ore \ecru Vpm.tKc journal of a -». *.-£* THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES lw\*> mwg s^j&b "(j^i J**i on y y / /IM^fezr*- ZcPcP// fl ^ MORE LEAVES FROM THE JOURNAL OF A LIFE IN THE HIGHLANDS, FROM 1S62 TO 1882. by' v> FIFTH EDITION. LONDON : SMITH, ELDER, & CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE. 1884. All rights reserved. ig 5 5 a- --a PREFACE. " The little volume Our Life in the Highlands," published fifteen years ago, with its simple records of the never-to-be-forgotten days spent with him " who made the writer's life bright and happy," was received with a warmth of sympathy and interest which was very gratifying to her heart. The kind editor of that volume is no longer here to advise and help her, though friendly assistance has not been wanting on the present occasion. But remembering the feeling with which that little book was received, the writer thinks that the present volume may equally evoke sympathy, as, while describing a very altered life, it shows how her sad and suffering heart was soothed and cheered by the excursions and incidents it cjg ^ 632321 cfi Hi vi ( ) recounts, as well as by the simple mountaineers, from whom she learnt many a lesson of resigna- tion and faith, in the pure air and quiet of the beautiful Highlands. The writer wishes at the same time to express her gratitude to those who are mentioned through- out this volume for the devotion and kindness which contributed so much to her enjoyment of the varied scenes and objects of interest of which these pages contain the unpretending record. Osborne : December 22, 1S83. 43- *-EP £h "-Eh TO MY LOYAL HIGHLANDERS AND ESPECIALLY TO THE MEMORY OF MY DEVOTED PERSONAL ATTENDANT AND FAITHFUL FRIEND JOHN BROWN THESE RECORDS OF MY WIDOWED LIFE IN SCOTLAND ARE GRATEFULLY DEDICATED VICTORIA K. 1. C&- *-ff cB— ~$ CONTENTS. DATE PAGE 21 1S62 1 Building of the Prince's Cairn Aug. Visit to the Old Cairn on the Prince's Birthday 26 Aug. 1862 3 First Visit to the Prince's Cairn after its Com- pletion 19 May 1863 4 Visit to Blair 15 Sept. 1863 5 Oct. Carriage Accident 7 1863 9 .. Oct. Unveiling of the Prince's Statue at Aberdeen 13 1863 15 Expedition to Invermark 19 Sept. 1865 24 First Visit to Dunkeld 9 Oct. 1865 30 Second Visit to Dunkeld 1 Oct. 1866 46 66 Opening of the Aberdeen Waterworks 16 Oct. 1866 Halloween 31 Oct. 1866-7.. 69 Visit to Floors and the Scotch Border Country 20 Aug. 1867 71 Visit to Glenfiddich 24 Sept. 1867 89 Unveiling of the Prince's Statue at Balmoral.... 15 Oct. 1867 103 A House-warming at the Glassalt Shiel 1 Oct. 1868 105 " " 21 1S68 Juicing the Sheep Oct. 109 " " A Highland Kirstnin (Christening) 24 Oct. 1868 m A Second Christening 1 Nov. 1868 113 Widow Grant 22 Aug. 1869 114 Visit to Invertrossachs 1 Sept. 1869 116 Sheep Clipping 13 June 1870 148 Betrothal of Princess Louise to the Marquis of Lome 3 Oct. 1870 150 £0 —ff ft X CONTENTS. DATE l'AGE Communion Sunday at Crathie 13 Nov. 1871 152 The "Spate" 1 1 June 1872 156 Visit to Holyrood and Edinburgh 13 Aug. 1872 164 Visit to Dunrobin 6 Sept. 1872 17S Dr. Norman Macleod March 1873 209 Visit to Inverlochy 9 Sept. 1873 238 Home-coming of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh 29 Aug. 1874 284 Departure of the Prince of Wales from Abcr- geldie before leaving for India 17 Sept. 1875 ...... 286 Visit to Inveraray 21 Sept. 1875 289 21 Oct. Highland Funeral ...». 1875 322 Unveiling of the Statue of the Prince Consort at Edinburgh 17 Aug. 1876 326 " " Presentation of Colours to The Royal Scots 26 Sept. 1876 333 Expedition to Loch Marcc 12 Sept. 1877 337 Visit to Broxmouth 23 Aug. 1S78 362 Death of Sir Thomas Biddulph at Abergeldie Mains 28 Sept. 1S78 378 Memorial Cross to the Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse 22 May 1879 382 Death of the Prince Imperial 19 June 1879 3S4 Home-coming of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Connaught 5 Sept. 1879 392 His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught's Cairn 8 Sept. 1879 395 Visit to the Glen Gelder Shiel 6 Oct. 1879 397 Victory of Tel-el-Kebir and Home-coming of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Albany 1 1 Sept. 1882 399 Conclusion 406 >B~ —ff f=\- -a LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Portrait of Her Majesty the Queen To/ace Title Mr. John Grant ,, page 3 H.R.H. the Princess Helena 24 