: SKETCHES OF HIGHLANDERS AVITH AN ACCOUI¥T Of TIIETR EARLY ARRIVAL IN NORTH AMERICA; THEIR ADVANCF.MF-NT IN AGRICULTURE; AM) SOME OF TIieiR DISTIMJUISHEU MILITARY SERVICES I.N THE WAR OF 18li. WITH CONTAIXING USEFUL INFORMATION FOR EMIGRANTS FUOM TIIE HIOHI.AIVDS OF SCOTLAiVD TO THK IJV K. C. MACDONALI), MKUTEJfANT-COI.O.VEL OK THE CASTMC TIORAM TIEGIMEST OF HIGHT.AVDERS, PKISCF, EDWARD ISI.AN'D ; CHIEF OF THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF VOVA SCOTIA; AXD PAYMASTER OF THK 30tH REGIMKXT. SAINT JOHN, N. ';. m PRINTED BY HENRY CHL'Bn & CO,, MARKET SQUARE. 18 13. * TO EMIGRANTS FROM SCOTLAND, AND THEIR DESCENDANTS IN BRITISH AMERICA, AND TO SUCH PERSONS IN THE MOTIIEU COUNTllY AS DESIRE TO SETTLE IN THE BRITISH COLONIES, THE FOL1L.O^VINO WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED; WITH THE writer's BEST WISHES FOR THEIR PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS. I TO THE llEADKU. TiiK few following pages have been cliiony compiled dotn the best works and most authentic documents that relate to the liistory of Scottish Highlanders, and their emigration to America. One of the objects of the writer has been to make the descendants of the early Highland settlers in IJritish America in some degree acciuainted with the loyalty and to emulate bravery of their ancestors ; and to e.\cite them those virtues for which their forefathers have become pro- verbial all over the world. And to them it may well be a subject of deep interest and pleasure, that even now they live under the Sovereign protection of the lineal descendant of King Robert Bruce; llcv Gracious Majesty, Queen Victokia, liaving sprung from the lloyal Stuarts of Scothind, by Princess Sophia, Grand-daughter of .Fames I. of I'.ngland, who was married to Ernest Augustus, the Ninth Elector of Hanover. Another motive for the following publication has arisen from a desire to afford, if possible, to those who enjoy " their native Highland Home," some account of their Countrymen in British America, and to throw out a feu particulars to such as may feel disposed to emigrate to \ova- Scotia, Capo Rrcton, New-Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, where the writer was stationed for some time, VI. niid liail iicccNs to iniicli iiifiiniiiuion in rclatinii to tlia Agrinihmul oapahilitieM of tlio ('(UMiliy. 'J'lic prococdM of tliiM Hinall work will be applied to the relief of ditttrewHed Liiiigraiitii. A« the writer Ijas been unexpectedly deprivp'l of the srrvi- CCN of un individual who had been employed by him to aid in preparing the materials of this pamphlet, and its sole object being nlility, he trusts that any errors, particularly in (Jaclic wonls, that inny occur in it, will be viewed with lenity, and he sincerely hopes that the following pages may prove useful and interesting to his countryuien, and every friend to the improvement of the IJritish Provinces in North America. R. C. .HACDO^TALD, fSaint Jo /in, Anr-ftruiiswick, ) fie^Ucmbcr Ut, 1813. j[ HISTORICAL I^XTIIACTS, Ac. CIIAI'TKU 1. Wmii.k (iieat HiMdiiii still licM i>o.sscssioii of iliat part ol' North America which now coustitiUes tho Kcpiiljlij" of the I'liittMl StatoH, the hope of improving their own coiuJitiou, and of ])r() vidiiif? for their (h'seeiidants, iiufuccd a large iiiiiuher of lliuli landers, in the year 177'2, to emigrate to South Carolina, from the estates of Lord MacUonald, in the Isle of Skye, and Lord f^eafortli, from Kintail and liOnpjhbroom. As both ClanroMald and Lord MacDonald, n|)on t!ie last of whom the honour (il\\n Irish peerajjfe was conferred for his having refu;;ed to espouse the cause of I'rince CMiarles in IT4.>, claimed as a relative of their illustrious houses the celebrated and courageous Miss Flora MacDonald, who played so promiin^nt a part after the battle of Cidloden, and who adhered with such rigid fidelity to the I'rince, in his misfortunes, vvanderings, sutlerings, and hair- breadth escapes, I will here give the following honourable no- lice? of that illustrious and noble-uiinded heroine from Chamlicrs' History of the "Rebellion" of 171">:— Thfi ship in whic-li IVfisa ^Tartloll•,lIll was imprisoiu'd InlTt licitli IJoail nii llie 7tli ofXovcMnbcr, and carrit'il licr siraijslitwny to Loiiilon. wlieii^ <\u'. \mi.s dctaiiiod in a not IfsH honournhio captivity in tlie honsc (il'a private family, till the passiiii» ol'thi; art of indemnity in July, 17-17, vvlicn siie was discliai'^tid wittiont hcini:; as^ked a sins;ii! qnestion. Ili-r story iiad i)y this tinu* exciferl not le^s intiMCst in tiu! metro poiis tliatt it had done in Scollan.l. IJoinj; rnceivrd after hor liheration into tiin lionsi! of the dowager [,ady IVimro-io of Dininipace, she \va^ tlii>r(! \i;iteil by firowdrt of the faahionnljlo world, who paid her snoii liomai'e ns wonid iiavo turned the heads of ninety-nine of a inindretl women of any age, eonnlry