240 FIELD AND TERN. 



pastures annually with tlie best top-dressing dug with 

 great pains and labour from the fattest soil beneath/^^' 



* TheBanffghire Journal fm-nishes the following pleasant sketch of "Old 

 Moley of Nethermmr" : — 



"Deceased was the first professional molecatcher that ever practised his 

 trade north of Aberdeen. Bom in "Westmoreland, he was apprenticed to a 

 i'e,^ilar molecatcher, who, in the course of his calling, traversed the southern 

 counties of Scotland, and then penetrated as far north as Forfar. Here 

 "William Irving (for that was Molej^'s name), impelled by his love of adven- 

 ture, and a prjring disposition, deserted his master, and determined to start 

 on his ovn\ account. Journeying north, when near Stonehaven, he got intc> 

 conversation with, as he supposed, a superior farmer. After a few miles' •* 

 walk, this person invited him to his house. He proved to be the celebrated 

 Captain Barclay, then rising into fame. He stopped at Ury a week, and 

 many a story did he afterwards tell of that memorable \dsit. 



" William afterwards turned up at Old Deer, causing a considerable sensa- 

 tion. His fame reached the ears of the late Mr. Crombie of Phesdo, who sent 

 for him and appoiuted him molecatcher to the Earl of Aberdeen, which office 

 he held for forty years. The Earl never passed him when in the grounds of 

 Haddo House without saying a few words, but they seldom went beyouii 

 ' Well, I see you are there.' Moley had the highest admiration for this good 

 and distinguished nolaleman. 



" Having l^een employed by the Earl, William was soon sought for by the 

 lairds of the (listrict, far and wide. His abilities in his trade were great ; and 

 although molecatchers are now mimerous, it is questionable if an equally ex- 

 pert one could now be found. Few moles could ' trick' him ; but he had 

 other qualifications, which rendered him not only agreeable, l)ut almost 

 necessary to them. He was a great antiquarian, and came to acquire an in- 

 timate knowledge of the famiUes of the proprietors. He was a botanist, 

 and had an excellent knowledge of the cultm-e of trees. He was a first-rate 

 marker of game, and in slipping a greyhoimd had not a rival. At the Turrifi' 

 Com-siug Club Meetings he Avas in his glory. Several of the lairds in the d\:<- 

 trict neai-ly fought for the possession of Moley on the 12th of August. His 

 herculean strength enabled him to cany fabulous bags of game any dis- 

 tance. It was no uncommon thing in those days for the sportsman to walk 

 ten miles to the moor and the sanae back, with Moley carrjdng twenty brace 

 of o-rouse and half-a-dozen hares on his back. It is true he swallowed as 

 much whisky as he could get to assist him on the road. 



" WilUam went to Nethermuir in the year 1802, and, as the place suited 

 him he remained, there ever since. This was his head-quarters, Ijut he was 

 often months absent, plying his trade far and wide ; but Haddo House, Bruck- 

 lay, Aberdour House, Pitfour, and Troup, with a rare excursion to Dufi" House 

 and Gordon Castle, were his principal hamits. Everywhere he was a wel- 

 come A-isitor to the lairds ; bitt not so to the servants, who sometimes rebelled 

 en masse against his admission, as he was accustomed to find many flaws in 

 the establfshment, which he was sm-e to communicate to the astonished 

 master. Moley was very fond of Gebbie of Troup, the last professional fool iu 

 the north, and retailed many of his wise sayings. 



" Moley is supposed at his death to have been 85 years of age. He retained 



