Blair Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 4

WEST HIGHLAND STORIES. 375
commendations of Gustavus Adoli)h.us a short time be-
fore in Sweden, wliich had done good service in former
campaigns, and which did right good service after-
wards.
lumbers of the officers bore Highland names.
There were Munros, Mackays, MacDonalds, Guns, etc.
" Murdo Piper" was drowned in trying to swim ashore
at Eugenwelt. They had a "preacher ;" Monro him-
self was a stanch protestant, and a very religious man ;
and yet he gives an account of a vision which one of
his Highland soldiers had seen, and which came true in
every particular. In short, it is manifest that these
warriors, clad in tartan plaids, were Scotch Highlanders
in their national costume, and lowland Scotchmen in
tartan uniforms. Sir Donald Monro, High Dean of
the Isles, writing in 1549, calls the people of the He-
brides, " Erishe," and their language " Erishe " or
"Erish." In 1633, the Countess of Argyll called
Gaelic " Erise " and " Irishe," so the German words
" Irren" and " Irlander" are easily explained, if there
were Scotch lowlanders in the regiment to name their
Highland comrades.
About the same time a body of Scots, under one
Sinclair, landed in Xorway, and tried to force their
way to Sweden. The people rose upon them, over-
powered them, took some prisoners, and after a time
killed them in cold blood. A small museum has been
set up at the road side in Gulbrans-dal, and comprises
dirks, iDowder-horns, and the clasps of sporrans. The
shipwreck of the party, who landed at Stettin, would
account for the absence of ornament in their dresses.