time deeply engaged in agriculture and its interests, was Mr James
Innes of Durris. Mr Innes was born at Leuchars in Morayshire; his
father was Sheriff of Kincardineshire, and proprietor of Leuchars; his
brother, Cosmo Innes, Esq., was Sheriff of Morayshire. The father of Mr
James Innes bought the lease of the estate of Durris for ninety-nine
years from the trustees of the Earl of Peterborough for L30,000 and an
annual feu-duty of a few hundred pounds. Owing to some new views of the
law of entail, the Duke of Gordon, the legal heir of the Earl of
Peterborough, turned Mr Innes out of the estate after he had expended
L95,000 in improvements, and after the case had been in court for
fifteen years. Mr Innes farmed extensively, having had seven or eight
farms in his own occupancy at the same time. He rode on horseback
yearly to Falkirk, and bought a large lot of Highland cattle. He
generally had 200 cattle, 1500 sheep, and from ten to twelve pairs of
horses on his farms. Mr Innes's horses went at the top of their speed
in cart and plough; they had all breeding. No standing was allowed when
the horses were in harness. In a busy day in harvest, and when the
horses were yoked double, you would have seen Mr Innes's horses driving
in the corn at a smart gallop. The harvest-carts were wide, railed and
framed on both sides, with one or two cross bearers. In a "leading" day
Mr Innes was a sure hand at the fork in the stackyard, and the man on
the stack and the man on the cart had to look out. Mr Innes was no
trifler, and would not be trifled with; but if an accident happened he
made no remarks. He did not transact business by commission, but
purchased both the cattle and sheep himself. The aged West Highlanders
were sent to the wood during winter; the year-old Highlanders were put
into the strawyards; and the four-year-old Aberdeens were bought for
stall-feeding. Black-faced wethers were sent to the low pasture and for
turnip-feeding. An annual sale of cattle and letting of grass took
place about the 20th May. Mr Innes was famed for growing turnips. He
gained the prize of L50, given by the Highland Society for the best
field of turnips in the north of Scotland, twenty acres of yellow and
ten of globe turnips. Deacon Williamson's six and eight year old
Aberdeen work oxen--these were not the days of quick returns in
cattle--consumed them, and they went to the Greenland whale-ships at
last. Mr Innes was the poor man's friend, and a kind master to his
servants, but a cool determined man. Although standing almost six feet
three inches in height, he was a splendid horseman; when crossing the
Dee he made his horse jump into the boat with himself upon his back. He
galloped as the crow flies from one farm to another, and was at the
head of everything himself. He was an intimate friend of the late Lord
Kennedy, Captain Barclay of Ury, Farquharson of Finzean, Davidson of
Balnagask, and Cruickshank of Langley Park. He sometimes took a holiday
with them; and even entered for a time into some of their frolics, when
his seedtime and harvest were finished: he was quite fit to keep his
own with them. He was well educated, wrote out his leases, collected
his rents, could floor any one in court, and was very popular as a
justice.
Mr Cruickshank of Langley Park and Mr Innes afterwards quarrelled: the
quarrel originating at Blackhall. There had been a good deal of
chaffing between them, which ended in a row. Cruickshank went home and
wrote a challenge to Innes, and Innes went home and wrote one to
Cruickshank. They met and fought at Laurencekirk: Major C. Robertson,
Kindface, Invergordon, was Cruickshank's second, and Dr Hoyle,
Montrose, was in attendance as surgeon. ---- ---- was Innes's second,
and Dr Skene, Aberdeen, his surgeon. After the first fire the seconds
stopped proceedings; but Mr Innes's mother had intercepted a letter,
which she gave to her son after the first duel, and Mr Innes forthwith
sent another challenge to Cruickshank. They fought again at
Bourtreebush, half-way between Aberdeen and Stonehaven. Mr John
Stewart, late in Anguston (who was a great friend of the laird of
Durris) was standing with Mr Innes at the Plainstones, in Aberdeen. Mr
Innes looked at the town clock, and said, "My time is up; but you will
meet me at breakfast to-morrow at Durris at eight." He did not say what
he was to be about. Mr William Walker, who was afterwards three years
overseer to Mr Innes at Durris, tells that he thinks it was in June or
July 1819 that his father's servant and himself were carting home fuel
from near Bourtreebush, when they observed two carriages on the
turnpike from Aberdeen driving at a furious pace. The carriages stopped
in an instant within 300 yards of the inn; several gentlemen alighted
and walked into the nearest field, and in a few minutes shots were
twice exchanged, one party and carriage leaving twenty minutes before
the other, in the direction of Stonehaven. At the second shot Mr Innes
was wounded in the thigh; and it was a close shave on the other side,
for Mr Innes's ball went through Mr Cruickshank's whiskers. Mr Innes,
however, kept his appointment with Mr Stewart next morning. Mr Stewart
said that he met him at Durris House at breakfast. He came down stairs
with his wonted agility, in the best of spirits, and shook hands with
him; but he seemed to tremble a little, and his hands fell downwards,
and although he never mentioned the duel, Mr Stewart afterwards heard
he was wounded in the groin. For the above account of the second famous
duel fought between Mr Innes and Mr Cruickshank of Langley Park, I am
indebted to Mr William Walker and Mr John Stewart, late of Anguston.
