Tradition states that Donald Mor was a special favourite of his chief, who may well have been the famous Sir Rory Mor, and that he was sent to Ireland, the early home of Celtic leters and music, to complete his musical education. His frequent performances before the nobility and gentry of Scotland earned for him a high position among the pipers of his day. It is probable that Donald Mor visited Ireland on another occasion as part of the retinue of Sir Rory Mor when he and another powerful Hebridean chief, Donald Gorme Macdonald of Sleat, each led five hundred of their warrior clansmen to assist Red Hugh O'Donell, who, about 11595, was in rebellion against Queen Elizabeth. Their sojourn in Ireland was a brief one, for news of their landing in Lough Foyle having reached the English Ambassador in Scotland, both MacLeod and Macdonald were charged by the Privy Councill not to assist the Irish rebels. It is not improbable that the pibroch "The lament to the Earl of Antrim," the composition of which is attributed to Donald Mor, was one of the results of this visit. The Rev. Dr. Ross is of the opinion that he also composed "Welcome to Rory Mor" and "Saluate to the Earl of Ross." The following tunes are also attributed to him:--"A Fiery Revenge for (his brother) Patrick Caogach"; "The Earl of Ross's March--1600"; "The MacDonald's Salute"; "Rory MacLeod's Rowing Piobaireachd or Salute"; and "MacLeod's Controversy"--1603.

It is related of Donald Mor that when a young man he was sent by MacLeod of MacLeod to a school for piping in Ireland. In this establishment there were twenty-four students, and the manner of teaching was thus:--Each pupil came into the schoolroom by himself, and, after receiving his lesson, retired, for the professor would not instruct one in presence of another. When MacCrimmon, who had remained some days before he began to practise, understood the mode of teaching, he concealed himself in a place where he could hear the scholars while receiving and completing their lessons. It is said of him that his memory and taste for music were so extreme that he could perfectly recollect whatever tune he once heard; consequently he was not long with his new master before he acquired all the new pieces that could be given him.

Donald Mor had a brother, who lived in Glenelg, part of the MacLeod's estate, who was known by the name of Patrick Coag, an account of a squint or defect in one of his eyes. This young man had a quarrel with his foster brother, a native of Kintail. Some time after the dispute, while he was in the act of washing his face in a burn or rivulet adjoining his dwelling, the Kintail man came behind him and treacherously with his dirk gave him a mortal blow. This being made known to Donald Mor at Dunvegan, he prepared to revenge the untimely death of his brother, and taking his pipes up to MacLeod's room he threw them on the bed. MacLeod, surprised, demanded to know what had occurred. In few words he related to him the affair, when the laird pacified the enraged piper, and promised him, on condition of his remaining at home, to see justice done before the expiration of twelve months. MacLeod thought that his wrathful piper would forget the cruel murder by that time and allow his ire to abate; but such as not the case, for on the termination of the twelve months, he set out himself for Glenelg, without informing any one of his intention; and finding on his arrival there that the murderer of his brother had gone to Kintail, he pursued his journey thither.

The offender having been apprised of his arrival, concealed himself in the house of a friend; and the inhabitants of the village not choosing to deliver him up, MacCrimmon was so enraged that he resolved to set their houses on fire--a resolution which he found an opportunity of carrying into effect that night and burned eighteen of their houses which caused the loss of several lives. [This is called Lasan Phadruig Chaoig, or a flame of wrath for Squinting Peter.] Donald then made his escape to Lord Rea's country, where he remained for some time under the protection of Donald Duabhal MacKay, afterwards Lord Reay, with whom he had been formerly acquainted.

As soon as Lord Kintail was apprised of this affair, he offered a great reward for the apprehension of MacCrimmon, and sent a party in pursuit of him; but they returned without being able to trace the fugitive. He, however, thought it prudent to seek a place of concealment in a more remote district, and wandered among the hills for a considerable time, making occasional octurnal visits to his friend MacKay, who, to avoid detection, recommended him to one of his shepherds, with whom he was assured he might remain in safety, and for greater security a bed was constructed concealed in the wall of the house.

