Download Volume 12 here

—
Old Ecclesiastical Records of Badencch. 415
homo-mades, but I fear the inclination is gone, and tlie agitation
which has been carried on for the last few years has tendofl
to put a stop to these useful and economical occupations.
much
At no time does tlie Highlander ever seem to ha^o had great
artistic instincts, oiu; seldom sees a bit of ornamentation or carving,
or any attempt at drawing.
Occasionally the handle of a dirk or a walking-stick with a
big crook is manufactured, but such articles of artistic merit as the
Swiss mountaineer makes in the long winter nights in his Alpine
not that the
village, are foreign to the instincts of the Highlander ;
skill and ingenuity are altogether wanting, l)ut the mind has been
turned fi'om it. An active, roving life better suits the Celt, and
the precarious life of a fisherman, in lieu of the liunt'-r's, pleases
him better than the drudgery of agriculture and spade labour, and
even the dangerous and risky occupation of smuggling has gi-eater**
charms for some of them than iiny regular employment in the long
winter nights.
I would not wish to be understood as saying that the Scottish
Highlander wants the aptitude for adapting himself to his situation,
nor th(^ capacity of turning anything he requires to account.
I have shown the contrary in the foregoing notes ; but I think
the cessation of home work and home-made appliances has rendered
him too dependent on foreign aid, and led him to look for
outside support, when he ought to be able to help himself, and
to turn to his us-^s and comfort much that lies ready to hand, and
which would save him actual outlay of money, and add much to
his comfort and pleasure.
5th May 1886.
On this date (being the concluding meeting of the Session),
Paul Liot Bankes of lietterewe, was elected a life member of the
Society, while Alexander Machardy, chief constable of Invernessshire
; R. J. Macl)eth, 42 Union Street, Inverness ; Rev. John
Cameron, R.C., Dornie, Kintail ; John Fraser, 57 High Street,
Inverness; and Hugh Bannerman, 213 Lord Street, Sou thport,
were elected ordinary members. Thereafter, the Secretary read
the following paper by Mr Alexander Macpherson, solicitor,
Kingussie :
GLEANINGS FROM THE OLD ECCLESIASTICAL
RECORDS OF BADENOCH.
Part I.
In these times of never-ending ecclesiastical and political