The two were, however, great friends ever after.
I was well acquainted with Alexander Davidson, the notorious poacher
and smuggler. He was a very powerful man, and his whole body was
covered with hair like that of an ox. He was a favourite with many of
the gentlemen, and was often sent for by them to show his feats of
strength and agility. He could shoot in a direct line from Braemar to
Aberdeen with very little interruption. From many of the proprietors he
had permission to take a run through their property; others winked at
him: from myself, then acting for my father, he had permission to go on
his course. He was very polite in his askings, and put it thus: "Will
you have the goodness to allow me to go through your property when I am
on my annual tour? I will not poach it; I will keep the straight line,
and only kill what may be on my way." I believe Davidson was true to
his promise; but if he was refused permission, and if any attempt was
made to entrap him, he had his revenge: he would shoot and poach on
that property for days, and no one could take him. In the year 1820 Mr
Innes and Mr Davidson of Balnagask gave their support to Davidson
against Lord Kennedy and Mr Farquharson of Finzean, who laid a bet of
L50 that Davidson would not run without clothing from Barkley Street,
Stonehaven, to the gate of Inchmarlo in a given time. It was thought
that Davidson's feet must fail him. At the Bridge of Banchory there was
a posse of wives, with Mrs Duncan the toll-mistress at their head,
ready to make an onslaught on poor Davidson. They had been hired, some
at five shillings, some at ten, and the leader, Mrs Duncan, at twenty
shillings, and came prepared with their aprons full of stones and other
missiles, and Mrs Duncan had in addition a large knotty stick. When
Davidson came in sight he saw the trap that was laid for him, and drew
up for breath before he came within the enemy's reach. The fearful rush
and the unearthly appearance of Davidson took his enemies by surprise;
their missiles fell wide of the mark, and with a few tremendous bounds
he passed the wives and the bridge. Mrs Duncan was in a towering
passion because Davidson had escaped, after all her generalship, and
declared, not in the most becoming language, "that it was not a man,
but a beast." Davidson was safe, and reached the gate of Inchmarlo up
to time, and pocketed the L50. Davidson was at last found dead on the
hills, with his faithful pointer standing over him.
Captain Barclay of Ury and Mr Innes laid a heavy bet with Finzean that
they would produce six better men in Durris than Finzean could do in
all his estates. The men were selected, and the day was fixed; a long
and strong rope was procured, which crossed the Dee, and twelve yards
to each side extra, to allow the men to be tied in at regular distances
from each other. At the place chosen to decide the wager the river had
sloping banks on each side. Those who got the first start were sure to
pull the others probably nearly through the river; the tide would then
be turned, and the other party be as successful with their opponents.
So matters went on several times, until it was found necessary to stop,
and no decision could be given. The poor men got a proper ducking, and
some of them were even in great danger of being drowned or hanged, as
they were all tied into the ropes.
