Donald Mcleod's Gloomy Memories in the Highlands of Scotland

^ — 3^^^ '^^ DONALD MLEODS ^'^^ Gloomy Memories ^^ IN THE J ^-^-^^CÛ^^ Highlands of Scotland: VEBSUS {Vive. Ibariict fficccbcr Stowc'6 SUNNY IVL EMORIES /y (England) a Foreign Land: ^ OR A FAITHFUL PICTURE OF THE EXTIRPATION OF the CELTIC RACE FROM THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND. tfi\\Mik\\y^ /^ f»r J GLAHfJOW:— AliCHIIJALD SINCLAIR, 10 BOTHWKI.L STKKiy^^î ' KniNBUROH: John (iKANT, Oeoiiok iv. Bridck. X^^ <J/ TNVKRNE88 :—JoHN NoBLK, CaSTLE StRKKT. XiC ^ C>^ Oban: Hi ';n MacDonald, Esplanadk. /<vrc^<^ -^ \1 /^^' ^ ^ 1892. /^4^ PUBLISHERS PREFACE. In publishing a new edition of Donald Macleod's "Gloomy Memories" it may he interesting to sulmit a few facts regarding previous editions. The first edition, j)rinted for the author at the Chronicle Office, Edin- burgh, in 1841, consisted of a reprint of a number of letters addressed to the Edijibnifjh Weekly Chronicle. A second edition was published in Greenock in 185G, while a third edition, enlarged and improved, was published in Toronto, Canada, in 1857. Despite tlie fact tiiat three editions were published, the work was within recent years all but impossible to procure. The idea of publishing the present edition, which is a reprint of that published in Canada, is due to ]Mr. John Campbell, a patriotic Mull man resident in Greenock, wlio, impressed with the educative value of the ** Gloomy Memories," set about collecting subscriptions with the view of having an edition published at a pffce that would place the work within the reach of all. To his efforts therefore, conjoined with the patriotism of a number of Celts and others interested in the Highlands, the public are indebted for the pixisent re-issue of the "Gloomy Memories." PREFACE TO THE PRESENT EDITION, \\--=.- Masy things have happened in the County of Sutherland, as well as in the Highlands generally, since 184041, when Donald MacLeod wrote to the Edinburgh Weekly Chronicle about " the Sutherland Clearances," and even since the later portions of this work were called forth by Mrs. Iêecher Stowe's attempt in her '' Sunny Memories " to whitewash the house of Sutherland after its defilement from contact with the fire and crow-bar brigade of that county. To many interested in the Highlands of Scotland, the title of this book has been long familiar, and the name of Donald MacLeod has long been esteemed and honoured. Few, however, of the present generation have read the " Gloomy Memories" as the earlier editions are long out of print, and but comparatively few of the Canadian edition, published in 1857, reached this country. In these circumstances it may be interesting to give a few facts regarding the author of this patriotic work, and the causes which led him to publish his " Gloomy Memories." Donald MacLeod was hotw at Ilossal, Strathnaver, where his father, William MacLeod, was at the time a farmer. When Donald was about twenty years of age, his father was obliged to leave his little farm in order that it might form pai-tofagiganticsheepi-un, and wasobliged to accept a croft among othei-s at the foot of the Strath, in A ird-dn-ia^gaich. After- wards, the family were removed to Strathy Point, whence Donald had to make anotlier move at the instance of Patrick Sellar's successor. He removed southward, keeping as long as he could within the bounds of the county. The la.st employment he had in his native shire was as a n)ason building the breast on the north side of the Kyle, and to the east of the bridge of Bonar. From this he went to Edinburgh, where he found access to tlie press, but such an ''agitator" was not likely to receive much encouragement in that city of " law and order," and accordingly Donald MacLeod went to Canada, where he ended his days. In Woodstock, Ontario, he prepared for the press, the edition which was published for him in 1857, by Thomson i Coy., Colonist Office, Toronto. No one who reads the "Gloomy Memories" and considers the author's environments and opportunities, can fail to observe the marked ability with which he states his facts, and the firmness displayed at a time when his sentiments could find but little support and scanty approval. Despite the attempts of Mrs Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Commissioner James Loch, M.P., to whitewash the Sutherland escutcheon, and the various efforts of the Sellar family to vindicate the memory of their father, yet the statements made by Donald MacLeod have never been overturned or refuted —indeed they have in these latter days been fully substantiated. The Royal Commission appointed in 1883 to enquire into the condition of the Highland Crofters had ample evidence submitted to it in the county regarding the Sutherlandshire clearances, their extent and attendant cruelties. At its sittings in Edinburgh, the Commission heard the evidence of two witnesses of these cruel