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HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE JOHANNESBURG
MAY: 8: 1902
Dear Stair, a scribble frae your pen Delights me weel, as fine ye ken, Forwandered in the but-and-ben, They ca' Transvaal, A land o' Jews and neeger men, Nae guid at all.
I'm blith to hear frae freend like you How blaws the wind ower Sgur-an-Dubh And sairly that black day I rue, When first I came Far, far frae a' folk guid and true Across the faem
Some day, my man, I'll traivel back, And will set out on our auld track,
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Our mutchkins in our pouch, our pack Upon our shoulders, And we will hae a fine lang crack Among the boulders.
We'll climb the hills o' Lorne and Skye, We'll let nae piece o' rock gang by, And syne we'll drink wet Laggan dry With just a gill Of mountain dew, the real Mackay, To fend the chill.
Ye say ye're gettin' learned in law And ken the words that break the jaw, And teinds and processes and a', Far wairse than Greek. While at the gowff ye' ca' the ba' Three times a week.
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And now and then ye daur confess Ye drink a social, honest gless, At Gullane, Islay and Luffness Speerits or rum. I doubt ye'll hae to thole wi' less In Kingdom come.
For when ye come to Peter's Gate, He'll say "My man, ye're no that blate "To think ye'll enter heavenly state "Wi'out a jar. "My man, ye'll maybe hae to wait "On something warm.
"Ye had ower guid a time in life, "Ye lived when honest men were rife, "Ye waena bothered wi' a wife, "Your easy days "Were spent across the firth frae Fife, "A pleasant place.
"We'll hae to give the prior chance "To folk we led an awfu' dance
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"And sent awa' to furrin lands "'Mong heathen crew "In India's plains & Afric's sands "And Timbuctoo.
"On protene now ye'll hae to dine "Cauld water is your only wine, "First turnin' on the left and min' "the step, my dear." While I will jink ayont ye in Wi' horrid leer.
I wish ye well till that dread hour, May health & wealth and friends endure And mind me to all friends, be sure, In toon and clachan And I'll subscribe me 'Ever your
John Buchan.
