Series 1 > Chronicles of the Frasers

472
POLICHRONICON SEU
being at sermon convoyed my Lord from church home, the
Tutor and his lady, Beufort and his lady, Struy, Culboky,
Foyer, Rilick, Achnigarn, etc. ; a confluence and convocation
of hearty good fellowes, and nothing was wanting for their
suitable entertainment. This I can say without flattery : I
never saw a more solem, handsom, opulent Christmas feast,
my Lord telling them with their welcom that this might be
the last Yewel he would ever keep with them, blissing God for
bringing the fatall year to a happy period. What I here say
as well as formerly of this famely is ex certa scientia, being eye
and eare witness of all those transactions.
*****
[Account of affairs in England.]
A sad drowning This year, on February 6, a dismall accident fell out at the
Ferry^Feb. 6. Candlmas marcat in Dingwall. A great croud of people
l667- comming to the ferry, and but one boat, they press in so
thick into her that the ferrier told them he would not launch
out from the bank untill they would disburden the boat, and
most of them goe out again. There was no heareing: he
could not prevail. Well, then, since yow will not, I resolve
not to drown myselfe—and so leapes out of the boat uppon
the bank ; some of them followed out, two men and a woman.
He calls again that the boat was overloadned. They did not
regard, but sets her off, and immediatly oversets and sunk;
all the loadning of people, men and women, floating upon the
water lick dukes, and, no doubt, many of them in drink could
not escap; those uppon the shoare could not reach to re¬
cover them ; some casting out their plaids, others long poles,
pulled some of them to shear. Such as kept the midle of the
river sunk or carried down the stream; two men onely swam
in to the other side; 22 persones, men and women, drownd
outright. The most of them, out of Ferrintosh, madly im¬
patient to be home, thrust themselves, being so late, into seen
danger. Mr. George Cuming, minister at Urray, heasting to
the boat, was like to be in with the rest, but Providence stopt
him, calling to his boy to take his hoarse, as himselfe told me.
My brother in law, William Monro, was uppon the bank, and
rescued 6 persones by casting out roapes and plaids which they