9–15 September 1872

Raining a little early in the day. After break- fast drove in the wagonette with Beatrice and Jane Churchill to the Kennel, a remarkably nice and clean one to the left, and rather farther on than the stables, which are close to the railway station. Mr. Macdonald, the head keeper (who is brother to our poor Macdonald, Albert's late Jager), whom I saw at Windsor two years ago, showed us over them. There are fine deer- hounds and pointers and setters. We visited the Macdonalds in their nice house, and saw their daughters, three of whom are very good-looking and remind me of their cousins. He is not the least like his brother. From here we went to the stables, which are small, where my ponies were, and where we also saw some of Annie's ponies and horses. Then walked home, meeting the Duke and Ronald on the way. Two splendid Highland beasts, which are being fattened for the Christmas show, were brought up to the road for me to see. We passed the herd they belong to yes- terday, when driving. These beasts really are beau- tiful, and most picturesque, with their rough coats, shaggy heads, and immense spreading horns ; the greatest number are dun- and mouse-coloured. At twenty-five minutes past twelve I started with the two children and Annie for the laying of the first stone of the Memorial to be raised by the clansmen and servants to the memory of my dear Duchess of Sutherland, who was adored in Sutherland. We drove in the barouche and four. The rain had quite ceased. Everyone else had gone on before ; the Duke waited to help us in, and then ran on followed by MacAlister, his piper, valet, and confidential servant — a short stout man of sixty, I should say — an excellent man, and first- rate piper. We got out, and I went up on a platform, which was covered over and close to the "It gives me great pleasure to testify on this occasion my love and esteem for the dear Duchess, my valued friend, with whose children I am happy to be now staying, and I wish also to express my warm thanks for the loyal and hearty welcome I have met with in Sutherland!' This made me very nervous, but it was said without hesitating. Then the usual ceremony of spreading the mortar and of striking the stone with a mallet was gone through. The Duke gave me a drawing of the intended Memorial, which is to be an Eleanor cross, with a bust of the dear Duchess, and a medal of her which Ronald L. Gower had struck. After this we got into the carriage again, amid the cheers of the people, and drove back. Only Leopold walked, and Constance took his place in the carriage. We were in, before one. Almost directly afterwards Beatrice and I went into the ante-room (where all the company who afterwards had luncheon were as- sembled) with Annie and the Duke, who presented some people to ne ; amongst others a very old lady, Mrs. Houston byname, who is between eighty and ninety, and was a great friend of the dear Duchess and of the Duchess of Norfolk. She was quite overcome, and said, " Is that my dear Queen," and, taking the Duke's hand, " and my darling Duke ? " Luncheon as usual. After it saw Lord Granville. At a quarter past four drove out in the waggonette, drawn by four of the Duke's horses, with Beatrice, Annie, and Constance. It was fine though not very bright weather, and windy. We drove to the top of Benabhraghie, or the Monument Hill, on which is the very colossal statue of the Duke's grandfather, the first Duke, who married the Countess of Sutherland, from whom this enormous property came. She died in 1839, and I re- member her quite well as a very agreeable, clever old lady. We drove through part of the wood by the way we went the previous days, up the big burn drive and through Bacchies, looking up Dunrobin Glen, which is very wild ; and the pink heathery hills, though not very high, and the moor, with distant hills, were very pretty. It is a long pull upwards on a grass drive, which makes it very hard work for the horses. Halfway up we stopped to take tea and coffee ; and before that, Brown (who has an extraordinary eye for it, when driving quite fast, which I have not) espied a piece of white heather, and jumped off to pick it. No Highlander would pass by it without picking it, for it is considered to bring good luck. We got a very extensive view, though not quite clear, of endless hills between this and the west coast — all the Duke's property — where the Westminsters have two if not three forests of the Duke's. In fine weather seven counties are to be seen in the other direction, looking towards Ross-shire and the Moray Frith, but it was not clear enough for this. We saw distinctly Ben Rinnes, a highish hill that rises in the distance above a long stretch of low land extending into the sea which belongs to the Duke of Richmond. WTe drove down the hill the same way, but afterwards took a different turn into the high-road, and home by Golspie and the Lodge by seven. The dear pretty little girl came to see me. Beatrice brought in Lilah Grosvenor, who had just arrived. Dined at a quarter-past eight in the dining-room, as on Saturday. The same people exactly, with the addition of Colonel Ponsonby. We had some sheep's head, which I tasted for the first time on Sunday, and think really very good. Remained a little while in the drawing-room, and the Duke presented Mr. Stanley, the discoverer of Living- stone. He talked of his meeting with Livingstone, who he thinks will require eighteen months to finish the work on which he is bent. Sir Henry Rawlinson was also there. Then went to my room and Jane read.

