Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 4, 1896

THE OELTIO MONTHLY.
characteristic stury is related of her iu regard
to this quality in her character.
When Dr. Johnson made his celebrated tour
to the Hebrides he paid a visit to Rossdhu.
Having been drenched iu a boating expedi-
tion on Loch Lomond he came into the drawing
room with the water splashing out of his boots.
Lady Helen could not restrain muttering
" What a bear ! " " Yes," answered one of the
company, " he is no doubt a bear, but it is
Krsiis major ! "
(To be ciintinued).
SURGEON-GENERAL A. H. FRASER.
r^i I'RGEUN-GEN-
f«S; ERAL ARCHI-
BALD HENRY
FRASER was born iu
May, 1S27, at Arisaig,
luveruess-shire. He
was third son of the late
John Fraser, forraerl_\'
an officer iu the Glengarry Fencibles, and at the
time of his death factor for the Lovat estates iu
Morar. He was accidentally drowned in July,
1834, while retnrniug to Arisaig from the Island
of Eigg, and iiis body was never recovered.
When about two years of age the subject uf
our sketch was taken on a visit by his aunt, Mrs.
Henry Butter(whose husband was of the Faskally
family), and only retuiued to his native air thirteen
years afterwards to recover from a severe iiluess.
Some j'ears later he was offered by the late Sir
Alexander Caaieron, K.C.B., of luverailort, a
commission iu the medical department of the
army, if he would study medicine, and having
accepted the offer, he completed his studies at
(ilasgow Andersoniun College, ijualifying in
August, ISoO. lie next passed the army medical
board of examination in Loudon, and was sent to
Fort Pitt, then tiie largest military hospital in the
kingdom, where he did duty for ovsr a montii,
and afterwards was transferred to Ciiatham. In
February, 1851, he was appointed Assistant
Surgeon to the iH'iid Gordon Uighlaiuleis, then
stationed in Ireland; two years later he joined tiie
75th regiment, now the 1st Batt. (rordon High-
landers, and serveil with it till promoted Staff-
Surgeon, 2nd class, in January, 1858. Next year
he exchanged iuto the SSth regiment, and in IS? 1
into the 4lJth regiment. In 1877 he was selected
for administrative duty as principal meilical officer
with the British troops in Burmah, and was in
the same year promoted Deputy Surgeon-General.
After serving in various parts of India, during
which his duties were often incessant and of the
most arduous nature, he contracted malaiial
icvei', and was transferred in la81 to the Rawul
Pindee Division. In the following year he was
ordered to England, aud on arrival was posted as
principal medical officer at the Currugh Cam|),
from which, in 'S;!, he was transferred to
Dublin to officiate as principal medical officer for
Ireland. In October, '84, he was orilered to
Gibraltar, was promoted Surgeon-General, and in
May, '87, was placeil on retired pay.
Such is a bare resume of the services of one of
the most able and distinguished officers in the
army medical service, for although he saw little
active service, he had fre(iuently to contend with
subtle and deadly enemies iu the shape of cholera,
fever, and other tropical diseases, aud so trying
was the work that on some occasions when
himself suffering from debility resulting from
malarial fever, he had to be carried through the
hospital wards iu a' doolie so that he might be
able to perform his duties. Thanks to a good
constitution he never completely broke down.
Ilis only war decoration is the Indian Mutiny
Medal.
In November, 1851, he married Jessie, the
eldest daughter of Major Duncan Grahame of
Glenny, Perthshire, an officer who had served
with distinction in the t>th regiment during the
Peninsular War, and received the Peninsular
Medal with six clasps, and the Portugese Medal.
Of issue there were five sons and five daughters.
The eldest son is a medical practitioner in
Kansas, U.S.A. ; second, is in Alberta, N.W.T.,
Canada ; third, a Lieutenant in the 25th K . O.
Scottish Borderers ; fourth, a Lieutenant in the
Indian Staff Corps, at present Adjutant of the
Poonah Horse ; fifth, died from the effects of an
accident in Rangoon in 1877. Of the daughters
four married officers iu the army, and the fifth is
the wife of Mr. Charles T. G. Knox, of the
Ranfurly family Editok.
AMONG THE HEATHER.
I lay me down upon the purple heath.
While all around me biu'ns the regal noon,
Silent, save for the wild bee's drowsy croon,
And vagrant airs that scarcely seem to breathe,
Or stir with passing kiss the bells that wreathe
My scented Oduch. Joy's voiceless, wordless tunc.
Sings to my trancpiil heart, that all too soon
May throb with tiercer pulses hid beneath.
No sign of man's supremacy is here.
No trembling, hunted creature refuge seeks
From cruel death ; o'er the far mountain peaks
Drift tlie soft tiliiiy clouds like airy dreams.
And deep and still the loch's blue jewel gleams.
Fair heaven smiles to fair earth, each of God's
presence speaks.
JaNKT A. M'CULLOCH.