aged to do whatever he had set his
heart on. He had resolved to go to Rothiemurchus, and to Rothiemurchus
he would go. At last he arrived there, but found, to his great
disappointment, that the laird, his old friend, was away from home. In
his place was his eldest son, who was urgent that Johnstone should
surrender himself a prisoner, as Lord Balmerino had just done, by his
advice, and under his escort. Johnstone replied that he would keep his
liberty as long as he could, and when it was no longer possible, he
would meet his fate with resignation. We all know the end to which poor
Balmerino came, but Johnstone was more fortunate.

[Illustration]

His brother-in-law, the son of Lord Rollo, had been made inspector of
merchant ships in the town of Banff, and Johnstone fondly hoped that by
his help he might obtain a passage to some foreign country. So he set
off with three gentlemen of the name of Gordon, who had also been
staying at Rothiemurchus, and rested the first night at the house of a
shepherd near the mountain of Cairngorm. Here he saw for the first time
the stones which bear this name, and though he is flying for his life,
he dwells with the delight of a collector on the beauty of the colours,
and even persuades his friends to put off their departure for a day, in
order that he may search for some specimens himself. He contrived, he
tells us,[17] to find several beautiful topazes, two of which he had
cut as seals, and presented to the Duke of York, brother of Prince
Charles Edward.

Four days after leaving Rothiemurchus Banff was reached, and the
fugitives were sheltered by a Presbyterian minister, who was a secret
adherent of the Stuarts. Johnstone at once took the precaution of
exchanging his laced Highland dress for that of an old labourer, 'quite
ragged, and exhaling a pestilential odour,' due apparently to its having
been used for many years 'when he cleaned the stables of his master.' In
this unpleasant disguise, he entered the town of Banff, then garrisoned
with four hundred English soldiers, and went straight to the house of a
former acquaintance, Mr. Duff. After gaining admittance from the servant
with some difficulty, he found with dismay that his brother-in-law was
away from home, and he could not therefore carry out his plan of
embarking, with his permission, on board one of the merchant ships.
There seemed nothing for it, therefore, but for Johnstone to return at
daybreak to the house of Mr. Gordon