Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 5, 1897

THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
'2if
for a shilling a day. Enther let the cities go to
seed, let the supply of fresh enei-gy and fresh
blood get done if it will, but for these and such-
like purposes don't make the Highlander your
burden bearer, the hewers of wood and drawers
of water that tliey have been for generations in
the past. No doubt the Highlander is bound
to his native locality with strong feelings of
deep affection, and for him to emigrate may be
like banishment — many of them have broken
their hearts by removal. Notwithstanding all
this the future of the people must be looked to,
and no present or prospective remedy can give
the necessai-y and present relief but removal.
It is in the interest of the people this is
advocated, and in their interest solely.
[Concluded.]
COLONEL ALLAN MACLEAN, WEYMOUTH.
4t?/^|0L0XEL MACLEAN was born on the
\^p. 18th May, 18i5, at Strathallan, Mel-
2^i§fi bourne, Victoria, where, some years
previously, his father, Malcolm Maclean, with
ten brothers and .sisters, emigrated from the
Island of Coll, the voyage occupying five months.
In 1851 his father returned to Scotland, and
the subject of our sketch attended school in
Edinhiurgh, and passed through the University,
taking in 1868 the degree oi M.B.,C.M., and
F.R.C.S.E. Later on he took his M.D. Like
many another enterprising young Scot, Colonel
Maclean decided to push his fortunes in the
south, and from 1870 to 1892 carried on a large
practice at Portland, Dorsetshire, holding neai-ly
all the public and j)rivate appointments in the
Island. In July of the latter year he retired
from general practice, having suffered from a
severe attack of influenza, and settled in
Weymouth, where he finds his time fully
occupied, with his many volunteer and other
duties. As a lecturer he has gained considerable
prominence, his favourite subjects being ambu-
lance work, wood-carving, etc. He is examiner
to the St. John Ambulance Association.
In 1873 Colonel Maclean married Catherine
Georgina Varenne, eldest daughter of Hanbury
Pargeter, Esq , by whom he had one daughter,
Katie, whose sympathies are strongly Scottish.
To her the annual trip to the Highlands lias a
particular charm.
The Colonel is a J. P. for the County, and
Secretary to the Weymouth Golf Club. Never
a St. Andrew's Day passes but he and a number
of "brither Scots" celebrate the event with a
dinner, the menu being a distinctly Scotch one.
Perhaps, however, it is as an enthusiastic
volunteer that the Colonel is most widely known.
In 1864 he joined the University Coy. of the
1st Batt. Queen's llifle Volunteer Brigade,
now the Royal Scots, which was then under tlie
command of Sir Robert Christison, and Professor
— now Sir William — Turner. He was soon
promoted to the rank of Corjioral and then to
Sergeant. He gave valuable assistance to the
officers in arranging the various shooting com-
petitions, a subject in which he has always been
specially interested. He resigned on leaving for
the south in 1869, Ijut ho always looks back upon
the four years which he spent in the Queen's
Edinburgh as the happiest in the whole of his
thiity years service as a volunteer. In 1872
Colonel Maclean joined the 1st Dorset Volunteer
Artillery as Surgeon-Lieutenant, but soon after
resigned and took combatant rank as Lieutenant,
rising to Captain in 1880, Major 1890, and
Colonel 189-4. He has passed the e.xaminations
in tactics and artillery subjects. The brigade
under his command consists of ten companies,
800 strong, and is generally recognised as one
of the best and most efficient artillery corps in
the south of England, the detachment from his
corps winning the first prize in the 10 inch gun
competition at Shoelniryness this year.
The Colonel occupies a high position in the
masonic craft. He was initiated in 1876, W.M.
1887; P.J.G.D., 1887; Z. 170, in 1890, P.G.
S.N. 1890; W.M.M. 126 in 1888-90; P.G.M.
S.W. and P. Prelate in 1888, E.P. No. 31 in
1889; and is treasurer to the Knight Templars,
and Rose Croix degrees, and Life Governor
R.M.L girls.
THE HIGHLAND BAGPIPE:
ITS HISTORY, MUSIC, AND ROMANCE.
By Dk. Norman Hay Fokhe.s of P'orbes.
{Continued from page 218.)
fN the year 1783, at a competition in
Edinburgh, John M'Arthur, "the only
— siirviving Professor of the ancient College
of Dunvegan," performed with great ajjproba-
tion. Ten competitors_ strove in vain against
him, and the president of the meeting directed
"the handsomest Highland bagpipe" to be
made for him, it being also resolved "to establish
a college " for the instruction of tho.se whose
services might be useful in the Highland
regiments. In his work on " Highland vocal
airs," Patrick Macdonald states that the great
Highland bagpipe is the instrument for war,
for marriage, in funeral processions, and for
other great occasion.s, the smaller being that
whereon dancing tunes were played. It is,
however, in the military service where the
Highland pipe has played so conspicuous a part.