History of the ancient province of Ross (The County Palatine of Scotland) from the earliest times to the present time

Preface

A History of the Ancient Province of Ross has long been a felt want. Under the conviction that such a work ought to come from the hands of a native of the Province, the writer has devoted much of his lifetime towards collecting and arranging the necessary materials for the purpose. As a native, therefore, and endued with the enthusiasm, proper for the task, personally conversant with its storied topography and the social habits of its people, and versed in its once universal language, the writer submits, with all due modesty, the following chapters as the fruits of his researches in what has proved to be a rich and eminently romantic field.

On the completion of the rough draught an arrangement for its publication in serial form was entered into with the editor of the " Northern Weekly," a step obviously attended with peril, for it brought the fierce light of authentic print to bear on the sins both of omission and commission inseparable from a work of such scope, and dealing with a hitherto virgin subject. The narrative lias since been largely rewritten, and numerous facts and incidents before omitted have been incorporated. The author is aware that even in its original form the narrative has been eagerly perused by natives of the Province at home and all over the globe, while, as a further evidence of its popularity, it is known that during the recent Soudan campaign the work, as it appeared from week to week, constituted a welcome entertainment to many in the Highland vi Preface.

regiments there. It is now hoped that in its present form, with the seveial illustrations that have been introduced, this History of the Ancient Province may possess a permanent value.

The writer has sought to write this book from an independent standpoint, in utter disregard of consequences, and under the stress of a resolve to tell the truth ; making no pretensions to that questionable impartiality which relates with equal zest the miseries of the oppressed and the glories of the oppressor. One consequence of this is that the recorded performances of various historical personages as they are passed in review may not be found to form pleasant reading to their descendants of to-day. The circumstance is regrettable, but manifestly unavoidable.

Regarding matters of fact, authorities are usually cited; where no authorities are given, then, to use the words of a distinguished historian, " that portion of the book must rest upon what after all is the chief basis of our historical knowledge — must rest upon the statements of one who has had good means of knowing the truth."

No apology is made for associating so much of National with Provincial history : Ross has never been a district devoted solely Lo parochial and indifferent to matters of national concern. The County Palatine, it has touched the national life at many important points from the very dawn of Scottish history; it has undergone its full share of the disciplinary trials common to the Scottish people, and has thus helped to nurture the seed sown amid darkness, tears, and blood, which has since developed into the full growth of our existing civil and religious liberties. Dealing thus with the larger aspects of his subject, the writer has perforce omitted such minor matters as connect themselves with genealogical tables and petty Clan skirmishes.

The aid accorded to the writer during the progress of the work

Preface. vii

calls for grateful acknowledgment. His thanks, in the first place, are largely due to Dr Charles Fraser-Mackintosh, LL.D., and to Mr Kenneth Macdonald, Town Clerk, Inverness — both skilled labourers in the field of Highland story — for counsel, encouragement, aid assistance. He would also take this opportunity to acknowledge his obligations for the loan of rare works to the following gentlemen : — Sir Kenneth S. Mackenzie of Gairloch; Provost Stewart, Dingwall; ex-Provost Macleay, do. ; Dean of Guild Frew, do. ; Mr William C. Joass, do.; Mr Colin Fraser, Strathpeffer ; Mr William Mackay, Inverness; Mr James Barron, do.; and Mr William Simpson, do. In this connection his special thanks are due to Mr A. M. Ross, publisher, Dingwall, for courteously placing at his disposal the valuable collection of historical works included in his library. He would also allude in the strongest language of gratitude to Mr Norman Macrae, editor of the " Northern Weekly," for, among other services, lending his oversight while the work was passing through the press. Finally, it is but proper to mention that in whatsoever degree the accompanying sketch plans and views of battle scenes and other places of historic d interest add to the value of the book, the credit is due to the younger son of the writer, William R. Bain, Town House, Inverness.

Dingwall, October, 1899.

