highlander
02-Oct-04, 21:16
This is a errie tale of two cousins, Andrew and James MacQuarrie. Andrew was a crofter born and bred, and quite happy with his lot. James was a fisherman also happy in his trade. Every year jamie came to Wick for the herring run and would stay with andrew, there was always a friendly bantering between the two, jamie telling andrew to give up his croft and take to the fishing as there was more money in it, and andrew telling jamie it was safer to stay on dry land as the sea was a fickly mistress.
The last year there had been particularly good catches and jamies pockets were bulging and he was full of himself, andrew pressed him to stay longer as he did not like the feel of the weather. Jamie laughed and said the weather was ideal for sailing and would not be halted.
Andrew saw him off that evening and started back for his croft, on the way he met a man with a sick cow who had been looking for him, as andrew spent several hours at the farm, but had the satisfaction of knowing that the cow was a lot better when he eventually left. By that time the night was very dark,the farmers wife had pressed andrew to stay for a meal, she also spoke of the storm, a terrible gale that had sprung up while they had been working.Andrew was anxious, to return to his croft and make sure there was no damage.
As he truged the miles to his croft, he saw three men struggling with something heavy. Once he was closer he saw it was a coffin they were trying to carry, this was not unusual as the graveyard was on the hill, but the men were having such a struggle"your could do with another shoulder"said andrew, falling into step with them.
Eventually they reached the graveyard and set down thier burden, just then the moon came out bright and clear, showing the brass plate on the coffin, it read James MacQuarry, age 29years, drowned in the Dornich firth. "why that is my cousins name and he is 29-strange that there should be two with the same name in these parts" said andrew looking at the men. He had not been able to see thier features before, but now in the moonlight, he saw and recognised them, They were three brothers, neighbours of his and good friends of jamie, all three had been drowned the year before when thier boat overturned in the Pentland Firth, andrew knew then that jamie was dead, although some days were to pass before the boat was found empty.
The last year there had been particularly good catches and jamies pockets were bulging and he was full of himself, andrew pressed him to stay longer as he did not like the feel of the weather. Jamie laughed and said the weather was ideal for sailing and would not be halted.
Andrew saw him off that evening and started back for his croft, on the way he met a man with a sick cow who had been looking for him, as andrew spent several hours at the farm, but had the satisfaction of knowing that the cow was a lot better when he eventually left. By that time the night was very dark,the farmers wife had pressed andrew to stay for a meal, she also spoke of the storm, a terrible gale that had sprung up while they had been working.Andrew was anxious, to return to his croft and make sure there was no damage.
As he truged the miles to his croft, he saw three men struggling with something heavy. Once he was closer he saw it was a coffin they were trying to carry, this was not unusual as the graveyard was on the hill, but the men were having such a struggle"your could do with another shoulder"said andrew, falling into step with them.
Eventually they reached the graveyard and set down thier burden, just then the moon came out bright and clear, showing the brass plate on the coffin, it read James MacQuarry, age 29years, drowned in the Dornich firth. "why that is my cousins name and he is 29-strange that there should be two with the same name in these parts" said andrew looking at the men. He had not been able to see thier features before, but now in the moonlight, he saw and recognised them, They were three brothers, neighbours of his and good friends of jamie, all three had been drowned the year before when thier boat overturned in the Pentland Firth, andrew knew then that jamie was dead, although some days were to pass before the boat was found empty.