of a drain or pipe, traces of which are still visible. Here, probably, the pilgrims of old performed their ablutions; or, perhaps, this artificial tank was filled before hand to meet the demands of the crowds who gathered together on the first Sunday in May, as it was utterly impossible that all could drink from the fountain head within the limited period during which doing so possessed any virtue. The trees and shrubs all around are adorned with variously coloured rags, bits of thread and string. Names, initials, and dates, carved in all manner of styles, deface the trunks of most of the finest trees. The latest date we observed was 1870. Even at the present day, we are informed, the spot is not without its frequenters, but can scarcely credit that anybody is so deluded as to attribute any virtue to the water. In former days, and that too, not very long ago, the Culloden Well was very largely patronised by the surrounding districts. Inverness, in particular, contributed a large quota of servant girls and shop lads, not to mention others. The proper season to pay a visit was, as we have remarked, the first Sunday in May, and in order that any benefit the water could bestow, might be fully and completely reaped, it was absolutely necessary for the devotee to be on the ground immediately before sunrise. Consequently, on the previous Saturday night, crowds might be seen wending their way from all quarters to the sacred fount. When we call to mind that there was a public-house, at a distance conveniently near on the line of march, that the throng, consisting of male and female, was a very miscellaneous one indeed, and that no early closing Act was as yet in force, we can more easily imagine than describe the wild scenes of riot and dissipation that were invariably enacted. Latterly the custom of visiting this well has fallen very much into disuse, being denounced from the pulpit, and prevented as much as possible by the proprietor. The usual tribute of rags, bits of thread, small coins, pins, &c., were paid here as elsewhere. Leaving a rag meant the laying aside of the trouble with which the party might be afflicted. Coins and other contributions thrown into the waters propitiated the good will of the saint, or averted the power of the evil one and his emissaries to inflict mischief. If any person was bold enough to remove a rag, he was sure to inherit the disease supposed to be attached thereto. Many years ago, a pleasant well-kept path conducted the visitor from the high road to this sacred spot, and a woman, possibly yet alive, acted as a kind of priestess, providing dishes, opening the door of the building which guarded the precincts, and generally kept the place and approach in order. In Roman Catholic times a small chapel or altarage, dedicated to St Mary, stood near, of which even the very ruins have long since disappeared. Craigack Well on the north side of Munlochy Bay, on the northern side of the Beauly Firth, was frequented by the people of the eastern part of the Black Isle for much the same purposes as that at Culloden. It is situated to the east of a neglected, or worked-out free-stone quarry near Bay Cottage. The usual offerings and ceremonies were performed, but the proper time to visit the spot was before sunrise on the first Sunday of May in the old style. The people, old and young, the hale and hearty, as well as the sick, infirm, and desponding, thronged to the fount at the approach of sunrise, as to a fair. Drinking of the water restored health to the invalid, ensured soundness of constitution, for a year at least, to the strong, and rendered null, in favour of all alike, the effects of the evil eye and witchcraft. This spring was also dedicated to the Virgin Mary. St Andrew's Well, near Kilcoy, in the parish of Killearnan, and St Colman's, in that of Kiltearn, were similarly frequented and honoured. In a cave at Craigiehow, in the neighbourhood of Craigack, is a small spring which issues from a rock in its side. This water, no doubt, from its mysterious position, was believed to possess extraordinary properties, and was especially effective in cases of severe headache and deafness. One of the reputed prophecies of the Brahan Seer is thus recorded :—“ In the Parish of Avoch is a well of beautiful, clear water, out of which the Brahan Seer, upon one occasion took a refreshing draught. So pleased was he with the water, that he looked at his Blue Stone and said— Whoever he be that drinketh of thy water henceforth, if suffering from any disease, shall, by placing two pieces of straw or wood on thy surface, ascertain whether he will recover or not. If he is to recover, the straws will whirl round in opposite directions, if he is to die soon, they will remain stationary."" But to return to the parish of Petty, from which we have somewhat wandered, we have to observe further, that besides being rich in springs, the district is remarkable for the amount and variety of objects of historical, archæological, and natural interest, which it offers to the attention of the diligent student. Before finally quitting the district we shall note two of these. The one is a holed stone, on the eastern confines of the parish, called "Clach-an-tuill." The water collected in this holed stone was supposed to cure wens. The other is "Tobar-na-Goil," or Boiling Fountain, so named on account of the intermittent jets consisting of the purest white sand and water it shoots up. We have seen four of these in operation at once. So