Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

THE EDITOE IN CANADA. 241
to join in the opening celebration services. I was particularly struck with
his nervous restlessness, and with the peculiar naturalness and simplicity
of his eloquence and action in and out of the pulpit. He possesses a
magnificent library, and is a great student and master of botany, ornitho-
logy, astronomy, geology, and many of the other sciences — a very prodigy
of learning, in an out-of-the-way region, where only his natural love of
knowledge could ever have induced him to devote himself so much to
study as he does. And he is not a mere bookworm, but makes good use
of his researches by occasionally delivering free lectures to the people on
the elements of the various sciences. Mr ]\[urdoch, with whom I parted
in Kingston a fortnight previously, was to lecture in Woodville on " The
Heroes of Ossian," on Monday evening, and I decided upon being present
on the occasion. My reverend friend would insist upon driving me in
his own machine, though the train was leaving Beaverton at the same
time ; and I parted with his family, and later on with himself at Wood-
ville, much regretting that I had so little time at my disposal to spend
among such a fine, warm-hearted people as the Highlanders of Thorah.
Woodville is a thoroughly Highland settlement of about 600 inhabit-
ants, most of whom are from the Island of Islay, and nearly all Gaelic-
speaking people. They turned out well to hear Mr Murdoch's lecture,
after which I had the pleasure of addressing them briefly in Gaelic. The
Eev. Mr Mactavish, now of Inverness, has been there for several years,
and he is still remembered and spoken of with the highest respect by
every one with whom I came in contact during my short stay in the
place. Among those whom I had the pleasure of meeting there was Dr
Mackay, who is married to a daughter of Mr Mactavish ; Duncan Camp-
bell, of the Post Office ; and the Eev. Mr Ross, the present settled Gaelic
minister in the village, and a native of Easter Eoss. I intended to have
visited the churchyard there as I had done at Beaverton, but next day
turning out very wet, I started on my way, and had the pleasure of the
Eev, Mr Eoss's company all the way back to Toronto. In my next I
shall introduce the reader to the Highlanders of Guelph, Lucknow, and
Kincardine. A.M.
TO CORRESPONDENTS.— Letter and enclosure received from Mr John Maodonald,
secretary, Gaelic Society, Sydney, N.S.IV. Please arrange with Messrs Gordon & Gotch
of your city, as you propose. Mag. can be supplied through their Melbourne branch, our
Australian agents. Malcolm Robertson, Sefton, New Zealand. —Letter and enclosure
received. Neither the Gaelic nor English words are given with Captain Fraser of
Knockie's Highland music. Alexander Cameron, Coburg, Melbourne.— Many thanks
for letter and enclosure ; but especially for your valuable service in making known the
Celtic Magazine in the colony. Dr MacCrimmon, Lucknow, Ontario. — Order received,
and books forwarded to your address. We shall be glad to hear from you after your re-
turn from Dacotah and Manitoba. William Fraser, Elgin, Illinois.- Thanks. We
have conveyed your messages to Maclachlan & Stewart and to the Highlander.
Myles Campbell, White Hock, N.Z.— Many thanks. Your kind order bookul, but the
work will not appear for some time.
T