I was very well acquainted with the late Captain Barclay, who was the
lineal descendant of the author of the 'Apology for the Quakers,' and
claimant of the earldom of Monteith, and was familiarly designated "the
father of the shorthorns." Though Captain Barclay remains without a
national acknowledgment of his merits, no man deserved better of the
farmers of Scotland; for he was their firm supporter through life in
good and bad report. Captain Barclay was in many respects a remarkable
man--one not to be forgotten by any one who had once met him. I have
been many a day in company with him, and have the most vivid
recollection of him as he examined the stock in a show-yard. Pacing
along from class to class, I think I see him drawing his open hand
leisurely down over his chin, and, as he met an acquaintance, saying in
his deep sonorous voice, "How do you do?" laying the emphasis on the
"how," and passing on. No one would have made any mistake as to Captain
Barclay being a gentleman, although his dress was plain--a long green
coat with velvet collar and big yellow buttons, a coloured
handkerchief, long yellow cashmere vest, knee-breeches, very wide
top-boots with long brown dirty tops, and plain black hat, generally
pretty well worn. When at home he wore knee-breeches with patches on
the knees, coarse stockings, and large shoes. Captain Barclay carried
through with energy whatever he took in hand. The "Defiance" must go
its twelve miles an hour including stoppages. He took a great delight
in driving the "Defiance," wearing the red coat with the "Defiance"
buttons; and on one occasion he drove the mail from London to
Stonehaven out and out. His horses were the strongest and his fields
the largest in the country. He said "he did not like a field in which
the cattle could see one another every day." He put four horses in his
waggons, and never sent less than 20 bolls (16 quarters) of grain to
Aberdeen upon a waggon. It was a great sight to see four or five of
Captain Barclay's waggons going down Marischal Street. The houses
shook, the inhabitants were alarmed, and nervous people thought the
houses would tumble down. Captain Barclay could not tolerate a boaster
or puppy in any shape. A few years before his death he happened to be
in the coffee-room, Market Street, Aberdeen, one evening along with
some of his friends. A fast young man took out L20 and boasted he would
run a mile in a certain time: he was not aware that Captain B. was
present. The Captain covered the money, and the L40 was lodged with the
stakeholder. "Now, my man," said the Captain (turning the quid of
tobacco once or twice in his mouth, and taking his hand down from his
nose to his chin), in his prolonged solemn tone, "we will put you to
time." The race was run and lost. The Captain was walking one day in
his park when he came on an intruder in the shape of an ass. He seized
the donkey and threw it over the wall of the park. To his astonishment
the animal was returned. The Captain pitched him over again, and again
he came back. This was repeated several times, till at last the Captain
went outside the wall and found that it was a gypsy that was his match.
He was so much pleased with the prowess of the man, that he took him to
the mansion-house of Ury, treated him to all he could eat and drink,
and gave him permission to graze his donkey as often as he liked on the
policies of Ury. One morning, when the Captain was driving the
"Defiance," there was a plain country woman sitting behind him. A
gentleman wished to deprive the woman of her seat. The Captain
remonstrated with him and bade him let the poor woman alone. The
stranger did not know that it was Captain Barclay, and went on from
better to worse, till he told the Captain if he would stop the coach
and come down he would settle the matter with him. The Captain
immediately stopped the coach, saying, "I suppose I must gratify you,"
gave the reins to Davie Troup, and jumped down with his top-coat on.
The stranger advised him to strip. "Oh no," said the Captain, "that
would be troublesome." His opponent, a very strong man, rushed at him
like a bull-dog. The Captain put on his guard, looked at his antagonist
for a moment or two, turned the quid of tobacco once or twice in his
mouth, and then gave him a blow that felled him to the ground like a
log of wood. He got to his feet again, when the Captain doubled the
dose. The stranger was satisfied, and said, "You must either be the
devil or Captain Barclay of Ury." "I am not the former," said the
Captain, "but I am the latter." A stranger would hardly at first sight
have got an adequate impression of Captain Barclay's power, but his
appearance grew upon you when you came close to him; you then saw his
great strength. He was a very round-made man, shaped for great
endurance, which was put to a severe test when, in 1809, he walked a
thousand miles in a thousand hours. His man Cross, who attended him,
described to me the difficulty of his task in keeping him awake. At
first he had to apply the stick and the lash, and the Captain growled
most hideously at him; but latterly, when he saw he was to win, he
improved in strength and spirits every hour till the end. After two
days' rest he went on the Walcheren expedition. When past sixty he
would walk twenty or thirty miles to dinner. I could relate many
interesting reminiscences of Captain Barclay, but as most of them have
been published already, I have only given a few well-authenticated
anecdotes, which, so far as I know, have never before appeared. He was
found dead in his bed in 1854: and in him the tenant-farmers of
Scotland and the poor of his own neighbourhood lost one of their best
friends.
While speaking of Milner I referred to the great feats performed in
those days with the sickle. I remember a Highland woman, "black Bell,"
who made sixteen to eighteen threaves (384 to 432 sheaves) daily in
harvest of good-sized sheaves; but George Bruce, Ardgows, in the parish
of Tough, could shear thirty-six threaves in a day, and bind and stook
it. However incredible this may appear, it is a fact. I have seen him
shearing after he was an old man; he drove the "rig" of say eighteen
feet from side to side, and never lifted his hand till he had a sheaf.