soon as the accumulating sand had closed up one mouth, another burst forth into play. This spring is near the Free Church of Petty, and lies in some marshy ground, amid a clump of trees on the opposite side of the high way leading from Inverness to Nairn. It is rectangular in form, and is both wide and deep. The thirsty exhausted traveller as he gazes on the pure, pellucid fount, as the water joyously bubbles up, may break forth into song like the ancient Hebrews in the days of Moses, when Ismael sang this song-"Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it; the princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves"" Near by is "Tor-nan-Cnaimhean," or the Hill of Bones, which, doubtless, commemorates the result of some lawless slaughter of ancient times, or it may have been a place of execution. In our further notes and observations we shall set down what we have to say without pretending to pursue any particular order. At Wester Rarichie, in the Parish of Nigg, is a spring termed "Suil na Bà," or the Cow's Eye. The story goes that it once flowed through the trunk of a tree, about four hundred yards south-east of its present site, and that having experienced some insult or injury, it diverted its course to the present position. Similar conduct is related to have been pursued by a host of insulted springs other than those already referred to. Like many others Suil na Bà undoubtedly possesses medicinal virtues, and was wont to be largely patronised by the suffering as well as the superstitious. The waters act as an aperient, and though now neglected were once much in vogue, as is shown by the following extract from the Kirk-Session Records:" July 7, 1707.-In regard many out of the parish of Fearn and several other parishes within the Sheriffdom, profane the Sabbath by coming to the well of Rarichies, John and William Gallie, &c., are appointed to take inspection every Saturday evening and Sunday morning, of such as come to the well, and to report accordingly." Near by is a fairy well at which puny children were exposed under the usual circumstances, and with similar results. The parish of Nigg also rejoices in springs with the following imposing names :-"Tobar na Slàinte," or the Well of Health, and "John the Baptist's Well." In the Lews there is a spring, the water of which never boils any kind of meat, however long subjected to the influence of fire. This was, as has been quaintly observed, probably on account of the fuel being wet, and the amount of heat insufficient. Here also is a well dedicated to St Andrew, which was much consulted regarding the probable fate of persons in ill-health. A wooden bowl was laid gently on the surface of the water, if it turned towards the sun the patient would recover, but if in the contrary direction, he was to die. In the case of St Oswald's, Newton, if a shirt or shift, according to the sex of the invalid, were thrown into the water, and it swam, all was well, if, on the other hand, it sank, death was inevitable. In this same island adders of about two feet in length are sometimes to be met with, which, annoy the cattle, and occasionally by their sting or bite, cause death. The remedy was to wash the affected animal and give it to drink of the water in which the head of a similar reptile had been steeped. As might be expected wells are numerous in the Isle of Skye. In the parish of Strath we find "Tobar-na-h-Annait," or the Well of Annat. According to some she was an ancient river deity and had a place of worship in the vicinity. A granite obelisk, still standing near the manse, is called "Clach-na-h-Annait," or the Stone of Annat. The term Annat is of frequent occurrence in the Highlands. In Perthshire we have the burn and glen of Annat, in Inverness-shire the Farm of Annat, and Achnahannet. Various modifications of the word are also to be met with throughout Scotland, in such terms as Nethy and Abernethy. She seems to have been largely worshipped in the Western Isles where traces of her temples are yet discernible. This goddess could assume the form of a horse or bull, and may consequently bear a near relationship to the German Nick or Nickkar. Places of worship dedicated to her were situated at the junction of two streams, and the appropriate sacrifice was a horse. In the same parish we have also "Tobar Ashig," or St Asaph's Well; "Tobar Chliaman," or St Clement's well. Kilmuir in Skye is not behind hand in the number and virtue of its sacred wells and lochs, as has been pointed out by the Rev. Alexander Macgregor in his appendix to the "Prophecies of the Brahan Seer." In the isle of Barra there is a spring on the top of a hill which, strange to say, was believed to produce cockles in embryo, and then discharge them into the sea to grow big and fat. It is needless to observe that these were, as a matter of course, the best cockles that could be gathered. The distant St Kilda also had its healing springs. "Tobar-na-buadh," or the spring of virtues, was chiefly effective in cases of deafness and nervous disorders; and " Tobar-nan-Cleireach," or the Priests' Well, reminds us of early practices already referred to. In the centre of "Eilean Mourie," in Loch-Maree, in Ross-shire, there was a well, now long since dried up, which was considered to possess great virtue in cases of insanity. It was at one time in great repute, and sufferers from all quarters in the district were carried hither to undergo the treatment necessary to effect a cure. The patient