Haco, after exhibiting all the prowess of a brave king and able commander, to retreat from the field, followed by his left wing, leaving, as has been variously stated, sixteen to twenty-four thousand of his followers on the field, while the loss on the Scottish side is estimated at about five thousand. The men of Caithness and Sutherland were led by the Flemish Freskin. Those of Moray were probably led by one of their great chiefs, and we have have every reason to believe, although without any distinct authority, that the men of Ross rallied round one of their native chiefs. At any rate, among the other illustrious men who were most conspicuous for gallantry and bravery was Cailean Fitzgerald, who, as we learn from the fragment of the Record of Icolmkill arrived the previous year. This document says,-"Callenus peregrinus Hybernus nobilis ex e familia Geraldinorum qui proximo anno ab Hybernia pulsus apud Regum benigne acceptus hinc usque in curta permansit et in praefacto proelio strenue pugnarit."-(Colin, an Irish stranger and nobleman of the family of Geraldines, who, in the previous year, had been driven from Ireland, and had been well received by the King, remained up to this time at Court, and fought bravely in the aforesaid battle).

After the defeat of Haco, Alexander sent detachments to secure the Western Islands, and to check the Islanders, which, after his treaties with Magnus, served to reduce them to comparative subjection and a proper state of subordination. Among those sent in charge of the western garrisons was Cailean Fitzgerald, who, under the patronage of Walter Stewart, Earl of Menteith, was settled in the government of EileanDonnan, a strong castle in Kintail, built on an insolated rock at the extremity of Lochalsh and the junction of Loch Duich and Loch Long, the whole forming, it has been asserted, the Itus of Ptolemy and Richard Cirencester. Cailean's jurisdiction extended over the adjoining districts of Lochalsh, Kintail, &c., and his vigilance is recognised by the already quoted document in the following terms :-"De quo in proelio ad Largos, qui postea se fortiter contra Insulanos gessit et ibi inter cos in presidium relicto "—that is, "Of whom we have spoken at the battle of Largs, and who afterwards conducted himself with firmness against the Islanders, and was left a governor among them."

Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat, Lord-Advocate to Charles II., and afterwards Earl of Cromarty, writes-Being left in Kintail, tradition records, that he married the daughter of MacMhathoin, heritor of the half of Kintail. This MacMhathoin is frequently identified with Coinneach Gruamach MacMhathoin, Cailean's predecessor, as governor of EileanDonnan Castle. The other half of Kintail belonged to O'Beolan, one of whose chiefs, Ferchair, was created Earl of Ross, and his lands were given by the King to Cailean Fitzgerald. Sir George goes on to say that this tradition carries enough of probabilities with it to be considered historical.

The charter to Colin runs thus :-" Alexander, Dei Gracia, Rex Scotorum, omnibus probis hominibus tocius terre-sue clericis et laicis, salutem, Sciant presentes et futuri me pro fideli seruicio michi navato per Colinum Hybernum tam in bello quam in pace ideo dedisse, et hac presenti carta mea concessisse dicto Colino, et ejus successoribus, totas

terras de Kintaile. Tenendas de nobis et successoribus nostris in Liberam baroniam cum guardia Reddendo servicium forinsecum et fidelitatem. Testibus Andrea Episcop. Moraviensi, Waltero Stewart, Henrico de Balioth Camerario, Arnoldo de Campania, Thomas Hostiario, Vicecomite de Innerness. Apud Kincardine, IX. die Jan. Anno Regni Domini, Regis XVI."—" Alexander by the grace of God, King of the Scots, to all honest men of his whole dominions, cleric and laic, greeting : Be it known to the present and future that I, for the faithful service rendered to me by Colin of Ireland in war as well as peace, therefore I have given, and by this my present charter, I concede to the said Colin and his successors, all the lands of Kintail to be held of us in free Barony with ward to render foreign service and fidelity. Witnesses (as above). At Kincardine, 9th day of January, in the year of the reign of the Lord the King, the 16th."

The Kincardine, at which the above charter was signed, is supposed to be that situated on the river Dee, for about this time an incident is reported to have taken place in the Forest of Mar, in consequence of which, it is said, the Mackenzies adopted the stag's head as their coat of arms. Alexander was on a hunting expedition in the forest, when an infuriated stag, closely pursued by the hounds, made straight in the direction of his Majesty, and Cailean Fitzgerald, who accompanied the Royal party, gallantly interposed his own person between the exasperated animal and his sovereign, and shot it with an arrow in the head. The King, in acknowledgement of his gratitude, issued a diploma in favour of Cailean for his armorial bearings, which were to be, a stag's head puissant, bleeding at the forehead where the arrow pierced him, to be borne on a field azure, supported by two greyhounds. The crest to be a dexter arm bearing a naked sword, surrounded with the motto, "Fide Parta, Fide Aucta," which continued to be the distinctive bearings of the Mackenzies of Seaforth till it was considered expedient, as corroborating their claims on the extensive possessions of the Macleods of the Lews, to substitute the crest of that ancient clan-viz, a mountain in flames, surcharged with the words, "Luceo non uro," with the ancient shield supported by two savages, naked and wreathed about the head with laurel, armed with clubs, issuing fire, which are the bearings now used by the representatives of the ancient Mackenzies of Kintail.

