Compts. to Mr John M'Donald and Mrs M'Donald, and to good Miss Gordon. Adieu, write me soon."

In 1804, when in his 11th year, Mrs Macdonald's youngest son, John, met with an accident, and began to show signs of fatuousness.

I have placed Major Simon Macdonald as the 9th of Morar, because, though he predeceased his father, he had been put in possession of the estate. He was succeeded by his eldest son

X. JAMES, who, in 1805, like his father and grandfather, betook himself to a military life, entering his father's regiment, as seen by the following letter addressed to his uncle, Colonel Coll Macdonald :

"Aberdeen, 28th September, 1805. "Sir, The Marquis of Huntly is extremely happy to acquaint you that he has now procured an ensigncy in the 92nd for your nephew, James Macdonald.

(Signed) "THOS. JOHNSTONE, Major of Brigade."

James Macdonald was sent abroad immediately, saw much service, and went through a deal of hardship. It was reported that he was killed at Corunna, but, in a letter from a friend of the family in Edinburgh, dated 31st January, 1809, it is said "There has been word from James Morar, who it seems has been lucky enough not to be at the Battle of Corunna. He says the army have lost in all 10,000 men in battle, and left on the road in retreat from fatigue; but it is said confidently that 4500 only have been lost. James Morar was in the rear on the march, and was skirmishing and retreating for three weeks."

James Macdonald returned home a major, and his mother, writing from Morar House, on 17th October, 1809, says her son Simon had a letter "from James. He is, I thank God, well. His regiment is at Woodbridge, in Suffolk. He is put into the Grenadiers as a mark of distinction."

His own views are well expressed in a long letter, dated Woodbridge, 18th October, 1809, from which I make an extract:“ I am now the representative of an ancient and honourable family, with hardly a vestige of property, but the name, with a family to support, and debts to be expunged. Providing for the one, and supporting the other, as becomes them, are my objects, and, with the assistance of God, I am determined to overcome all obstacles to effect them. The task is difficult."

Alas! that such high hopes should be frustrated. He shortly fell into ill health, and died at Edinburgh, after a lingering illness,

in the month of October, 1811. On 30th October a youth at college writes to Inverness-" Poor Morar was buried on Tuesday. They got a very bad day, for it incessantly rained all the time of the burial." The death of her eldest son, of whom she was justly proud, was a sad stroke to his mother, but she still had the comfort of her second son Simon. James Macdonald was succeeded by his brother.

XI. SIMON, 11th of Morar. He was intended for the profession of the law, and carefully educated, first by Mr Ewan Maclachlan, of Aberdeen, and afterwards at the University of Edinburgh. He was the favourite of his mother and only surviving sister. It may be imagined, therefore, what an overwhelming shock it was to these loving ones to hear that in April, 1812, barely six months after his accession, he was killed by the accidental discharge of his gun while visiting a relative in Moidart. Upon his way to shoot at Kinlochmoidart, Simon Macdonald stayed a night at the house of Irin. Starting off after breakfast on 22nd April, in health and spirits, he took up his gun, which had been placed over night against the wall behind a sofa. In doing this the gun went off, the contents penetrating his head, and, though he lived three hours, never spoke. Simon was succeeded by his only surviving brother,

XII. JOHN, 12th of Morar. He, as I have stated, showed signs of fatuonsness as early as 1804, and, by the time of his accession, had quite sunk into idiotcy. He attained his majority in 1814.

These unparalleled misfortunes left Mrs Macdonald with only one real comfort-her eldest daughter, Elizabeth. She, like her mother, was highly accomplished and well up to business. I cannot better illustrate this than by giving a paper drawn out and holograph of herself, early in 1814, in reference to certain accounts of cash and business, which had been laid before her mother and herself

"Memorandum as to the Accounts :

:

"A. These two Accounts, the £60 is not included in which he was due Mrs M.

"B. The Interest of Glengarry's Bond, which was due two years, he sent by Mr J. M. in 1809, which he puts right in his account, but in making up the Interest, he charged her Interest upon from 1807. And the Accounts he paid in the same way at

that time.

"C. These two accounts are the same, but that the agency is charged more in the last sent.

"D. This Account he has put John in place of Simon. In it he charges with an Interview with our Lamented Simon when he was in Morar. It was the day after his coming of age, the 14th of April, when every person knows that he was not at Inverness. In John's accounts he has charged the Postages much more than they are. As to mine, if he sends the vouchers I shall be satisfied."

Mrs Macdonald was destined to lose, and that very shortly, as I have said, her last comfort. Borrodale writes on 4th July,

1814:

"Dear Sir,-Mrs Macdonald, Morar, with her poor reduced family, arrived from Edinburgh on the 23rd of last month. Miss Macdonald was much reduced indeed, but she retained such spirits that I thought she might live a few weeks. The poor mother never despaired of her recovery until Thursday night last, late in the evening, and early on Friday morning she departed this life. The interment is to be on Thursday. You will easily conceive the distress of worthy Mrs Macdonald on losing her last hope and only comfort. I am happy to be able to say she bears this severe trial with a great degree of Christian fortitude, as much so as could be expected from any woman in her situation.-I am, dear Sir, yours very truly,

(Signed)

"Morar House, 4th July, 1814."

"JOHN MACDONALD.

