Ossian Collection > Romance of the Highlands

36 THE ROMANCE OF THE HIGHLANDS.
A good story is told of the last Laird of McNab.
It happened at a time when the Highlands got the
reputation of being more savage than ever was the case.
McNab sometimes got into debt, when he retired for a
time to his rocky fastness on the Dochart. It was not
safe to trouble him for payment when there. On one
occasion a messenger-at-arms arrived late in the evening,
and McNab gave him the warmest possible welcome, and
it was stated supplied him with more whisky than was
good for him. At the same time he instructed his clans-
men to hang an effigy from a tree in the distance. The
visitor, sobered in the morning, was about to present his
legal document to McNab, who had been treating him as
a guest, but his eye catching sight of the "corpse"
hanging from the tree, asked what was the cause of the
trouble. He was told it was "just a tam'd messenger
pody frae Edinbro that had the presumption tae come wi'
a paper to the laird." Needless to say, his citation was
not served, but he took the earliest opportunity of getting
back to the city.
A noteworthy instance of the power possessed by a
chief is told by Duncan Forbes of Culloden, who called
at Blair Castle one day previous to 1745 when on a
journey from Edinburgh to his home. He dined with
the Duke of Athole, the owner of the castle, and in the
evening a petition was presented to his Grace, which he
handed to the Lord President for perusal, with the
remark, "My Lord, here is a petition from a poor man
whom my Baron Bailie has condemned to be hanged,
and as he is a clever fellow, and is strongly recommended
to mercy I am much inclined to pardon him." "But
your Grace knows," said the President, "that after
condemnation no man can pardon but His Majesty."
"As to that," replied the Duke, "since I have the power
of punishing it is but right that I should have the power