Soon afterwards Lord Kintail, whose daughter had been married to Donald Duabhal, having learned where MacCrimmon was lurking, dispatched his son and twelve men to seize him. It was a very wet day, and Donald Mor happened to be at home when the party approached the house; but while they were at a distance the shepherd's wife espied them, and immediately gave the alarm to the unfortunate piper, who betook himself to the bed already mentioned; and the good woman made a large fire, which was always in the middle of the house, for the entertainment of the pursuers. On their arrival they were welcomed and asked to be seated, civilities of which they gladly availed themselves, being thoroughly soaked by the rain. The woman then spread their plaids on ropes, which had been placed along the house for the purpose of forming a safe passage for MacCrimmon's retreat, whom she then apprised of the opportunity, and thus he effected his escape, unobserved by MacKenzie or any of the party. All this was the work of a moment; and MacKenzie was hardly seated when he asked where their guest Donald Mor was concealed. "I know nothing about him," replied the shpeherd; "I have indeed heard that your father has offered a great reward for his apprehension; but he has not come my way, else I should certainly have given him up." A lengthened conversation regarding MacCrimmon then ensued, and MacKenzie, finding he could gather nothing from the faithful couple, ordered his men to search the house and its vicinity, which they did, but to no purpose. The night continued extremely rainy and boisterous, so that the party was glad to remain in the shepherd's cot, and after partaking of what refreshment it could afford retired to rest.

The good wife managed matters well. She made MacKenzie's bed in a corner of the house by itself, so that there might be an easy access to it. When all were fast asleep, MacCrimmon having been informed of all that had passed, entered the house; and taking MacKenzie' arms and part of those of the men, laid them one across the other, over the place where MacKenzie lay, and took his departure without disturbing any one--the party, after their fatigues sleeping very soundly. When MacKenzie awoke in the morning and found so many arms placed over him he called to his men to get up, saying, "I might have been a dead man for ought you could have done for me. If Donald Mor MacCrimmon be alive, it was he that did this; and it was as easy a matter for him to take my life as to do so."

On going out they saw MacCrimmon walking on the other side of the river, with his claidheamh mor, or great sword, in his hand. Seeing the man they were in pursuit of, they prepared to ford the stream, with the intention of seizing or dispatching him; but MacKenzie threatened to shoot the first man who would dare to touch him. He then approached MacCrimmon and desired him to cross the river. "No," replied he, "it is as easy for you to come to me as it is for me to go to you." "If you will come over," rejoined MacKenzie, "I pledge my word of honour that you shall not be injured." "Not so," says the other, "Swear all your men, and I will take your own word"; which was accordingly done, and MacCrimmon crossed over the river. MacKenzie then asked him if it was he who put the arms over the bed during the night, which he answered in the affirmative. Then, said MacKenzie, "You might have easily taken my life at that time; so I now promise to procure your pardon, if you will be at my father's house this day three weeks."

This being agreed to, MacKenzie took his departure for the residence of Donald Duabhal, where he remained a few days, and then proceeded to Kintail and told his father all that had happened. MacCrimmon also went to Donald Duabhal, who consented to accompany him to his father-in-law's, and arrived the evening of the appointed day at the house of Lord Kintail's fiddler. They were shewn into an upper room, where MacKay left his companion and went alone to Lord Kintail's. By some means the fiddler discovered that his guest was Donald Mor; he therefore sent for a party of men in order to secure and carry him before his Lordship, claiming the reward for his capture. So after everything had been arranged, the wary musician went upstairs and said to MacCrimmon, whose door was secured inside, that his wife had laid him a wager that he would not come down and drink his share of a bottle with him. MacCrimmon replied that he had no objections to do so, and opening the door, came out. There was along with the fiddler a younger son of Lord Kintail, who had formerly seen MacCrimmon, and who took an opportunity to whisper to him, "Will you go downstairs where a house full of people await to take you prisoner?" Donald Mor immediately knocked the fiddler downstairs, and again fastened himself in the room. The young man went straight to inform Donald Duabhal, whom he met on the way, and he on hearing what had taken place made all possible haste and arrived just in time to save the piper, by producing a pardon for him received from Lord Kintail. All then dispersed peaceably, and MacKay and MacCrimmon proceeded to the castle of his Lordship, where they made merry all night, and next day the piper returned to Skye, where he remained without much further adventures until his death.

