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THE
LAST LAIRD OF MacNAB
An Episode in the Settlement of
MacNab Township, Upper Canada.
[Illustration: Coat of Arms with motto TIMON OMNIS ABESTO]
Macnab
ALEXANDER FRASER, Editor and Publisher.
Toronto:
Printed by Imrie, Graham & Co., 31 Church Street.
1899.
NOTE.--The following account of the difficulties between the Laird of
MacNab and his settlers in Canada has appeared in several local papers
and in the SCOTTISH CANADIAN, through whose columns it obtained a wide
circulation, resulting in the request that it be preserved in book form,
a suggestion now complied with, in the hope that the example of sturdy
independence therein described will prove of interest to others than
those for whom the story was first compiled by a clansman. A. F.
INDEX TO CONTENTS.
PAGE.
The Flight 5
The McNab in Canada 12
Arrival of the Settlers 22
Progress of the Settlers 27
New Arrivals 38
Fresh Arrivals 47
A Digression 59
The Sheriff's Raid 69
Imprisonment of the McIntyres 86
Military Tactics of McNab 103
Mr. Allan's Report 119
The Trials 133
Imprisonment of Mr. Stewart 150
Final Triumph of the Settlers 157
Investigation of Grievances 169
The Chief's Reply 178
The Settlers Free 187
McNab and Hinck's Trial 198
Discomfiture of the Chief 207
Last Scene of all 213
[Illustration: portrait of THE CHIEF.]
THE LAST LAIRD OF MACNAB.
CHAPTER I.
THE FLIGHT.
It was a genial evening in 1823. The sun was casting long shadows from
the glorious old pines of Leney woods, and the baronial mansion of Dr.
Hamilton Buchanan reflected in gorgeous splendor the last rays of the
setting sun. A horseman had just fastened his pony at the outskirts of
the park, nigh to the Callender road, on the Loch Earn side of the
village; and now on foot, and enfolded in a tartan plaid so as almost to
conceal his person, was threading the mazes of the wood, and stealthily
approached the house of Leney. This was Archibald MacNab, the last
chieftain of the MacNabs, who had that morning, for the last time, left
his paternal estate of Kennell, on the banks of Loch Tay to take refuge
with his cousin, the last Buchanan of the ancient house of Arnprior.
Their mutual grandfather, Buchanan the Chief of Arnprior, had been
beheaded at Carlisle for participation in the rebellion of 1745; and he
it was whom Sir Walter Scott took for his _beau ideal_, in the person of
Fergus MacIvor, in his elegant romance of "Waverley." The estate of
Leney was all that was left to the Buchanans out of their immense
property, as the Arnprior estates were confiscated to the Crown for high
treason on the part of their Chief.
The affairs of MacNab were at the time we write, 1823, thought to be
involved beyond extrication--his estate mortgaged to the Earl of
Breadalbane--and even now the officers of the law were on his track to
enforce on his person, by arrest, a decree of the Court of Session, in
order to get possession of the title deeds of the Dochart and Kennell
estates, and deliver them to MacNab's unrelenting creditor, John, Earl
of Breadalbane. By a postern gate he entered the noble halls of Leney,
and was there met and welcomed by his cousin. Their meeting was most
affecting. There stood the last representatives of two of the most
ancient houses in Scotland: Kennell and Arnprior. Both had suffered for
Charles Edward--both had lost kindred, lands, and prestige for Prince
Charles; but now both were in different circumstances, the last Chief of
the MacNabs was humbled: no more was
"The haughty MacNab, with his grants beside him,
And the lions of Dochart close by his side."
He was dejected, impoverished, ruined; while Dr. Hamilton was wealthy,
and able and willing to assist his unfortunate and once-powerful
kinsman. At that period, MacNab was in the prime of manhood, as he had
just passed his forty-second year. With a melancholy countenance and
with aspect of despair, he unfolded all his griefs to his relative.