He used a long sickle, and drew the corn to him. I cannot describe his
method properly. He was a tall, thin, wiry man, with very long arms. My
father used to tell how my grandfather sent two men and two women to
give George Bruce a day's shearing, and how George came with a little
girl (who did little or nothing but make bands for her master), and how
my grandfather asked him "if that was the way he intended to pay his
debt." George replied that "he could put his four shearers on one
'rig'"--they were fully an average of the shearers in the country--"and
he and the lassie would take the other." They started accordingly, and
Bruce kept ahead of them throughout the day.
III. THE CATTLE TRADE, THEN AND NOW.
The lean-cattle trade is a most dangerous one, and I would not advise
any young friend of mine to engage in it. I believe for one who has
succeeded twenty have gone down. This is true, at least, as far as
droving from the north to the south of Scotland and England is
concerned. Home jobbers have been more fortunate, though I am not
acquainted with many who have done much good. There are many
temptations connected with it, and it requires a strong mind to resist
them. I have only given the bright side of the picture; but let us look
for a moment at the other. I have told that great chances are got by
some at times; these, however, are exceptional to the general rule.
Lean cattle are sold by value as well as fat, and if well bought will
be easily sold. I found it the safe plan to buy a small drove well. It
was only a little trade that I carried on--I never had fewer than from
seven to ten score, and my largest droves never exceeded eighteen
score; as a consequence, my losses were not heavy nor my profits very
great. When I was in the trade the price of cattle was very low, which
lessened my risk, but I have known L2 a-head lost over a large drove.
During the French war the price of cattle became very high; and L4
a-head, and even much more, would sometimes be lost or gained on
droving cattle.
My father when a young man went to the far north--to Caithness,
Sutherland, Skye, and the islands--and bought large droves of Highland
cattle and brought them home. They were disposed of often by public
roup in this county, or driven to the southern markets. At that time
there were few regular markets in these counties, but the dealers when
they went to the country cried a market, announcing that they would
meet the sellers on a certain day and at a convenient place, and in
this way the trade was carried out. Large profits were obtained; but
the dealers were liable to heavy losses, especially in spring, the
cattle being then but skin and bone, and many dying in the transit. My
father lost in one night, after swimming the Spey, seventeen old
Caithness runts. There were no bridges in those days. It came on a
severe frost after the cattle had swam the river. The value of
bone-manure was unknown, and their bones bleached in the sun on the
braes of Auchindown for more than thirty years, and remains of them
were visible within the last few years. My father not only carried on a
very large trade to the Falkirk markets, but also a very extensive
business to England, and had a salesman who attended all the great
English fairs, particularly in Leicestershire, who sold drove after
drove that were bought by my father here. Referring to documents in my
possession, I find he had in one year 1500 head of cattle at the
October Tryst of Falkirk, 800 of which were Highlanders, and the
remainder Aberdeen cattle. The Highlanders were grazed in Braemar, on
the Geldie, Boynach, and Corryvrone, the property of the Earl of Fife.
His books show a clear profit at that fair of L2000, and the year
following of L1500. Prices of cattle were very high during the war. I
observe the prices of three heavy lots of horned Aberdeen cattle sold
in Cumberland--viz., L22, L23, 10s., and L25 a-head. A Carlisle
carrier, I have often heard my father say, was the purchaser. He
declared he bought them for eating up his horse-litter.
Steam navigation and the use of bone-dust being both introduced about
the same time, shortly produced a complete revolution in the cattle
trade; feeding soon became general, from the larger breadth and heavier
crops of turnips grown; droving annually diminished, till now it has
all but ceased, almost all the herds in Aberdeenshire being fattened,
besides many brought in from north and south.
The late Mr Hay, Shethin; Mr Lumsden, Aquhorthies; and his brother, Mr
Lumsden, Eggie; Mr Milne, Fornet; Mr Mitchell, Fiddesbeg; Mr Stoddart,
Cultercullen; Deacon Milne, and Deacon Spark, took the lead; and to
these gentlemen the credit is due for being the first to introduce a
proper and profitable system of feeding cattle in Aberdeenshire. More
attention was also paid to the breeding department. James Anderson,
Pitcarry, was the first man who shipped a beast from Aberdeen to
London; his venture was two Angus polled oxen. The late Mr Hay,
Shethin, was the first who sent cattle by rail from Aberdeen; his
venture was a truck of Highlanders.
The shipping of cattle gradually and rapidly increased, and soon became
a great trade from our ports, many sailing-vessels, as well as
steamers, being brought into requisition. Lean cattle were sent by sea
instead of road. We had at that time no railway, and the expense was
heavy. On a fat bullock it was from L2, 10s. a-head to L3 by steamer;
by the sailing-vessels, however, it was only about L1, 10s. a-head.
