Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-22


busy making marmalade from ship!oads
or oranges brought from Sicily. VINO
has not eaten Dundee marmalade?
Modesty Is Not Characteristic Vir-
tue.
Modesty has never been considered
vice among the Scotchmen. but it does
not appear as one of the conspicuous
characteristics of the many sided race
1t does not require more than a few
hours contact with any Scottish commit
nifty to ascertain that this virtue is not
generally cultivated. We Americans axe
usually accused of boastfulness as inui-
Vlduals and as nation, but the most
unanimous real estate boomer of Los An
geles or Seattle cannot stand up for
moment alongside of an ordinary citizen
of Dundee or other towns of Scotland.
At the same time. with all his vanity
and boastfulness, a Scotchman is natur-
the dark side of picture when an Irish
man always looks for the bright side. To
paraphrase a familiar epiSram-"the
Scotchman sees the doughnrt and the
lrishman sees the hole.
IL you ask an 1riShman the distance to
the place you are seeking, he will answer:
Its not far. yer honor, and very
pleasant Journey If you ask Scotch
man the same. question he will shake his
head in most melancholy manner and
answer: ITS a lang. lang way"
We were advised not to visit the facto-
ries. on the theory that "alrS well that
ends WELL" and the appearance Of the
marmalade girls in the streets does not
encourage an acquaintance.
There is said to be more drunkenness
in Dundee than in any other place on
earth; more than in Glasgow and Edin-
burgh notwithstanding their larger popu-
lation. There is whisky dive on every
corner This Is the shame of Scotland.
where the people have the reputation of
being the most religious as we'll as the
most Incorporate of all the human race.
Descendants of David.
There Is a fine old church that is con-
sidered an architectural curiosity. 1t was
built many centuries ago by David. Earl
of Huntingdon, youngest brother of Will
liam the Lion, and the hero Of Scott's
craftsman" 1t was erected as votlve
offering for his safe return from the cru
sades with Richard Occur de Lion. The
Bruce and Balliol families, rivals for the
throne of Scotland, are descendants of
David through his daughters, and, con-
sequently, from him Sprang the present
royal line.
Anne Scott. the bride of Monmouth, an
cestress of the dukes of Buccleuch, and
heroine of SCOTS Lay of the Last Min
strel,' was also born in Dundee. The, in
famous John Graham of Claverhouse,
who prosecuted the COVenanterS with such
energy was also born here. and lived in
curious old castle called 'Claypotts,"
where he is said to have made compact
with the devil by which he became bullet
proof.
And we mustn't forget that William
Wallace, who first fought for Scottish in
dependence. was educated in Dundee. and
here, in the old Grayfriars monastery,
February. 1910. Robert Bruce was accept
ed and proclaimed King of Scotland.
William Wallace the Scotch Idol.
We know little of the early life of Will
liam Wallace, although the poem says
that
His father was manly knight,
His mother lady bright
He became a fugitive and was declared
an outlaw because he killed an English
officer who insulted his wife at Lanark.
The English soldiers were angry be-
they burnt his house, murdered his wife
and servants and offered a large reward
for his capture dead or alive. They made
SO much of it that Wallace became a ma
tional hero. and every man who hated
England took his side Many who had
suffered from English persecution fol-
lowed him into the forest, and he at last
found himself at the head of a movement
for Scottish independence. He was for
mally elected governor of Scotland and
commander-in-chiefo Of the army of indie
pendence in 1897. His was a bold and
brave army, but, lacking artillery and
other weapons, it could not overcome the
English forces. Wallace was defeated in
battle and was obliged again to seek
refuge among the highlands, where he
lived for seven years in seclusion. At
last, through the treachery of a servant,
Wallace was arrested, taken to London.
tried for treason and murder before Eng
lish judges al Westminster and condemned
to death. This brilliant soldier and I'M
selfish patriot was dragged through the
streets of London tied to the tails of
horses. and the head of Scotland's idol
fell into a basket near where old Bailey
prison now stands.
But although Wallace was dead, the
cause for which he fought was immortal
and Bruce appeared to continue the fight
for liberty.
An Unpublished Item Of History.
The librarian of the Carnegie Library
at Edinburgh has recently discovered a
letter among an old collection of manu-
scripts in the archives Of that institution,
giving an account of an unpublished sea
fight which took place on the coast of
Scotland on the oath of March, 1779, be-
tween the English sloop-ofwar Sharp,
commanded by Capt. Archibald Boggs,
and an American brig called Skyrocket.
1 am told there Is no reference to this
affair in any published history, either
British or American, although a brief
notice appears in the Edinburgh Adver-
tiser of April IS, 1919. DR.. Morrison, the
librarian. furnishes me the following ex-
tract from letter written by Capt.
Boggs, the commander of the Sharp,
dated "Off the Harbor of Corke, 9th
March, 1779."
ION the 18th. being little to the west
ward of Tusket, cutter privateer passed
the Sharp. She logged us until the 18th
at night, when she attempted to board us.
l hailed her with the broadside, which
made her crew cry out in the most terri
BILE manner, but did not understand what
was said. She Immediately steered off
and l saw no more of her. On the oath,
standing off from the old Head of Kinsale,
l made sail ahead, steering to the west
ward. which at 2 pm. weathered the
Sharp at some distance till she got upon
her quarter. then wore ship and crowdng
all sail, came up with us little after
and hailed without showing any colors on
either side. l hailed her From whencer
She answered. From America upon
which l hoisted our colors and gave her
broadside. She then displayed the
thirteen stripes and returned it smartly.
The Sharp gave battle four glasses (nroh-