RECOLLECTIONS OF THE AUTHOR. xix 



home. This was all done in the coolest manner, 

 without anger, and with very few words. 



When at Invererne he was often warned by 

 Dr. Allan (then at Forres, since well known in 

 London) that he was ruining his constitution by 

 over-exposure to cold and wet, particularly in 

 duck -shooting during the winter; but no one 

 anticipated that fatal results were so soon to be 

 developed. 



At the time of his seizure my father was 

 alone at the "College" (the rest of the family being 

 at the sea-side). He then occupied an unused 

 room — the proverbial haunted room which belongs 

 to most Scotch houses. Something very strange 

 seems to have happened to him in this room, but 

 what I know not, as he never would speak of it. 

 The next day he went out shooting in company 

 with Major Campbell, and was suddenly seized 

 with loss of power in the left side — paralysis. 

 Strange to say, the only other time my father 

 was in company with that gentleman he met 

 with a very nasty accident : A dying roe-deer 

 kicked the hunting -knife into his foot, inflicting 

 a deep wound, severing the tendon of the big 

 toe, which was stiff ever after. 