Sometimes they made quick passages, but this was uncertain; and I have
known them a month at sea. I have seen the same cargo of cattle driven
back to Aberdeen two or three times. I have been in the hold of the
vessel when they were driven back, and shall never forget the scene
when the buckets and water were brought forward; you would have thought
the ship would have rent asunder by the struggles of the cattle to get
at the water. I have sent cargoes of lean cattle by sailing-vessels to
Barnett, Woolpit, &c. I have had them driven back after being days at
sea. It was while inspecting one of these cargoes that I witnessed the
scene of watering I have described. I lost money by that branch of my
business, and I gave it up. Although the loss by deterioration of
condition must have been great, it was astonishing how few deaths
occurred in the sailing-vessels; the proportion was greater in the
steamers. A year seldom passed without the shippers having heavy
losses. I was owner of part of the cattle when every beast on board the
Duke of Wellington, except three (one belonging to me, and he had to be
carted from the boat, and two belonging to Mr Farquharson of Asloun),
was either thrown overboard or smothered in the hold. The sailors told
that a blackhorned Bogieside ox, belonging to Mr Hay, swam for several
miles after the ship. I have made inquiry of the cattle-man as to the
scene in the hold of a steamer in a storm amongst the cattle. He said,
"I went once down to the hold amongst them, but I was glad to get back
with my life; and although you had given me the ship and all upon her,
I would not have gone back." He declared that, though you had set a
hundred men with heavy flails in operation at one time beating upon the
side of the ship, it would not have been worse than the legs of the
cattle beating upon each other and all within their reach.
The owners of the Aberdeen steamers have always been anxious to
accommodate their customers; and about twelve years ago they raised an
insurance fund for the protection of the shippers. They laid past one
shilling for every beast they shipped to meet deaths and accidents, and
they have most honourably paid the losses incurred by the shippers of
cattle. It is a good arrangement for both parties; it gives confidence
to the shippers, and no doubt has a tendency to make the owners more
careful in not sending their ships to sea if danger is apprehended. The
cattle go well by sea when the weather is moderate, but in rough
weather they are safer by rail. The above description will give some
idea of the hardships the poor beasts endure in the hold when overtaken
by a storm. I have seen my own cattle, after they were taken from the
hold of the steamboat at London, so changed in appearance that I could
not identify them, and could not tell whether they were black or grey.
I should most seriously advise the Railway Company to adopt some method
of insurance, to avoid the unseemly squabbles that are daily occurring
with the senders of live cattle and dead meat. It is not my province to
make any remarks on the late rise of the freight on cattle by the
Steamboat Company and the Railway. The matter is in their own hands;
but I think conciliation, owing to the present state of feeling, might
have been their wisest policy; however, we will allow them to be the
best judges. It will now be our study, for our own protection, to exert
our influence in the proper quarter to have our grievances removed. The
method of transit is an important subject to the owners of the cattle,
to the landowners, and to the consumers. I have no doubt whatsoever
that a legislative enactment will make all right by-and-by. I cannot
leave this subject without noticing Scott, the cattle-traffic manager
of the Caledonian Company at Aberdeen, and John Henry, the
cattle-traffic manager of the Aberdeen and London Steam Navigation
Company--men who deserve to wear a better coat, and who have done
everything in their power for the interest of the senders of cattle. I
believe there is difficulty in avoiding causes of complaint at all
times where there are so many servants, and the senders of cattle are
sometimes themselves to blame. I have never myself lost a beast by
rail; I prepare my cattle for their journey before they start from
home. My heavy cattle are turned out three different times at least
before they are sent to rail. I walk them in a lea field: the first day
they are put out four hours; I then give them a day to rest; turn them
out again on the second day and increase the distance, and they come
quite fresh out of the trucks at London. What can an owner of cattle
expect but that some will go down if he take his cattle six, eight, or
ten miles without their ever having left the stall for five or eight
months before, and put them on to rail? Many hundreds of good oxen have
been lost in this way, or crushed and bruised. Cattle when tied up are
kept in an unnatural state; they often take founder when at the stall
as a consequence, and sometimes paralysis; but such moderate exercise
as I have described tends to bring them back to their natural state. I
have often been asked the question by those who had seen my Christmas
market cattle--"How is it that your beasts are so good upon their legs
compared with others?" The first day after the cattle are put out for
four hours they will not look so well, and will return to the stalls
very much fatigued; but on the second and third days of their exercise
they will recover their wonted appearance. They will walk eight or ten
miles in a morning and go fresh into the truck, and on reaching their
destination will come out and stand well up in the market.