It would naturally, ere this, have occurred to the reader, How, if this origin of the great Clan Kenneth be correct, has the original patronymic of Fitzgerald given place to that of Mackenzie! The Earl of Cromarty says that Cailean had a son by the daughter of Kenneth MacMhathoin, whom he named Coinneach, or Kenneth, after his father-in-law, that Cailean himself was killed in Glaic Chailein by MacMhathoin, who envied him, and was sore displeased at the stranger's succession to his ancient heritage, that Cailean was succeeded by his son Kenneth, and that all his descendants were by the Highlanders called MacChoinnich, taking the patronymic from MacMhathoin rather than from Cailean, whom they esteemed a stranger.

The traditional account of this incident is more full and circumstantial, and is to the following effect:-Cailean had a son by this daughter of

MacMhathoin, whom he named Cailean, or Colin. This natural preference in favour of the father's name was considered offensive and not what was expected as the compliment due to the native tribes in return for the hospitable reception accorded to him amongst them, and for adopting him as one of themselves, on the score of the ties and claims of consanguinity. Young Colin became a sacrifice to this vindictive feeling and resentment, and was cruelly murdered in Glaic Chailean (the Glack of Colin) whither he was inveigled by a follower of MacMhathoin to a spot still pointed out in Lochalsh as Tom an tSladaire (the Knoll of the Slaughter). Fortunately, however, a second son was born to Colin, who, profitting by his dearly bought experience, named him Coinneach, or Kenneth, in deference to the wishes of the Clan MacMhathoin, and so assumed the patronymic of the maternal grandfather. We have thus the name MacChoinnich, or MacKenneth, not from the father-the stranger --but from the son, through the ancient local tribe of MacMhathoin. By this step Fitzgerald secured local status and respect among the natives, as he had previously, by his bravery and discretion won the approval and patronage of his Sovereign.

No record exists of the exact period of this naturalised Scottish Chieftain's death, but it has been asserted, that he died about 1278, and was buried in Icolmkill.

The preceding is the accepted theory by the Clan generally as to their origin and that of their name. It has been adopted in all the Peerages and Baronetages, by all the principal men of the different branches of the Mackenzies, and almost without exception by every writer on the their genealogy and history. "A Gentleman of Quality" (the Laird of Applecross of that day) in his "Genealogy of the Mackenzies preceding the year 1661, written in the year 1669," adopts it; and as we find ourselves, after looking thoroughly into the whole question, compelled to take a different view of the subject, it is but fair that we should fully state the case in favour of those who still believe in and maintain the Irish origin of this numerous and powerful family and their descendants. We therefore, even at the cost of some repetition, allow the "Gentleman of Quality" to speak for himself verbatim from his MS., the only alteration made thereon being the modernising of the orthography for the benefit of the reader:-"The family of Geraldines were transplanted from Florence (as Cambden relates) to Bretaigne in two brethren of the name, who accompanied William the Conqueror from France to the conquest of England, Anno 1066, were by him rewarded among other Chiefs by a share in the purchase. They settled in the West of England, where they lived in peaceful obedience till glory called them with Strongbow to Ireland, in assistance with Desmond King of Leinster, in which war they attained to such repute by the valour of Maurice Fitzgerald, who was the next in power to Pembroke, that he and others of his relations were eyed by the King as fit to attempt a sufficient (at least to begin a) conquest for him of that Isle. Nor did they fail his expectations, that family, and that only at first acquiring and ever retaining what they conquered there. This family, confident of their own merits or perhaps by an innate generosity, as they were never at ease when their Prince had war, so in

time of peace they were never amongst those Court drones that fed on the honey of braver men's labours, but being ever notable in war, so they were ever private in peace; and because it was below their humour to truckle under Court parasites, they therefore frequently smarted under favourites' odiums. The records of England and Ireland are stuffed with the Geraldines' actions for their Prince and country, and their sufferings unjustly by courtiers' malice are often noted. How oft does Ophaly retain, as at first his predecessors gained, Ireland? and as oft does the State ministers, who were but hearers of their glorious actings, triumph over them by pretences of legal power. Yet the fate of the Geraldines was too strong for their enemies' malice, and never was cast down so by them, but their rise was in a greater glory. The greatest stroke that ever reached them was that given by Sir Richard Bochell, alias Capell. As Holinshed notes, he slew John Fitz-thomas, then chief of the Geraldines-and in the Irish chronicle called Lord John-together with Maurice, his eldest son, Anno 1261.

