TRADITIONS OF LOCHABER.

Lochaber was a place of note in very ancient times. Banquo, Thane thereof, lived at Tor Castle, on the banks of the river Lochy, as history tells, and the topography of the surroundings proves. Afterwards Macbeth had a home at what is now known as Lundavra. St Bershom, in his "Chronicles of St Andrews," says that Macbeth was slain at his habitation of Deabhra, and Skene in his "Celtic Scotland" quotes this, saying that Deabhra is a lake in the forest of Mamore in Lochaber, on an island of which there was a castle known as the Castle of Mamore. He further remarks as proof of this place having been a royal residence, that the glen leading west from it is still known as Glen-ree, the King's glen, and that the river running from the lake through this glen is known as the King's river, "Abhuim ree." The real old Gaelic name of the lake seems to have been Loch da-ràth, and the castle was known as Dun-da-ràth. There are two artificial islands still in the lake, and on them the castles or raths would be built. The palaces of Tara and Emania in Ireland were thus built of logs and wattle, and they were continued in the Highlands until a recent date as the homes of chiefs and people of note. Lochiel's castle of the '45, burnt by the Duke of Cumberland, was all of wattle, excepting the bit of wall where the fire-places were, and which still stands.

Lundavra is a beautiful place, well fitted for a royal residence. Ben-Nevis, from its base to its summit, stands like the mighty guardian of the sheltered spot, and the top of Dundeardeul, which rises so high from Glen-Nevis, is on a level with Lundavra, and one can imagine the blaze of the watch-fires there in the days of Macbeth and his wife Gruoch, daughter of Bode. This king and queen must have had settled an ecclesiastical colony around them here, as they had done in Kinross. In driving up on Marshal Wade's road from Fort-William to Lundavra, we get to a green fertile tract of country, enclosed by sloping hills, and known as "An Crò," or "the fold."

This beautiful part is tenanted by a crofter population who look thriving and comfortable, and the different names of the townships are suggestive of a religious colony.

The first township we meet in the fold has the name of “ Blarmac-Cuilteach," the field of the son of the Culdee. This name has been in recent years corrupted into Blar-Mac-Failteach, but the old people pronounced it Blar-Mac-Caoilteach, or Cuilteach. Next to that is the township of "Blar-nan-Cleireach,” or the field of the

clerks, and it is striking to find that name also given to one of the places granted by Macbeth and his wife Gruoch to the Culdees of Kinross from motives of piety and the benefit of their prayers, with the utmost veneration and devotion. Further on in the fold there is a place that commemorates the older form of religion. It is known as Blar-Mac-Druighneach,” the field of the son of the Druid. Macbeth and his wife are said to have placed the Culdees in Kinross between them and the sea, and they seem to have acted on that principle here also, for they gave the beautiful and fertile lands of Callart to the Culdees, who built a cell which they dedicated to St Mun, or St Munnu, and the island in Loch Leven, on which it was built, and on which its ruins still stand, is known yet as Eilean Mhunnu, the isle of St Mun. This island is the burying-ground of the Glencoe men as well as of the inhabitants of Nether-Lochaber.

We will now record some traditions of the Camerons of Callart and Lundavra; and, before proceeding, we may give the following in support of Dun-da-Raths being the ancient name of this place. In the Scots Acts of Parliament of 1502, vol. II., pp. 241, 249, we find King James IV. gave a grant of the life-rent of the royal forest of Mamore, and the castle on the island of Dun-davray, to one of the Stewarts of Appin. Early in the fifteenth century, John Cameron, Archbishop of Glasgow, granted the Church lands of Callart and the isle of St Mun to his young relative and godson, John, second son of Ailean nan Creach, Allan of the Forays, chief of Lochiel. The Archbishop was a great builder of churches, and it was through his influence that Allan of the Forays built the seven churches in the Highlands, which were attributed to the suggestion of the King of the Cats, in the "Tigh-ghairm," or house of invocation. The Archbishop changed the name of St Mun into St Mungo, after the patron saint of his own diocese, but the ancient name is still given to it.

The first offshoot of the Camerons of Callart was Alasdair Dubh of Cuilchenna, and the second was Allan, first of Lundavra.

The chieftains of Callart, like other Highland gentlemen, sent their sons to school in France. On one occasion two fine lads were sent there, the only legitimate children of the gentleman who was at that time the chieftain of Lundavra. There was unfortunately an illegitimate son at home, whose name was Angus, and in the absence of his brothers he had ingratiated himself so much with his father that he hoped by some means, fair or foul, he would one day be his successor.

