The tune afterwards proceeds with “variations,” which complicate the wording considerably, and make it appear even more unintelligible. Here again is the _urlar_ or groundwork of “The Prince’s Salute” in the notation of the Mac Crimmons:— “hi o dro hi ri, hi an an in ha ra, hi o dro ha chin, ha chin hi a chin, hi o dro hi ri, hi an an in ha ra, hi o dro ha chin, ha chin hi chin, hi o dro hi ri, hi an an in ha ra, hi o dro ha chin, ha chin hi a chin, hi o dro hi ri, hi an an in ha ra, hi o dro ha chin, ha chin hi chin.” It is impossible to discover whether the pipers built up their tunes, as tunes are nowadays built up from a certain scale, or simply used the syllables as convenient signs to represent certain fixed notes. Perhaps no better illustration of the subject is to be found than a pamphlet published in 1880 by Mr. J. F. Campbell, of Islay, the compiler of _Popular Tales of the West Highlands_, and entitled _Canntaireachd_. An interpreter of the notation who could play it at sight, could not explain it to Mr. Campbell. “It was like asking a thrush to explain the songs which Mother Nature had taught him”:— “A party, of whom three were good musicians and the fourth was used to play upon human nature, met, the interpreter came, we chose a word in a tune and, asked— “‘What is _hirrin_?’ “‘That is _hirrin_,’ said the piper, and played three notes deftly with his little finger by striking a note on the chanter once. Two were open notes; one closed. “‘Do you know the name of the fingers?’ said the teacher. “‘Yes,’ said I, ‘that’s _ludag_, the little finger.’ “‘Well,’ said the artist, ‘that’s _hirrin_,’ and he played the passage several times to show how it was done with the little finger. “‘Is _hirrin_ the name of the little finger of the right hand, or the name of the hole in the chanter, or the name of the note; or what else is it?’ “‘No,’ said the master, ‘that’s _hirrin_,’ and he played that word over again cleverly with the same little finger. Then he continued— “‘Old John Mackenzie taught me that in Ross long ago; and he learned it over the fire in the Isle of Skye. We used to sit and listen to him, and learn what he said and sang, and learn to finger in this way.’ Then the piper played silently with his fingers, and every now and then he blew the chanter and sounded a passage a breath long from the book, which he read easily, but could not explain—and that’s _hirrin_—and if any of the party ever hear that particular combination of three notes again the name of it will be remembered. It means three notes combined.