The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1869-02-03
The sIcNab in DImcaltie-.

Inc Mc4N1D In DAA4EcuAhlte-
The following incident was related TO me
during one Of my rambles in the North of
Scotland as being of actual occurrence. Il
has, believe, appeared before part Of the
story-reading public at home in somewhat
different dress from that which / now give
it; but as some tales do not lose by being
twice told will take the liberty OF intro
ducing this one to my friends in South Aus
tralia, as being a good specimen of the kind
of warfare carried on BY the chiefs of the
glorious old Highland clans whose strength
of arms was no longer Of any avail.
Ii was at this time Of inglorious (y) peace
that the veritable and notorious Laird Of
MeNab got into difficulties. Not that the
McNabs had never been in difficulties before.
Every one Of them from the very Nab ~
The hsed Of the clan: before any Of the Macs
had come into any existence.
himself had scores of times been in the same
dilemma; but in the fine old times when
Knight was right" woe to the man who
dared too frequently 10 remind the "wee
king" of this or that % little bill :" woe TO
the unfortunate gauger or hailiff who ven
tured too near the domain of a chief Of the
McNabs
But those days were over, and the lairds
of the Highlands had now to pay their debts
OcdT luGll AAACo AihC OAACT 4n2o
happy state of things was not attained, how
ever, without difficulty, and its enforcement
was the origin of many extraordinary strata
gems and attempts at battling anything like
legal authority, of which some were Of very
amusing character.
The Incident am about to relate will give
a fair example of these, and of how this
description of non-sanguinary warfare often
succeeded in its purpose.
H. .s=a.Itr hrffrh MOI fnrr in he
month Of September, and all the little town
of Kenmore was in a state of the highest
excitement. 1t was rumored among the lit
tie community that McNab-the McNab-
had got into debt, and was that day to be
arrested aud brought into prison. Two
most important individuals were Sandie
Campbell and Archie Thomson, the bailiffs
of the town, as they marched boldly down
the principal street that morning, on their
way TO the ancient residence of the chiefs of
the Clan McNab. They had q difficult task
to perform, but TO judge from their boasts
they were in every way equal to the emer-
gency.
mind the laird's auld claymore," shouted
old Robin Murdoch the tailor TO the two
worthless as they passed him, seated cross
legged in his little shop-door.
Nae mair than wad ane o. your auld
needless retorted the dgnifed Archie, not
deigning to turn his head, but marching
steadily along the street by the side of his
somewhat less extensive companion.
Gwen maybe yell see afore night selilo-
pulsed the little tailor, recommending his
task; better men than either Sandie
Campbell or Archie Thomson hae found
what it is tae fash wi a McNab."
The bailiffs had several miles to walk, SO
that it was near midday before they had
come near their journeys end Before this
time their courage had began considerably to
fail, and their minds to dwell upon the many
CHASTITY tales they had heard of the McNab,
and his treatment of legal functionaries, like
themselves, who had dared to intrude upon
his lordly repOse. They were so busy enter
tanning each other with the relation of re-
miniseenees such as Of how luckless gau-
ger who had too boldly ventured to the Cas-
tie of McNab in the discharge of his duty had
never returned, but had gone, so some said,
to his long home, among the salmon at the
bottom of the big loch; and of an adventu-
rous bailif whose bones, the people said, had
long hung bleaching on the Hoolet's Oak :"
that they did not discover that they were
within short distance of their destination
till they were reused to their senses, or
rather driven further from them, by the ap
pearanee of pair of huge pointers that came
bounding out of the cover, barking Justify at
the two now thoroughly enervated bailiffs.
They had their equanimity slightly restored,
however, by the appearance OF aquiet-look-
ing old gentleman, attended by two game
keepers who was evidently the owner of the
Notwithstanding animals beside them.
swell, my friends" said he, after calling
off the dogs, "what brings you here?"
Archie began clustering out o yolley of
apologies, informing the old gentleman that
they were bailiffs, and had come to call on
McNab
"Well that is my name; but what do you
want with me?"
"Youl You Master McNabr' returned
the again COMPOUNDED Archie, suddenly re-
Numbering his manners; "wha wad hae
thocht itg Weel Master McNab, Sandie
here, and me, bath laments that we lac got
a maist uncommon ill-iaured business tae
attend tae this mornin'; this producing his
warranty is in fac, Master Nc
"Oh, it's all right, my friend, understand
ell about it; but you must be tired after
your long walk, SO if you will come in aud
have something to eat we will talk over your
business after"
The two dependents of the law tried to
excuse themselves, but il was no avail; the
McNab would take no refusal, SO they were
fain to accompany him into the castle, hum
bly, exacting a promise, however, that he
would not detain them long, as 1t would be
night before they would be able to get back
again to Kenmore.
He gave them the promise, and they all
entered the house. When there, repast fit
for a town councillor himself was placed
before them to which Sandie and Archie did
ample justice. Nothing but ale was drunk
this meal, but as soon as this was over the
"whisky quaigh" was freely circulated, so
that by the Influence of this gentle admixture
the heart of our two friends were not long
in gaining courage and their tongues fiuency.
Songs, loud and patriotic, were rendered by
the now happy pair. A poem by the in
tellectual Sandie, relating to an affray be-
tween bailiff and a gauger, was recited; and
all was mirth and jollity in the hall of the
McNab, till the CLINT of the setting sun be-
hind the distant hills reused the two bailifis
to a sense of their duty and position. Archie,
who generally acted as spokesman to the
"duumvirate," staggering to his feet, COM
menced fumbling in his pocket for the war
rant, while Sandie, ever ready to the call Of
duty, sailed up to his companion, and shout
dering an empty ale-hagon in mistake for his
staff Of office stood ready for action. The
McNab, seeing what was coming, endeav
CURED TO pursuade them to keep their seats,
but in vain.
McNab," began the pompous Archie,
returning to his former familiarity, "McNab,
it's you sud ken better than to hinder, twa O.
His Majesty's servants in tn exerceese o.
their Lawful duty; but We aye kennel that
ye were a lawless rebel, sac moo tent yerself,
my billie, for Sandie and me maun tax We aft
to Bedlam."
Say, to Bedlam VII tn LOOM" echoed the
patriotic Sandie; there's nae better place
for ane that Wilma keep tn richtfu' laws o.
their Lawful king"
"Softly for a little, my men," returned
the McNab, quietly rising and leading the
two WORTHLESS by the arm to the window.
" You see that loch out there that looks so
bouny in the setting SUM- Well, some peo-
pie say, that Johnnie Armstrong, the Kings
gauger, lies at the bottom o. that loch"
The eountenances of the two bailiffs
changed little at this revelation, but neither
Of them smoke