I

Chapter I

Antiquity and boundaries of the Ancient Province of Ross — Its original boundaries to the West — Successive curtailments in the interest of the Sheriffdom of Cromarty, and modern county of Inverness, and the agent in the first mentioned — " The History of Inverness-shire " — Divisions to be followed in this work — Authentic early story of Ross — Its historic dawn — Early authorities — The advent of the N men — The Sagas and Torphaeus' Orcades — Ross, one of the nine Scottish Maormoreships — Sense of national insecurity involved in the Norse conquest of Caithness — Kenneth Macalpine, his character — That king the probable agent in the defensive measures adopted — Character of the district from a military point of view — The western reach of the Cromarty, or Dingwall Firth, and the defensive Pass it occasioned — The security it afforded for 150 years — The Frontier Line and the Castle of Dingwall, its " place de armes " — Antiquity of that Castle as seen from the Records — Probable residence of the Maormores during their struggles with the Vikingr — Milbridgh of the Buck-Tooth — Finlaec, father of Macbeth — The debateable land — Advent and antiquity of the Fowlis Family — Death of Maormore Finlaec — Accession of Macbeth, the last who held that rank — Became Maormore of Moray — Character of the mass of the population .... 1

Chapter II

The Norse invasion and occupation of Ross — The era at which the History commences — The policy of Malcolm II., and his expeditions into Caithness — Sigurd the Stout and his sons — Thorfinn, Jarl of Caithness, his character and personal appearance — Thorkel Fostri — Character of the Vikingr — Malcolm's character and resolve — The expedition under Modan — The expedition led by Malcolm in person — His line of march — His retreat — Skene's views of the battlefield of Torfnes — Malcolm's plan of campaign — Site of Torfnes, as ascertained bv the exhaustive method — Objections indicated and met — The probable site described — The battle itself — Defeat of the Scots, and the wounding of the king — Occupation of the Castle of Dingwall- Buchanan's mvthic version of the event — Death of Malcolm II. — Raid of the Norsemen — Jarl Thorfinn takes up his residence in the Castle of Dingwall - - - - - ■ l% x Contents.

Chapter III

Settlement of the Vikingr in Ross — Statements of the Sagas to be received with caution — The extent of the Great Jarl's dominions — Probable number of the Norse immigrants and their permanent settlement — Their domestic habits as contrasted with the Celts — Their presence, in numbers, a beneficial ethnical leven — Skene's view of the invasion — The Black Isle — Dr Joseph Anderson's view — Existing place-names — " Tir 'an Dubh Ghuile " — Tarbatness, etc. — Views of Mr A. Macbean, Inverness — The Thingvollr, or Mote Hill, of Dingwall — Further traces there of the occupation ... 34

Chapter IV

Period of unrest consequent on the Norse Occupation — Policy of Malcolm Canmore subsequent to the death of the Great Jarl — Founding of the Bishopric of Ross — Expedition into Ross of William the Lion — The shadowy Earl of Ross, Malcolm Macheth — Flis fate — Reign of Alexander II. — Conditions under which the land was held and tilled — Size of holdings — Agricultural produce — Predial slavery unknown in Ross — Fosterage — Hand-fasting — Marriage — Morals — Religion — The Celtic Church — Its place of worship - 47

Chapter V

Second and real founding of Earldom of Ross — Extent previous to the Forfeiture of the Earldom — Troubles of Alexander II. with his subjects in Moray — Opportune arrival of Farquhar Macintagart — His ancestry and possessions — Is knighted on field of battle, and created Earl of Ross — Acts as Constable in Chief — Farquhar's zeal in the Royal interest — Becomes involved in Gallowegian troubles and Island politics — His piety — His death, and burial in Fearn Abbey — William,

III. Earl of Ross — Acts for King Alexander III. in the acquisition of the Western Isles — Becomes Lord of Skye and the Lewis — In trouble with the House of Kintail — Death, and burial in Fearn Abbey — William,

IV. Earl of Ross — Swears fealty to Edward I. — Takes the field aerainst his liege and lord, and is made prisoner — Is set at liberty — Violates the Sanctuary of St Duthoc — Is brought to his senses by Robert the Bruce — Fights on the patriotic side at Bannockburn — His scheme with respect to the Sutherland estates — His troubles with the House of Kintail, and the execution of its Chief, Kenneth of the Nose — His death — Hugh, V. Earl of Ross — Slain at the battle of Hallidon Hill - 58

Chapter VI

William, VI. Earl of Ross — His turbulence — His dealings with, and slaughter of, Reginald Macdonald of Garmoran — Treasonable confederacy with the northern Earls — His cruelty of character — His virtual forfeiture of the Earldom — His death — Walter, VII. Earl of Ross —

Contents. xi

His death— Alexander, VIII. Earl of Ross (the Wolf of Badenoch) — An ill-doer of the first magnitude — His wife resumes her position as Countess of Ross — Death of the Wolf — Alexander, IX. Earl of Ross — Dies — Leaves a daughter, Euphemia — Donald of the Isles lays claim to the Earldom — Obtains the support of England — Resolves on making 5 by fnnt' of arms — His forces converge on Inverness — Attempts to seize the Castle of Dingwall — Repulsed at Blar-in-inich — Joins his army at Inverness and marches into Aberdeenshire — Is again