It is generally agreed that Patrick Mor, the most distinguished member of the family, succeeded Donald Mor in his hereditary office during the chiefship of Sir Rory Mor.

The conduct of various Highland chiefs during the period under consideration was largely responsible for the state of unrest into which the country was frequently plunged; but on the other hand, little credit is given to those chiefs to whose fostering care Gaelic literature and music are greatly indebted. The ancient Castle of Dunvegan has passed through many vicissitudes. It has stood storm, fire and siege for many ages. Gruesome legends linger persistently around its walls and dungeons, to the exclusion of brighter chapters in its history when the sword was laid aside for the time and its hospitable portals were thrown open to the scholar, the poet and the musician. Under the protection of Sir Rory the art o Pibroch playing received an impetus which has continued down the centuries.

To Patrick Mor MacCrimmon is assigned the honour of having composed the largest number of pipe tunes. In the plaintive lament "Cumha na "Cloinne" (Lament for the Children) he gives expression to his deep grief caused by the visitation of one of the most poignant afflictions known to man--the deaths of his children. According to Dr. MacLeod he was the father of seven stalwart sons. Proudly one Sabbath morning he and they marched to the church of their native glen. Before the close of that year he mourned the loss of all his sons, who died in an epidemic of fever. Two other well-known laments, the composition of which is assigned to him, are "The Lament for the only "Son" and "The Lament for John Garbh "MacLeod of Raasay," who was drowned in 1646 while crossing the Minch.

In 1651 Patrick Mor MacCrimmon was in all probability an old man, but not too old to accompany the clan in support of Charles II. At this time MacLeod of MacLeod was a minor, and the command of the clan devolved upon his uncles, Norman MacLeod of Bernera and Roderick MacLeod of Talisker. According to Angus Mckay's account, both these men were knighted by Charles II before the battle of Worcester in 1651, and on that occasion, Patrick Mor having had the honour of playing before the king, and his performance having greatly pleased His Majesty, Patrick received the further honour of being allowed to kiss the King's hand. Mackay states that the well-known port, "Fhuaireas pog o spog an Righ," was composed by MacCrimmon in honour of the distinction then conferred upon him. Various accounts of this outstanding MacCrimmon honour have been published, no two of which entirely agree. The late Dr. William Mackay of Inverness, who edited "The Chronicles of the Frasers," an old manuscript of events embracing the period 1616-1674, by his scholarly research produced contemporaneous written evidence which now leaves the circumstance surrounding the composition of this pipe tune no longer in doubt. There are many MS. histories bearing upon Highland matters, some of which have been fabricated, but no suggestion of falsification besmirches the reputation of the MS., which has been published under the auspices of the Scottish History Society. Referring to the year 1651, the date of the battle of Worchester, the MS. states that at Stirling, in the month of May, "there was great competition betwixt the trumpets in the army; one Axell, the Earle of Hoome's trumpeter, carried it by the King's own decision. The next was anent the pipers; but the Earle of Sutherland's domestick carried it of all the camp, for none contended with him. All the pipers in the army gave John Macgurmen (MacCrimmon) the van, and acknowledged him for their patron in chief. It was pretty in a morning (the King) in parade viewing the regiments and bragades. He saw no less than eighty pipers in a crould, bare-headed, and John Macgurmen in the middle covered. He asked what society that was? It was told his Majesty--'Sir, you are our King, and yonder old man in the middle is the Prince of Pipers.' He called him by name and comeing to the King, kneeling, His Majesty reacht him his hand to kiss; and instantly he played an extemporanean port, 'Fuoris Pooge i spoge i Rhi'--I got a kiss of the King's hand--of which he and they were all vain." The writer of the manuscript has made an attempt to render the Gaelic phonetically, and Dr. Mackay in a footnote gives the correct Gaelic spelling "Fhuaras pog o spog an Righ."

