The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-02

vehicle to which Scotch travellers are so
much attached, and drive out along the
road, somewhat bleak and uninvitine ~ a
enid of the sunny south, but fun of inter,
90. ior the lover OF nature. Prepare your
sen LOT disappointment if you EXPECT II
mn mouse or even the ruins of a hous,
at the world famed spot All Won will CO,
Is small green mound on which tradi.
tioh says John OGroats house once stood.
but AFTER you refresh the inner man in
the comfortable hotel near by. Won can
take ramble, in the course of which Won
can Ieast your eyes on wonders of sea and
land which will amply repay Won for a
IoHs journey The rock displays al Dun
cahsbay Head are unusually stately and
imposing. The Stacks of Duncansby tvo
immense pillars of rock of oval form.
stdhu right out in the sea, entirely de-
tdcheu from the adjacent crags. and shoot
ing up their weird SUBMITS to great
/ hlght. They offer welcome shelter tn
the poats and ships hard pressed bv ths
tuI storms that rage in the Pentland
It'll me beach is particularly fine, and
sTeWn with those beautiful shells known
DIS John y GroatS buckles, which travellers
carry away with them as mementoes of
lnelr trip to the extreme northern point
of the British empire.
but' AFTER all, the chief attraction of the
locality is the green mound where the
mouse OF John OGroat stood. Sit down
Deslde 1t and recall the old legend. In the
reign Oh James Nv. of Scotland three
brothers, Malcolm, Gavin and John De
Groat, enterprising natives of Holland,
came TO the country with the laudabe OBJ
Ject OF lettering their fortunes. They car
rled with them letter in Latin, commend
ing lhem TO the sympathy and support of
the people dwelling in Caithness. Either
by purchase or by royal grant they be-
came owners of the land round about Dun
cansbay Head.
The sun of prosperitv shown on them.
1hey increased in number and in goods.
IN the process of time their came to be
eisht dlfrerent proprietors of the name of
Iroat. 1t was their custom to commem-
crate the anniversary of their arrival
with great feast at which all the mem
Ders OF the family were present. On one
OF these festive occasions a quarrel arose
respecting the right of entering the door
llrst and sitting at the head of the table.
angry words threatened to change to
DIoWs when John De Groat, now an old
gray-headed man, interposed and tried to
throw oil on the troubled waters He
skilltlly enlarged on the comforts which
they had hitherto enjoyed in the land of
their adoption and pleaded with them, in
lhe name of their common ancestors and
LOT the sake of mutual safety, to return
IN peace to their homes. If they did so
ne promised by all that was holy to make
such arrangements that when next they
met there would be no quarrels on points
OF presidency. His plea was successful
and the quarreling Greats quietly de-
parted. The patriarch at once set about
redeeming his promise. He built house
OF octagonal shape, with eight doors ana
windows. In the banqueting room inside
ne placed an oak table, also octagonal III
shape. When the next festival came
round he invited each one of his eight
klhsmen to enter at his own door and SIT
at the head of his own table. That happy
device preserved harmony and promoted
happiness. So runs the legend of john
OGroat's house.
But, alas, the merciless light of histoI-
lcal criticism plays havoc with the legend:
II reveals the fact that the ancestor OF
the Greats was a ferryman between
Calthness and Orkney, who resolutey
nxed his fair at a groat for each passen-
ger, a groat representing four Scotch
pennies. His name was John, and he was
generally known as John of the Groat'
just as John the miller became John NIL
Ter and John the taylor became John Tay
lor, so John of the Groat became JONI
OGroat. The house he built was a lar
more homely and less romantic budins
than the one around which tradition
WeaVes story of enhancing interest,"