Donald, wily rogue, wore himself into the young heiress's good graces. Indeed, it was natural for the lassie to keep a "lithe" side in her heart for a fine-looking lad about the same age as herself, and, for my own part, I think it was good too; but mind ye, I'm no theologian. Well, Donald, wonderful to relate, soon came to perceive that the heiress had some conceit of him, and she, at the same time, that he was altogether as fond of her. Then followed secret "trystes," and there was much dealing in winks and nods, eke in shakes of the hands, and certain glances and sweet faces were at a premium above conception—and all this behind the old folks' backs. So love prospered, and laughter and light-heartedness accompanied it. But e'en "wae worth" that love, it often brings grief and care for all its fair beginnings. Gossip-confound it!—said ugly things, and the lassie, poor thing, lost all her cheerfulness. Donald, too, became thoughtful. What was to be done? They consulted together, and one day set off up Glen Candlic. In the Sluggan or den Donald built a shieling, and supported his young wife and himself by hunting. Winter came, and she felt an interesting event approaching. It was a furious night, but Donald must go for some "skeelie" wife to attend the ceremony. Ere he had been long away-marvellous to hear of such novelties-three ugly old "wivies" entered the hut, and an heir was born to Donald Fearchar's son. The "wivies" performed everything When handing the child into

that is done on such occasions. bed to the young mother

"Let no mortal," said the first,

"Touch the boy," continued the second, "Till our return," ended the third.

Morning came, and with morning Donald and some of the good wives of Braemar. They, of course, must set everything to rights anew, especially as they had been disappointed in the principal part of their errand. So they had an extra number of attentions to bestow on the mother, and a great many more on the child. Donald's wife endeavoured to keep her son from their touch, but in vain, and they had everything their own way. Ere the lady had yet risen from her sick-bed, it came to pass that she was again left alone of a winter evening. In came the three strange ugly old "wivies," very wrathful in countenance and word. They seized the child, and angrily demanded why their direction had not been followed. She excused herself. Then they entered into a long conversation, talking loudly, though unintelligibly, to the young lady. Each in turn took the child into her arms, and seemed to weigh him. Then, as they were about to depart, they asked each other what "weird" they should leave.

"The third part," said one, "of his fortune is taken away," "By the touch," continued the second, "of mortals ;" "But," ended the third, "he will prosper to the tenth generation."

This boy was Fionnladh Mor. The Laird Stewart became reconciled to the young family. They returned to Invercauld, and when the old man died, his son-in-law Donald became laird; and from his father's name he and his offspring were called M'Fhearchar and Farquharson. But from the name of his son, the celebrated Fionnladh Mor, the family is called by the Celts, Clan Fhionnladh-the Children of Finlay.

These fragments are not very complete, but they are likely all that remain of very far back times, and all that is to be known of the history of the Braes of Mar before the rise of Clan Fhionnladh.

To end this long series of origins, I may tell of the destruction of the old castle of Ceann-Drochaide, or Bridgend, causing another origin-that of the present castle on the plain, erected by John Stewart, Earl of Mar, in 1483, as a hunting-sheil.

Like

Long, long ago, the Galar Mor-the great disease, the plague -ravaged Scotland with terrible severity. It was a dreadful affliction, which, once infesting a country, spared none. a blue "Haesp," it hovered in the air, and lowered inevitably on its victim. The only prevention, where it broke out, was to knock down the houses on all the inmates, infected or not, and bury it with them in the ruins.

Well, the Galar Mor broke out at the old castle. A company of artillery was ordered from Blair Castle. They came up through Athole. The road cut to allow the cannons to pass is yet pointed out by the old people in Glenfernat. On they came over the Cairnwal, and their way is again visible from cuttings above the Coldrach-on over to Corriemulzie. Then they turned down Cornam-muc, and the cannons were put into position at Dalvreckachy. The queen stood in the castle door, combing her hair. The first round brought the walls down about her. None of those within escaped, and the noble towers were levelled to the ground.

Many long years-ay, ages after-when the red-coats were stationed here, one of the soldiers was prevailed on, for a large sum of money, to explore the vaults. There was a hole open like a flue—the mouth is yet to be seen-into which, when a stone was thrown, it could be heard descending a flight of steps a long, long time. Down this hole he was lowered by a rope to the first steps, whence he proceeded, torch in hand, on

his adventure. Pale and trembling, he was brought to the upper world again, and he vowed he had seen queer things, dreadful things, and that nothing should induce him to go back again. In one room or vault he had come on a ghastly company. They all sat round about as if living, with glittering ivory faces, dressed in strange garb, and silent, motionless, breathless, and dead.

Years again afterwards, the Watsons-a wealthy family, then living in Castletown-began to clear out the ruins, and found numbers of old coins, broken vessels, iron doors, smashed grating, immense quantities of deers' horns, and bones of various animals. But a little old man, with a red cap, appeared to them and bade them desist if they valued their own welfare.

Tradition reports that there are very many entire vaults below as yet; especially the stables, and a subterranean passage from them, by which the horses of the Castle could be watered at the Cluny without coming outside.

From amongst the ruins, and around them, grew up a few trees to shelter the fallen greatness of Ceann-Drochaide Castle.

