correct, as an old man still living in Castleton remembers the miller, whose name was James Ley, and the gusto with which he used to relate the story, and also how heartily he used to laugh at Donald's discomfiture.

Changes in Braemar-Earl of Mar's Estates sold-The Ephiteach.

HILE Gillespie Urrasach and his brother
Donald were pursuing their adventurous

course, many important changes were taking place in Braemar, some of which I now proceed to notice. On the 15th of July an Act of Grace was passed, which released those who were in prison, and the others from fear of further punishment. John of Invercauld, and all who had been in 'durance vile,' returned home; Colonel Peter Farquharson of Inverey also, who had been in France. But most of those who had been transported to the West Indies, etc., died abroad.

The next great event was the disposal of the sequestrated estates of the family of Mar. A full account of that transaction, so far as the lairds of Braemar were concerned, is found in the following letters of Lord Grange, who with Lord Dun had the disposing of the property and rights:—

R

LORD GRANGE TO THOMAS ERSKINE OF PITTODRY. 'EDINBURGH, 22d March 1730-1.

'The parting with those things in Aberdeenshire gives me a great deal of uneasyness. But what can we do? Better to part with some, and save the rest, than lose all. . . . The bargain about the forest has gone so oddly, that you should know it.

'We resolved to give the offer to the gentlemen whose lands lay nearest to it,—namely, Inverry and Dallmore. The first came here himself, and the other commissioned his brother about it. Lord Dun thought fit to call Invercauld hither to give advice, and to him allso he proposed to buy the Davach of Castletown, who was for it, but regreated he was to have no share of the forrest for grazing to it. Dallmore's people have shunned me, as afraid ever since the impertinence of James last deceast, and applyed wholly to Dun, and Lord Dun in this affair transacted all, both with Dallmore and Inverrey; and the price he asked, by Invercauld's advice, was fifteen years' purchase of the rent it has been set at these two years passt. At length Dun, with Inverry and Charles, came to me; and his share of the forrest, and what he was to pay for souming and rouming of the shiels and gleimings, came to ten thousand merks. They pretended not that it was too dear, but said

SALE OF MAR ESTATES.

259

that they were not able to pay for it, and had even on that pretence proposed before to Lord D. to let them have all for five thousand merks; and Lord D. believing that if they did not, none else would purchase it, nine thousand merks was agreed to on both sides. The proportion of this for his part of the forrest (the same that he has in tack) was four thousand five hundred merks. Dallmore, after much jangling with Lord D. for that part he has in tack, would not give the seven thousand five hundred merks, which at fifteen years' purchase it amounted to, and Dunn gave up with him, which he told me in the forenoon; and I told my Lord that I would not consent to his getting another offer for it, but let Invercauld have it, who had been more useful to us, and might be so still, and proceeded more handsomely, to which Lord Dun agreed. And I assured Invercauld in the afternoon that he only should be the man. He no sooner parted with me than he told this to Dallmore's brother, who came to me almost out of his wits, and said he did not think he had given up with Lord D.; that his brother might leave the country if Invercauld got this, and insted of fifteen had better give fifty years' purchase than want it; and almost with tears begged me to let him have it still. I told him how unworthy he was, knowing the value of it so well, yet to strive so much to beat down the price, that he had had it several

times in his offer at that low price, and rejected. He answered that it was only to learn whether Inverrey should get an abatement, that he might ask it too. I replyed that it was nothing to him though we had sold it to Inverry for sixpence; and since he had been thus on the sharp with us, he had been deservedly trapt; that I had given my word to Invercauld, and would not break it at any rate.

Then Lord Dun and I met with Invercauld and Inverrey, and his brother Charles and he and J. Thomson were to draw minutes; and Lord D. to go from town next day. The minutes Charles made were perplexed nonsense, like his looks, and, I believe, like the inside of his head too. Therefore, just after Dun went away, I drew the minutes myself, and sent them to the lairds and their writer, and met with them about two hours afterwards. They were displeased with them, and none more than that bitter little villain Charles. I added some things on the margent, which pleased them. So we parted, and were to meet next day and sign, when the minutes were transcribed on stampt paper. When I came from them, a gentleman, exceedingly responsible, told me he heard of the bargain; that I was vastly cheated by these villains; that he was not at freedom to tell me his man, nor did I need to care, for he would give me for Invercauld's part seven hundred guineas above the seven thousand five hundred merks. I