Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 5, 1897

IHK CKLTIC MONTHLY
those who knew her best said she had buried
her own heart beneath.
' What had recalled the story to his memory '.'
asked old Rob ; ' oh, it was just an old story,
and that day he had seen the Czar Nicholas II.
received as Colonel-iu-chief of the Eoyal Scots
Greys, dressed in their uniform, a kilted
regiment as his escort, and a Scdttish regiment
as his own bodyguard. Well ! well ! it is a
Cjueer, strange world ; and it was a strange,
queer coincidence.
Pressed for an explanation, old Rob remarked
that the hour was late, adding the rider which
I shall not repeat ; and that it was not always
very safe to gi\e explanations of every old .«/»»/
one told.
His tale set me thinking strange thoughts,
and the last I remember was just before
dropping off to sleep, asking myself the
question, ' Who then is Nicholas II., the great
white Czar of all the Russias ! '
[the end.]
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE CHIEFTSHIP OF THE CLAN
MACKINNON.
Sir, — A cojiy of the Ohait Tiina: of the 13th ult.
has been forwarded to me, with a report of the
prtceedings at the recent Gathering of the Clan
Mackinnon Scciety. The Chairman of that Gathering
was Mr. A. K. Mackinnon, C.E., who is described
as wearing in his bonnet the badge of a Chief, and
who appears to have devoted the whole of bis speech
to an account of his family history, laying special
stress upon a claim he put forward as to the Chiefsbip
of the clan. Into the merits of that claim it is not
my present purpose to enter, as they have been
fully and convincingly disposed of through the
medium of the book entitled " Memoirs of Clan
Fingon," edited by the Rev. U. D. Blackinnon, and
a second edition of which it is lioped may be
published ere long. That a claim such as this should
be made by this gentleman on the strength of the
Chiettship having descended to him through his
grandmother, who happened to marry a Mackinnon
who was not even in the direct line, is fairly pre-
posterous, and cannot, 1 feel sure, be entertained by
the large majority of the clan, but that it should be
advanced by him at a meeting of the very Society
which has acknowledged my father as the Chief,
calls for the strongest protest on my part.
1 ask you, sir, to imblish this letter in your ne.xt
issue, in the interest of the present Chief, recognised
as^such by the Clan Mackinnon Society.
Yours faithfully,
P. A. Ma(.'kixxon.
Sir, — A communication from Major F. A. Mac-
kinnon to the Oinni Tiinrs of the 0th inst., compels
me reluctantly to reply thereto.
The honourable and impartial action of the
Directors of the Clan Mackinnon Society in inviting
lue — the last representative of the direct line of the
Mackinnons — to take the chair on the occasion of
the Annual Social Gathering of the 5tb February,
has been applauded by all unprejudiced persons,
and the result was a very enthusiastic reception hy
the gathering of Mackinnons on that occasion.
In my letters to the Otitic Monthly of May and
-August, 1894, I stated that there were five or six
claimants to the honour of chiefship. That it was
desirable that these should meet and submit their
claims to ex]ierts, and resolve once for all to
recognise one head of the clan.
I am strengthened in my contention by the schism
that exists generally on this topic, and from two
works published. In Gregory's " History of the
Western Highlands of Scotland," p. 22-t, it is stated:
— " the honour of being male heir to this ancient
family is disputed between W. A. Mackinnon, M.P.
for Lymington, and Lachlan Mackinnon of Letter-
fearn, nor is the evidence relied on by either party
conclusive on this head."
In "Antiquarian Notes." by Charles Fraser-
^lackintosh, just published, it is evident that he
leans to the Corry family, and next in importance
to the direct line of the chiefs. And lastly. Sir W.
A. Mackinnon, K.C.B. , considers he has rights to
the Chieftship.
The work referred to (" Memoirs of Clan Fingon")
is by a relative of Mr. F. A. Mackinnon, and he has
availed himself in it for fulsome laudation of his
relations, and abuse and contempt of mine. This is
not the way history is written, and it is to be hoped
tliat these defects may be eliminated ; but anyhow,
I shall reply to the second edition announced in a
true and impartial account of the clan, which I am
preparing. I am, etc.,
Alexander K. Mackinnon.
GENEALOGY OF THE FORBESES OF
CULLODEN.
Sir, — I shall be indebted to any of your readers
who can give me the following information : —
(!) Captain James Forbes (second son of Duncan
Forbes, tirst Laird of CuUoden) married ciica 1050,
Agnes Munro, daughter of Rev. George Munro of
Pitlundie (elder brother of Sir Alexander Munro of
Bearcrofts),and settled in Caithness. In what parish
did he settle, and what descendants did he leave V
Surgeon John Munro (second son of Sir
Alexander Mimro of Bearcrofts) is stated to have
married circn lO'.to his covsin, Miss Forbes, a niece of
the Laird of CuUoden, by whom he had an only son
1097, Dr. Alexander Blonro, the celebrated Professor
of Anatomy in Edinburgh. Was Miss Forbes the
daughter of Captain James Forbes .' Was David
Forbes, writer in Edinburgh, her nephew ? The
cautioner named in his bond of notary in 1735 is
Daniel Forbes, son of Daniel Forbes in Lybster,
Caithness. David Forbes used the arms of the
CuUoden family, and was intimately associated with