evictions, as well as received fifteen duly attested affidavits of old men then living who had been eye- witnesses of the clearances, and of the acconipanying atrocities. The conduct of the clergy during the period of these evictions must call forth the censure of all right thinking persons. Instead of pleading the cause of the poor and defending the widow and orphan, they, with one or two exceptions, aided and abetted the evictors and sought to justify their conduct. Nor is the attitude of the clergy towards the Crofter Agitation in our own day much better. As a rule —with just sufficient exceptions to prove the rule—they have either sided with the oppressors of the people and condemned the agitators, or displayed a callous indifference when the most vital interests of their people were at stake. Even many of the successors of those who protested so vehemently against "site refusers" in 1843, are frequently found attempting to justify the oppression and extortion of modern landlordism. It is therefore a matter of profound thankfulness that the people have asserted their rights and demanded a restitution of privileges long denied them. Till within recent years the Highland people were denied Ill a voice in the making of those laws under which they lived. An extended franchise has recently endowed them with a new existence and their sufferances are now sought for with a persistency indicative of their importance in the domain of politics. * The Crofters' Act of 1886, despite its imperfections and aggrivating limitations, is based on the historic rights of the Celts, and is therefore but an earnest of what must yet be conceded, if the Highlanders are united in their desires and persistent in their demands. How it would have cheered the heart of Donald MacLeod had he lived to see the passing of the Crofters' Act, and he would have been gratified beyond measure to find that the electors of his native county had, at the last general election, declined the blandishments of those in authority and sent a crofter's son, Mr Angus Sutherland to Parliament to represent them—and so furnished all other constituencies with an example well worthy of imitation. Glasgow, 1892. FIONN. * In 1S84 the Sutherland constituency was 325, in 1885 the extended franchise raised it to 3180. INTRODUCTION TO CANADIAN EDITION. To Donald Matheson, Esq., M.P.P., for North Oxford, Canada West, and William Maxson, Esq., Captain of the Highland Guards, New York, Scottish Highlanders, and their descendants in the Csaiadas, and in the United States of America. Gentlemen,—In dedicating the following narrative to you, the author has not the vanity to suppose that you will be honoured thereby, containing as it does a narration of painful facts, connected with the suffering and depreciation of a onct mighty race of people, who had largely contributed to the renown of Britain as a nation, and instrumental in raising her to her present proud position among the nations of the earth. It is not the object of the author to dilate here upon the antiquity and character of the Celtic race, but expose the cruelty and injustice to which they have been subjected by the aristocracy of Great Britain, and tolerated by the Gov- ernment, seemingly with the avowed intention to extirpate them root and branch from the land of their birth and home of their forefathers, and to convert the fertile valleys of Caledonia, " the land of the brave," into hunting and sheep walks. Doubtless the cruel dealings of Highland aristocracy to the down-trodden sons and daughters of Caledonia, will find apologists, and even at the j>resent time they have procured an American literary luminary, who promises well to whitewash their foul deeds, partic- ularly the Sutherlandshire depopulators (o/'Âc /o«^ pwy-s^); and endeav- ouring to make it appear that all tlie author and others have written about the Sutherlandshire clearances, were malicious accusations and groundless grievances ; but she zvill not get Scot free away with it. I know, ex{)erimentally, that the advocates of the poor man's rights do labor under many disadvantiiges ; still the author of this work rejoices that he has it in his power to appeal to hundreds of his countrymen to attest the veracity of all the statements he advances, and has confidence in his own abilities to bring home every charge of cruelty and oppression practised upon the Sutherlandshire Higlilandersby their ruthless and tyrannical lords of the soil and their underlings. This unvarnished narrative, imperfect as it may be, in regard to its literary character, is however, inscribed not from any mercenary motives, but as a humble tribute of regard for your well known sym})athie8 for the wrongs of your oppressed countrymen : trust- ing, that a liberal allowance will be made for the limited literary attain- ments of Yours respectfully, DONALD MCLEOD.

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