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Hugh MacKay, entrusted with recruiting the Highland settlers to go to Georgia on the Prince of Wales, wrote regularly to Oglethorpe to keep him informed of progress. This letter illustrates the reluctance of landlords in the mid to late eighteenth century to allow their tenants to emigrate. It represented a flight of labour, military strength and, in some instances, capital. Seventy years later the attitdued in 'my Lord Sutherland's House' was quite different.
Letter from Mugh MacKay to James Oglethorpe, dated Kirtomie, 1.9.1735
From the Hargrett Rare Book Collection, U of Georgia, Egmont Papers, 14208
Sir
I wrote to You from Thurso by last Post and by the former Post from Inverness. I have since been in the most inaccessible parts of my Lord Reay's Estate and am now in my way to my Lord Sutherland's House. I have now the pleasure to tell You that notwithstanding the strongest Opposition, and that carryed on in the vilest manner, that is by under hand Agents instilling terrible Apprehensions in the People's Minds; I have at last opened the People's Eyes so far that several have a good Opinion of the Project, and were it not for want of Specie in the Country many would embrace this opportunity; But I dare promise that were this Convoy safely arrived and Accounts transmitted here of their being happily Settled, the Trust may annually have what Numbers they please from the Northern Highlands. I cannot say that the present Convoy will be such as I would choose, had I the Refusal of many; Yet all of them will be usefull Hands and many of them active young Fellows and old Soldiers ....
'At my first Coming there was such a Clamour raised against the Business I had to transact that I was glad to promise any Gentleman, that would carry Servants at their own Charge, Passage in this Ship. Had ay Affair lain in Towns or Citys the Work would have been easy, but I had three Counties to travel through; wherein such Towns as are in them I have not got a Man: What I got were in dispersed Houses here and there; bad Roads to Struggle with, the Art of Landlords, and the worst of all the Ignorance of the People, I own I have been very much obliged to the Clergy, particularly to the Gentleman whose Letter I sent You from Inverness; His friendship proceeded from a Principle of Humanity and Christian Charity, Shocked to see his Fellow Creatures in the utmost Slavery and endeavoured to be continued
so by their Masters by false Aspersions against the Scheme for Settling the Colony; He did his utmost to open their Eyes, his Endeavours had the greater Effect thpt he is a Man of singular Piety and Disinterestedness .... Among the rest of the Storys they made up to terrify the People they gave out that the Hen are Yoked four and four in a Plough and so
serve instead of Horses.
He wrote again, from Dunrobin on 17.9.1735, and reported that,
'I met both the Lords [Reay and Sutherland] mentioned in my last; They seem to be better reconciled to my Business than formerly.'
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