9 
a small knoll on the site of the ancient Castle of Ruthven, ihe 
stronghold of the “ Wolf of Badenoch” in the latter half of the 
14th century. 
* Macpherson, the “translator” of Ossian’s poems, was a native 
of Ruthven, and was teacher for some time in the parish schcol. 
A little beyond Kingussie, his monument was seen on the left, 
near Belville House, where he resided in his latter years, Further 
on, the Spey flows through Loch Inch, a beautiful expanse of 
water on the right. After passing Kincraig Station, the romantic- 
ally-wooded heights of Kinrara appeared on the right, crowned 
by a tall granite monument to the fifth Duke of Gordon; and 
near by was seen on Tor Alviea huge cairn erected to the memory 
of the Highlanders who fell at Waterloo. The old 92nd regi- 
ment, “The Gordon Highlanders,” raised in Strathspey in 1794 
by the beautiful Jean fourth Duchess of Gordon, fought through 
the Peninsular War and at Waterloo, and in many a gallant 
fight since then, and were that week celebrating their centenary at 
the headquarters of the regiment, lying at Glasgow. The famous 
Duchess lies buried in a lovely secluded spot, chosen by herself, 
at Kinrara, where a beautiful monument is erected to her 
memory. A mile or two below Kinrara, rises, on the left, the 
bold rocky front of Oraigellachie, or the ‘Rock of Alarum,” 
wooded io the summit. This district is the country of the Clan 
Grant, whose war-cry or slogan is, ‘‘Stand fast, Craigellachie !” 
The seat of the Chief of the Clan is Castle Grant, about 15 miles 
lower down the Strath. 
Aviemore was reached at 8.50 a.m., and there a number of 
well-horsed carriages were in waiting to convey the Excursionists 
through the extensive forests of natural Scots Pine in Strathspey. 
Here a number of members from the north joined the Excursion, 
and the following gentlemen acted as guides to the party for the 
day—Mr Grant, factor to J. P. Grant, Esq. of Rothiemurchus, 
Sheriff-Substitute for Banffshire; Mr Smith, factor, and Mr 
Grant Thomson, wood-manager to the Countess Dowager cf 
Seafield, at Grantown; Mr Grant, forester to His Grace the Duke 
of Richmond and Gordon at Glenmore; and Mr Stuart, forester, 
Grantown. Their intimate knowledge of the estates to be 
visited, and their practical acquaintance with all that concerns 
the growth of woodlands, proved of the highest value, and made 
the day’s outing one of the most interesting and instructive the 
Members ever enjoyed. 
