Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

THE EDITOR IN CANADA. 399
farewell to my friends, I was glad to find Captain Braes and all his
officers in the best of spirits. Next morning, just before we sailed, I was
not a little surprised to find several of my New York friends coming on
board with Major Manson at their head, and immediately the gallant ship
moved from her moorings a ringing cheer was set up ; Avhile Mr Eankine,
an excellent piper mentioned in a previous article, blew up his Highland
bagpipes on the pier-head, playing appropriate tunes until we could no
longer hear the pleasing strains ; and finishing up with " Will ye no come
back again?" an expression of feeling the realisation of Avhich, I am quite
siu'e, was as heartily desired by my friends on shore as it was reciprocated
by me. T^'^e were soon past Sandy Hook, and faced the great Atlantic
on the morning of the 4th of December last ; and, after a splendid run, the
noble ship cast anchor at Greenock on the Simday week following, having
taken exactly ten days and five hours from New York to the Clyde.
Having spent Monday in Glasgow, I found myself safely at home once
more in the Highland Capital, after a trip of four months — a trip which
forms one of the greenest spots in my life, and which has satisfied the
ambition of my youth and manhood in seeing for myself Her Majesty's mag-
nificent possessions in British North America, where so many of our ex-
patriated brother Highlanders have found for themselves such comfortable
homes.
And now I shall take the reader a little into my confidence. I have
been strongly urged by several influential persons to publish my special
correspondence wliich appeared in the Aberdeen Daily Free Press, along
with this series, in book form, my good friend, John Mackay of Swansea,
offering to take twenty copies. Now, in the first place, I question
very much if they are worth publishing in a separate form ; and, second,
I have my doubts as to whether they would sell sufficiently well to pay.
I cannot afl'ord to run any risk in the matter ; but if I get sufficient en-
couragement in the shape of subscribers, I would be disposed to work the
Free Press articles, which deal with a different phase of Canadian life,
and these into one consecutive whole, adopting the fullest portion of each,
improving, and, in some places, adding to them. I have no doubt
an interesting volume might thus be produced at a reasonable price, and
if I get sufficient support to jilace me beyond any risk of loss, I wiU do
my share. I shall therefore be glad to hear from intending subscribers
at once — price not to exceed half-a-crown, or 60 cents. A. M.
€eneal0giriil |totes mxb ^ntxks.
QUERY.
The Macdonalds of Balranald. — Would you, or some one of your numerous
readers, be kind enough to inform me, through tht» niediuin of the Celtic Magazine, what
branch of the Maedonakls do the Macdonalds of Balranald, North Uist, belong to, and
wbat ia their crtst, motto, &c. A, Macdonald.