as the good laird of Gask, though he was at
the same time, perhaps, the person of all others the most anxious to
provide men for the service of his beloved Prince. This enthusiastic
Jacobite was, it seems, so extremely incensed at the resistance he
received from some of his tenants that he actually laid an arrestment
or inhibition upon their corn-fields, in order to see if their interest
would not oblige them to comply with his request. The case was still
at issue when Charles, in marching from Perth, observed the corn
hanging dead ripe, and eagerly inquired the reason. He was informed
that Gask had not only prohibited his tenants from cutting their grain,
but would not permit their cattle to be fed upon it, so that these
creatures were absolutely starving. Shocked at what he heard, he
leaped from the saddle, exclaiming, "This will never do," and began to
gather a quantity of the corn. Giving this to his horse, he said to
those that were by that he had thus broken Gask's inhibition, and the
farmers might now, upon his authority, proceed to put the produce of
their fields to its proper use. It was on this occasion that the laird
of Gask had the high honour of receiving and entertaining the Prince at
his house. The table on which he breakfasted is still in the House of
Gask, and in good preservation. It bears the inscription--"Charles,
Prince of Wales, breakfasted at this table in the low drawing-room at
Gask on the 11th September, 1745." The chair on which he then sat was
not allowed to be occupied by any other for many years thereafter.
There are still at Gask House several interesting relics of Prince
Charles, which are carefully preserved--viz., his bonnet, the Royal
brogues, crucifix, and ribbon of the Garter, his spurs, and a lock of
his hair, &c. The high honour conferred on the Gask family by this
visit from their Prince would tend to inspire them with greater zeal
and ardour in advancing his cause. They continued faithful and devoted
followers of the Prince in the romantic attempt he made to regain the
throne of his ancestors, and they took part in many of the battles that
were fought to secure that object. They were both present on the field
of Culloden and fought with great bravery on the fatal day that proved
so disastrous to the Prince's cause, and which must have all but
extinguished the most sanguine hopes of the keenest Jacobite. After
the Battle of Culloden the Oliphants endured great hardships