The record-union., 1893-09-02


gion Of the scullery q quaint Highland
song like those which might have at
times regaied the ears of the great leXi-
cographer in his famous Journey to the
Hebrldes. Here is the first stanza, Gaelic
and all:
Sc Coire-cheathaich, nan aighean siubbhlach,
An Cuire rumacA is UIar fOnn,
Gu lurach miad-theuracn mIn-gheal sughar,
1ach lusau huar bu cnublraidh lean,
Gu molach, dubh-ghorm, torrach, luisreagach,
torrach, pluranach, dlu-ghlan, GRIM,
Oaolii, ballacn, ulthednach, canach, mis-
l5anaCh
Gleann a mhintch's an lionmhor mang.
My own misty Corrie by deer ever haunted,
MY leauteOuS valley. my own Nerdant dell,
sort, rich and grassy with sweets ever scented
+ rom every 1aIr flower love dear ana we'll:
Ihickly all growing, brightly all blowing,
over its shaggy and green-darkened lawn;
Moss, canach and daisies adOrning Its mazes
through which gumbols lightly the htue,
graceful faWn!
This led to a discovery Of a peculiar do
mestic feature OF Obau during the busy
summer months. Huge daughters of the
VI estern Island crotters come here and
enter service in the ruder vocations of
sculIery and kitchen maids, though some
are employed as chambermaids Few
can speak English, but they are very apt
and docile, and prove the best servants
that can be found. They do not spend a
penny OF their earnings during the entire
season, ana their only pleasures are
found in their occasional evening ceiiidh
pronounced "kailey'' or gOssiping
party, in the Kitchens OF boarding. houses
and inns, and the sabbath Gaelic services
which are held for this class and the Oban
fishermen i'll the Free Church. When
the season Is over they ySail away to Lewis
or Skye, barelegged. !,areheaded, singing
their songs OF hone-golng rapturOusly,
the happiest folk in all the world that
they mayhap carry with them enough
soyereiEns to rescue their parents from
want against bad crops or iIl-Iuck with
the fishing boats The entire years rent
OF the little croft is often thus paid, and
when l knew their story and the humble
herOism OF their lives l was glad that
chance had brought me TO an inn 50 mod
est that the revelation had its source
through SculIery maids Gaelic song.
But Oban has its princely hotels. its
superb inns, its aristOcraJic boarding.
houses and its beautiful villas. 1t is a
winsOme town, almost wholly composed
OF these, nearly in the heart of the west
ern Highlands, just at the edge OF the vast
mass OF western islands. sounds and
lochs, and strung like necklace OF pearls
along the edge OF a semi-circular bay, so
beautiful, so shut away from the thunder
Gus Firth OF LOrne and the sea by the
rocky Isle of Herrera, and still 50 ten
DERBY within the arms of Ben Cruachau
and other Highland peaks, that from any
point OF view itappeals to sightand senIi-
meut with a sense OF restfulness and re-
pose.
a number of other almost indefnabIe
features and characteristics altogether
render Oban peculiarly attractive. In
the first place be il known no Scottish
summer resort or watering-pace is like
any similar retreat in England or Amer
loo l.. IL.
most lDdlvlslbIe summer resort. Every
where are lofty mountains, glorious
glens, teathery waterfalls, noble streams,
WlnSOme braeS, misty cOTrieS, vast or
tiny shadowy lochs. All OF these attract
and charm and hold. Families settle in
little nelghbOrly numbers ut this or that
beautiful spot. Thousands of British
noblemen and gentry haunt the vast
game preserves. And the tourist throngs
move hIther and thiJher, Jarrying for but
day or an hour, countless bright and
colorful human threads and interlacings
across the sunny land.
But there is nowhere place in Scot
land like the American Long Branch,
Coney Island, Newport, Nantucket or
Bar Harbor, or like Englands South
port, BOurnemouth, brighton, Margate,
Ralnsgate or Scarborough, where pawI-
ing, Babelbic crowds jostle and perspire
while bands blar and 1akirs roar. Strath-
p6uGT, away nOTLn IN ROSSHlr6, ttOtueSaV
in Butte near the mouth OF the Clyde. and
Oban, here in the western highlands, are
the nearest approach to what may be
termed great watering-p places. Strath-
PETER is distinctly spa and is exceed
ingly aristocratic. Rothesay is chiefly
the summer home of Glasgow's wealthy
families. Oban is spa, seaside resort and
the great temporary halting-place of
British and foreign tourists in their Jour
neys 10 and from the highlands and
islands; while fully two-score Of the
most interesting tours to be found in
Scotland of necessity includes visit
here. Some of these. ike the tour to
| Fort William ana Inverness through the
greatest of Scotch lorhs and the Gale
donian Canal; to Null, Skye, Gairloch
and Loeb Maree; and above all, to Stafla,
Fingal's Cave and the silent, sacred ruins
Of Iona, are not surpassed for historic in
tereSt and scenic grandeur in the whole
world.
Were it not for the bright tides of life
continually ebbing and flowing through
Oban, the white city, imbedded in emer-
aid and blue. with an outer rim OF purple
where the ghOstly mountains lie, would
impressively recall those silent, half
oriental towns OF white, like necks of
beaten foam between the sea and hills,
you Will see upon the northern shores
while sailing up Mediterranean waters.
There is a depth of color and light here,
at times beautifully soitened by feathery