Joseph MacLeod articles in People's Journal March 23 1935

Edited by Joseph's great-grandson, Peter Lawrie, ©2019
[Comments in italics are mine]

Memorable Days in the Highlands

By Ex-Bailie Joseph MacLeod, Inverness

Certain misgivings arose in my mind when first approached on the subject of writing my reminiscences as to my capabilities in that respect. In the belief, however, that some of my recollections may be entertaining and interesting to the younger as well as the older generation, I finally consented.

'Tis a far cry to the Highlands of my youth. I have seen a new race rise on the ashes of the old, and a new system governing the land. In my day I have taken part in exciting incidents in the goldfields of Sutherland, fought for the rights of the crofters, indulged in politics when feelings on such matters was intense, and enjoyed a full public life. I can claim the honour of being one of that humble band of enthusiasts who eventually saw the rights of the crofting community firmly established. But of these things, more anon!

A true saying
Let me say at once that I appreciate the opportunity of writing to the "People's Journal" of which I have been a reader for over 60 years. Well do I recall as a boy how I stood waiting its arrival on Friday nights, when it used to be carried by mailcoach before the Highland Railway reached my native village of Helmsdale. In the days of which I write there were only four publications read generally in the North - the Bible, the Shorter Catechism, Donald MacLeod's Gloomy Memories, and the "People's Journal". On these four we founded our literary education.

Mention of the Catechism brings me to the old saying that Highlanders were reared on porridge and the Catechism. In my case - as in most others of my day - it was particularly true. I can remember when every boy and girl was compelled to commit the catechism to memory. The ministers, especially those of the Free Church, held an annual catechising in the different districts of the parish, and it was a grievous thing to be found unprepared.

In Helmsdale, our chief catechiser was Rev. Alexander Murchison, who later went to the Gaelic Church in Glasgow. A fine preacher, he was diligent in his duties. I can well remember us getting together to prepare ourselves for the annual event, and, truth to tell, we never wearied in our task, so long as we were satisfied that on the all-important occasion we would be prepared to answer any question on the catechism in Gaelic or English.

I have often thought that catechising had quite a lot to do with the preservation of Gaelic, and that its continuation would have saved the mother tongue from the decline it suffered. Even then, however, there were signs of coming changes. The Established Church people did not go in so much for catechising, their minister - a Mr Clark - not being too strict in that respect.

At the time of which I write Helmsdale was a struggling village, but probably a more lively one than now, as I shall later show. Until the passing of the Education Act in 1872 it possessed one school, that of the Free Church, of which the teacher was Mr MacMillan. A fine man and an excellent scholar, he produced many outstanding pupils, such as Mr Angus Sutherland, M.P. for Sutherland; Rev. Cameron Mackay, now retired in Inverness; and the late Rev. John Mackay of Prestonpans. Mr MacMillan married a daughter of Mr Rutherford, the local draper. It is not long since she passed away. Some of his family still reside in the district.

In those days, there was no compulsory education. We had to pay for our schooling, and I was one of the many who carried a peat to school. Truth to tell, the majority of childen worked all summer and only went to school in the winter time when there was nothing for them to do.

Tragic Shock
The only other teacher in the district was a Mr Alex Ross, an elder of our church, who taught at the village of Portgower, about three miles distant. His life was marred by tragedy. Shortly before his intended marriage his fiancee, who was a sister of Rev. Cameron Mackay, slipped on the ice at Helmsdale harbour and was precipitated inro the water. Her death by drowning was a terrible shock to Ross - so terrible in fact that his hair changed its colour in a night.

Another interesting personality in the Helmsdale of my youth was Mr Gordon Ross. He was a saintly man in every respect. I rather think he assisted at catechising. A favourite well of his in the district still bears his name, it being said of him that he never drank from its waters until he had offered up a prayer of thankfulness.

Of course life was very different in the days of my youth. We had our wags, I admit, but there can be no gainsaying the fact that things were taken far more seriously. Religion was the dominating factor. Catechisings were of great importance, but in our lives there were other greater occasions - those of Communions.

Impressive Services
I can remember seeing the Toll Park, near the Commercial Hotel, crowded at Communion time. People gathered from miles around to those services, congregating inside and outside in their thousands. I cannot forget hearing the singing - both in Gaelic and in English.

