“‘Well, I have now told you all that is required in the man wanted by the Queen. He must be in all respects like yourself, both as man and as piper. Can you recommend any?’ “‘Inteet, ma Lort, there’s no sich a man to be found in aal Scotland.’ “‘And will you go yourself, John?’ “‘Na, na, my Lort, na, na.’” This finished the conversation, and John remained with Breadalbane. This story, it may be noted, bears a striking resemblance to one told of the Prince of Wales’s piper in a previous chapter.[15] Footnote 15: See page 164. Queen Victoria seems to have coveted the best of the Highland pipers, but while no one doubted their loyalty, they did not always agree to serve Her Majesty. Not only did John Bane Mac Kenzie prefer the service of his chief to that of his Queen, but Donald Cameron, a pupil of his, and the piper who, more than any other, was acknowledged to be the true successor of the Mac Crimmons, declined a similar offer, and remained with his Highland master. Eleven years before the last Mac Crimmon piper died, Donald Cameron was born at “the burn of the music,” in Strath-Conan, Ross-shire, and at eight years of age he was playing the pipes. The late Mr. Mac Kenzie of Millbank, an influential Highland gentleman in the district, took a great interest in the youthful musician, and put him under the tuition of Big Donald Mac Lennan, of Moy, father of the well-known John Mac Lennan, piper to the late Earl of Fife. Cameron was next taught by Angus Mac Kay, whose father, John Mac Kay was taught by John _Dubh_ Mac Crimmon. His last tutor was John Bane Mac Kenzie. He first competed in Edinburgh in 1838, at seventeen years of age, and won second prize, a claymore marked “Andria Varara,” which afterwards came into the possession of the late Major A. C. Mac Kenzie, Maryburgh, Ross-shire. [Illustration: DONALD CAMERON (_From a Photograph in the possession of Pipe-Major Mac Dougall Gillies, Glasgow_) ]