Rollock Sutor of Duncrub; Henrie Durhame in Falow; John Pitcairns at the Mylne of Kilour; David Arnot of Incheok ; Lawrence Narne of Alliefargie; Archibaid Herring of Drimmie; and Archibald Campbell of Persar (Persie). Dilatit for Assaging of the Place of Assintullie, and taking of Audro Spalding of Assintullie committit in the month of November in the year of God 1597. Perserwar Mr Thomas Hammiltoun advocat.

"The advocat producet his Maiesties Warrand for continewation of the dyett, to the XV. of December nixtocum. The Laird Arbokie and William Wodsumtyme of Latoune, now of Banblane, David Campbell of Denheid, William Chalmer of Drumlochy, Archibald Herring of Drimmig, offerit them to assyse, and dissassentit to the continewationne; quhair upoune they askit instrumentis, John Pitcarne att the Mylne of Inver Kelour askit instrumentis. The samin day John, Earl of Atholl, oft times callit as cautioner and souirtee for Sir James Stewart of Auchmaddies, &c., to haif enterit and presentit thame, &c., was unlawit for nocht entrie of the said Sir James, &c., for ilk ane of thame in the pane of 500 merks; lykeas the said persons principall wer adjudget to be denuncit rebellis, and put to the horne, and all their moveable guidis escheit as fugitives."

The Robertsons of Struan made a raid this year on Glenbrierachan, and carried off a lot of spoil, for which damage one of the tenants complained to the Privy Council five years afterwards, viz. "At Perth, 7th August, 1602. Complaint by William M'Gillemcyle, in Glenbarrachan that five years ago Duncan M'Ewane Bayne, in Camvoran, with his accomplices, tenants of the Laird of Struan, reft from him five mares worth

twenty pounds each. The pursuer, appearing by Finlay Fergusson, in Baledmund, and the Laird of Struan being himself present, the said procurator having offered that if Struan would hold Duncan off his lands, the complainant would never crave. Struan for the goods libelled. Struan accepts this condition.— "Privy Council Records, Vol. VI., page 447."

1598. Whatever the market price of horses was at this time in Strathardle, I find the tenants could always put a good value on them when stolen by raiders from the neighbouring clans. We have just seen that in the previous year a Glenbrierachan tenant claimed £20 each for his horses from Struan. Now we find in this year a Straloch tenant claiming double-£40--for a "red pyat mare," eight years old, from the Campbells of Breadalbane, as will be seen from the following extract from the Privy

Council Records (Vol. VI., p. 462):-" Perth, 9th Sept., 1602. Charge had been given to Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenorchy to enter John M'Gillevorich at the Beate of Finlarig, his man to answer a complaint by Fergus M'Coull in Straloch of reif, from him, furth of his lands of Straloch four years ago, of a black mare four years old worth thirty pounds; a red pyat mare eight years old worth forty pounds; a brown horse two years old worth twenty; and a black mare worth twenty merks. The pursuer appearing personally, and Sir Duncan Campbell, by Robert Campbell, his son, and procurator, the order is to denounce Sir Duncan for not entering his said man."

At this time the feud between the Robertsons of Straloch and the Spaldings of Ashintullie was at its height, so that when these two powerful barons-the natural leaders and defenders of the. district were at feud with each other their outside enemies had a better chance of raiding and plundering the country, an opportunity of which their warlike and restless neighbours took full advantage, as we have already seen from the number of forays made from all quarters on Strathardle about this time.

So bitter did this feud become now, and so great the slaughtering and plundering that the Privy Council had to interfere, and by an Act of Caution, dated Edinburgh, 17th Feb., 1598, John Robertson of Straloch became surety for £500 for his three leaders--John M'Coneill, alias Duncanson, in Larig; John Adamson (M'Adie or Fergusson), younger in Larig; and John Reid, alias Fleming, in Minoch, not to harm Andro Spalding of Ashintullie or David Spalding-P.C. Records, Vol. V., p. 714. And on 10th March, Henry Balfour, procurator, registered at Edinburgh a bond by James Wemyss of Weriemyln for Andrew Spalding of Ashintullie, £1000, not to harm John Robertson of Straloch, John Robertson, his son, John Fleming in Menoch, John M'Intoshe in Lair, and John Adamson there; whilst Spalding himself gave a bond to same effect, in 300 merks each, for Edwin Cunnyson, Robert Malcolm, Donald M Wattie, Gillandreis, and John Mitchell-all in Ashintullie; John M'Indewar in Dallwoid; Patrick Grant, John M'Allane, Andrew Spalding, Donald M'Condoquy, and John M'Cairtney-in Dalhaugan; and John M'Coneill Grassick, in Spittal, not to hurt John Robertson or his men.

