2110-1-14-8

Governor's Office, Johannesburg.

May: 8: 1903

I

Dear Stair,

The best laid schemes o' men Gang aft agley, as weel ye ken, We think we're daein' brawly, when Doan comes the Deevil, And syne we're roupit but and ben – It's maist unceevil.

II

Whaur shines the sun on Africa's san' I hoped that you and me, my man, Wad traivel in a caravan, Drove by a neeger, And kill a gnu wi' our ain han', Or else a teeger.

III

I hoped to see your Gothic face And your auld tautit stripit claes Gang warslin' up the stany braes Ower rock and scree, Dod! there had been some cheery days For you and me!

IV

The Neeger, tae, – ye ken the man – Wha to the sons o' Afric's stran' Instils the history o' their lan', He was fu' fain To drink a glass and shake a han' Wi' you again.

[Annotation:] John Edgar of Balliol, Professor of History at Cape Town

V

Aweel, my dear, it canna be, For you and Law ye couldna 'gree, A kittle limmer she maun be, A thrawn auld witch (My langwidge I admit is free) A donnert bitch!

VI

But when the heather's comin' oot, And grouse begin ta ga' aboot, And ilke Cockney kills a troot, Why, Sandy, then Ye'll see my face wi'oot a doot At hame again.

VII

And you and me and, aiblins, Hugh, The Lord kens what we winna do, We'll mak an awfu' rampage through Baith toun and clachan And so, till then, believe me you-

-rs John Buchan

Strictly private & confidential

HOLMEHILL Dalston Cumberland

24th Oct 1942

Mr dear Walter,

I came across the enclosed poem of John's. I have always thought he could have developed the ironic. Anyhow it is the work of a shrewd youngster already a craftsman.

Hardly now such a suitable topic? We don't say these things whatever we think. As well dig up some essays on Bolshevism.

I wonder what the literary censors will think of it. Susie has a pretty good sense of what will publish. Why the heading? Because I am in strictest secrecy (till the Announcement), Sheriff Substitute of Galloway. So there's life in the old dog yet. Love to Anna

Yours ever

Stair A. Gillon.