Patrick Mor was succeeded in his office by his son Patrick Og. I shall have occasion, when dealing with the MacCrimmon Legends, to narrate one or two with which Patrick Og's name is associated. There is little to record in his life history save that he added to the heritage of Ceol Mor several original pibrochs, one of which is "Beinn Eadarainn." He trained many pupils at Bortreraig, among whom may be mentioned Iain Dall Mackay of Gairloch, Charles Macarthur, piper to Sir Alexander Macdonald of the Isles, and John MacIntyre, piper to Menzies of Menzies. Dr. Norman MacLeod's note concerning him is that he had twenty sons, all strong, powerful men, only two of whom survived him--Malcolm and Donald Ban.

Little is known of this member of the family. We know that he was living in 1743 and probably was the holder of the family's hereditary office during the period of the Forty-Five, although during that campaign it was Donald Ban, his brother, who figured prominently in the stirring events of those days. The probability is that Malcolm was overshadowed by Donald. That Malcolm's reputation as an instructor in pipbroach was established in 1743 is evident from the terms of an Indenture entered into between Simon Lord Lovat and David Fraser on the 9th of March 1743, the original of which is preserved among the Dunvegan papers. Malcolm is specifically referred to in this old deed which illustrates the method by which pipers got their training at Borreraig.

I was pressed into the British Navy near the close of the year 1809, and served nearly six years, tillafter the battle of Waterloo when I got my discharge. I was one of the crew of the "Firefly" which was guarding against the escape of Napoleon when he was a prisoner on the Island of Elba. I was afterwards transferred to the war sloop "Fasson" under Captain William Parker (Duine Mosacdh) and with four other war vessels we were in a naval engagement on the night before the battle. We were besieging a coast town and took it in the morning. We could hear the cannonading at Waterloo from shortly before noon until along in the evening. I saw Napoleon about two months afterwards on board the Hellerophon, if I remember the name of the warship correctly, when he was about to be takn to St. Helena. My grandfather was a great musician and a piper of note. He sang well and played well. In 1745-6 he was at Moyhall during its most troublous days. He used to give us some interesting incidents of the occurences there during those stirring times. I emigrated to America from Greenoch in an old British transport with my parents, three brothers and one sister, Angus, Duncan, Alexander, and Christina in the year 1816. We were nine weeks on the sea from Greenoch to Halifax. We settled on Lot 35 in the eighth Concession of Lochiel in the Spring of 1817 where I still reside. My health is quite good. My father died at the age of seventy-five and my mother at the age of ninety-seven years. Both are buried at Kirk Hill. I have been an elder in the Free Church Kirk Hill since the disruption."

 Donald Ogg was known as one of the sterling men of Lochiel. He was popular, intelligent, and looked up to by his neighbours. His counsel and advice were frequently sought by the troubled and tried, and, were never sought in vain. He was agreeable and cheerful in all associations and we usually the centre of attraction in every gathering at which he was present. He never forgot the experiences of his early naval days, and to the lats could with Tennyson say "I hope to meet my Pilot face to face, when I have crossed the Bar." On the 10th of February A.D. 1890 his long, consistent and useful life came to an end. He married Margaret McKay of Cote St. George and had a family of eight sons and three daughters. One grandson, John N. McCrimmon still resides on the old homestead. Neil McCrimmon and Mrs. Malcolm McLeod both residing at McCrimmon are grandchildren. Mrs. Norman McLaurin of Dalkeith and her brother, the Honourable A. P. McNab of Saskatoon are grandchildren. The late Judge Neil McCrimmon and Mrs. A. N. Cheney of Vankleek Hill were also grandchildren. Other grandchildren are Norman McCrimmon of Blind River, John N. of Edmonton and Mrs. D. N. Dwyer of Ottawa. The sons of Donald Ogg were somewhat noted for their musical talent. It is said that almost every one of them could, on an occasion, in the old days ofprecentorship, get up and lead the singing of the church, or other kindred meetings. John N. on the old homestead seems to have inherited some of this talent.