If I might be frank, I must confess that none of our present-day ministers have the same fire as the pastors of my youth. Have we men today to compare with Dr. Aird of Creich; Rev. Mr Sinclair, Invergordon; Rev. Mr Munro, Alness, father of Lord Alness; Rev. Mr Matheson, Tarbet; Rev. Mr Murray, Tarbat; and last, but not least, the Rev. Mr Grant of Tain. As a boy I rejoiced to listen to them, for they were full of the eloquence which stirred Celtic blood.

Nothing took place in the time of which I write that had the same attraction as Communion. Certainly there were the various markets, but they were of secondary consideration. The services started at 11 a.m. and never finished before 9 p.m. The melody of the singing in the open air remains as one of my most pleasant memories.

Conditions of life have changed much since I first saw light of day. People were not so well off in a way, and as a consequence food was much simpler. Porridge was a staple diet, and potatoes and herring another. Milk was not so plentiful as now. In my younger days we were given treacle ale in place of the latter, and enjoyed it. I need scarcely add that the supply of brains and brawn then was greater than today, so the change in that respect has not improved matters.

A Famous Rush
If I were asked to give the most exciting incident of my youth I would unhesitatingly state the occasion when some of Helmsdale's people took violent possession of the goldfields. And why? Because I was one of the ringleaders of that famous rush. Although I could not have been more than 18 years of age.
[Note, this event is undated in the article in the "Journal", however, as Joseph was born in 1862, he must be referring here to 1880]

The reason for our agitation was a legitimate one, although eventually we were forced by the long arm of the law to end our venture. That year the fishing, upon which the village depended so much for its existence, proved a failure. In addition the potato crop was extremely poor. The result can be imagined. Most of the villagers could see little but destitution in front of them and became desperate. With a desire to make money in some fashion or other, and the knowledge in their heads that there was gold near the Kildonan burns, there could be but one result.

To be frank, everyone in Helmsdale was convinced that there was money for the taking in Kildonan. Some years before, in 1868, a Robert Gilchrist, who was a native of the glen and spent many years digging for gold in Australia, returned home for the purpose of retiring. He was impressed by the resemblance of the formation of the hills and the soil of the Kildonan Glen to that of the Australian district where he had worked.

The result was an examination and the discovery of gold. As a consequence people of every class came to Helmsdale, and digging went on until 1870, when under pressure from the farmers and shooting tenants, the mines were ordered to be closed.

To revert, however, the people of the village in the year of which I speak thought that under the exceptional condition of poverty the Duke would permit them to search for gold. I was one of those who approached county personalities in an endeavour to get permission, but even the aid of the great Dr. Aird was of no avail. I honestly believe our wish would have been granted but for the fact that the big sheep men opposed the idea tooth and nail.

The feeling of indignation soon grew. Several of the land leaguers, of whom I was one, felt that the cause of the people was our cause. To our way of thinking the proposal of the villagers would do no injury and might relieve much of the hardship and distress. And so it came about that we held a huge demonstration in the Free Church School to air our views on the subject, and , if necessary, take appropriate action.

What a night that was. The old school was crowded to the utmost, and amid scenes of enthusiasm it was decided to take forcible possession. The moving spirits were Donald Gilchrist, of Portgower, who, I think, was a relation of the man who first discovered gold in Kildonan; William Polson of Marrel, and myself. Needless to add, we had plenty of supporters.

All Callings.
A few days later 60 of us left home for the goldfields. We were of all callings. With cradles, sluices and dishes we toiled away, getting fairly decent returns for our labour. At the weekend we used to take the gold home in a little bottle and dry it in a saucer - the old and common practice. Truth to tell, our early inexperience soon vanished, and by the time our venture was brought to a conclusion we were capable gold-seekers.

We had a song of our own. It ran like this:
I'm off to Kildonan at the dawning of the day,
With my pick and my spade
And my brogues newly made,
And a bottle of the best to cheer me on my way,
I'm off to Kildonan at the dawning of the day.

