Copy of a Return to the above Letter, wherein a character of honest
DONALD MACLEOD.
[Sidenote: 21 Oct. 1747]
MY LORD,--Your lordship may be justly surprized at me having been
honoured with yours of September 8th, without making any return to
it before this time. But to tell the truth, as I had a view of this
bearer, I delayed writing till I could do it with a good grace.
And sure I am I could never [Sidenote: _fol._ 467.] do it with a
better one than at present, when I gladly embrace the opportunity of
affording your lordship the happiness to salute one of the first men
in the world.
I know, my Lord, you feel a sensible pleasure beyond many in the
world in conversing with worthies, men of rigid virtue and integrity,
and such indeed this man is.
Know then, my Lord, that this will be put into your hands by the
renowned SCOTS PALINURUS, Donald MacLeod, tenant at Gualtergill, in
the Isle of Sky, that most faithfull and honest steersman of the
eight-oar'd boat from the continent to the Isles of Benbicula, South
Uist, Lewis, etc., etc., etc., and who had the Prince among his hands
for about ten weeks after the battle of Culloden. While a prisoner on
board a ship he went through an uninterrupted series of the greatest
hardships and severities for several months together. In a word, he
was reduced [Sidenote: _fol._ 468.] to the lowest ebb of misery, and
had the mortification of seeing others dying about him like rotten
sheep. But his gray hairs (by a remarkable blessing of Heaven)
have survived the trials of adversity, while many younger and in
appearance much stronger, submitted to the fate of a lingring death.
Although his history be most extraordinary in all the several
instances of it, yet, my Lord, when he arrived here from London, he
had not wherewith to bear his charges to Sky, where he has a wife
and children (under the Laird of Macleod) whom he has now been absent
from for nineteen or twenty months. Something has been done for him
in and about Edinburgh, but far from what his merit justly entitles
him to, and what his circumstances really call for. So many and
frequent are the demands that have been made, that I must frankly own
I was turned quite bankrupt in applications before I had the honour
of your Lordship's letter; so that it was altogether [Sidenote:
_fol._ 469.] out of my power, though my inclination was great, to
make anything for poor William Baird, whose affecting history and
character were no strangers to me.
Take a view, my Lord, of this truly noble (though poor) worthy in
this single point--that he had the courage and integrity of heart
to despise the tempting bait of _thirty thousand pounds sterling_,
and not only so, but that in spite of the infirmities attending the
hoary head he struggled through as great [Sidenote: _fol._ 470.]
dangers[207] and difficulties of life for the preservation of etc.,
as it is in the power of the most fertil fancy to paint; and then
I leave it to your lordship to draw the immortal character of this
amiable instance of heroic virtue.
[207] Well may honest Donald in a literal sense use the words of the
blessed Apostle, 2 Cor. xi. 26, 27: 'In journeyings often, in perils
of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen,
in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the
wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in
weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst,
in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.' [See Donald's whole
Journal, ff. 266-326.]--F.
I dare venture to say that no man of bowels can hear honest Donald's
interesting story without a mixture of joy and pain, and even without
shedding tears. Well do I know all the several parts of it, and the
more I think upon it, to the greater height is my admiration raised
of the wondrous good man.
He has a large silver snuff-box which serves as an excellent
medal of his history, to which I refer your lordship after asking
your forgiveness for this too long letter. But while I would fain
flatter myself with the hopes I am giving you pleasure, I indulge a
self-satisfaction, for I could dwell upon the subject.
I shall be glad to know when this reaches your lordship's hands, for
I will be sorry if it should happen to be of an old [Sidenote: _fol._
471.] date before it is delivered.
That God Almighty may bless and reward your lordship with all
happiness both here and hereafter, for the many seasonable instances
of compassion and relief you have shewn to the necessitous and
deserving, is the hearty and earnest prayer of, My Lord, Your
lordship's very much obliged and most humble servant,