Very fine. Our usual breakfast. At half-past ten got on my pony Maggie, Annie and Jane Churchill walking, and went to see the Golspie Burn Falls. We made two mistakes before we got right. We went out by the usual approach down to the mill, and past the mill under the great arch for the railway, over some very rough stones in the river, and then along a path in the wood full of hazel bushes and trees of all kinds, till the glen narrows very much, and we came to a wooden bridge, where I got off and walked to the head of the falls — over several foot-bridges, along a small path overhung by high rocks and full of rich vegetation. It is extremely pretty, reminding me of Corriemulzie, only on a much smaller scale. I mounted my pony again, and rode home the same way about twelve. Very warm. We had a few drops of rain, but it re- mained very fine all day. At ten minutes to four started with the two children and Annie Sutherland in my waggonette for Loch Brora, which is nine miles off. We drove past the stables out on the main Caithness road, through the small fishing village of Brora, where all the people were out, and where they had raised a triumphal arch and decorated the village with heather. We turned sharp to the left, and came into a wild moor country, stopping for a moment at a place where one of the new coal mines which the Duke has found is beinof worked. One of these, near the sea, we had passed on Sunday. Then on, till we came very soon to the commencement of Loch Brora, which is seven miles in length, very narrow at first, and ful ; quantities of brilliantly red char, trout, and two salmon, both of which had to be put back again. After this haul I went up and sat sketch- ing on the balcony while there were several more hauls, which Macdonald the keeper superintended, and some walked, and others rowed. The view, looking towards the Carrol Hill, was lovely, and the colouring beautiful. The ladies and gentlemen rowed across, having sent the carriages round, but I preferred terra firma, and drove round the loch to where the Black- Water runs into Loch Brora, and is literally black ; we drove over it. The Duchess told us that there was a fine drive into a wild country up that glen. We drove along the loch side, really a beautiful drive, under the Carrol Rock or Hill, through the Carrol Wood; the trees seem to grow remarkably well there. We saw some deer on the very top of the hills. As we drove along the loch, some high hills were seen rising up behind the low ones on the opposite side, one of which, called Ben Arlmin, is in the Duke's nearest deer-forest. We turned to the right, passing by moors which the Duke has cultivated wonderfully with the steam plough, and came back through Uppat stopping near Mr. Loch's place, Uppat, where, in early days, the late Duke and Duchess used to live when they were Lord and Lady Gower. Mr. Loch's father was the commissioner for the late Duke, and the present Mr. Loch (whom I remember in a similar capacity at Worsley, Lord Ellesmere's, in 1 85 1 ) is commissioner to the present Duke. Mrs. Loch, and her daughter, and little granddaughter, who gave me a nosegay, were there. And the Dol schoolchildren were drawn up outside the school. We got home through the woods at twenty minutes past seven. Dinner was at half-past eight in the dining-room, the same as before, only with the addition of the Duchess of San Arpino and Sir Henry Rawlinson, and the omission of Lord Ronald L. Gower and Colonel Ponsonby. I must now describe the dining-room. It is not a very large room, but a pretty one ; with wood panelling and a portrait of the first Duchess's father, the Earl of Sutherland, at one end, and a beautiful chalk drawing, by Landseer, of two deer in the snow, one having been killed by the other. Stags' heads are round the room, and behind one (a very fine one) gaspipes have been introduced, which light up each point. In each panel along the sides of the room are paintings after Thor- waldsen's statues. By daylight the room is dark. We had some haggis at dinner to-day, and some sheep's head yesterday. MacAlister had walked round the table each of the previous days playing, but to-day it was my piper,* Willie Leys ; and afterwards they played together in the next room. Went again for a little while into the drawing- room, which is handsome, and about the size of the dining-room, and cheerfully arranged with tables and ornaments. The paper on the walls is dark red. There is a little turret at one end of it, and windows on two sides, and it opens into the ante- room, which again opens into the library. There is a full-length picture of me in the ante- room. The dining-room is a detached room on the other side ; and the billiard-room is close opposite to my sitting-room. Jane Churchill again read to me in my room.

