A

CHAPTER II.

Gillespie Urrasach and his brother Donald.

FTER this general disarming of the people,

and from the absence of so many of their leading men, the country sank gradually into a quiescent state. But fresh visits from the Kern roused them out of this torpor, and also brought upon the scene a new champion for the Braes of Mar. Champions perhaps I should say, as there were two brothers; the eldest Gilleasbuig M'Coinnich, alias Gilleasbuig Urrasach, i.e. Archibald M'Kenzie, alias Archibald the Proud or Bold.

Gilleasbuig Urrasach belonged to the Dalmore family; a nephew he was of the laird Seumas Mor-napluice, i.e. James with the Big Cheeks. He is said to have been a little person, well-made, with ruddy face and light brown hair. Though of no great size, he was wonderfully strong—' all life, activity, and vigour.' No one in Braemar was his match with claymore, targe, or dirk; 'nor could any with pistol or gun so surely hit a given mark.'

Q

In character he was remarkable for cunning, power of enduring hardship and fatigue, inflexibility of purpose, presence of mind in danger, and coolness in carrying out the schemes his fertile brain contrived. To all this he added unbending fidelity to his chief, and implacable enmity to his foes.

But, with his surpassing bravery, he had an amount of pride which rendered him ridiculous. 'He would not stoop to agricultural labour; aped the gentleman, as, when dining on brochan, porridge, or kail, he had to be served on table-cloth with cover, knife, and fork, whether needed or not,' etc.

He would not stir beyond the threshold without being armed to the teeth, the ordinary complement being gun, broadsword, dirk, targe, a pair of pistols, a skiandubh stuck in the garter of each hose; besides which he carried one in the sleeve of each arm, which, by a curious contrivance, came down of themselves when he bent his arms in a particular manner. This was to secure him from surprise, however an enemy might find him; assure him of an arm defensive, even when fallen, or taken at close quarters unexpectedly by a foe of greater personal strength.'

A multitude of traditions exist as to his prowess. I notice only a few, for the sake of illustrating the state of the people at this period. In his early years, Gillespie with several others were driving wood south through Glenshee. As they were descending into the

GILLESPIE URRASACH.

243

glen, a large party of Glenshee men, with their horses and currachs (a sort of creel made of wicker-work, which hung one on each side of the horse; there were no such things as carts in Braemar in those days), were scrambling up the brae on their way for a load of peats.

A kind of 'wordy war' had for a long time existed between the inhabitants of the glens, which generally took the form of rhyme. The Glenshee men being numerically strongest, took the favourable opportunity of letting their squibs fly without mercy on the Strathdee men below. One rhyme began thus:

'Gairn men and Mar men,

Eaters of the bear bread,' etc.

Gillespie, stung to the quick, sprang up the brae, a dirk in one hand and a skian in the other; and beginning at the last horse, he cut the girths and tumbled the currachs down the hill-side, and so on until he had gone over them all-the Glenshee men standing aghast at his audacity. Then retreating to some distance, he leaped upon a little hillock, and thus parodied their rhyme :

'Elves of Glenshee,

Wicked fools,' etc. etc.

Then, by way of conclusion, he said, 'Now, men, after this, say nothing of the Gairnside and Braemar men when they are fewer than you, or I'll cut up every one of you, as I've done your horse-girths to-day.'

Not long after, Gillespie, in the same employment, was passing through Glenshee alone. When crossing the Blackwater at the ford, a company of Glenshee men coming from the opposite direction met him about the middle of the stream.

One of the men in passing struck Gillespie's horse with his bludgeon; and the horse making a plunge, deluged Gillespie with water. His dirk was out in a moment, and with one dig of it did serious damage to one of the aggressor's legs. And not satisfied with that, he pursued the man to the bank, where a desperate struggle ensued. The others came to the rescue; and at length Gillespie, quite overpowered, and his victim, were both left for dead.

Some time after, when the bodies were being removed, it was found that neither were quite dead; so they were removed to a house in the vicinity, and the one 'installed in a bed in the but end, the other in the ben; and their wounds and bruises attended to.'

Both got on favourably; and as the people's work had to be attended, they were left alone one day. About mid-day, when the 'good-wife' came home to prepare dinner, to her great horror she found Gillespie lying in the passage between the two rooms. Unable to walk, he had crawled that length with his dirk between his teeth, with the intention of getting to the Glenshee man, to settle accounts with him. This revengeful purpose was happily prevented. He was

THE DESPERATE MARCH.

245

forced to bed, watched, and as soon as possible removed to Braemar.

The affair was not yet ended, however. Dalmore, thinking that his kinsman had not been justly dealt by in Glenshee, required that condign punishment should be inflicted on the party who had ill-treated him. This the lairds of Glenshee refused to do; so war was declared, and both parties mustered their

men.

Dalmore, as on a former occasion, sought the aid of his ally Invereshy. The messenger he employed was a bold follower called 'Cas Bhruite,' i.e. Bruised Foot, who received instructions to march what men he could get with all speed to the Cairnwell, as there M'Kenzie had appointed to meet the lairds of Glenshee.

Cas Bhruite delivered his message, and Invereshy at once promised eighteen men; and pitying the lame messenger, he bade him rest a day before he returned.

'Nay,' said Cas Bhruite, 'I will show the nearest way.'

'Where they will be to-day, you will be the morn,' returned the laird.

Bruised Foot made no reply, but quietly taking up his place in the rear, set off with the party. By and by he was tramping in the middle. In a little he had gained the van. Without rest or pause, through wet road or dry, long heather, mosses, and rough moor,