The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-10-07
Traditions of the West Highlands
THE sEcoNp-sIGHT.

come extinct OF late years. hio ~"
is ali ERRONEOUS opinion. II ever II existed
in that country, it exists at present. mere
are many persons now living on the ihaiii-
land and the Hcbrides, who are bellevco 10
possess the second-sght as perfectly as
their most remote ancestors. MS Is sun
iect which has attracted the attention OF
many and it is known to all that the cclc-
brated Samuel Johnson was of that number.
1t is not our intention to enter into any theo-
retical discussion on this singular power.
One remark has struck us in regard to many
of those persons to whom it is ascribed, and
that is, the peculiar formation or appear"
ance of their eyes. In several instances
they squint much and in great majority
of the cases which have fallen under our
observation, the pupils are much dilated,
where the eyes are free OF other detects
We are by no means disposed to pretend
that this accounts for the phenomenon 1t is
merely mentioned as fact which we have
never seen or heard noticed before.
MANY most remarkable instances OF the
sccond-sight have occurred in the Highlands
of late wears and appear to be as well attest
ed as things of that nature can be.
About twenty years ago, a celebrated seer
in the island of Uist was i'll conversation with
held his small farm. They stood i'll the
porch Of the mansion-housc Of kilbribc, and
a near relation of the family happened to be
then visitcr there. That gentleman was
of cheerful disposition, and the seer heard
him laugh very heartily; on which he
sighed deeply, and told the lady that he was
afraid he would undergo change within SIX
weeks. The lady was well aware OF the
virtue universally allowed to this man but
she smiled at his remark, and asked him
what he meant by it? With apparent re-
luctancc and many expressions OF regret,
/, he declared that the person alluded to would
soon be drowned, and that his body would
! be cast ashore, where it would be found on
the beach. The lady sncered at the pro-
phecv, but mentioned it to her husband and
| all the other members of the family. he
gentleman was, however, unfortunately
drowned about month after, in the act OF
shipping kclp. The ordinary means were
used to find his body, but without success !:
aftcra storm Of wind it was found on the sand,
driven ashore, as had been predicted. he
above circumstances have been frequently
related in our presence by every member
Of that respectable family; and hundred
predictions, equally remarkable are told
IF the same person, whose name is Mel
Machines.
A few years since, the late Simon Macdon-
aid, of Morar, fine young man, who had
recently succeeded to that estate, Oh his way
to visit ncighbouring gentleman, passed by
Il cottage on his ownproperty. a boy stand
ing at the door cried out to his parents. that
Young Morar's face was covered with blood
but as others saw no such thing, the boy!
words were of course disrcgarded. The da,
following, however, that gentleman was kill
!. cd bv the accidental discharge ofhis towling
piece, the contents of which lodged in hi
forehead and face.
A woman in the Island of Tirc was lonl
/, held i'll high rcputc for sccond-sight; an,
she was shrcwdly suspected of having yer,
4 powerful influence over wind and water,
talent which She sometimes converted t
q considerable advantage. Two of her sons
who were engaged in illicit traffic with Ire
:. land, had not been heard OF for years, ali,
the general opinion was that they had bee
: drowned The mother asserted that the
:. were alive, and declared that they woul
II vet appear. Nnc Of them had left a wife
= and the old sNbil, on Il certain day, advise
a her to prepare dinner for her husband
who, she assured her, would, with his bro
: thcr, arrive at home IN time to opartake of il
: The poor Young woman communicated thi
y very improbable idea to her neighbours, VII
!. laughed at it; but OH that very day the tw
brothers made their appearance, safe an
4 sound. They had been taken BY a ship {
r, war, with their illegal cargo, and retainc
= ON board as impressed men, until they foun
= an opportunity for making their escape.
i These may suffice to show that the High
|, lauders of the present day have not dcgcnei
,f atcd from their foretathcrs in this wondcrfl
faculty. Few Of our readers arc perhaps a
.. ware that even lngIishmcn have sometime
l. been known TO acquire the sccondsight b
Il. residence in its native country. In the yea
il 1747, Colonel Horsclcy, an English office
>, WAS quartcrcd at Strontian, a place distil
"a guislled BY its lead mines. He lodged at a
- inn, and having by mistake entered anotht
~ apartment III the house, he saw a corpse |,
!, ing stretched in a corner OF the room: |,
4. walked up TO it, and after looking at til
~ face, he retired, somewhat surprised til;
i. he had not heard of this death. On inquir,
hc found that he must have been possesse
OF talent of which he was not before awar
:, - The day following, Colonel Horslcy obser,
y. ing boat approaching the shore near tn
IS house, and expecting some friends, he wei
= down torecciyc them, accompanied by otht
officers, but found the passengers were stral
r gers to him. One of them, however, he d,
Il, clared to be an exact resemblance of Il
CT corpse he had seen the day before. Th
70 gentleman slept in the room alluded to, ar
'n was found dead next morning. having bee
III seized with an aUODlcxy this was M