Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 6, 1898

THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
L55
be named after a small and insignificant loch —
and a Mack loch to the bargain. But it is quite
supposable that the village would be named
even after the smallest loch, provided that that
loch was called after Duthac, which probably
the little loch in question originally was.
(4) Cniic-gille-chiur-Didtli: literally translated,
the hill of the servant that Duthac sent. — This is
an interesting little hill with a highly suggestive
name. It is situated under the farm of Shan-
tullich, is of a rounded form, evidently deposited
(in part) from a glacier, and it has got a sacred
well, to which offerings are made, one-third way
up its north-east side. Evidently Duthac, when
preaching elsewhere, sent a servant to officiate
in this district in his stead, and the side of this
hill was his favourite place for addressing the
people from. The well is called Tohar-cnoc-gille-
chnir-Duitli — that is, "-the well of the hill of the
servant that Duthac sent." Amongst people
speaking in the English language it is shortened
into Knock Hurdle's well ; but in Gaelic the
name is always given in extenso. In pronouncing
it the accent in the Gaelic is laid on Chiiir,
which, with duie, becomes in English Hurdle.
I never yet heard a native of the district trans-
late the name or associate it with a servant of
Duth. Evidently Duth and his servant have
long since been forgotten, and only preserved
as fossils in the place name !
(To be concluded).
AT THE SULPHUR WELL,
STRATHPEFFER.
X^l TRATHPEFFER ! fairy world of forest
^OT) nowers '
Lone land of loveliness ! of light and cloud !
Here, surely, were at last, a calm retreat
Of perfect peace "far from the madding crowd."
When first I viewed thee, sweet, salubrious strath.
And walked with rapture in tliy heath-girt glen,
Methought thou must be part of Paradise,
So distant seemedst thou from the haunts of men.
It was a glorious scene ! the radiant sun
Had set and sunk, red in the golden West,
And now the silvr'y shades of dying day
Grew grey above Ben Wyvis' cloudy crest.
And all was still ; there was no sound of toil
Throughout the voiceless valley : for the earth
Slept silently, save for the fitful moan
That floated faintly from the far ofi' Firth.
My heart was hot and heavy, here was calm ;
My soul was weary, here was rest at last,
Becalmed, I sank upon my couch that night
And dreamed my goal was reached, my conflict
past.
And then a new day dawned, how bright! how fair
But how transformed appeared the tranquil scene!
A busy world had waked to life anew.
The silent vale that I had viewed yestreen.
For hither came the sutt'erer distraught
With divers ills to conjure strength again ;
To stay the cruel ravage of disease,
Or chase from crippled limbs the throe of pain.
And I too hurried to the sparkling Spa
Where one and all the marvellous fountain
quatt'ed,
And sought, with feverish haste, the potent spring,
And drank unfalt'ringly the direful draught.
Flourish fair Strath ! be famous, favoured so
By all that fortune showers with lavish hand ;
Publish thy precious power to all mankind.
And pour thy healing out to all the land !
O ! mighty, magic waters ! wond'rous well !
"Twere ills indeed could thy great good defy ;
Come then, O ! wand'ring one ! take heart and
drink.
And let the burthen of thy grief go by
Mavor Allan
OLD RULES FOR WEARING THE
HIGHLAND DRESS.
^5PJTP-,j^E are indebted to Lord Archibald Campbell
^^Syir' for the following useful rules regarding
the wearing of the Highland dress and
arms. —Editor.
1. — Bottle and Pistols on left side.
2. — Powder-horn — mouthpiece to the front — is
worn under the right arm-pit.
.3. — Kilt was worn shorter than now, worn showing
whole of the knee pan and some way above it,
of old. The 42nd wore it thus at Waterloo ;
in 1745 — nide old prints — also worn pretty
short.
4. — Sporran to hang comfortably, neither too high
nor too low.
5. — Plaid to be the last thing to be put on and the
first to be taken ofi', either in peace or war.
It was made to protect the body and tire-arms
against wet, etc. In fighting it was the first
thing to be laid aside often enough, but at
times it was worn in battle.
6. — The Stocking Knife is worn on the outer part
of right leg, in a hollow between two bones.
7. — Bonnet cocked, should jcist touch right ear.
"Verses, Songs, and Rhymes" is the title of
a charming little volume by E. Mackay (Mrs. R. H.
Wyllie). The poems treat of a variety of subjects,
and are written in a pleasing and musical measure.
That on " The Clans" is a spirited piece, and one of
the best in the book. The work is tastefully got
up in artistic boards, and can be had, price 1/3 post
free, from the authoress, Mrs. Wyllie, 17 Crosby
Road, Birkdale. We may further mention that a
daughter of this clansworaen. Miss Gertrude H.
Wyflie, has just published a waltz, "Fairy Foot-
steps," which reflects great credit on her musical
ability. The waltz is one of the best we have heard
for some time past.