The present illustration reproduces the pattern of a piece of old hard
tartan from a kilt believed to have been worn by a member of Clan Mac
Rae at the battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715. The fragment, now in the
author’s possession, bears internal evidence of great age, the style
of manufacture attesting its connection with the period to which it
has been assigned. A tartan somewhat akin to this, and having the same
name, is supposed to have been founded on an imperfect acquaintance
with the pattern here given. The design is poorly represented in the
_Clans of Scotland_, by Mac Ian and Logan. It has been styled Hunting
to distinguish it from a red Mac Rae, which agrees exactly with the
Prince’s Own (Plate XLII.) The Editor was unable to account for the
connection between the two latter till he discovered a plaid preserved
in a carefully authenticated collection in Inverness-shire, with the
description: “Mac Rae tartan plaid worn by Prince Charles Edward in
1745.” The plaid being a complicated sett, a large specimen is required
to show the complete design, and, either through inadequate patterns
or insistent copying, the portion containing the yellow lines has been
omitted from all representations of the tartan hitherto published.
Captain John Mac Rae of Kames Castle has furnished the following note
regarding a sett of tartan which has been worn in his family:—“When my
great-great-grandfather, John Mac Ra of Conchra, Lochalsh, was on his
way to Sheriffmuir from Kintail, some of his followers being without
stockings, the occupants of a shieling in which some of them lodged
spent the night in cutting out stockings for them from a web of cloth
which they had in the place. A piece of this web was in the possession
of my grand-aunt, Miss Flora Mac Ra of Ardintoul, from which she
knitted the accompanying hose when a girl at the end of last century.
Unfortunately, the original piece of cloth has been lost.” The tartan
may be described as consisting of squares of sapphire-blue and white,
a line of yellow passing through the former and one of red through the
latter.
[Illustration: XXVII. MAC RAE]