ANNUAL ASSEMBLY.

The Twenty-third Annual Assembly of the Society was held in the Music Hall, Inverness, on Thursday evening, 11th July, 1895. There was a large attendance of members and the public. Sir H. C. Macandrew discharged the duties of the chair in place of the late Chief, Field-Marshal General Sir Patrick Grant, and he was supported on the platform by Colonel Macpherson, Inverness; Colonel Macdonald, Portree; Provost Ross, Inverness; Provost Macpherson, Kingussie; Mr Chas. Innes, solicitor; Mr William Mackay, solicitor, honorary secretary of the Society; Mr Steele, banker; Mr Alex. Fraser, president of the Gaelic Society of Toronto; Mr Fraser of Merlewood; Rev. Dr A. C. Macdonald, Inverness; Mr Alex. Mackenzie, of the Scottish Highlander; Mr Dawson, president of the Caledonian Society, Dunedin; Mr Wm. Mackenzie, clothier, Inverness; Mr P. G. Macdonald, Mile-end; Mr Crerar, Kingussie; Mr R. F. Matheson, Harris; Mr Duncan. Mackintosh, secretary. The party were played on to the platform by Pipe-Major Ronald Mackenzie, piper to the Society, who had come specially from Gordon Castle to be present at the Assembly.

The Secretary intimated that apologies for absence had been received from the following, among many others :-Mackintosh of Mackintosh, Cluny Macpherson of Cluny, Mr Duncan Forbes of Culloden; Mr Lachlan Macdonald of Skeabost; Mr J. E. B. Baillie of Dochfour; Mr R. B. Finlay, Q.C.; Rev. Dr Stewart, Nether Lochaber; Captain Chisholm, Glassburn; Mr John Mackay, Hereford; Sheriff Davidson, Drummond Park; Sheriff Campbell, Stornoway; Rev. Robert Blair, Edinburgh; Major Jackson of Swordale; Mr John Henderson, Fortrose.

Sir Henry C. Macandrew, who was cordially received, said he had to thank the Society for asking him to preside on that occasion. He desired to congratulate the members upon the Society attaining its twenty-third year, when it appeared to be in such a flourishing condition. The Society had not only to be congratulated upon its large membership and the successful meetings held during the year, but it had also to be specially congratulated upon the records to be left to future generations of the work done by it. They were all aware that annually the Society published a volume of its Transactions. These Transactions werə very valuable. They contained a great deal of information which was of permanent interest, not only to this district, but to Highlanders all over the world. They were also of interest to scholarship, as evidenced by the interest manifested in them by

Continental scholars. He thought they might congratulate themselves upon the great amount of Celtic literature which had been inspired by the Society, and if there was criticism he might venture to offer it would be this, that an attempt might be made to endeavour to trace and record in the Transactions not only the genealogies of the Highland families, but also the social condition and general history of the Highland people. That had been to some extent neglected, and it was desirable that they should have every possible contribution to show the state of society in this. country a long time ago, what kind and manner of men they were, and how our remote ancestors lived., So far as his (Sir Henry's) researches had gone, he had arrived at the very confident opinion that their ancestors were not by any means barbarous or savage that they were not very far different from what they found in the far remote Highlands at the present time; and that they led not a more useful life but perhaps a more joyous life than their descendants did now. Another point was that the Inverness Gaelic Society had left its mark upon the history of the country. It had been mainly instrumental in resisting the proposal to abolish the tartan in connection with the Cameron Highlanders. He suggested that they might influence their young men to join their Highland regiments which had such distinguished records. He concluded by wishing success to the Society, and he hoped he might live for many more years to be present at their annual assemblies.