"John, his son' (called also by Holinshed Lord John), fled to England where he was restored to the Barony of Ophaly, and afterwards created Earl of Kildare by Edward I., King of England, Anno 1290, His other two sons, Colin and Galen, fled to Scotland, where they were graciously received by King Alexander, and the next year they valorously assisted at the notable defeat given to the Danes at Largs. This is brought down to us, not only by unquestioned and constant tradition, but in a fragment of the Records of Lycolumkiel that is preserved by Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat, where mention is made of the most eminent actors in that battle. They name with the Stewart and the Cummin, Walter Stewart Earl of Carrick and March, the Thane of Argyll, 'Robert de Loudon, James de Striveling, Walter Cummin, Thomas Maltiver Peregrinus; and Hibernus nobilis ex familia Geraldinorum qui proximo anno ab Hybernia pulsus' apud Regum benigne acceptus hinc usque in curta permansit et in praefato praelio strenue pugnarit,'

"From the battle of Largs, Walter Stewart was sent with forces to reduce the Isles then associate with the Norwegians. To retain them in obedience, he built a fort in Kintail, which took its name from its intended use, and was called the Danting Isle, fitly situate to attack any who stirred in a great part of the Isles, and in it he placed Colin Fitzgerald with a garrison." The manuscript then proceeds to detail the marriage of Colin to MacMhathoin's daughter, very much the same as already described. This MacMhathoin, it says, is descended from the ancient Fitzursul (or Orsini) of Ireland, and is of Roman lineage. The other half of Kintail at this time belonged to O'Beolan, whose chief, called Farquhar, was created Earl of Ross, and his lands in Kintail were given by the King to Colin Fitzgerald.

"This tradition," continues our authority, "carries enough of probability to found historical credit, but I find no charter of these lands purporting any such grounds, for that the first Charter of Kintail is given by this King Alexander to this Colin, Anno 1266." He then gives the charter in full as above, describes how Colin saved his King in the Forest of Mar from the Infuriated stag, and the granting of the stag's head as the

armorial bearings on that occasion pretty much the same as we have already given it from another old manuscript history of the Mackenzies in our possession. He also gives the same account almost of the murder of Colin, who had a son, Kenneth, by MacMhathoin's daughter; but the garrison in the castle, consisting mostly of Macraes and Maclennans, did so valiantly defend their young master's right that, maugre his opponents, they retained his possessions to him. To Colin succeeded this Kenneth.

All the descendants of Kenneth were by the Highlanders called Mac Choinnich, taking the patronymic from MacMhathoin rather than from Colin, whom they esteemed a stranger.

So much for the Colin Fitzgerald origin of the Clan Mackenzie. In the next number we shall dispose of it, and adduce reasons for adopting a native Gaelic descent.

(To be Continued.)

ANCIENT MYTHOLOGY AND MODERN SUPERSTITIONS. BY THE REV. ALEX. MACGREGOR, M.A.

SUPERSTITION may be defined to be certain false beliefs and practices not sanctioned by revealed religion. It is lamentable that mankind in all ages of the world have been prone to the most degrading superstitions. The enlightened ages of antiquity were no more exempted from them than the most ignorant. We know from the Bible how difficult it was to restrain the Jews from the most idolatrous and superstitious observances, and to confine them to the worship of the only living and true God. This remarkable tendency of the Hebrew nation was caused, in all likelihood, by their sojourning for the long period of four hundred years among the Egyptians, whose system of religion was a mass of idolatrous observances. They had a number of ideal gods, to whom they erected temples of prodigious size and architectural splendour, Their principal deities were Osiris and Isis, whom they considered typical of the sun and moon. But they had a great variety of other deities, such as animals of all kinds— the ox, the bull (hence the golden calf of the Hebrews), the dog, the wolf, the hawk, the stork, the cat, and several other creatures. They also adored their great river, the Nile, personifying in it the crocodile, to which they erected temples and appointed priests to serve at their altars. The Egyptians also believed in dreams, lucky and unlucky days, charms, omens, and magic-in short, they were grossly superstitious!

The absurdities of Egyptian superstition formed the basis of what followed in Greece and Rome. The Grecian states were colonised about fifteen hundred years before the birth of our blessed Saviour, and much about the period when Moses led forth the tribes of Israel from the land of the Pharaohs. Then itwas when Egypt was at the height of its civilisation, but then, too, it was at the height of its superstition. If space permitted, the mythology and superstitious observances of the Greeks deserve