For a short time - until the farmers realised our game - we were permitted to work in peace. But then they took action. We all worked in parties of three, and they began by interdicting certain groups. Knowing that opposition would have dire consequences, I made it my job to see that the interdicted men went home and that others took their places. So the struggle went on for some time, until eventually we had to give in. But we succeeded in our purpose, and many families benefitted from the "rush".

I was surprised at the attitude of the farmers, for I can assure you we had no intention of doing them or their stock any harm. One of my tasks, as a matter of fact, was to see that the men filled in all the holes that they had dug so the sheep would not be injured. But they did not want to understand or appreciate the situation.

Wedding Gift
The results of the gold digging expedition were not all bad. I knew one man whose daughter was being wed, but could not afford to give her a wedding present. In less than a week in the fiedls, they had made £20 - a fabulous sum in those days.

Others were equally lucky. They got gold in the Kinbrace, Kildonan, Torrish, and Suisgill streams. I may say that the ore got at Suisgill was not as good as the others - containing more silver - but, from reports, the other nuggets found were superior to the stuff being brought from Australia.

It may be of interest to note that Mr John Fraser, chemist, Helmsdale, found one nugget and fixed it up in its rough state as a tie-pin. Another, weighing four ounces was utilised for a gold ring given to Mr Angus Sutherland, M.P. I am sure there are many in the parish of Kildonan can still produce local gold.

Some time after we took violent possession a man came to Helmsdale and commenced to cart down quarry stones from Kildonan. He had a furnace in the village, down at the shore, and John MacLeod, a local fellow with a flair for chemistry, acted as his overseer. But it could not have proved a paying speculation, for he soon gave up.

And yet I am one of the many who believe that a fair fortune could be made at Kildonan. Having been there, and knowing the nature of the countryside, I feel justified in saying that in the crevices near the burns is enough gold to make mining remunerative. And I say that despite the assertions of the authorities, who declared that it would not pay.

It was said of the stationmaster at Kildonan that he could get the ore at any time from the burn at the back of the station. Whether that was true or not I cannot tell, but I do know that the glen has plenty. Even at Helmsdale bridge (I wonder how many of the villagers know this?) gold is to be found. At one time the authorities refused permission to look for the precious metal, as such operations would undermine the structure.

Busy Helmsdale
I have already mentioned the Helmsdale of my youth was a more lively one than that of today. The reason, of course, was the fishing. I have seen as many as 750 boats in the harbour and not room to be got in the place for love nor money. On numerous occasions I have crossed the harbour from boat to boat, so closely packed were they. Those were the days of good trade and keen fishermen. But - and I regret to say it - the fishing glory has departed.

At the time of which I write the mails were carried by the mail coach Defiance, which came from the South and proceeded to Wick. Sometimes the horses ran tandem, at others, four-in-hand. The two drivers I remember were Mr Grasswick and Mr Spalding, and the two guards were Sandy Mackay and Donald Ross, who came from Thurso. Donald I knew well, for he was a frequent visitor to our home. I loved the mail coach. Indeed, it was my invariable custom to get up on the step and stay there as long as permitted. I never got past Navidale, however.
[Note, the Highland railway reached Helmsdale in 1871. The extension of the line to Thurso by way of the strath of Kildonan to Kinbrace, and thus avoiding the Ord of Caithness, was completed in 1874, when Joseph would have been 12 years old.]

It was said of the Defiance and its passengers that certain rites had to be observed when the coach reached the famous Ord of Caithness. First class travellers were permitted to sit inside, second class were allowed to get out and walk, but the poor third class passengers were forced to assist the horses by pushing the vehicle up the steep gradient. Anyone who recalls the old Ord road will realise how dangerous and arduous was their task.

In passing, I may say that my memories of the mailcoach also recall the great difference in weather conditions. I can recollect that on May 24, 1875, the mails could not get through owing to a terrific snowstorm, which blocked the road. On occasions such as these, however, a horse was utilised to carry through the mails.
[Note: see my previous comment, as the Highland Railway reached Thurso in 1874, one would assume that the mail would be then sent by train rather than the mailcoach - although the rail line by Kinbrace could also be blocked by snow.]

Believe me, there has indeed been a revolution in mail-carrying in my day. From the old coach to the aeroplane is indeed a forward stride.