Ised at the Harlaw — Retreats, and with his persona] followers takes refuge in the Castle of Dingwall — Departs homewards on hearing of the approach of the Regent at the head of a strong force — Abandons his claims on the Earldom — His death — John, X. Earl of Ross — Achievements in France — Is slain at Vernuil — The Scottish Auxiliaries in France — Homicide of the Black Captain by Thomas Munro of Fowlis — Sir Robert Gordon — Specimen of his history writing — Advent ami policy of James 1. — He calls the chiefs and the nobility to

Chapter VII

Alexander Macdonald, XI. Earl of Ross — Remains titular for seven years — Discontent of Alexander, and turbulence of the Islesmen — The Parliament at Inverness — Alexander and his mother made prisoners — Regains his liberty and raises the standard of rebellion — Makes his escape, but surrenders himself to the king — His treasonable intigues — His death — John, XII., and last, Earl of Ross — His early profligacv and windy notions — His early treason, and open rebellion — His naval expedition under Donald Balloch — Obtains the Royal pardon — Joins the king with his followers at Roxburgh — His second treason — His treaty with King Edward — His second open rebellion — His doom postponed— Emergence of the English treaty — Is summoned, and receives the Royal pardon, in a manner — Resigns the Earldom of Ross — Is anew created Lord of the Isles — The succession settled on his bastard sons — Angus Og, and his fate - 83

Chapter VIII

Chaos as respects dates into which many of the Highland annals have fallen — John de Islay resumes the management of his estates — Alexander of Lochalsh becomes his heir apparent — Kenneth Mackenzie becomes the husband of Lady Margaret of the Isles — The Balconie Castle episode — Kenneth repudiates the Lady Margaret — Alexander of Lochalsh makes reprisals — The place where the Battle of the " Pairc " was fought — The advancement of the Mackenzies as a result of the victory — Burton on the Government policy with respect to the Clans — John de Islav forfeits the Lordship of the Isles — Becomes a member of the Roval Household — Becomes a common tramp, and dies in Dundee in a tramp's lodging-house — The Earldom of Ross annexed to the xii Contents.

Crown — The title, as used by the Royal Family — The officials of the County Palatine — Its chamberlains as custodians of the Royal Castle of Dingwall — The Castle is divested of its Royal character — Lord Dingwall (Sir Andrew Keith)— Lord Dingwall (Earl of Desmond) — The Castle used as a national prison — Its subsequent fortunes - 96

Chapter IX

The House of Kintail as heirs of the Island Family — Hysterical character of its historians — " Coinnich a Bhlar " — His son by Lady Margaret — John of Killin — Red Hector Mackenzie as a general and administrator — Feuds with the Munros — The rape of the "Cor" — Hector attempts a surprise of the Castle of Dingwall — Hector takes possession of the Gairloch property — John of Killin and his uncle present at Flodden — John of Killin and Donald Gonn — With the king at Loch Duich — Supports Queen Mary at Inverness — Death of John of Killin — The Reformation — Its agents and their hearty co-operation in Ross — The parishes of the diocese — Its religious houses — Patrick Hamilton and Robert Munro of Fowlis — Bishop Sinclair — Bishop Lesley and Mary Queen of Scots - - - - in

Chapter X

Scope of this History — Presbyterianism becomes the form of Church Government — Gradual filling of parochial pulpits — Superintendent Munro — Barbarous manners of the lairds — Colin of Kintail and the Church property — Christine Scrymgeour — Colin expelled from the " Castel of the Channonrie " — The lawless Rosses of Balnagown — Colin Mackenzie " lifts " the Castle and lands of Channonrie — Opposition of the old Popish functionaries to the new order of things — Bad early record of Rorie Mackenzie of Redcastle — Open lawlessness in the Black Isle and North Ross — Opposition of the lairds to the West Coast fishing industry — Rorie Mackenzie as leader of an abducting party 125

