chapel. It had long been a preaching-place for the minister of Comrie.
Latterly there had sprung up by the shores of the beautiful lake a
hamlet which called itself St. Fillans. It became a favourite place of
summer resort. In 1879 a new chapel was built, and in 1895 the
district of Dundurn was erected into a parish _quoad sacra_.

At the present moment (1896) the Presbytery thus consists of sixteen
parishes, all fully equipped; 94 elders and 5023 church members form
its effective strength as a part of the Church militant. It has faced
many a serious crisis in the past; with a calm cheerfulness it faces
the future.

MEMORIES OF GASK

By Rev. JAMES MARTIN, Gask

The parish of Gask is a comparatively small one both in population and
in territorial extent. The earliest historical record we have of it
goes back to the time of the invasion of Britain by the Romans. The
road which passes along the ridge of high ground was originally made by
the Romans, and was designed to form a line of communication between
the camp at Ardoch and the camp at Bertha, near the junction of the
Almond with the Tay. On the north side of it, in this parish, there
are still to be distinctly seen two small camps or stations, and on the
south side of it there is a larger one. The Romans have left traces of
their presence here in the works they constructed, which the lapse of
eighteen centuries has not entirely obliterated.

Coming down the stream of time, we find that Wallace, that noble and
disinterested patriot, sought a hiding-place in time of danger amid its
dense woods. During a visit to Perth in 1296, a plot was laid by the
English to capture him, but, having received timely warning, he made
his escape with his small band of followers to Gascon Ha'. This is
generally supposed to have occupied a different site from the ruin near
the River Earn which now bears that name, and which is celebrated by
Lady Nairne in the song of "Bonnie Gascon Ha'." The Gascon Ha' to
which Wallace repaired for safety from his treacherous and relentless
enemies is said to have stood a mile and a half to the north-east of
that ruin in the midst of the Gask woods. Here they prepared to pass
the night, and having obtained two sheep from a neighbouring fold, they
kindled a fire and made ready their evening repast. Greatly exhausted
with their long and fatiguing march, Wallace proposed that his
followers should rest while he would keep watch. Duri