(Vol. ix., p. 201.)
General Whitelocke being on a visit to Aboyne Castle, in this county, the
seat of the late Marquis of Huntley, then Earl of Aboyne, and a public
market being held in the neighbourhood, the Earl, the General, and some
other visitors, were seen sauntering amongst the cattle and the tents of
the fair. Amongst the attenders of the country markets at that period was a
woman of the name of Tibby Masson, well known in this city for her
masculine character and deeds of fearlessness. Tibby had accompanied her
husband, who was a soldier, to South America; and, along with him, had been
present at the unfortunate siege of Buenos Ayres; and, as a trophy of her
valour, she brought with her an enormous-sized silver watch, which she
declared she had taken from the person of a Spanish officer who lay wounded
in the neighbourhood of the city after the engagement. Tibby was standing
by her "sweetie" (confectionary) stall in the Aboyne Market when the Earl
and Whitelocke, and the other gentlemen, were passing, and she at once
recognised her old commander. They stopped, and the General tasted some of
her "sweeties," and saucily declared that they were abominably bad. Upon
which Tibby immediately retorted: "They are a great deal better than the
timmer (wooden) flints that you gave our soldiers at Bonny's Airs." On
hearing this, the consternation of Whitelocke and his friends can more
easily be imagined than described. They all fled from the field with the
utmost rapidity, leaving Tibby completely victorious; and the General, so
far as is known, never again visited Aberdeenshire.