In Grant’s “Legends of the Braes o’ Mar"
reference is made to Donald Mor, who was one of the last of the
freebooting leaders to ply his unlawful vocation in the district where
the contiguous counties of Aberdeen, Perth, and Forfar meet. Donald’s
proper name is probably unrecorded, but there is little reason to doubt
that he hailed from the wikis of Lochaber, and that he was there
regarded as a person of some social standing, despite his spoliative
proclivities. Although it may be presumed that he conducted not a few
creaghs, the record of only two has been kept alive. Both are mentioned
in the “Legends,” but in the last case I have been able to augment
Grant’s account from oral and apparently reliable traditional accounts
supplied by the descendants of those who took part in the foray, and
subsequent events.
In the first of the two expeditions Donald succeeded in “lifting” almost
all the cattle in Glen Cluny. His depredation was, however, almost
immediately discovered, and a hot pursuit began. A large body of men
followed close on the heels of the raider, and so hopeless did the
situation ultimately appear that his followers advised the abandonment
of their spoil, and the seeking of personal safety in flight. Donald,
not so. easily daunted, knew that where physical force failed,
subterfuge often succeeded. He was now well on his way up Glen Cluny,
and, as it still wanted some hours of daybreak, he resolved to mislead
his pursuers as to his route, so that he might retain the spoil.
Ordering his men to strike off to the westward, to keep in a body, and
to drive the cattle with all possible speed, he elected to remain as
rearguard himself, undertaking to give timeous notice of the approach of
danger. His piper he detached from the main body, and after instructing
him how to act, sent him off in the direction of Glenshee, which for
some distance ahead was the route which he (Donald) would be considered
likely to take. This last was the masterstroke which saved the
situation.
Shortly after Donald had made his dispositions, the pursuing Braemar men
were gratified to hear the “pibroch of Donald Dubh” sounding but a short
distance ahead up the Cairnwell road. Judging that this must proceed
from the oateran band, who were presumably unconscious of pursuit, they
people rated their pace in hope of speedily recovering their stolen
property. Soon the music ceased, but only to re-commence a little later.
Again and again it stopped and started, but on each succeeding occasion
the sounds became fainter and fainter. The pursuers were evidently being
outdistanced. The reason of this was that the piper, acting on Donald’s
orders, after playing a measure at one place, ran on ahead before he
re-commenced, and thus gained on his pursuers. Why they should thus be
outdistanced rather surprised the Braemar men but their consternation
increased when, on reaching the top of the Cairnwell, they heard the
pibroch sounding along the road leading down to Glenshee. Why the
caterans had taken this route they could not understand, but they paused
not to consider, never doubting but that their stolen cattle were in
front of them. Down into the glen passed the piper, but daybreak had now
supervened, and soon his further progress was arrested by the Glenshee
men. When the pursuers came up he was handed over to them. Infuriated at
being tricked, they demanded of him which way Donald and the cattle had
gone. The piper, with true Highland fidelity, refused to tell, even
though told that his life was the penalty of refusal, so with summary
justice ho was shot on the spot. By his ruse, however, Donald succeeded
in getting clear away with the cattle.
According to Grant, when tidings of the piper’s death reached Lochaber,
Donald was greatly incensed against the Glenshee men, for what he
characterised as their treachery in handing over his retainer to the
pursuers. Tie vowed vengeance on Glenshee and at once set about
organising an expedition for that purpose. His followers, however,
objected to such prompt measures. They urged that their previous raid
was so recent that the Glenshee men would expect reprisals, and
consequently be on their guard. Immediate action they held would be
fraught with great danger, and therefore counselled delay. Donald would
not however, be persuaded, and the result was that with only seven or
eight of the most daring spirits he set out on what proved to be his
last foray.
Donald found Glenshee unsuspecting and unguarded, consequently he had no
difficulty in seizing his spoil and making off. Needless to say, all
such enterprises were carried out under cover of darkness, and by
daybreak tho raiders found themselves clear of the inhabited district,
and unmolested by pursuit. Guided by previous experience, Donald did not
take the usual route but turned abruptly to the westward. Shortly after
dawn a dense mist fell, and the robber chief, now considering himself
safe, decided to rest and refresh both cattle and men before proceeding
further. A halt was therefore called, and a fire kindled in a hollow in
Corrie Shith, in the basin of the Shoe.
Meanwhile the hue and cry had been raised. The men of Glenshee turned
out; assistance was sought and obtained from Glenisla, and the combined
force took up the pursuit. The slots of the cattle formed their guide,
but on the harder ground of the hillside these were more difficult to
determine. Then to add to their difficulties came the dense fog. A
consultation was then held as to whether it was better to go on or to
abandon the pursuit. Many thought further effort useless, others dreaded
falling into an ambuscade, and the result was that the greater part
turned back. A small party, mostly Glenisla. men, however, held on. At
last the dull red glow of the cateran’s fire suddenly came in sight.
