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Kay's Originals Vol. 1

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 297 With this view he entered the ranks of the Russian army, and served in the war against the Turks. He was at last killed in a duel with a fellow-officer, not far from Constantinople. THE fourth figure, or last of “ The Bucks,” our readers will recognise as an old acquaintance-the LAIRD of MACNAB. The eccentricities of the Laird have been already pretty amply detailed in No. 111. of the Portraits. There is, however, one other anecdote which may be added. Macnab was proceeding from the west, on one occasion, to Dunfermline, with a company of the Breadalbane Fencibles, of which he had the command. In those days the Highlanders were notorious for incurable smuggling propensities ; and an excursion to the Lowlands, whatever might be its cause or import, was an opportunity by no means to be neglected. The Breadalbane men had accordingly contrived to stow a considerable quantity of the genuine “ peat reek ” into the baggage carts. All went well with the party for some time.* On passing Alloa, however, the excisemen there having got a hint as to what the carts contained, hurried out by a shorter path to intercept them. In the meantime, Macnab, accompanied by a gillie, in the true feudal style, was proceeding slowly at the head of his men, not far in the rear of the baggage. Soon after leaving Alloa, one of the party in charge of the carts came running back and informed their chief that they had all been seized by a posse of excisemen. This intelligence at once roused the blood of Macnab. “Did the lousy villains dare to obstruct the march of the Breadalbane Highlanders ! ” he exclaimed, inspired with the wrath of a thousand heroes ; and away he rushed to the scene of contention. There, sure enough, he found a party of excisemen in possession of the carts. “ Who the devil are you 1” demanded the angry chieftain. “ Gentlemen of the excise,” was the answer. “ Robbers ! thieves ! you mean ; how dare you lay hands on his Majesty’s stores P If you be gaugers, show me your commissions.” Unfortunately for the excisemen, they had not deemed it necessary in their haste to bring such documents with them. In vain they asserted their authority, and declared they were well known in the neighbourhood. “ Ay, just what I took ye for ; a parcel of highway robbers and scoundrels.” “ Come, my good ’fellows ” (addressing the soldiers in charge of the baggage, and extending his voice with the lungs of a stentor), “ Prime !-load !-” The excisemen did not wait the completion of the sentence; away they fled at top speed towards Alloa, no doubt glad they had not caused the waste of his Majesty’s ammunition, “ Now, my lads,” said Macnab, “ proceed -your whisky’s safe.”
Volume 8 Page 416
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