or eonditioii. — On iier mind they proiinced no elVect but that (f snrprise : Aw iiad only, sho tlion^jrht, performed an a(;l of eommon humanity, and she had never llionght ol" it in any other ligiit till she fojuid tho, world making so mnel\ ado al)()iit it. (i, Soon aller retnrning to her i wn conntry, she was married (iXovember 1750) IVtr. Alexander Macdonald, younger oi' Kingshnrgli, to whom sIk." brni; a large lanfdy oi'scnis and danghter>j. When I3r. Johnson and Mr. l?0swell visited Skye, they were entertained hy Mr. and ^[rs. Macdonald at Kinisbnrgh. Johnson, in liis "Journey to the We-tern tsiand^"' introduces her well-kimwn maiden name, which he says i^ one 'that will be mentioned in history, and. if courage a^jJ I 2 •• fidclily 111! virtues, inoMtioncil witli liouoiir." He ;ul(ls, Slie is a woiinn of iiii(f- dlc staUire, soft featuieji, gentle inuinierH, and elegant pre.-ence." Soon alter tlii* period, under tlie iuflueiiee of the passion lor emigration which \vu^ then raging in the Ilighlands, Kingsbiirgli and liis lady went to North Carolina, where they purchascd and settled upon an estate. As mentioned in the text, she bore with ner across the Atlantic the Prince's sheet, that it might ser\ i as her shroud, wherever it should he licr fate to lay down her bones. Mr. .Utcdonald liad scarcely been settled on his property, when the unfortunate contest between the <olonist.-j and the mother country involved him in trouble. Like most of hi;* coun- trymen in Afuenca, he sided with the Hritish government, and the consequence WHS, tl.at he wa^ imi)risoned as a dangerous person. On being liberated, he took arm.s against 'he colonists, us caj)tain in a regiment called the North Carolina Highlanders, and he and his wife met witli many strange adventures in the course of tlie contest. At the couchision of the war, liiey found it necessary to leave the country of their adoption, and return to .Skye. In the voyage homeward, the ves- sel encountered a French ship of war, and an action ensued. While the other ladies were conhned lielow. Flora insisted upon remaining on deck, where she endeavoured, by her voice and example, to animate the sailors. Cihe was unfor- tunately thrown down in the bustle, and broke her arm, w Inch caused her after- wards to observe that she had now perilled her life for tiie house of Stewart and the house of Drunswick. She spent the remainder of her life at Skye, and at her death, which took place JNIarch 5tii, 1790, when she had attained tiie age of seventy, was actually buried in the shroud which she !• id so strangely selected for that purpose in her youth, and carriet! with iier through so many adventures and migrations. She retained to the la.st that vivacity and vigour of character which has procured her so much historical distinction. Her liiisband, who survived lier a few years, died on the half-pay list as a British olficer ; and no fewer than five of her sons served Uieir king in a military capacity. Charles, the eldest son, was a captain in the Queen's Hangers. He was a most accomplished man: the late Lord IVIaiidonald, on seeing him low- ered into the grave, said, " There Ues the most finished gentleman of my family r.ni name." Alexander, the second son, was al.-o an ollicer : he was lost at sea. The third son, Ranald, was a captain of marines, of high professional character, and remarkable for the elegance of his appearance. James, the fourth son, served in Tarlton's British legion, and was a brave and experienced officer. Lieuteuanl- colouel John Macdonald, of Fxeter, is, I believe, the only surviving son. There were, moreover, two daughters, one of whom, Mrs. Major Macleod, of Lochbay, in the Isle of Skye, died within the last few years. In the war, between Great Britain and France, which pre- ceded the ]>eaco ot'l7ii3. His Majesty's Ishmd of Prince Edward, then called the Island of Saint John's, had bet dismantled of all its stock, property, and inhabitants, excepting three or four hundred, w ho had concealed themselves in the woods when the rest were shipped ofl'. These and their progeny are now called the French Acadians, and, being destitute of all other means of industry, they supported a precarious and miserable exist- ence by their dexterity in takitig wild game and fish, until they found better employment after the settlement of the Island had commenced subsequent to the year 1770. At the time this was the local state of that Island, Jolni MacDonald, Esquire, Chieftain of Glenaladale, impressed by the exagger- ni ated reports current in Europe of the superior qualities of Prince Edward Island, purchased an extensive allotment of land in it, conceived the idea of an extensive plan of emigration to ihat Colony, and sent his brother with an overseer and la- bourers, provided with every recpiisite for raisijig crops to sup- port some hundreds of settlers in the following year.