that the three names Quigrich, Bachull, and Camabhata, are all Gaelic, and refer to the same thing, and have the same meaning. The Quigrich has been sometimes styled the Crozier of St Fillan, as if the two words were the same. This is not the case. The one, as we have shown, was a crook, the other a cross or "Crasc." Besides they differ, in that they respectively represent two churches and creeds, as widely different, as are the symbols themselves by which they are respectively represented. But whatever differences may exist as to the meaning of the name, there can be no difference as to the relic itself being a highly interesting one. It was five centuries in existence before the light of authentic record reveals it in 1336, in possession of the Dewars. As we have seen its connection with the Scottish monarchy, is older than the Regalia so carefully guarded in the Castle of Edinburgh; while its ecclesiastical associations carry us back to an era of which we have scarcely any other remains -when the son of Kentigerna of the Royal race of Leinster, prosecuted his work in the valley of the Dochart, and with men like minded, sowed, as did others elsewhere, and since, that precious seed of gospel truth, which has eventually won for us the honourable designation of being the Israel of the Gentiles.

KENMORE.

ALLAN SINCLAIR,

A SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDER'S WELCOME TO THE
GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA.

MR Donald Ross, a native of Sutherlandshire, now resident in Nova Scotia, and a well-known Celt, sent the following characteristic letter, hitherto unpublished, to the Marquis of Lorn on his arrival at Ottowa. I have picked it up in Halifax, and it gives a fair indication of the enthusiastic manner in which the Highlanders of the Dominion welcomed the Marquis and his Royal Consort.—[ED. C. M.]

To the Right Honourable Sir JOHN DOUGLAS SUTHERLAND CAMPBELL, K.T., G.C.M.G., MARQUIS of LORN, Governor-General of Canada, &c., &c., &c.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY

Please permit me, a Highlander from the county of Sutherland, but now resident in Nova Scotia, to address you, and to offer to your Excellency and to Her Royal Highness the Princess Louise, the assurance of my right hearty welcome, and the offer of my sincere congratulations on your safe arrival at the capital of the Dominion of Canada.

Born, and long resident, in the romantic county of Sutherland, I could not fail to observe and to admire, the many noble qualities by which the illustrious family of Sutherland was ever and eminently distinguished; and I feel proud that a grandson of the "Good Duke" of Sutherland, in the person of your Excellency, has been chosen by Her Majesty to fill the important office of Governor-General of this extensive portion of Her Majesty's Dominions.

For generations past, the name of the noble and illustrious family of Argyll was always synonym with freedom, loyalty, patriotism, and every other Christian virtue ; not only in their own country, but in distant lands; and their martial spirit and heroic deeds, as well as other excellent qualities, commanded the esteem and admiration of surrounding nations.

Some of your Excellency's illustrious predecessors took a leading part in promoting the Union between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland; a union which has proved highly beneficial to both countries; for it restored peace, and settled for ever, as between them, the strife of swords and the carnage of battles. But, much as your predecessors did to accomplish that Union, it was in reality only fully completed when the solemnities of marriage of your Excellency and the Princess Louise were completed at Windsor Castle in March 1871. Then the Union was completed with all the necessary essentials on earth and ratified in Heaven!

Your Excellency's countrymen, the Scottish Highlanders, scattered throughout this great Dominion, one and all, hail with feelings of unmingled joy your Excellency's arrival among them, and in the true sincerity of warm Highland hearts greet your Excellency and your beloved Consort the Princess Louise, with many thousand Highland welcomes, and in event of their services being ever required, their fidelity and martial ardour is the same as of old; and right loyally they would stand as a wall of fire around their Governor-General and his Royal partner.

I look upon your Excellency's appointment of Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada as a token of great good. It will unite more firmly than ever, the union of those scattered provinces, and cement, as it were, in more happy union, all classes from ocean to ocean, in loyalty and devoted attachment to Her Majesty the Queen, to your Excellency, and to the Princess, as well as to the British throne and to British institutions.

I sincerely trust that your Excellency's stay in Canada will not be limited to any set term of years, but that it will be a very prolonged stay; and that when you do visit the "old country" it will be only for a visit; just to look once more on Scottish scenes, to admire again the magnificent scenery of Argyle and the Isles, to have a quiet look at the majestic Bencruachan and other heath clad mountains, to wander by the beautiful and placid Loch Awe, to see the hills of Morven, Cowal, and Mull, made immortal by Ossian and the bards; and generally like Scotland's renowned bard, make leisurely pilgrimages through dear old Caledonia-gaze on her beautiful mountains, sit on the fields of her many battles, wander on the banks of her many lakes and meandering rivers, and muse by her old castles, stately towers, and venerable ruins; once the abode of her honoured statesmen, heroes, and bards.