Barisdale, writing same day from Auchtertyre, says: "I am just preparing to set off for poor Betsy Morar's interment. God help her distressed mother; few women have suffered more in the world, or borne her fate with more resignation and fortitude.”

In 1818, when certain formalities were to be gone through with regard to the management of the estate, an old friend writing by a messenger-at arms to Mr John Macdonald, priest of Arisaig, and to Mr Macdonell of Rhue, says "The bearer goes to cite John Morar, the remaining stock of my most affectionate friends, Major and Mrs Macdonald of Morar. That that family should have been so reduced is truly distressing to me."

Mrs Macdonald did not long survive. Glengarry, writing on 16th May, 1817, states-"He expects setting out for the West to attend the funeral of my poor cousin, Mrs Macdonald of Morar.” She left considerable means, Lord Medwyn, Mr J. A. Murray, afterwards Lord Murray, Wm. Macdonald of St Martins, and Alex. Macdonell of Rhue and Lochshiel, being her executors. Mrs Galbraith, daughter of Ranald Macdonell of Scotos, speaking in

1854, aged over 70, said "I lived for three years preceding Mrs Macdonald's death with her at Morar House." Space prevents my giving one of her numerous letters. Lord Murray, her maternal cousin, was appointed her residuary legatee, and though a great part of it was laid out by him for the benefit of the people, it did not prove a success. He erected a monumental tablet in one of the walls of Kilmoir chapel, with the following inscription:

"Sacred to the Memory

of

AMELIA,

Widow of Simon Macdonald of Morar,
Of their Daughter ELIZA, and Sons,
JAMES, SIMON, and JOHN.

The sorrows of a mother, borne with patience truly Christian, and the sad fate of her family, are here recorded.

R.I.P.

J. A. M., Posuit, 1843."

Colonel Coll Macdonald, only brother of Simon 9th of Morar, married Miss Frances Cochrane, and left an only child Mary. The Colonel, who was in very good circumstances, had to be placed under restraint in 1814, and died towards the close of 1817. Mary Macdonald married Angus Macdonell, commonly called "Angus Inch," from his farm in the Brae of Lochaber. Mr Eneas Macdonell, Morar, to whom I am much indebted for information in preparing this paper, describes Mrs Macdonell of Inch in these words, in answer to my specific enquiries, made in respect that she and her descendants became heirs of line of "Mac Dhughail ""Mrs Macdonell was regarded by every one who saw her as a very handsome and beautiful woman. She retained her good looks and graces to the last. She was little past middle life when she died. The old Macdonalds of Morar were, I have always heard, a good looking race. I am not sure whether Mrs Macdonell died before or after the family emigrated. My impression is that her death took place in this country. Mrs Macdonell was an elegant, agreeable, well-informed woman." I observe that in August of this present year, 1888, Archie, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Macdonell of Inch, died at Melbourne.

John, 12th of Morar, who died about 1832, was succeeded by his second cousin, of the Guidale family.

XIII. JAMES, 13th of Morar, also fatuous. He died about 1853, and the estate being destined to heirs male, he was succeeded by a very distant cousin of the Gerinish family, which had emigrated to America,

XIV. RANALD, 14th of Morar, who claimed through Alexander, 3rd son of Allan Mor, 4th of Morar. This Ranald's proof of propinquity was difficult, but it was assisted by a proof taken by an uncle Allan, in 1824-5. Some rather interesting facts which cropped out, may be mentioned. Speaking in 1824, Malcolm Gillies, in Cross of Morar, aged 75, says the Gillieses "had been long in Morar, and, as far as he had learned, were older in the country than even the family of Morar itself." In the same year, Donald Macdonald of Eignaig, in Moidart, aged 70 years, says"He is well acquainted with the genealogy of the family of Morar, and can give them from the Lords of the Isles." In 1825 Miss Margaret Macdonald, only sister of young Clanranald of the '45, was still alive, and residing at Ormiclate. Her father, Ranald Macdonald, in his youth styled of Benbecula, was born in 1692. Same year, 1824, Donald Macdonald, tenant in Iochdar of South Uist, said that in 1746, when Prince Charles Edward came to the country, after the battle of Culloden, he, Donald, was 18 years of age. In 1854, Donald Thomson at Druim-a-chaillich of Arisaig, aged 74, knew an old man, Donald Maceachin, who resided at Drumindarroch, and who died 20 years ago a very old man. Donald told him he was ten years old when Prince Charles was in hiding on the West Coast. I may mention that I have myself seen a gentleman who was six years old at the battle of Culloden.

Ranald, fourteenth of Morar, sold the estate to Mr Eneas Macdonell, grandson of Ranald Macdoneli of Scotas, whose trustees parted with it to an English family which had previously acquired the adjoining estate of Arisaig.

Thus Morar, which had never been out of the race and name of Macdonald since 1120, and the time of Somerled, was lost to them, but it is to be hoped not for ever.

22nd JANUARY, 1889.

SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL DINNER.

This evening the Annual Dinner of the Society was held in the Caledonian Hotel. In the absence of The Mackintosh, the Chief of the Society, who was unable to be present owing to the illness of Mrs Mackintosh, the chair was taken by Sir H. C. Macandrew, who was supported by Major Grant, Seaforth Highlanders; Captain Chisholm, Glassburn; Colonel Gostwyck Gard, Culaneilan House;