There wore only a few figures seated round it, and fearing to charge
these, lest other and unseen enemies might close in on their rear, such
of them as had guns took aim and tired. Two of the figures dropped by
the fire, the rest rose and fled. When the pursuers advanced. they found
one of the dead men to be Donald Mor. That the party had been refreshing
was evidenced from the fact that the mouths of the dead men wore filled
with bread and cheese.
When news of the death of Donald reached Lochaber, a deputation was
despatched to urge that instead of burying him where he had fallen, his
remains should be interred in consicrated ground. This the highly
decorous conduct of the deputation effected, and the remains of Donald
and his follower were laid to rest in Glenshee Churchyard
Thus the story is told in Grant’s “Legends,” but there are certain
points that seem to be far from clear. Although Grant does not state so
probably did not know the man who shot Donald was Ogilvy of Holl. How
did he come to be there? Holl is in the Backwater district of Lintrathen,
many miles from where Donald met his death, and the Ogilvy family wore
located there for a long number of years. The most probable explanation
seems to be that Ogilvy happened to be in Glenisla when the croagh took
place, and joined in tho pursuit.
Again, did Donald raid Glenisla as well as Glenshee, or did he confine,
his attentions to the latter glen alone? A very bitter feeling was
engendered between the inhabitants of tho two glens at the Battle of the
Cairnwell, and this feeling was far from having died out at the time of
Donald’s raid. It therefore seems doubtful if the Glenshee men would
have sought assistance from those against whom they cherished such
feelings of resentment. The Glenisla men also appear to have taken the
leading part in the pursuit. Would they have done this if they had not
had something to gain thereby, for they well know that pursuit of the
caterans was anything but a safe game. It may well be that Glenisla
suffered as well as Glenshee, but I think it improbable that Backwater
was raided, as tho distance would be too great, though the presence of
Ogilvy would scorn to indicate as much.
In addition to these considerations, by sending a messenger from
Glenehee to Glenisla munch time would be lost, but if the latter
district had been raided the pursuers might not have been far behind the
pursued.
Grant’s statement that a deputation came from Lochaber to secure burial
for the remains of Donald in consecrated ground seems also doubtful. It
must be remembered that the discomfited kerne had to travel from
Glenshee to far-away Lochaber, and that the deputation had to return
from thence. This must have occupied some days at least. That the bodies
lay on the hillside all this time is hardly to be believed. The burial
of caterans was effected as soon after death as possible, and generally
where they fell. But lawless though those men wore, they liked their
remains to lie in consecrated ground. To attain this end many of those
who could afford it decorated their coats with silver buttons of a value
considered sufficient to defray the cost of decent interment. Donald’s
coat was so decorated. It is, therefore, reasonable to suppose that
Donald’s remains were interred in Glenshee Churchyard before the arrival
of the deputation, and that, as only one of his followers fell with him,
he was buried alongside hie chief.
Well aware of the revengeful propensities of the caterans, Ogilvy of
Holl lived in something like a state of terror ever after having shot
Donald. He never went afield without being armed, and started in a
threatening or defensive manner when suddenly- accosted. At home he
always sat facing the door, with a loaded gun within arm’s reach. As far
as I am aware, no attempt way ever made on his life.
To show that the above events are not ancient history, the following
incident may be related. In the course of conversation the writer once
referred to the subsequent conduct of the man who shot Donald. He was
somewhat taken aback when one of his hearers remarked, “That was my
grandfather.”
Another incident may be also worth recording. Formerly it was not
uncommon for dealers to bring droves of horses from the Highlands for
sale at the various markets in the lower districts. A Glenisla
smallholder bought one of those “shelties” from a dealer, who assured
him the animal had been bred in Lochaber. The man took the pony home,
and subsequently turned it out to pasture. On going to fetch it tho
horse was not to be found. On making inquiries he found out the
direction it had taken, and as these wore not the davs of fences, ho had
no doubt but his purchase had returned to its native place. Unwilling to
bear the loss, the man set off in pursuit, and duly reached Lochaber.
Knocking at the door of what appeared to be a bettor house than most, he
made his purpose known, and asked for shelter for the night. “Where do
you come fixun?” asked the woman who replied to his knock, and who was
clad in widow's weeds. On being told she replied, “I have heard of the
return of the pony, and you can have it back with you. You can also have
food and shelter here as long as you may, for, believe me, I am only too
glad to be able to bestow any favour upon one who comes from a district.
which bestowed Christian burial upon the stranger dead.” She was the
widow of Donald Mor!
David Gurwar |