Angus, next in seniority of age, married Arrabella McDonald and settled on Lot 4 Concession 9 Caledonia. Their family consisted of six sons and six daughters. The old homestead is still in the family, it being occupied by a grandson, James McCrimmon. Many of his grandchildren are still living, scattered from Portlant, Oregon and Rossland, B.C. to the eastern parts of Ontario. D. J. McSweyn, Mrs. Annie F. McCrimmon, Mrs. J. D. McLeo, Mrs. D. W. Campbell, Mrs. N. J. Morrison, and J. A. McCrimmon, Merchant, are all grandchildren and reside at McCrimmon.

Duncan married Isabella McLeod of Kirk Hill and settled on the east half of lot 34 Concession 8 Lochiel. Duncan died at the age of fifty-seven years and left a family of six sons and five daughters. His widow survived him some twenty-five years. Mrs. D. R. McCuaig of Kirk Hill is a daughter. Another daughter, Isabella, still lives in Chicago and one son only now alive, John Jr., residing at Dallas, Texas. This homestead was occupied by his son Neil till he died a number of years ago, when it passed out of the family. Mrs. D. A. McDonald of Lochgarry and Mrs. Purvis, wife of the Rev'd J. Purvis of Mallorytown, are granddaughters. Mrs. Elizabeth McCrimmon of Alexandria is the widow of the late Neil McCrimmon.

Alexander, the fourth one of the brothers, married Jane Ross and settled upon the west half of Lot 34 Concession 8 Lochiel. He had a family of five daughters and four sons. Four of the daughters and one son are still living, Mrs. Simon Fraser of Lochinvar, Mrs. D. McPhee of Vankleek Hill, Mrs. D. Fraser of St. Paul, Minn., Margaret of Toronto, and Angus of St. Thomas. The old homestead is in the family being now owned and occupied by Donald J. McCrimmon, a grandson. Mrs. Wm. A. McLeod of McCrimmon and Mrs. A. McNaughton of Alexandria are granddaughters.

Christina, the only sister, married Angus McIntosh, a veteran of the war of 1812. Their family consisted of six daughters and four sons. The father, mother, and most of the family moved to Kincardine in the County of Bruce many years ago, where both father and mother died. Three of their sons, Donald, Neil, and Donald Jr. are still alive. Catherine, one of the daughters, married James McKenzie. Mary married William McWatters. Margaret married B. Sawyer. Annie married James Kenny. Sarah married Norman McCLean of Kirk Hill, and Christie married Donald D. McGillivray, also of Kirk Hill. It has been said that the grandchildren of Donald D. McGillivray stood out in bold relief for the part they took in the late war. Two of his grandsons, the sons of Alexander McLeod, were both in active service and received medals. Another grandson, Randal J. McDonald, was in uniform and out with the 59th Regiment. Two other grandsons, being the sons of his daughter Mary C., who was married to Edgar Morehouse, also served. One of these, Robert, was rewarded for his bravery with two medals. He took the iron cross of a German soldier whom he captured. John, another grandson, being the son of his daughter, Margaret, also served and received a medal and Angus was in uniform and out with the 59th. Duncan R., another grandson, a son of Hugh, was killed in action in 1916. Two grand daughters of Christina McIntosh, the daughters of the late Donald D. McGillivray, still reside at McCrimmon. They are Margaret A., the mother of six sons and one daughter, and Christina, the wife of Angus R. McDonald who carries the palm with a family of eight daughters and two sons, and twelve grandchildren, all just as lovely looking as Christina and Angus themselves.

In addition to the above descendants who won distinction and recognition for brave deeds recorded in the Great War, deserving honourable mention were a grandson John D. McCrimmon of Calgary, Alta. who was killed in action in 1917 and a great grandson, Norman McCuaig of Ottawa, who having inherited the love for the sea from his great grandfather--the subject of our sketch, crossed to England, enlisted with the naval forces, participated in several exciting and perilous engagements with the common foe and in November 1917 gave his life when the noble ship upon which he served was sunk in the North Sea by a German submarine.