was first made to drink of the water of the fountain, then to kneel at the foot of a huge oak partly covered with ivy, present an offering, and thereafter to bathe thrice in the loch. This ceremony had to be repeated until a cure was effected. The patient, when refractory, was tied to the tail of a boat and towed round the island. It was considered a good omen if the well was full at the time of the experiment. It is reported that on one occasion, a mad dog was thrown into the well; the animal of course recovered, but the healing virtues of the waters departed for ever, and in process of time, the well dried up. The tree of offering, the oak above referred to, is covered over with copper coins, pins, buttons, &c., inserted in the fissures in its sides. A gentleman has informed us that on one occasion he observed even some bottles; but surely these were not pious offerings. He also stated that he saw the breast bone of a fowl, the "merry thought.” This Eilean Mourie, in turn the holy isle of Druid and Priest, was the scene of many heathenish and superstitious practices in the days of old, mention of some of which will be found in "Days of the Fathers in Rossshire," the curious work of the Rev. Dr Kennedy, of Dingwall. St Fillan's Well in Perthshire was also noted for the curing of insanity. After various ceremonies, partaking alike of Druidism and Popery, the patient was dipped, then tied with ropes and shut up in the chapel all night. Thereafter a bell was put upon his head amid much formality and mummery. The bell was a wonderful one, if stolen, it could regain its liberty, and celebrate its triumph, as it marched homeward, by ringing all the way. There was a bell at one time in the church steeple of Broadford which rang mysteriously or miraculously once a week, summoning the sick to come to be cured at the well in the church yard. The bell disappeared, and, of course, the well lost its health-giving properties. THE HISTORICAL TALES AND LEGENDS OF THE HIGHLANDS, compiled and edited by Alexander Mackenzie, editor of the Celtic Magazine, will be published this month (September) by A. & W. Mackenzie, publishers of this periodical. The book will form a neat volume, printed in clear, bold type, uniform with the "Brahan Seer," and neatly bound in cloth case, with gilt title on back, price 3s 6d. THE MAID OF LOCHEARN. Ar a point a few miles west of St Fillan's, and no great distance from the northern banks of Lochearn, in Perthshire, once stood a small cottage, similar in construction to the great bulk of houses common in the latter end of the seventeenth century in the Highlands of Perthshire. It was at the time we write of, occupied by an industrious and inoffensive man named Donald Macgregor or Campbell. Besides being assiduous in his attention to his splendid herd of cattle, Donald carefully cultivated a small piece of ground contiguous to his house, from which he derived much of his sustenance. His family was thus one of the most independent and happy of its class in the county of Perth; and if the wild and reckless caterans, of which many belonged to his own sept, who then infested that part of the Highlands in a special degree, sometimes disturbed his tranquillity by carrying away unasked one of his choicest oxen, he never murmured or complained, a fact which, no doubt, accounted in a great measure for so few of his animals being "lifted." To explain why our friend Donald Macgregor or Campbell had the latter surname added to his name, it is necessary to give the following historical facts connected with the Clan Gregor. This clan was esteemed one of the purest of all our Celtic tribes. Griogar, their ancestor, is said to have been the third son of Alpin, the Scottish king, who commenced his reign in 833. That they are a very old clan is proved by the fact that they possessed Glenorchy in the reign of Malcolm Ceanmore; but in the reign of David II., the Campbells, by subtlety, succeeded in acquiring a legal right to these lands, and, although the Gregors fought manfully for a long time for their rights, they were at last expelled from their territory. This act so exasperated the clan, that they committed such cruel acts of rapine and violence, that they became a terror in the country. The result was the enactment of very severe laws-Government frequently issuing letters of fire and sword against them—all of which only caused them to commit still greater crimes. The clan was at length proscribed, but taking refuge in their mountain fastnesses, they set all the efforts of their enemies to exterminate them at defiance, and afflicted them in return, with all the vengence that lay in their power. On account of false representations made to the king in 1603, it was ordered by an Act of the Privy Council, dated third April of that year, that the Macgregors, on pain of death, should assume other surnames. But though this and all the other hard enactments against them were annulled at the Restoration, they were resumed in the reign of William III., and continued in full force till 1774, when they were finally rescinded by Act of Parliament. The favourite names adopted by the clan when compelled to relinquish their own, were Drummond, Graham, Campbell, and Stewart. Campbell was assumed by the Donald Macgregor of our story. Donald had a daughter named Jessie, who was universally acknowledged, even by those of her rivals who most aspired to the honour, to be the most handsome and beautiful young woman in Perthshire; and to |