May God bless your Excellency and your beloved Consort, the Princess Louise; may He make your stay in Canada a blessing to the people, a satisfaction to Her Majesty, and a source of very great pleasure to yourselves, is the sincere wish of your Excellency's devoted old Highland countryman, who has the honour to be your Excellency's very obedient humble servant, An là chi 's nach fhaic,

Celtic Cottage, Dartmouth, N.S., December 1878.

(Signed)

DONALD Ross.

His Excellency replied as follows:

Government House, Ottowa, December 13, 1878. SIR,-I am desired by his Excellency, the Governor-General, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of welcome, dated Dartmouth, December 1878, and to convey to you his hearty thanks for the warm welcome and the many kind expressions which it contains. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,

(Signed) F. DE WINTON, Major,
Governor-General's Secretary.

Donald Ross, Esq., Celtic Cottage, Dartmouth, N.S.

NEW GAELIC PUBLICATIONS.-We have received the fifth and last part of "An t-Oranaiche," by Archibald Sinclair, Glasgow. We have only time at present to say that the work is well printed, carefully got up, and exceedingly cheap. Thanks are due to Mr Sinclair for supplying such a good collection of Gaelic songs.

WE are glad to understand that Mrs Mary Mackellar has a volume of her poems in the press, to be published soon by Messrs Maclauchlan & Stewart, Edinburgh. Mrs Mackellar's volume will be hailed with pleasure by all lovers of genuine Gaelic poetry.

FROM the death of Suibne to the accession of Gille bride, father of Somerled, little or nothing is known of the ancestors of the Macdonalds. Gillebride was expelled from his possessions in the Scottish Highlands by the Danes and the Fiongalls, whereupon he took refuge in Ireland, and afterwards prevailed upon the descendants of Colla, to assist him in an attempt to obtain possession of his ancient inheritance in Scotland. Four or five hundred of these joined him and accompanied him to Alban, but he was unsuccessful and failed to secure his object. It was only after this, that Somerled for the first time, comes into notice. He appears to have been of a very different temper to his father. At first he lived in retirement, musing in silent solitude, over the ruined fortunes of his family. He, when a favourable opportunity presented itself, as already stated, placed himself at the head of the people of Morven; attacked the Norwegians, whom, after a long and desperate struggle, he expelled from the district; and ultimately made himself master, in addition to Morven, of Lochaber and Argyle. When David the First, in 1135, expelled the Norwegians from Man, Arran, and Bute, Somerled obtained a grant of those islands from the king. "But finding himself unable to contend with the Norwegians of the Isles, whose power remained unbroken, he resolved to recover by policy what he despaired of acquiring by force of arms;" and, with this view, he succeeded in obtaining, about 1140, the hand of Ragnhildis, daughter of Olave, surnamed the Red, then the Norwegian King of the Isles. The following curious account relating how Somerled secured the daughter of Olave the Red, is recorded in the Macdonald MS. : -"Olay encamped at Loch Storna, Sommerled came to the other side of the loch, and cried out if Olay was there, and how he fared? Olay replied that he was well. Then said Sommerled, I come from Sommerled, Thane of Argyle, who promises to assist you conditionally, in your expedition provided you bestow your daughter on him. Olay answered that he would not give him his daughter, and that he knew he himself was the man; but that he and his men should follow him in his expedition. So

D

Sommerled resolved to follow Olay. There was at that time a fosterbrother of Olay's, one Maurice MacNeill, in Olay's company, who was a near friend of Sommerled; and when Sommerled brought his two galleys near the place where Olay's ship lay, this Maurice aforesaid came where he was, and said that he would find means by which he might come to get Olay's daughter. So, in the night time, he bored Olay's ship under water with many holes, and made a pin for each hole, overlaying them with tallow and butter, When they were up in the morning and set to sea, after passing the point of Ardnamurchan, Olay's ship sprung a leak, casting the tallow and butter out of the holes by the ship tossing on the waves, and beginning to sink, Olay and his men cried for help to Sommerled. Maurice replied that Sommerled would not save him unless he bestowed his daughter upon him. At last, Olay being in danger of his life, confirmed by an oath that he would give his daughter to Sommerled, who received him immediately into his galley. Maurice went into Olay's galley and fixed the pins in the holes which he had formerly prepared for them, and by these means they landed in safety. From that time the posterity of Maurice are called MacIntyres (or wright's sons) to this day. On this expedition Olay and Sommerled killed MacLier, who possessed Strath within the Isle of Skye. They killed Godfrey Du, or the Black, by putting out his eyes, which was done by the hermit MacPoke, because Godfrey Du had killed his father formerly. Olay, surnamed the Red, killed MacNicoll in North Uist likewise. Now Sommerled marrying Olay's daughter, and becoming great after Olay's death, which death, with the relation and circumstances thereof, if you be curious to know, you may get a long account of it in Camden."