CHAPTER XL

Kenneth Mackenzie, the " Conqueror of Land " — His leading achievement — Sketch of the Lewis — Its former piety and relapse into barbarism — The reprobate Macleods — The Island Poland becomes of interest to Kenneth Mackenzie — Raid of Torquil Dow en the Mainland — Kenneth's letter to the king — The Government resolves on a " Plantation " — Disappointment of Kenneth — Arrival of the Adventurers and founding of the Roval Town of Stornnway — Kenneth makes his chagrin felt — Difficulties and defeat of the Adventurers — Second expedition, and second failure — Third expedition — Kenneth turns mealmonger — The Stornowav garrison starved — Kenneth obtains a parchment title to the Lewis — Turns out to be a white elephant — Rorie Mackenzie comes to the rescue — His long warfare with the Macleods — The Berrisay incident — Extermination of the Macleods, — Final pacification of the Lewis 140

Contents. xiii

Chapter XII

The Fowlis witchcraft case — The proscribed Maegrigors — Causes which led to the proscription — The Ardvorlich incident — The decree of lire and sword — The Earl of Argyle and the king resolve to make money out of the affair — The Maegrigors flock into Ross — The penalties incurred for harbouring them — The Killechriost affair — Absence of all reliable testimony of the burning — Silence of the Privy Council Record — Fabulous nature of the affair shown by the investigations of Mr Kenneth Macdonald — The reasons why the punishment of the "Raid" was so !< laved — Chambers' Domestic Annals as an historical authority — Archdeacon Mackenzie's antecedents as shown by the Privy Council Is — Their testimony to '!> character of [b mister

of Dingwall, and Murdo Mackenzie, minister of Lochcarron - 150

Chapter XIII

Death of Kenneth, Lord Kintail — Rorie Mackenzie, Tutor of Kintail, knighted — His possessions, and death — Lord Colin intromits with his estates — Astonishes the flunky mind — Ecclesiastical troubles come to a head — The Service Book read from the Dingwall pulpit — Extensive signing of the solemn League and Covenant in Ross — Excommunication of John Maxwell, Bishop of Ross — Seaforth leading Covenanter in the North — Meeting of the leading Covenanters at Inverness — A king, sacred and false — The Covenant still unfashionable — The Covenanters adopt the " Ultime ratio regum," and march into England — Seaforth leads the northern Covenanters to the Spey — Montrose decides for the king, and beats the Covenanters at Tippermuir — General Hurry in Moray — Seaforth corresponds with Montrose — Goes over to the Royal side in a fashion — His position at the battle of Auldearn — Treason of Hurry — Seaforth a negative quantity — His " Remonstrance " — His consequent excommunication — The king a prisoner — The Dingwad Presbytery Records, historical documents of the first-class — dealings of the Presbytery with malignants — Defeat of Montrose — He sails for the Continent - - - - - - 165

Chapter XIV

State of parties in the Presbytery of Dingwall — Air Macka)Js mistake— Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat a strong Covenanter — Ross of Balnagown at Inverness — The laird of Fowlis and his Clan — The Presbytery takes proceedings against the Cavaliers — Astonishing docility of the Mackenzies — The Presbytery hear of Montrose's arrival in Caithness, and emits a solemn warning — The pulpit, the then " organ of public opinion " — " The Engagement " a cause of offence to the Presbytery — Church discipline countenanced and public liberty upheld by the Protector — Ill-feeling induced among the gentlemen Cavaliers by Presbyterial strictness - - - - - 188 xiv Contents.

Chapter XV

State of matters north of the Old Frontier Line — Sir Robert Munro of Fowlis — The Parliamentary Army in Ross — Alarm affected by the brethren of the Presbytery — The first ten years of peace enjoyed in Ross — Idolatry in Gairloch — Who, or what, was Mourie? — Divided state of the Dingwall Presbytery — Messrs Mackilligen and Macra — Mackilligen and Hogg deposed, and the Presbytery Records are " rectified " — Death of the Great Protector — Duncan Forbes on the chaos which followed — Fletcher of Saltoun in corroboration - - 202

Chapter XVI

The victims of Stewart misrule still obnoxious to the Dilettante — Record of Scottish Episcopacy as a Church — Hallam's testimony — Bishop Burnet's testimony — Sir Thomas XJrquhart's testimony — The vital principle involved in the ecclesiastical struggle — Mr Benjamin Kidd's views — The five victims of Prelacy in Ross — Hugh Miller's narrative of the expulsion of Hogg — The subsequent sufferings of these holy men — Brodie's Diary — Bishop Paterson — Seaforth — Hugh Anderson of Cromarty — Fraser of Brae — Proceedings of the Presbytery of Dingwall during the " Troubles " — Sufferings by fines and imprisonment of the people of Ross - - - - 215