In the course of the proceedings, the Chairman introduced Mr Alexander Fraser, president of the Gaelic Society of Toronto, who delivered the Gaelic address. He said :

Fhir-na-cathrach inbheach, agus a mhnathan 's a dhaoin'uaisle,―Tha e 'na thoil-inntinn nach beag dhomhsa a bhi 'giulain thugaibh ceud mile failte agus deagh run bho bhur co-luchdcinnidh ann an Canada. Tha mi g'a mheas na shochair a bhi fa 'r comhair an nochd, eadhon ged nach ann air mo sgath fhein,. ach air sgath tir mo dhualchuis a chuir sibh an t-urram so orm. Agus tha an ni so mar an ceudna 'n am inntinn gu bheil mi gu bhi 'labhairt mu Chanada ri luchd-aiteachaidh Inbhirnis, priomhbhaile na Gaidhealtachd, dlu ri aite mo dhuthchais, agus cha 'n e sin a mhain ach a' labhairt ri Comunn Gaidhlig Inbhirnis air a bheil cliu ro-shonraichte am measg nan Gaidheal. Cha bhiodh e iomchuidh gu 'n leudaichinn air cuspair sam bith aig lethid so do choinnidh; ach ged nach bi mo bhriathran lionmhor bu mhath leam innseadh duibh gu bheil 'ur comunn air a mheas mar bhuidheann chliuiteach, fheumail agus chumhachdach le Gaidheil

Chanada, mar le Gaidheil gach tir chein eile. Is toigh leo a bhi toirt suil thar a' chuan air bhur coinnidhean, bhur conaltradh maille ri cheile air cuspairean dhiomhair ar canain 's ar n-eachdraidh, agus air na h-oidheirpean foghainteach a ta sibh a' deanadh a chum cuisean agus suidheachadh bhur duthcha a leasachadh; agus is toigh leo a bhi 'leantuinn ann bhur coscheuman ann an cuid do na nithibh a tha an cumandas aig na Gaidheil air feadh an t-saoghail air fad. Is math an t-eisempleir a tha sibh a' toirt dhuinn agus a dh' aindeoin taobh do 'n teid e is dual do 'n Ghaidheal tionndadh gu reul-iuil oige, airson treorachaidh agus solais. Mar tha dearbh fhios agaibh cha 'n 'eil cinneach fo'n ghrein a tha air an ceangal cho dluth ri tir am breth ris na Gaidheil agus an gradh a thug iad og do na glinn 's do na beanntan cha treig gu brath iad. 'S cha 'n e a mhain sin ach tha an gradh sin air a mheudachadh a chionn an sgarraidh troimh an deachaidh iadsan a dh' fhag, no a dh' fhogradh bho, thir an athraichean. Ged is for so, gidheadh, tha taobh eile air a chuis. Faodar a radh le firinn nach 'eil muinntir chinnich sam bith 'eil a fhreumhaicheas cho daingean 's cho soirbheachail ann an duthaich chein ris na Gaidheil. 'S ann gun teagamh le firinn a dh' fhaodas Clarsair an Doire a bhi seinn air "a ghleann 's an robh e og;" Clarsair nam Beann air cradh an eilthirich Ghaidhealaich a fagail a dhuthaich; agus Clarsair na Coille air doirbheachas agus deuchainnean nan Gaidheal ann an America. 'S math a thig e dhoibhsan-do Mhac Leoid, do Mhac Colla, 's do Mhac Illeathain a bhi ceileireachd air gaol nan Gaidheal do 'n duthaich : tha na fuinn 's na facail araon ceolmhor agus fior, ach tha e cheart cho fior gu bheil na Gaidheil a' tuineachadh 's gach cearn fo 'n iarmailt a tha fosgailte do dhaoine, agus gu bheil iad a buinig dachaidhean dhaibh fein ann an tiribh chein, a tha cosnadh an gradh 's an dilseachd. An Cruthaidhfhear a chuir gaol an dach

aidh ann an cridhe a' Ghaidheil chuir Esan mar an ceudna misneach na inntinn gu bhi 'fagail a dhachaidh, gu bhi 'togail a chrannchur, 's gu bhi coimhlionadh ruintean an Fhreasdail air feadh a chruinne-che gu leir. Air an aobhair sin tha e iomchuidh gu 'm biodh riaghailt a bheatha air a steidheachadh air bunchar seasmhach, a reir teagaisg agus eiseimpleir ar n-athraichean. Fhad 's a tha 'Ghaidhealtachd a cur a mach daoine oga gu criochan fad' as is cinnteach gnr e an dileab is luachmhoire is urrainn iad a ghiulain leo, cridheachan onarach, coguisean beo, agus beachdan fallain air cuisean mora na siorruidheachd. An latha a chailleas na Gaidheil an seann duinealas, na seann chleachdaidhean, na seann riaghailtean 's an t-seann chreideamh-faodaidh iad