The narrator of this legend, an old worthy of Braemar, concluded:-I feel honoured by the attention given to my wandering narrative. My memory is failing me now, and I seem to recall the old tales of the country dimly-as it were a glimpse through the mists of time. But no wonder. Like the old Castle, my best days are over, and my broken words are as the sounds issuing from the inner vaults, where many things unwot of may lie hid under the ruins of age.

LEGEND OF FIONNLADH MOR,

OR FINLAY THE GREAT.

You have heard of the origin of the Farquharsons, the birth of Fionnladh Mor, and the "weird" connected with his descendants. In taking up the history of the family, I shall necessarily have to relate that of the country, as the two go hand in hand. The Earls of Mar, near relatives of the royal family, were, as they had long been, Lords Superior.

Gordon of Cocklarachie had just been turned out of Invercauld, which thus came entirely into the possession of Donald, Finlay's father.

Clunie Gordon possessed the Castleton, and "Cock Lairdies" swarmed over the country. Donald's eldest son Fearchar, by marriage or purchase, came to succeed one of these in the Coldrach, so that Finlay was installed into the Invercauld property.

Seumas na Gruaig (James of the flowing locks), Laird of Rothiemurchus, laid claim to Invercauld on the death of the Laird Stewart, who was nearly connected with the Grants, believing he had a better right than the Farquharsons. In those times there was but one way-a sensible one-of settling disputes. Fionnladh Mor prepared on his side to make good his claim. Seumas na Gruaig, with a body of followers, came over to Braemar, and the two rival parties met on the banks of a small stream, where, after a sharp fight, victory declared for Fionnladh Mor, owing, no doubt, to his own prowess. The stream was known thereafter as Alt Challa (the burn of the loss or defeat), and hence the name of Inverchalla—in English, Invercauld (the mouth of the burn of the defeat). The Rothiemurchus men were pursued up the Dee, and Seumas na Gruaig fell at the Craggans, and the feud ended.

Finlay had, however, to settle some scores with very troublesome neighbours. The Cock Lairds of Aberairder, for the greater part Stewarts and far-off relations of Finlay's godfather, had been the cause of bringing over Rothiemurchus by their solicitations, envious of the rise of the Farquharsons. Among them flourished perpetual broils, petty strifes, thefts, depredations, burnings, and battles, the consequences of rivalry and vainglory. Desolation spread over the land, and Finlay, who was administrator of justice, and chief man of business for the Earl of Mar, annoyed by continual complaints, resolved at length to look into the affair, the rather as he knew what part these lairds had in the Rothiemurchus feud. He therefore summoned them all to convene in a certain large barn in Aberairder, where meetings of all kinds were held. The lairds, to the number of nineteen, did not fail to keep the appointment. The Farquharsons came in great strength to enforce obedience to their decrees. The trial commenced, and the guilt of all, implicated in some foul deed, was clearly proven. Sentence was passed against them, and at the same time eighteen were strung up to the rafters of the barn. As a partition divided the building, thus leaving a waiting-room outside, and then the inner court-room, where, as each one was sentenced, he was "justiced," the nineteenth, seeing none of the others reappear, suspected all might not be right, took leg-bail, and so escaped. The friends of the lairds made an outrageous stir against the Farquharsons, and succeeded so far

as to have them cited before a court sitting at Aberdeen. Finding, however, they could not make out a case of assassination, as those executed really deserved their doom, their agent, a cunning lawyer, brought in against Finlay a charge of private administration of justice, and secret execution. This was equal in guilt to a charge of murder, for it implied that the proceedings had not been fair, nor such as to serve the ends of justice. "Not so," replied the defenders, with equal acuteness; "the trial and the execution took place where were more windows than are days in the year." The assertion, if openings in a wall be windows, was literally true; for the barn, like most houses of the time in the Highlands of Aberdeenshire, was a construction of wickerwork, and, in consequence, must have had openings without number. The accused were therefore discharged, and the Earl of Mar, highly content with his deputy's vigorous measures, gave him the lands of Aberairder. This manner of dealing justice terrified the turbulent, and preserved the internal peace of the Braes of Mar while Finlay lived. One evening, about dusk, a stranger came to claim the hospitality of Invercauld. He was wrapt in a wide cloak, and covered with a slouched kind of brigand hat-rather an ugly customer, one would have taken him to be, the more so as he seemed desirous of concealing his person as much as possible. In the Highlands, a claim of this kind could not be refused, and the lady, with no very good grace, went about preparing supper. During these doings, Finlay came home, and, after a brief inspection of the physiognomy of his guest, as far as visible, gave a quiet hint to his wife to mend her manners, which she rather reluctantly did. The best cheer that could be afforded was provided for the hungry stranger, who did full justice to the dainties put before him, and retired to rest the happiest of men after a few bumpers of the "native." Next morning Finlay accompanied him on his way a long distance, showing him how to attain Strathaven by the Bealach Dearg and Inchrory route. The two discoursed as they went of Finlay's present standing and future prospects, of the Rothiemurchus claim to the lands, and so on, and parted with professions of mutual esteem. Some months after, a letter, sealed with the royal seal, was forwarded to Invercauld, creating the laird Royal Standard-Bearer for Scotland, confirming to him the possession of all his property, and making over to him, besides, what remained of crown-rights in Braemar, in consideration of the hospitality shown to his Majesty for no less a person had the guest been.

The origins of many families and names in this country have been already explained to you; others, that made their appear