A dull morning. The military manoeuvres in the South seem to be going on very satisfactorily, and every one praises dear Arthur, his indefatigable zeal and pains. It is very gratifying. At a quarter to eleven walked with Jane Churchill and the Duke down to the small museum in the garden, which is very nicely arranged, and where there is a very interesting collection of Celtic ornaments, some o( which are quite perfect, and have been very well imitated, and of all sorts of odd and curious Celtic remains, weapons, utensils, etc., and a very fine large collection of all the birds found at or near Dunrobin. Mr. Joass, the minister, was there to explain everything to us. We took a short turn, and came home at half- past eleven, as it rained. We met little Alix on her wee pony. We also saw the Duchess's Nor- wegian cariole and pony. (Busy choosing presents to give away ; and after our usual luncheon there was some more arranging about these presents.) Painting the view of the sea from my window. At ten minutes to four started in the waggonette, with the two children and Annie. The Duke, the other ladies, Ronald L. Gower, Colonel Ponsonby, and Sir Henry Rawlinson had gone on in the drag. We drove out by the West Lodge, through Golspie, on the road (on part of which we had come before) under the Silver Hill, a very pretty wooded road, and turned to the rieht across the Mound, an embankment con- structed by the first Duke to make a communica- tion across an arm of the sea, called Loch Fleet, which comes in there. This Mound "spans Strathfleety Near it is a railway station. We then drove through a very pretty glen, with fine hills, to Dornoch, along the shore of Dornoch Frith, past Cambusmore (though not near the house, which lies up in the wood at the foot of the fine hill of that name), on through woods for some way, till we suddenly emerged on lower ground and saw the steeple of Dornoch Church, formerly a cathedral. We turned sharp to the left, and went into Dornoch ; quite a small place, but the capital of Sutherland, now much out of the world, as the railway does not go near it. It is a small fishing town, smaller than Golspie. There was an arch with a Gaelic inscription, and the houses were decorated with flowers, heather, and green boughs, and many people out. We drove to the door of the so-called cathedral ; though I had not intended doing it, I got out there, and walked up the laree kirk. The late Duke's father and mother are buried there, as were sixteen Earls of Suther- land ; and there is a statue of the old Duke in marble. The cathedral was built by Gilbert de Moravia, Bishop from 1223 to T260, at his own expense. St. Gilbert was related to the Sutherlands, who had then recently acquired that vast territory, " the Southern land of Caithness? which now gives the title to their descendant, the present and third Duke. In a very ancient stone sarcophagus are the bones of Richard Murray, brother to the Bishop. We only remained a few minutes in the church, and then went out by another door, where we. got into the carriage. There is a curious old tower opposite the church, which was part of the Bishop's Palace. The people were very enthusiastic, and an old fish- wife, with her creel on her back, bare legs and feet, and very short petticoat (we met many such about Dunrobhi), began waving a handkerchief, and almost dancing, near the end of the place as we drove away. Brown motioned to her to come on, and threw her something, which the poor old thing ran to pick up. We stopped when we had regained the wood to take our tea and coffee, and were joined by the Duke's drag just as we had finished. We changed our road, going by Embo and Skelbo, the model farm of the late Duke, and drove up to Cambusmore, the pretty little cottage of Mr. and Mrs. Bateson. There is a small garden in front. The two children got out, and so did all the others, but I begged to remain in the carriage, as I was tired. However, I after- wards got out ; and certainly the little cottage is most charmingly fitted up with deer's heads, pretty prints, and pretty things of all kinds. They asked me to write my name in a book, which I did, sitting in the carriage. From here we drove back again the same way ; and the evening was very fine, and the sky beautiful, red and every possible bright colour. As we drove along, before reaching Cambusmore we saw the high land of Caithness, a good way beyond Brora. Back by seven. Dined with the two children in my own room, and then went for a short while into the drawing-room ; then wrote, and at half-past eleven left Dunrobin, with the two children and Annie, in the Duke's carriage, the Duke (in the kilt) helping us in, and then walking, with MacAlister after him, up the approach, straight to the private station, which is about five hundred yards from the house. There were many people out, and the whole was brilliantly illuminated by Egyptian and red and blue lights. At the station all the ladies and gentlemen were assembled, and I wished them all good-bye, and then got into the train, having kissed Annie, and Constance, and the two girls, and shaken hands with the Duke, who, as well as the Duchess, had been most kind. It was half-past twelve before I lay down. Beatrice did so sooner.

I had not slept much, but the journey was very quiet. At eight we were at Ballater. A splendid morning. We drove off at once, Beatrice, Leopold, and I in one carriage, and reached dear Balmoral safely at a quarter to nine a.m. Felt as though all had been a dream, and that it was hardly possible we should have been only last night at Dunrobiu, and dined there.