Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

156 THE CELTIC MAGAZINE.
It is commonly reported that Donald could spin a good yarn, oae
which, in connection with the pilgrimage of the U.E. Loyalists from
States to Canada, will bear telling. On one occasion the Catholic Bis]
was in Donald's neighbourhood, and knowing that he was rather f
of relating the hardships endured by the Loyalists on their way to G
garry, under his leadership, the good Bishop called upon him and in
duced the subject. Donald was proud of his exploits, and the great i
cess which had attended himself and his devoted followers ; and he ah
related the hardships and hairbreadth escapes which they experier ^
with unfeigned pleasure. As he advanced in years they seemed to Ife
grown upon him, until at last they appeared to others almost bordering onk
miraculous. When he had finished the description of the journey thro a
the trackless forest in glowing colours, tlie Bishop in blank amazement, id
— " Why, dear me, Donald, your exploits seem almost to have equs |d
even those of Moses himself when leading the children of Israel thrcjh
the Wilderness from Egypt to the Land of Promise." "Moses," exclaiid
the Higlilander, adding two emphatic short words, to which the eai^
his reverence were not much accustomed; "Why," said Grant, witla
unmistakeable air of contempt, " Moses took forty years in his vaii t-
tempts to lead his men over a much shorter distance, and through a i re
trifling wilderness in comparison with mine, and he never did reach is
destination. I brought my people here without the loss of a single lu ,"
The answer made by the Bishop is not recorded ; but he afterwards id
to teU the story with evident gusto, and to the great amusement oJ is
hearers.
Having arranged for a lecture here and at Alexandria, I went o to
Ottawa, where I spent a few days. On my return, my host kindly ol: id
to drive me himself tlirough the county, and to introduce me to the Ie;i aj
Highlanders. On Wednesday, the 29th of October, Ave started for i i-
andria, 14 miles inland, behind a splendid pau' of horses, calling dd
some genuine Celts on our way. A few miles out we passed a very lo
farm of 400 acres owned, occupied, and capitally farmed by Donald . x-
lennan, whose father emigrated from Kintail without a cent. Sh ly
after this we called on Christopher Macrae, Glenroy, who has a flue 'in
and keeps the district shop or store. We were hospitably entertaine )y
his better-lialf, and I had a most interesting chat with his father, a ue
old gentleman, 93 years of age, who left Glenelchaig in Kintail in VX
The venerable sire, I had been told, was fuU of old lore and Higl aJ
tradition ; but my time was too limited to enable me to get him int h.
proper groove, which I very much regret. Another of his sons, Du an
owns the fine farm of Glen- Nevis, the whole family being exceedingly 'in
fortable and well-to-do. Another worthy specimen of the good old stc ; ol
Kintail Macraes, and with whom I had the pleasure of travelling bm
Lancaster to Kingston, was D. A. Macrae, a fine young fellow, whoi &•
ther left Morvich, Kintail, about 50 years ago, and who now owns aa«
farm of 400 acres, nearly the whole of which is cultivated. By the m<
we left Glenroy, it was getting dark, and we drove right on to Alexai Ha
where we took up our quarters at the St Lawrence Hotel, a comfo U'
hostelry kept by another Gaelic-speaking Highlander, Angus ]Macd ell
Having seen several of the leading citizens of Alexandria next mo) Dg
I started for a drive some twenty miles into the back settlemei o
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