very honourable extraction! Highland Close, Highlanders' Academy, and the Gaelic Parish Church, all remain as landmarks of the energy and solidarity of the Highlanders of that time. The early houses built along the shore, as well as those erected at a later date, of which many specimens still remain (e.g., on south side of Market Street, etc.), had their gable ends to the street, thus giving the town a more picturesque appearance than otherwise. In many of the gables was a small triangular window, close beside the fireplace, where, as the guiding star of home, the candle was placed, for the fishermen on the wintry nights, or for the encouragement of the mariner returning home from a foreign voyage. And doubtless, also, these small apertures served as a help to the thrifty housewives, when lighting their fires in the early morning, as the rays of the sun would beat upon the spot where they worked, and so save the candle E H dip. They were an active and goodly race, these sailors' wives, and fortunately for them, and fortunately for us, they have found their poetess in Jean Adam, schoolmistress and needlewoman, Cartsdyke (born 1710, died 1763), who in her immortal song, There's nae luck about the house," has given us such a vivid picture of their home life and surroundings: "And are ye sure the news is true? And are ye sure he's weel? Is this a time to think o' wark? 66 When Colin's at the door? And see him come ashore. And give to me my bigonet, My bishop's satin gown, For I maun tell the Bailie's wife That Colin's come to town. My Turkey slippers maun gae on, My hose o' pearl blue, 'Tis a' to please my ain gudeman, Rise up and mak' a clean fireside, Gi'e little Kate her button gown, And mak' their shoes as black as slaes, There's twa fat hens upon the bauk, They're fed this month and mair, Mak' haste to thraw their necks about That Colin weel may fare. And spread the table neat and clean, For wha can tell how Colin fared And will I see his face again? I'm doonright dizzy with the thought— For there's nae luck about the house, There's little pleasure in the house When our gudeman's awa"." Not only do we here see the intensity of love and devotion-" his very foot has music in't, as he comes up the stair"—but what a vivid glimpse is given to us of the manners and costumes of the time-the "bigonet," the linen cap or mutch, the satin and the button gown, the Turkey slippers - and in the home surroundings, the clean fireside, and the spinning wheel. Some have tried to rob Jean Adams of the honour of the authorship of this song, but the strong local colouring, and other points of internal evidence, all tend to give her the palm. From several other sources, too, we get a glimpse of the true home life of our forebears-their baptisms, weddings, and deathwakes-all which were great occasions for family gatherings and social intercourse. But these meetings did not always meet with the approval of the rulers of the Kirk, for we find frequent entries regarding them in the Session minutes of the Old West Kirk, for a century and a half the only Church in the district, of which the following may serve as a specimen : "The Session, taking into their consideration the great abuses committed by crowds of people frequenting lightwakes, and profanation of the Sabbath, by keeping banquets on that day, appoint the Elders and Deacons, in their several quarters, to take narrow inspection when any person die, that none be allowed to go and stay overnight where these lightwakes are, but such as are near friends and so concerned, and whom necessity may oblige to be present, that these spend the time by edifying discourse. Likewise, that persons having their children baptised on the Sabbath day, abstain from keeping banquets, and con |