The next illustrates the Highlander’s propensity towards whisky drinking, and it rarely varies to any great extent. A Highland laird, being unable to maintain a permanent piper, employed a local musician occasionally when he had a party. Donald was once overlooked as to his usual dram before commencing to play, and in revenge he gave very bad music, which caused the laird to remonstrate with him and ask the cause. “It’s the bag,” said Donald; “she pe ferry, ferry hard.” “And what will soften it?” asked his employer. “Och, just whusky.” Accordingly the butler was sent for a tumblerful of the specific, which Donald quickly drank. “You rascal,” said the laird, “did you not say it was for the bagpipes?” “Och, yess, yess,” said Donald; “but she will pe a ferry peculiar pipes this. _She aye likes it blawed in._” The piper’s story associated with “Boyne Water” is the fourth. The name and the regiment vary, but the story is always the same:— Sandy Mac-something or other—the surname has not come down to posterity— was an old piper in the 92nd, and when his detachment was located in Ireland an order was given that “Boyne Water” was not to be played. The colonel probably did not wish to hurt the feelings of any of his neighbours. “Boyne Water,” however, was Sandy’s favourite tune, and to the surprise of the colonel, the first time the company marched out after the prohibitory order had been issued, Sandy struck up the forbidden air. “What do you mean?” cried the officer. “Do you not know that you are not allowed to play ‘Boyne Water?’” “It’ll no pe ‘Boyne Water’ at all,” replied Sandy. “It’ll pe quite another tune, but to the same air.” But Sandy had to stop playing it all the same. An amusing description is given by a writer who travelled in the Highlands about seventy years ago, of a competition which he witnessed between two pipers in Tongue. There was a certain John Mac Donald who had blown before the Emperor of China, having accompanied an embassy to that country, and a Donald Abroch, who traced his descent from some of the hereditary pipers. Both had gained prizes in public, and they were natural rivals:—