About ten days previously, the Court of Session had given the Decree and
granted a Caption. To disobey was to forfeit his liberty till compliance
was made to the order of the highest civil tribunal in Scotland. To obey
was to lose every opportunity of redeeming his estate and to throw away
forever any chance of reclaiming it. Long and anxious was the
consultation between the two gentlemen; at length it was resolved that
the Chief should start for America from an English port, found a
settlement, retrieve his lost fortunes, and return to his native land
in better times. Hard was the struggle; at length his resolution was
taken, and everything was prepared for his departure by next day's
afternoon mail.
In the meantime, the King's messengers with the writ of caption had gone
to Kennell, and finding that their prey had escaped, betook themselves
to Callender, a village two miles distant from Leney House. In passing
through Glen Ogle, they heard that MacNab had passed through early in
the afternoon, and naturally supposed that the Chief was at Leney.
Arriving at Callender at four in the morning, they rested to take some
refreshments before proceeding to their more disagreeable task.
Fortunately for MacNab, the principal of the King's messengers, a person
named Watt, was well known to John McEwan, the head waiter of McGregor's
Hotel, who at once suspected their errand, as the Chief's affairs were a
common topic of conversation through Perthshire. While they were taking
their bread and cheese and whiskey he despatched a stable-boy named
Scobie, by a short cut to Leney House, to apprise MacNab of his danger.
He roused up Dr. Hamilton's butler, and told him his errand. The butler
instantly hurried to the Chief's bedroom. MacNab having been roused out
of a deep sleep, and hearing of the impending danger, at once jumped out
of bed, drew on his underclothes, threw a plaid over his shoulders and
escaped to the glen in rear of the Leney House, by the back door. Just
as he was making his hurried exit, the King's messengers from Stirling
thundered at the front entrance. Dr. Buchanan (who was generally called
Dr. Hamilton on account of adopting this surname when he came into
possession of the Burdovie estate) rushed to the windows. The officers
demanded admission. Hamilton sternly refused. They attempted to break
the door open. The doctor levelled a double-barrelled gun at their
heads, and threatened to shoot the first man who attempted to enter. The
messengers at once desisted, slid the ring of their batons from one end
to the other, swore that they were deforced, and threatened to bring the
whole civil powers of Perth and Stirling to their assistance. Dr.
Hamilton jeered and laughed at them. At length they departed, vowing
vengeance against all parties concerned. Chief MacNab lay closely
concealed in the glen all day. Provisions and clothes were sent to him,
and at night he again stealthily entered Leney House. A spy had been
left in close proximity to the park to watch proceedings, and he saw
what had taken place. He was on his way to inform his employers that the
bird was trapped, but just as he cleared the park gates and entered the
Callender road, the unfortunate spy was seized by four sturdy
Highlanders, gagged and blind-folded, and carried to a lint-mill near
Loch Labuig, and there kept a close prisoner for forty-eight hours. He
was well used and well fed until his period of incarceration had
expired. In the meantime, two faithful servants of Dr. Hamilton had
prepared the coach and horses for a long journey. These two were Peter
MacIntyre, who died in 1868 at the Calabogie Lake; and John Buchan, who
also came to Canada, and for many years resided at Point Fortune, a
respectable and wealthy farmer. At midnight, MacNab being well provided
with funds and necessaries, bade farewell to his cousin of Leney, and
set out for Dundee with Buchanan and MacIntyre. Every precaution was
taken on the road; but it was needless, for the officers of the law
were calmly sleeping at the head inn of Callender, expecting to hear
from their spy, little Johnny Crerar, if anything unusual occurred. The
Chief arrived safely at Dundee, took shipping for London, thence to
Quebec; and the first news Lord Breadalbane and his messengers heard of
him was in the public journals of Montreal, of a great dinner and
ovation given in Montreal by the _upper ten_ to Highland Chieftain
MacNab. The decree of the Court of Session had no power in Canada;
consequently MacNab was free. We may as well state that Watt remained
round Callender for two days, searching for little Johnny; at length the
spy appeared, and informed them of all that had occurred. There were no
telegraphs in those days, and they believed the Chief was still in
Scotland, and they made frequent excursions to Kennell; and they were
only undeceived in their suppositions when the news of MacNab's safe
arrival on the other side of the Atlantic reached them. Watt, the
celebrated King's messenger, was for once outwitted and completely
non-plussed.