Chapter XVII

" The Nell Gwynn Dispensation " and its blessed results — The Forty Thieves have Scotland at their mercy — Approximate summary of their spoil — Seaforth leaves his Countess to administer his affairs — She orders the murder of Coinnj^ch Odhar — His vaticination of doom on the House of Kintail — Character of Charles II. — His councillors — His hatred of Presbytery — Middleton — Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat — Author of Act Recissory — Presbytery suppressed and Episcopacy takes its place — Tarbat blunders — Ultimately restored to favour — Becomes the leading conspirator against his country's liberties — Is promoted to the Lord- Justice-Generalship and President of the Privy Council — Measures following the death of Sharpe — Tarbat advises the shooting of suspected persons without form of trial — " The Bloodier Mackenzie " — Tarbat as a falsifier of the Registers — He " rats " early — Bamboozles the Duke of Perth — Opens negotiations and obtains an interview with King William — Is in imminent danger of his neck for high treason — Is suffered to retire into private life — Is alarmed by the Papistry of his eldest son — The fruits of his maleficent industrv — Dies, and is buried at Dingwall — The " Bloody Mackenzie " — Seaforth — Sir George Munro of Culrain — Mackenzie of Findon - - - - 229

Chapter XVIII

The Revolution — Sir John Munro of Fowlis attends the Convention — The Tulchan apparatus ceases to trouble — The curates of Ross con-

Contents. xv

form — The curate of Kiltearn under a cloud — The curate of Knockbain rabbles the Presbyterian minister — The laird of Coul dragoons the minister of Gairloch — The pious Seaforth keeps the church of Dingwall vacant — /Eneas Sage of Lochcarron — The Presbytery of Ross and Sutherland — Lord Duffus murders William Ross of Kindeace — Escapes the gallows — Lady Seaforth as a correspondent — Kenneth, Earl ol Seaforth — Raid upon Ferintosh — The compensation granted by the Government — General Mackay brings Seaforth to his senses — William. Earl of Seaforth — South Ross remains " loyal " — John, Earl of Cromarty— His letter to his father — The Union furthered by the Mackenzies — Election at Portrose - - - - - 246

Chapter XIX

Death of Queen Anne — The Great George arrives — Mortification of Mar, followed by the Great Hunt — Seaforth engages on behalf of his clan — His leading clansmen remonstrate — The Islesmen and their procrastination— Borlum surprises Inverness — Sir Robert Munro of Fowlis prepares to march in the Royal interest — Seaforth minatory — Coul sent to garrison Inverness — The Earl of Sutherland takes post on the Alness — Is taken in flank and retreats — Seaforth poses as Viceroy and plunders North Ross in his " Master's " behoof — Threatens Cromarty — Departs for, and disgraces himself at, Sheriffmuir — Coul is driven out of Inverness — Negotiations opened with the heads of the Clan Mackenzie — Seaforth's capitulation prevented by the Earl of Huntly — Raises the standard of rebellion in the Lewis — Escapes to France — Appears with a Spanish force on the West Coast — The affairs of Glenshiel — Again escapes to France - - - - 264

Chapter XX

Electioneering matters — County Election in 171 1 — Dingwall Election Riot — Seaforth's treatment from the Pretender — The Forfeited Estates' Commissioners — Slaughter of Walter Ross — Defeat of Captain Macneil — Relations between Donald Murchison and Seaforth — Disarming of the Mackenzies — Partly scenic — Sale of the Seaforth estates impossible — Seaforth in dire poverty — Is befriended by Lord Advocate Forbes — Dies in the Lewis — Succeeded by Kenneth, Lord Fortrose — The Forfeited Estates — Lord Fortrose recovers the ancestral property — Blundering of the Government with respect to the Forfeited Estates — The invaluable sendees rendered by Lord President Forbes — The ingratitude of the Government — The wary Lord President deceived by the Jacobites — Landing of Prince Charlie at Moidart - 282

Chapter XXI

Ross adheres to the existing Government — Active correspondence of the Lord President with the various Chiefs — The (Jacobite) " women are all gane wud " — The minister of Fodderty alive to the situation — " Tales xvi Contents.

for the nursery " — The Lord President and the Earl of Cromartie — Futile treason of the latter — Mr Porteous's solemn warning — Lovat announces the march southward of the Mackenzies — The Lord President and the Independent Companies — Steady loyalty of the Ross and Sutherland Chiefs — The female " Colonel " of the Mackintoshes, and the Rout of Moy — Lord Loudon and the Lord President escapes to Ross, and thence to Skye — The " Minister Laihder" of Lochbroom — His interview with the " Anarch Old " — Ill-feeling of Jacobite writers towards the Earl of Cromartie — Chambers' version2 and estimate of the Independent Companies — The actual facts — Pass and protection of the Earl of Cromartie — The Earl invades Sutherland — Is ordered to return to Inverness — Catastrophe at Dunrobin and Little Ferry — The Bill of Costs — Cromartie receives a conditional pardon — Gallant conduct of Lord Macleod ------ 294