At length a messenger came from Appin, saying that a ship would land the two sons of Callart on the following evening at Cuilchenna. Angus was sent off to receive the young gentlemen, and a jealous pang darkened his soul when he saw the joy of his father over the return of his boys. He went to meet them, but instead of conducting them safely home, he slew them, and buried them in a spot still known as "Glac-nam-marbh," " "the hollow of the dead." The murder was discovered in the course of time, but the unhappy father was too lenient to punish Angus, and although he banished him from his presence he lived on the estate, as he had formerly done, with his family. The old chieftain died after some years passed, and then one of his nephews of Lundavra became his successor. The new chieftain left Angus and his family in peace on the estate, and the clansmen were anxious lest some judgment would fall upon the house because the innocent blood of the young men was crying in vain for vengeance. This new chieftain became the father of five sons and two daughters, the eldest being still known in Lochaber song and story, and is always spoken of as Mary of Callart. Mary was the most lovely girl in all the country, and was the favourite of rich and poor. She was a poetess, and had the prodigal liberality and the unwisdom of her kind. She helped her mother in housekeeping, and all who were in need went to her, as she could not send any one away empty-handed. Her father frequently found fault with her, and one day, being more angry than usual, he turned her out of doors, and told her to go about and see what she would in her need get from those to whom she was so foolishly liberal. Mary wrapped herself in her tartan plaid and went away sorrowfully, for her mother and sister, as well as her brave boyish brothers, were weeping over the stern decree which they were powerless to contradict. Mary made up her mind to go up the Màm, and take refuge in the meantime in her uncle's house in Lundavra. She met a poor old woman on the top of the hill who was shivering of cold. Mary's compassion was drawn forth by her misery, and she at once made two halves of her plaid, giving the one half to the poor woman, who poured forth benedictions upon her fair young head. Mary was received kindly in Lundavra, and meantime the poor wandering woman had gone to Callart, and as Mary's plaid was recognised, it was feared that she had suffered foul play. The poor woman shewed them that she only wore half the plaid, and told how Mary had met her on the hill and given it to her as she was shivering of cold. There was great indignation among all the people when they knew that

Mary was banished from her father's house, and the stern chieftain himself began to yearn for the loving face of his most beautiful child, and he sent to Lundavra, and had her brought home.

A dark cloud was, however, hovering over Callart. A ship came in with dyes and having some richly embroidered garments. The lady of Callart bought largely of the dyes for her wool, and they also bought some of the gay garments. Alas! death was in the merchandise, and in a few days the plague broke out in Callart house. The chieftain and his wife died of it, and all their children but Mary, who attended to them night and day, but was not touched by the plague. She was in a dreadful position alone in the house with the dead. No person would come near her, and she did not dare to leave the house. A watch was set around the shores to see that no one would leave Callart.

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Mary had a lover, young Patrick Campbell of Inverawe, or, as he is called in Gaelic story, Oighre Mhic Dhonnacha Inbhiratha." A messenger went to him to tell how his beloved maiden with the golden hair was situated, and he at once went off with a boat and a few trusty men to deliver Mary from her awful position. Some of the men were afraid to venture, but he assured them that he would act so cautiously as to run no risk.

The brave men rowed silently past the watchers, who had fires lighted along the shore about the ferry at Ballachulish, and they were soon at Callart. Mary had a dim light in the chamber in which she had isolated herself from the dead. Surely there never was a case of the bride's rejoicing over the voice of the bridegroom more real and more earnest than the joy of Mary's heart when she heard her name called by her gallant lover. He got her out of the house, and made her bathe herself in the sea, and cast all her clothes into the water. He then gave her his own large, soft plaid, which she wound carefully around herself, and then he lifted her into the boat, and they rowed away with their treasure as silently as they came. After getting to Inverawe he built a bower for her in the woods, and got clothing for her from his sisters. He married her forthwith, and then they lived alone, apart from all his relatives and friends, for three months, until all agreed that the danger of infection was over. Further sorrow was in store for the hapless Mary, for her husband fell at the battle of Inverlochy, fighting against Montrose. Mary was broken-hearted over his death. We think he must have returned home wounded and died there, as in her lament she refers to his being buried behind her house, and we know the escape of the Campbells from Inverlochy was too precipitate for

their carrying any of their dead with them. After her husband's death, her father-in-law was very neglectful of Mary, and then he and others began to insist upon her marrying the prior of Ardchattan, who had proposed to her. Her heart was sore for the loss of him whom she so devotedly loved, and she was very unwilling to enter into this new bond, but they brought such force to bear upon her that she consented; and, according to the Lochaber version of her story, she composed the song of hers that is still known and sung, on the night of her marriage with the prior. She sang it to the maidens who attended her, and her soul floated away in her song, and she died that night. In her song, she first charges her father-in-law with coldness, and then through the rest of the pathetic verses she apostrophises her beloved Patrick. It runs thus:

A Mhic Dhonnachai' Inbhir-atha,

Is coimheach a ghabhas tu 'n rathad,
Ged tha Mairi Chamshron romhad,
'S og a chaill mi riut mo ghnothuch.

Fheudail a dh' fhearabh na dà-'lach,
Thug thu mach a tigh na plàigh mi,
Far an robh m' athair 's mo mhathair,

Mo phiuthar ghaoil 's mo choignear bhraithrean.

Fheudail a dh' fhearabh na greine,

Thog thu tigh dhomh an coill nan geugan,

Bu shunndach ann mo luidhe 's m' eiridh,

Cha b' ioghna sud b' ùr mo cheilidh.

Righ gur mise th' air mo sgaradh,
Bhi dol le fear eile 'luidhe,

Is m' fhear fhein air cùl an tighe,

Sealgair nan damh donn 's nan aighean.*

Before concluding this story, we may mention that the Camerons of Callart were satisfied that the plague was sent as a punishment for the deaths that were unavenged. A new chieftain came to Callart from the family of Lundavra, and the descendants of Angus--who were never called Camerons-were known as Clan Aonghuis, and in English they came to be known by the name of Innes.

There was no further break in the succession until the last of the Callarts sold the estate to Sir Ewen Cameron of Fassifern. On

*This song is unfortunately left incomplete owing to Mrs Mackellar's death.