2110-6-5-15

Rokeby Rectory Barnard Castle

August 15. 1933

Dear Mr. Buchan

Thanks for your delightful and amusing letter, somewhat hard to decipher, I own, but well worth the trouble, when I had made it all out.

Yes: I was wrong in referring 'Cha till' exclusively to the Rout of Moy, as the article in the 'Times' the other day on the very subject made abundantly plain. Possibly the fact that a Fraser! Donald the Blacksmith, was the hero at Moy has made that event unduly prominent in my mind.

There are two other points, which your book and your letter has set me thinking over - which, if I am not boring you over much, you can no doubt elucidate for me.

(1) As to the inn at Taynuilt where you say MacIan spent the last night of 1691 - I was under the impression that Taynuilt, & of course the Bridge of Awe, only dates from the road-making era of General Wade and his successors, that is, the second half of the 18th century; that it was only one of a succession of change houses Tigh an uillt, Tigh an droma (Tyndrum) Tigh an Cuil (Luib) & so on. It is very interesting to me, if it be the case, that an inn called Taynuit was in existence as early as 1691.

(2) MacIan's further progress, the route by the Pass of Brander: But did he go that way? I wonder. In that case, I presume he crossed the Awe by the ferry at the Awefoot (Bunawe) & took the old road behind Inverawe House (the 'Dunan of Innerawe' as Black Duncan of the Castles a century earlier terms it). Yet in the absence of any express statement, I would think that he would naturally take the direct road up Glen Nant & cross Loch Awe by the Ferry to Port Sonachan. This would save, I should imagine, 8 or 10 miles; & besides would avoid the necessity of going past Breadalbane's front door - whom, after the quarrel at Achallader, MacIan would have little desire to meet. Kilchurn was then the chief resident of Glenorchy - the name by which this Ian glas had always been known - until he got the peerage 10 years previously - as the date 1693 & his initials cut over the entrance to the castle bear clear witness. Balloch, I take it, was still only a tower, and did not become Taymouth till much later - when Kilchurn was allowed to fall into a ruin.

If you can satisfy my curiosity on these two points, which reading your book has raised in my mind, I shall be grateful. A postcard will be sufficient.

Sincerely yours,

A. Campbell Fraser