The following curious letter has been
preserved from Donald MacPherson, a young Highland lad, who had been
sent to Virginia with Captain Toline, and was born near the house of
Culloden where his father lived, and addressed to him. It was written
about 1727:

"Portobago in Marilante, 2 June, 17--.
Teer Lofen Kynt Fater:

Dis is te lat ye ken, dat I am in quid healt, plessed be Got for dat,
houpin te here de lyk frae yu, as I am yer nane sin, I wad a bine ill
leart gin I had na latten yu ken tis, be kaptin Rogirs skep dat geangs
te Innernes, per cunnan I dinna ket sika anither apertunti dis towmen
agen. De skep dat I kam in was a lang tym o de see cumin oure heir, but
plissis pi Got for a'ting wi a kepit our heels unco weel, pat Shonie
Magwillivray dat hat ay sair heet. Dere was saxty o's a'kame inte te
quintry hel a lit an lim an nane o's a'dyit pat Shonie Magwillivray an
an otter Ross lad dat kam oure wi's an mai pi dem twa wad a dyit gintey
hed bitten at hame. Pi mi fait I kanna kamplin for kumin te dis quintry,
for mestir Nicols, Lort pliss hem, pat mi till a pra mestir, dey ca him
Shon Bayne, an hi lifes in Marylant in te rifer Potomak, he nifer gart
mi wark ony ting pat fat I lykit mi sel: de meast o a' mi wark is
waterin a pra stennt hors, and pringin wyn an pread ut o de seller te mi
mestir's tebil. Sin efer I kam til him I nefer wantit a pottle o petter
ele nor isi m a' Shon Glass hous, for I ay set toun wi de pairns te
dennir. Mi mestir seys til mi, fan I kon speek lyk de fouk hier dat I
sanna pe pidden di nating pat gar his plackimors wurk, for de fyt fouk
dinna ise te wurk pat te first yeer aftir dey kum in te de quintry. Tey
speek a' lyk de sogers in Inerness. Lofen fater, fan de sarvants hier he
deen wi der mestirs, dey grou unco rich, an its ne wonter for day mak a
hantil o tombako; and des sivites anahels and de sheries an de pires
grou in de wuds wantin tyks apout dem, De Swynes te ducks and durkies
geangs en de wuds wantin mestirs. De tombako grous shust lyk de dockins
en de bak o de lairts yart an de skeps dey kum fra ilka place an bys dem
an gies a hantel o silder an gier for dem. Mi nane mestir kam til de
quintry a sarfant an weil I wot hi's nou wort mony a susan punt. Fait ye
mey pelive mi de pirest plantir hire lifes amost as weil as de lairt o
Collottin. Mai pi fan mi tim is ut I wel kom hem an sie yu pat not for
de fust nor de neest yeir til I gater somtig o mi nane, for I fan I ha
dun wi mi