Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 6, 1898

40
THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
THE CL-VN "SKENE."
The Skenes' designation in Gaelic is, "Siol !<jiinc,"
or " Claim Doiinachaitlh Mhar."
Tradition has it tliat they are descended from
one of the Robertsons of Strnan ; hence their
designation, " Clann Donnachaidh (or Robertsons)
of Mar.
The progenitor of the Skenes was one of the
snite of Malcolm Canmore, King of Scotland, dnring
a royal hunting party in the forest of Stocket, in
Aberdeenshire. On that occasion the King was
attacked by a large wolf, whereupon young Robert-
son, seeing the monarch's peril, wrapped his plaid
round bis left arm and thrust his arm into the
wolf's mouth. At the same time with his dirk or
sgian (hence the name "SLrne"), Robertson stabbed
the beast to the heart. As a reward fur the lirave
deed performed by Robertson, King Malcolm
offered the young Highlander the choice of two
things, viz : as much land as was encompassed by
a hound's chase, or what would be covered by a
hawk's Uight. The latter was chosen by Robertson,
and this formed the ancient barony of Skene in
Aberdeenshire.
The above tradition is borne out by the armorial
bearings of the Skenes; their shield has emblazoned
on it three wolves' heads, impaled on dirks or
sgians, while one of the supporters of the shield is
a Highlander who holds a drawn dirk in his right
hand.
Rangoon. FhANK AdAM, F. S. A. SoOT.
LINES TO THE BOXWOOD.
(Clan Chatian's Batxie.)
IN NOTRE-DAME.
.KAV-i VAST <Milir,b,il. uivy and old,
v]^^ Rich :ili:ns Jr,k> (1 with gems and gold,
Dim iiislrs ,iih1 pietiu-ed windows fair,
Priests in their bruidered vestments rare,
The scarlet- robed acolyte
Swinging his censer burnished bright.
And while on high the iuceuse floats.
The Jubilate's thrilling notes
Arise triumphant to the sky.
Soon from the carven pulpit nigh
I hear the priest's soft southern speech :
What easy lesson will he teach ?
" Ob, rough the road and stem the strife
Ere ye shall win the gate of life ;
I bid you agonize and pray
For grace to tread the narrow way."
Ah me ! the solemn words have power
To work a spell this quiet hour —
With swift-winged memory for guide
I seem to sit by Migdaleside,
My vaster dome the arching sky,
The sombre pines for pillai-s high.
The myrtle gives its incense sweet,
Their organ-fugue the waves repeat.
And softly down the summer breeze
Are borne. the strange sweet cadences,
Tlie plaintive psalms I love so well.
What message does the preacher tellV
Yes! the same lesson, there as here.
In stately fane, by Highland mere,
"■ Chi-ist's grace go with you day by day,
So shall ye tread the narrow way."
K. F. F0RBE.S.
^JTOT with colours bright and glowing,
^^H Or with blossoms sweet and fair,
~ In the southern sunlight blowing
Shedding fragrance on the air ;
Nor 'mong roses, palms, and lilies,
'Neath a smiling summer sky.
Dost thou, evergreen, unfading.
Hardy boxwood, charm the eye.
But when flowery, sunny summer
Like a dream has passed away.
And her robes of leaf and petal
Mingle with the sodden clay ;
And the giants of the forest
In the tempests naked mourn.
Thou, in all thy vernal beauty.
Woodland glade and lawn adorn.
Evergreen, compact, and hardy.
Braving winter's fiercest blast,
\\'hen the lofty oak and larches
Leafless to the earth are cast,
A green speck 'mid desolation.
Where the weary eye may rest.
When the angry storms are sweeping
Over moor and mountain crest.
Throughout ages dark and stormy
Brave Clan Chattan's badge wert thou,
In the fiery front of battle
Decked the trusty clansman's brow.
Strewed the bloody field of Harlaw,
And CuUoden's swampy plain,
Where the conflicts raged the fiercest,
And where thickest lay the slain.
And in memory of their fathers,
Ever dauntless, ever true,
With thy sjirigs the loyal clansmen
Still bedeck their bonnets blue ;
And behold in thee an emblem
Of their race in days to come,
Hardy, evergreen, enduring.
That no storm can overcome.
;id. Angus Mackintosh.
Why Jews adopt Highland Names. — An
esteemed subscriber, in the United States, in
writing us the other day on the subject of the forth-
coming work on the "Minor Septs of Clan Ghattan,"
made the following interesting remarks in regard to
Highland names in America. " The Clan Chattan
names are frequently assumed by the Jews.
Strange as it may seem to you, the following names,
especially the first, are often assumed by Jews :
Gordon, Rose, Ross, Maxwell, and Wallace. Of
course, the Jew is a most adaptive creature, and
from Rosenheimer or Rosenstein is not miich of a
wriggle to Rose, or from Rossbach, Rossberger to
Ross, Wallach to Wallace, and so on. I have not
known of one who has displayed the hardihood of
assuming the name Mackay, but it would not
astonish me some of these days to find one bearing
the name Morgan. From the German or Jewish
names Morgen, Morgenstein, is not much of a leap
to Morgan."