Series 4 > Papers on Sutherland Estate Management 1802-1816 > Volume 9

148 SUTHERLAND ESTATE MANAGEMENT: CORRESPONDENCE
indemnifys my advances I will at once renounce the additional
ii years to the Family, for although as your Ladyship remarks
there is little risk of challenge from your successors admitting what
I sincerely hope will not happen that the Estate is then in other
hands, still it may not be pleasant to have any incorrect deed
hanging over.
George McLeods1 widow died in winter. The children will soon
be destitute if their friends attempt to continue them in Morness.
Perhaps I may find out some small place for them, and that poor
wretch Martin their Uncle who with all his inattention about
Benevragie is with his wife and six children objects of charity.
Probably your Ladyship woud allow me to do something for him;
at present he remains in his old possession. The story here is that he
was constantly in Mr Falconers employ and in place of looking after
the wood was making Hay at Rhives when the fire happened.
William Taylor at Dornoch has been here sollicking to be made
Clerk of Lieutenancy. I told him that I never interfered in these
matters but woud write to Lord Stafford; Your Ladyship will
know that Christie who now leaves the Country is the present
Clerk. 1 have this day written to Alexander Stronach at Inverugie
to send Lord Stafford a Bank Bill for the amount of Craigtown
wadsett which will I hope reach London by the 15th when my Bill
becomes due.
I am very much obliged by Your Ladyship and Lord Gowers
attention to Messrs. Gilchrist and Cathcart. They are good sort of
people and we will I hope now that there is every chance of a Coal
trade be able to distribute some of their Bank paper to advantage in
this quarter. Pritchard has been quite unlucky with the boring
implements brought down from Inverness which have again broke
and I will not for a day or two be able to give your Ladyship
satisfactory information as to the depth of Strata; he says that
Hughes and Nimmo of the Acadamey were much pleased with the
specimen which he carried to Inverness.
While writing this Mr Falconer has come in. I have given him
Your Ladyships letter about Rhives and he has shewn me his offer
for Midgarty anent which he expects to hear from you about
1 George McLeod, ground-officer of Golspie, was killed by a fall from his horse in
November 1810 (William Young to Marchioness of Stafford, 22 November 1810).