Mr. John Brown 3 1 H.R.H. the Princess Louise 46 General Grey 67 Lady Churchill 89 Sharp, the Queen's Collie 100 View of the Glassalt Shiel 105 Portrait of H.R.H. the Princess Beatrice 164 Noble, the Queen's Collie 239 Memorial Cross to H.R.H. the Princess Alice 382 View of Glen Gelder Shiel 397 t&~ tf tfh HI Caledonia ! thou land of the mountain and rock, Of the ocean, the mist, and the wind— Thou land of the torrent, the pine, and the oak, Of the roebuck, the hart, and the hind ! Thou land of the valley, the moor, and the hill, Of the storm and the proud-rolling wave— Yes, thou art the land of fair liberty still And the land of my forefathers' grave ! The Ettrick Shepherd. A nation famed for song and beauty's charms, — Zealous innocent free yet modest, though ; Patient of toil, serene amidst alarms, Inflexible in faith, invincible in arms. Beattie's Mifistrel. IB— -..# : ifl Eb i Building of the Prince's Cairn. Balmoral, Thursday, August 21, 1862. At eleven o'clock started off in the little pony- chair (drawn by the Corriemulzie pony, and led by Brown), Bertie, who had come over from Birk- hall, on foot, the two girls on ponies, and the two little boys, who joined us later, for Craig Lozv- and I drove in the little rigan ; actually carriage to the very top, turning off from the path and following the track where the carts had eone. Grant and Duncan pushed the carriage behind. Sweet Baby (Beatrice) we found at the top. The view was so fine, the day so bright, and the heather so beautifully pink — but no pleasure, no joy ! all dead ! And here at the is the of the — top foundation cairn forty feet wide—to be erected to my .tS— — —BA a -a * ( ) precious Albert, which will be seen all clown the valley. I and my poor six orphans all placed stones on it and our as well as those of ; initials, the three absent ones, are to be carved on stones all round it. I felt very shaky and nervous. It is to be thirty-five feet high, and the follow- ing inscription to be placed on it : — TO THE BELOVED MEMORY OF ALBERT, THE GREAT AND GOOD PRINCE CONSORT, RAISED BY HIS BROKEN-HEARTED WIDOW, VICTORIA R. AUGUST 2 1, 1862. in a fulfilled a time "He being made perfect short time long ; For his soul pleased the Lord, Therefore hastened He to take him Away from among the wicked." Wisdom of Solomon, iv. 13, 14. Walked down to where the rough road is, and this first short attempt at walking in the heather shook me and tired me much. J. a ft ( 3 ) Visit to the Old Cairn on the Prince's Birthday. Balmoral, August 26, 1S62. I went out at twelve with the two girls on ponies (I in the little carriage), Bertie on foot. We went to see the obelisk building to His dear memory : Bertie left us there, and we went on round by the village, up Craig-Gozvau, in the little carriage, over the heather till we reached near to the old cairn of 1852. Grant said: "I thought you would like to be here to-day, on His birthday!" — so entirely was he of opinion that this beloved day, and even the 14th of December, must not be looked upon as a day of mourning, " That's not the light to look at it." There is so much true and strong faith in these good, simple people. Walked down by the Fog* House, all pink with heather the fine and ; day beautifully bright. " * Scotch for Moss." k I ( 4 ) First Visit to the Prince's Cairn- after its Completion. Balmoral, Tuesday, May 19, 1S63. I went out in the little carriage (Donald Stewart leading the pony, as John Brown was unwell) with ' Lenchen and Dr. Robertson (Grant following), and drove up to the cairn on the top of Craig Lowrigan, which is a fine sharp pyramid admira- bly constructed out of granite without any mortar. The inscription is very well engraved and placed. There is a good path made up to the top of the hill. qa— —ff ( 5 ) Visit to Blair, i 86; Balmoral, i86 Tuesday, September 15, 'o-( At twenty minutes to eight we reached Perth, where we breakfasted and dressed, and at twenty minutes past nine I left with Lenchen, Augusta Bruce, and General Grey, for Blair, going past Dunkeld, where we had not been since 1844, and which is so beautifully situated, and Pitlochry, through the splendid Pass of Killiccrankie (which we so often drove through in 1844), past Mr. Butter's place Faskally, on to Blair, having a distant peep at the entrance to Glen Tilt, and Schiehallion, which it made and makes me sick to think— of.