146 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



Dugald Campbell's, by Inverary, in a week from that time. So 

 immediately ou receiving this, which I think will be on Saturday, 

 16th, write to me to that direction. Say you write on the day after 

 you receive mine, whatever that day may be, and I will immediately 

 write you on my arrival there ; I will lose no time in getting there, 

 and I think in about a fortnight I shall see you. I trust in God the 

 accounts will be good when I reach Achlian. But to that point I 

 will go as soon as I can. I have undergone great fatigue, and 

 much bad weather, and long for your kind bosom, so help me God ! 

 Inverary is nearly 150 miles from this, and no carriages, so I must 

 walk all the way. Once more, I pray to God to take care of our 

 beloved children, and to make them well to us. To take a chance 

 of hearing from you, write one line to Post-Office, Fort- William, 

 the moment you receive this, telling me about the children. But 

 write as above mentioned to Achlian, as I may be at Fort-William 

 before your letter reaches. In short, I will go to Achlian as soon 

 as possible, and from your letter there will judge if I am instantly 

 to return home. No delay will take place. I am most anxious 

 about the children. God bless you! and may the Almighty recover 

 to us all our sweet ones ! The chicken-pox is not a bad complaint, 

 so we need not fear ; poor Johnny hunting ! But they are all dear. 

 So farewell, yours tenderly, John Wilson." 



The adventures of which he says " they were not to my discred- 

 it," were doubtless made known to Mrs. Wilson, but never came 

 to the ears of the younger generation, being considered either too 

 trivial, or after many years forgotten. They were not forgotten, 

 however, in the North, for in a recent letter from Mr. Alexander 

 M'Kenzie, Dingwall, this very adventure is thus narrated : — 



" I am the person specially honored by that visit. Mr. Wilson 

 came to me (then living at Millbauk near Dingwall) in such peculiar 

 circumstances as leads me to think he would have made some 

 memoranda about it. He had been fishing in the Dee, and by 

 accident came to a fair at Tomintoul, where he saw a poor man 

 much oppressed and ill-used by another, who was considered the 

 bully of the country, and whose name, I think, he said was Grant. 

 Circumstances led to Mr. Wilson putting ofi" his coat and giving 

 this fellow a thrashing, but on picking up the coat he found it rifled 

 of his pocket-book, containing all his money but a very few shil- 



