local English dialect was too pronounced to be ■either admired or imitated. Dunvegan Castle is a grand old pile, situate near the shores of the loch of that name, on the south-west part of Skye. the> largest island of the Hebrides. Near it, to the southward, is a bare, barren tract' of mountains called Guillen. The word Guillen means hclly. and it would seem strange that t!:ese mountains should be so called. A few remains of -what may have been a forest of this prickly bush still are to be found in sheltered places, as if to attest an eipired dominance. In writiDg thus far about my voyage in company with Sir Thomas Dick-Lauder. ~1 find, as I travel over again, in sjiirit, the journey of 60 years ago, that the reminiscences crowd up so plentifully that I shall proceed no further, but wait to &cc how what I have .already written looks "in print. I have -yet to relate the incidents of our voyage to TJist, Barra, lone ot. Ivilda, Sfcornoway, Thurso, Orkney. Shetland (seeing on Papa-Stour the sword dance of the Knights of Christendom), Wick, Cromarty, and along the East Coast of Scotland to the Pirth of Forth ; also of our return journey through the Caledonian Canal, w!>ore we were fortunate in witnessing at "the Longman," Inverness, the annual meeting 4 n October, 1841, of the Caledonian games, at which a stalwart Saxon lord, afterwards advanced in the peerage to -be Earl of Dudley, won — or was, by Highland politeness, allowed to win — the contest of the clans in the "tossing of the caber."'