The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

—The Highland Monthly.written about 1755, by Bailie Duncan Fraser on his ownbehalf, and that of his co-owners of the four coble fishingsof Ness, which, though confused, is interesting in manyrespects.William Fraser of Bught, also Town Clerk of Inverness,having attempted to close the roads or passages to theIslands along the west bank of the River Ness, thematter came into Court. Bailie Fraser's Memorandum,couched in severe terms as regards the Town Clerk, is herequoted :" Hints of Replys to Clk fifrasers answers that the firstPetition was so far from being ill-founded, that the secondis the same, and if the sheriff will take cognizance of it, hewill soon be convinced of the justness of the Petitionersside of the question, and the ridiculous pretensions of theRespondents, particularly the proprietor of Kilvean, theother persons names being borrowed only by him."The Petitioners cannot forbear wishing that the formerjudges had acted more like Magistrates of the Good Townof Inverness. The Respondents low insinuations ofChristianity, good neighbourhood, and members of onecommunity, as if the Petitioners should compound thisaffair with him, after he had committed a very rash andpresumptuous step, by cutting and ticking possession ofground he can have no right to, which he will find ;and thefurther he follows it will bring him less advantage orcredite. His alleadging the Petitioners have no right, islike the man, for he knows Mr Duff's right as well asDuncan Fraser's, as he is keeper of the Register that containsthem. He knows that the Lords some five years agoeremoved Mr Duff's tenant in his fishing after such prors ashe obliged him to bring the cause before them. However,our rights are produced." The sarcasm of the Petitioners ignorance in their ownrights, is so indiscreet as not worth answer. He goes onwith a detail of his letting grounds in Tack to RobertAnderson, &c., pretending his ignorance with respect to theintention of building a flour mill there, this is of a piecewith the rest, for besides the said flour miln he is m termswith oyrs who are to build a snuff miln and a bleachingmiln. He must have he says for himself all on the banksof the River Ness, which banks belong to the Town of