D.—2

8

same week, to bo taken on the way back from Fraserburgh. But Mr. Duncan was led by some one in Glasgow to put in Nairn on Friday, which I regretted, though I had been at Ellon, and had held a large meeting six or eight months before. I mention this, having been accused in a Canterbury paper of neglecting good places such as Ellon, Longside, &c, near Peterhead, and of visiting only a few contiguous places in the important county of Aberdeen. In reply, I will only say that it is impossible to go to every hamlet; that I had been at St. Fergus, Old Deer, Strichen, Ellon, and Cruden, all within hail of Peterhead, before that article was written in the aforesaid paper; and lastly, that I had about thirty meetings within the county at Tarland, Banchory, Alford, Kintore, Forgue, Huntly, Fyvie, New Deer, Turriff, Meldruin, Insch, &c, &c. My going to Kemnay, which was complained of, filled up an evening which could not be otherwise occupied; and small though the place be, I had a large meeting—very large for the place. But I need say no more on this point. We left Edinburgh on the 16th February, where Mr. Duncan and I had a splendid meeting on Saturday, 14th, under the presidency of a popular city councillor, Mr. Gowans. There were about 700 present, and an immense interest was created in New Zealand. Mr. Smith, recently appointed Agent for New Zealand in this city, testifies that that meeting lias borne, and is bearing, ample fruit. Owing to the general election, no meeting could be held in town or country during the previous fortnight, otherwise we should have gone to Aberdeenshire at an earlier date. During the latter portion of January and the first fortnight of February, there was a great correspondence to carry on. There was also a very much improved edition of my " Notes on New Zealand" to bring out. This involved more work than might bo thought of by those not conversant with the trouble of alterations —proof corrections, delays in printing office, &c., &c. However, the tract is much improved, and it has done and is doing good service—so I have been told by Mr. Smith here, and by others. We arrived at Inverurie on Monday, 16th, from Edinburgh, and held our meeting. Thence on Tuesday to Turriff; thence on Wednesday across country to Strichen; and thence to Fraserburgh. We had good meetings in every place. On Friday morning Mr. Duncan left for Nairn, more than 120 miles, and had, he tells me, a large meeting. Thence he got to Glasgow on Saturday. I went to Aberdour, and had a fine opportunity of addressing a meeting convened for another purpose on Monday. On returning to Edinburgh, where I arrived on Thursday, 26th, I sent packets of my " Notes" to Aberdour and to various other places ; also to Shetland, &c. Knowing West Eoss-shire very well and Skye, I planned a journey for Mr. Duncan and myself, taking those leading places we could manage within a week. I left Edinburgh on 7th March, and Mr. Duncan and I left Inverurie on Monday, 9th March. We had a meeting that evening at Loch Carron, which was numerously attended, though the snow was deep and falling heavily. Crossing Loch Carron by boat, we had a small meeting at Strome at mid-day, ere going on board the steamer for Broadford in Skye. Here we had a very good meeting, and from thirty to forty people at once said they would go. We intended to hire a trap, twenty-four miles, to Portree, but the snow storm was so severe, and the roads so much blocked up by snow, that the journey was utterly impossible. The following day we got the steamer to Plockton, where at night we had a large meeting. We got a boat up to Strome, five miles, about midnight, and came on next day to Inverness. The same afternoon we took a conveyance to Glenurquhart, fifteen miles south-west, where we had a large meeting in this beautiful but overpeopled glen. We returned about 1 a.m., and Mr. Duncan went on to Glasgow, leaving Inverness about 10 a.m. Saturday. Thinking it a pity to omit Portree in Skye, and Lochalsh on the mainland, I returned the following week to Skye, arriving on Tuesday night at Portree by steamer. Thence I went next morning to Kilmuir, twenty-four miles north, and held a meeting, returning on Thursday. I held a meeting, very well attended, at Portree, although a steamer, belated by a storm, somewhat interfered with its success. Next day (20th April) I came to Plockton, and walked to Balmacurrie; there met Mr. Watson, local factor to Mr. Matheson, M.P., who drove me several miles to the advertised place of meeting. The meeting had been in so far blundered here in a way I never imagined, and did not take place. I saw a considerable number of people, as a few did come about the hour of meeting, but I was in no condition to speak to them or to others, having an hour before, at Balmacurrie, received telegrams announcing the death of my next brother, Captain Barclay, H.M.s 102 nd Fusiliers, which had taken place on the morning of the previous day at New Brighton, in Cheshire, on his way to Naas, his regimental depot, near Dublin. I hurried to Edinburgh on the following day (Saturday, 21st), nearly 300 miles, and left for New Brighton on Saturday night. During the remaining eight days of the month, as may be imagined, I did no direct work for New Zealand, beyond writing a few necessary letters in reply to some received from Shetland and other places. On Monday, the 30th, I left for Naas, and on Good Friday, the 3rd of April, I arrived in Edinburgh, after encountering a severe storm on the Irish seas ; and I am now most anxious to leave for Shetland, in several parts of which there has been much talk about emigration, and in some places much more than talk. This is the fruits of my last year's work. I may forward one or two of my letters from Shetland, but meanwhile they are in Mr. Duncan's hands. The Americans have been very busy there. One of my correspondents tells me that, so far as he knows, they have secured only one family. In regard to Mr. P. Ross, at Plockton, it is only needful to say that he has done a considerable amount of work in Skye, and more recently in Applecross. The country, without any exaggeration, is frightfully difficult to travel in; unless a man has been there, he can have no conception of the extraordinary commingling of lochs —fresh and salt —of rocks and rugged mountains. As Mr. Ross has really been doing good service, and as the people have the more faith in him, as being a Highlander, and knowing the Gaelic language, I have given him during the last quarter the sum of £10, the AgentGeneral having said to me that he would pass a small sum to Mr. Boss in my accounts. I should not be astonished if Mr. Ross be the means of sending at least 200 to New Zealand before Ist October. I may send extracts from one or two of his letters. Edinburgh, 10th April, 1874. P. Baeclat.