Chapter XXII

Pennant's dictum but partially applicable to Ross — Its active support of the Government during the Imperial wars — Contributes a company to the Black Watch — Lord Macleod revisits Ross, and raises the Macleod Highlanders — His brother raises the second battalion — Lord Macleod, at the head of the first, departs for India — Returns, and is received at Court with distinction — Is reinstated in the Family estates — Seaforth raises the old 78th Highlanders — Marches south — "The Affair of the Macras" — The 78th embark for India — Death of Seaforth — Disastrous voyage — "The last Seaforth" raises the 78th, or Ross-shire Buffs — Raises the second and third battalions — The battalions amalgamated — Wellington's first great feat — The Battle of Assaye — -Full description of the field and the sanguinary combat — Reminiscences of three of the survivors ...... 306

Chapter XXIII

The Battle of Culloden, a parting of the ways — Temporary resentment of the loyal population — Healing measures of the Government — The changes bewildering to the humbler people — They adapt themselves to the situation — The law-abiding habits of the people traced to their source — B.esults following the advent of the Sheriff and constable — Sir Hector Munro of Novar, and the Fortrose Election — Policy of the India House — Sir Hector negotiates for the representation of the Inverness Burgh — His methods with the Fortrose Town Council — Resentment of the previous member — False step adopted — Sir Hector triumphs — The Novar estate — The franchise, and mode of conducting elections during the Pre-Reform Bill times — Superiorities - 325

Chapter XXIV

The Land Question — Ross an agricultural county — The diminutive native sheep — Introduction of sheep-farming on a large scale — The

Lord Takbax's Monument at Dingwall.

Contents. xvii

initiative taken by Sir John Lockhart Ross — The distracted Highland seer — Sir John improves his wastes — Sir George Mackenzie of Coul and his " View " — His narrative of the improvements — The people removed to make room for sheep — Feelings of the " Natives " — Sir George accuses them of laziness, and of refusing to bow before the inevitable — His fortitude when viewing the sufferings of others — The belated remedy found : the people intrusted with political power — " The Year of the Sheep"' — A freak and its results — The victims vanish - 339

Chapter XXV

An object lesson — The people prove themselves apt scholars — Sir George Mackenzie's " Natives " — The mutually destructive elements in their character — Their Chiefs largely responsible — Typical example of estate improvement — How the people were fed seventy years ago — Memorable example of waste reclamation — The Rev. Donald Mackenzie of Fodderty — His methods — Good roads as a civilizing agency — The Statute Sen-ice Road Act — Superseded by that of George HI., chap. 53 — The Great North Road — Its progress as reported in the press of the period — The Lochcarron Road — The Garve and Ullapool Road — The Auchnasheen and Ruorroar Road — The inefficiency of the County Council Act in this department - - - - ^51

Chapter XXVI

" The Feil Maree " described : a contribution towards the social history of the people - - - - - 362

Chapter XXVII

Road-making, agricultural improvements, and recruiting the business of the Province until Waterloo — The Ross-shire Militia — " The Tongs Army" — The land interest prosperous, the people in difficulties — Homicide in the village of Balblair — The moan of Free Trade becomes audible— The lairds take fright— Meeting at Dingwall — The eccentricity which ruled the prices of food — Potato-growing largely followed by the working classes — Failure of the crop in 1846, followed by hard times — Sir James Matheson succours the people of Dingwall and neighbourhood — The Corn Riots, and the fate of the hoarded meal — Previous narrative resumed — Waterloo and the Te Deum in Tain Church — The last Seaforth dies — Fulfilment of the Prophecy of Doom — " Letters to the Editor" — Eviction in North Ross, and the "Battle of Culrain" — Newspaper report and correction — The price of bread fixed by the Magistrates of Inverness and Dingwall — Ross-shire Election Feast — Anti-Reform Bill meetings in Tain and Dingwall — Celebration of Reform in Dingwall — Provost Cameron of Dingwall — The Disruption Era — Religious condition of the people — Leading ministers at the period — Revival of Religion — Typical proceedings in the church of xviii Contents.