The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-12

ana converted BrudeuS, king OF the PlCtS.
William the Lion granted it four charters,
thority for the freedom of the city. Indeed
until the invasion of Scotland by Edward
J., Inverness was undoubtedly the seat, or
frequent resort, of all Scottish kings, whose
presence was required in protecting the an
cient capital from the incursions Of the
the instructions of the rebellious northern
chiefs. Macbeth, of Shakespearean fame,
the maormer or great man. of Ross, be-
came also that of Moray. including Inver-
ness, by marriage, and was once master of
the original castle Of Inverness on "the
CROWN" at the mouth of the Ness. which
place is regarded BY some authorities as the
scene of King Duncan's, murder. Then a
later castle, where the shire building now
stand on the crown of a picturesque
hill in the heart of the city, was
afterwards in the hands of Macduff.
It also became the prison of Sir John Lovat.
ture by friends of Robert Bruce, then q
penniless fugitive in the Western Isles,
prompted that valiant adventurer to the
course of enterprise which finally gave him
the throne and Scotland noble line of
patriot kings. James I. when in the north,
held psrsmsns within IT, Forty os wears
later James III. occupied it. In 1856
queen-regent Mary Of Guise was here to
summon courts and punish Highland rob-
beers then termed "caterans;" and seven
years later, when queen, Mary was driven
from the castle gate and was compelled to
Of the time, some of whose walls still stand
down there by the site Of the old bridge.
just at the harbor-edg are the re-
mains Of tremendous fort built by
Cromwell, among others, to over-awe the
north. And il was from here that, after
thnt hrS11SoYn< -
ments in the face of hopeless penury known
to the annals of British warfare, the broken
remnants of Prince Charles Edwards little
army went forth on that fatal 10th of April,
l746, to their slaughter by the duke of Cum
berland's army, and in that slaughter to
just over that near ridge of hills there, the
hopes OF the valiant Stuart cause.
Standing upon Castle Hill around which
the fair city is built, with the river Ness
beneath you, this old northern capital and
its surroundings are rich with interest and
beauty. Around the base of the hill are
winding streets. full Of curious old struc-
lures. with gable ends, arched Rateways.
round turnpike stairs, asnied BY venneIs
closes and alleys, quaint az those of old
Edinburgh itself. Il was at the old Cour-
ier ONCE, just below there, that rare Hugh
Miller, while chiseling Inverness grave
stones and potherinR along the old coast
line to trace pre-Adamite periods, got out
his little volume of twenty poems, which,
II You have one handy now, you can sell
for twenty guineas to the book-oollectors.
Where you stand, once came and dwelt
Pictish and Scottish kings. The blue riv-
er sweeps past from the southwest, after
receiving the waters Of that majestic chain
of lakes, which, bordered by the greatest
mountains Of Scotland, stretches straight
as an arrow from the German ocean to the
Western sea. In the opposite direction
city and valley basin sweep to the harbor-
edge in graceful circles. There and be-
yond. whore once rode the Dutch and In
dian freighters, il now, first the crescent
OF the tide fretted shore; then the splendid
bay dotted BY the lazy ssils Of east-coast
Firth of Iverness, expanding and finally
narrowing where Fortrose stood ct the
north. and CromWelrs grim menace, stu
Pendous Fort George, jutted from tbs head.
land at the south; and then vast Moray
tarth with its fierce far headlande: and et
last the blue sea. Just across the river
there, At the northern edge OF sthe city,
stands Craig Phadric, lifting il parschute-
nke browning forest above the city, and
oloing within 1T one of those most ouri-
Gus ct antiquarian eniamas, = yitrifsd
tensive and perfect ono still existing in
Britain. Down behind y0u in tho maxea Of
ancient streets are the remains Of IN ancient
mafket-croes, nobody knows how many
centuries old; and in it, base il imbed0ed
Dlue, loxenge-s haped stone, the palladi
um of the old burgh, and called Olach-na-
cudden, or ''Stode Of the Tuba" tor having
0een Tor untold Renaratioos the resting
place for vo0sa viii thar tabA g thsv