On this point Gregory says, "It appears by no means improbable, too, that Sommerled, aware of his own power and resources, contemplated the conquest of a portion, at least, of the Isles, to which he may have laid claim through his remote ancestor, Godfrey. On these or similar grounds, Olave the Red, King of Man and the Isles, was naturally desirous to disarm the enmity, and to secure the support of the powerful Lord of Argyle, whose marriage with Ragnhildis, the daughter of Olave, about 1140-the first authentic event in the life of Somerled-seems to have answered this purpose. Of this marriage, which is lamented by the author of the Chronicle of Man,' as the cause of the ruin of the whole kingdom of the Isles, the issue was three sons-Dugall, Reginald, and Angus. "In a footnote Gregory informs us that in regard to Somerled's sons, he follows "the Orkneyinga Saga, p. 383, which is very explicit, and is a better authority than the Chronicle of Man," which latter, adds a fourth son, Olave. In Skene and in the "History of the Highland Clans," he is said to have had another son, Gillecallum, by a previous marriage, while in Findon's supplementary sheet he is said to have a son, Somerled, from whom the Maclans of Ardnamurchan, and another Gillies, the latter obviously the Gillecallum of Skene and of Kethe's "Highland Clans," who, it is said, obtained Kintyre.

Olave the Red, Somerled's father-in-law, was, in 1154, assassinated by his nephews, the sons of Harald, who made a claim to the half of the kingdom of the Isles. His son, Godred the Black, was at the time in Norway, but hearing of his father's death, he immediately returned to the Isles, where he was received with acclamation and great rejoicings by the

inhabitants as their king. He apprehended and executed the murderers of his father. He had gone to Ireland to take part in the Irish wars, early in his reign; but afterwards returned to Man, and became so tyrannical, thinking no one could resist his power, that he soon alienated the insular nobility-one of whom, Thorfinn, the most powerful of the Norwegian nobles, sent word to Somerled requesting him to send his son, Dugall, then a child, who, being Godred's nephew, he proposed to make King of the Isles. The ambitious Somerled readily entered into the views of Thorfinn, who, having obtained possession of Dugall, carried him through all the Isles, except the Isle of Man, and compelled the inhabitants to acknowledge him as their king, at the same time taking hostages from them for their fidelity and allegiance. One of the Island Chiefs, Paul Balkason by name, and by some called the Lord of Skye, refused to comply with Thorfinn's demand, and, escaping secretly, he fled to the Court of Godred in the Isle of Man, and informed him of what had just taken place in the Isles, and of the intended revolution. Hearing this, Godred roused himself and collected a large fleet, with which he proceeded against the rebels, who, under the command of Somerled, with a fleet of eighty galleys, met him, and a bloody but indecisive battle ensued. This engagement was fought on the night of the Epiphany, and though neither could claim the victory, next morning a treaty was entered into, by which Godred ceded to the sons of Somerled, what were afterwards called the Southern Isles, thus dividing the sovereignty of the Isles and establishing them into two principalities. By this convention he retained for himself the North Isles and the Isle of Man, those south of Ardnamurchan becoming nominally the possessions of the sons of Somerled, but in reality of that warlike Chief himself, as his sons were all minors, he being naturally their guardian and protector. In spite of all these insular proceedings, and the changes of their possessions between themselves and among the immediate and resident chiefs, or native kings, the allegiance of all the Isles to Norway still continued intact. It is somewhat peculiar that Kintyre, a part of the mainland, should always have been included with what was called the South Isles; but it is explained as follows in a footnote by Gregory:-"The origin of this was a stratagem of Magnus Barefoot. After that Prince had invaded and conquered the Isles, he made an agreement with Malcolm Canmor, by which the latter was to leave Magnus and his successors in peaceable possession of all the Isles which could be circumnavigated. The King of Norway had himself drawn across the narrow isthmus between Kintyre and Knapdale, in a galley, by which he added the former district to the Isles." This anecdote has been doubted by some, but it appears in Magnus Berfaet's Saga, a contemporary work; and it is certain that, as late as the commencement of the seventeenth century, Kintyre was classed by the Scottish Government as one of the South Isles."

About two years after the above-named treaty was entered into, for some cause not clearly ascertained, Somerled invaded the Isle of Man with a fleet of fifty-three galleys, and after routing Godred, laid the island waste. Whether the invasion was in consequence of some infringement of the convention of two years previously, or in consequence of the insatiable ambition of Somerled, it is impossible to say, but the power of the King of Man was shattered so much, that he was obliged to pay a