I
never saw anything so fairy-like. There were some pretty fireworks, and
the whole ended by the Highlanders dancing reels, which they do to
perfection, to the sound of the pipes, by torchlight in front of the
house. It had a wild and very gay effect.'
[Illustration: Pass of Killiecrankie--'The Queen's View']
Her Majesty drove about daily, enjoying the magnificent scenery, or by the
banks of Tay, to see Lord Breadalbane's American buffaloes; while Prince
Albert had sport--nineteen roe-deer on the first day, besides hares,
pheasants, grouse, and a capercailzie, all which trophies were spread out
before the house. Three hundred Highlanders 'beat' for him, while,
whenever the Queen (accompanied by the Duchess of Norfolk) walked in the
grounds, two of the Highland guard followed with drawn swords. They
arrived at a lodge, where 'a fat, good-humoured little woman, about forty,
cut some flowers for each of us, and the Duchess gave her some money,
saying: "From Her Majesty." I never saw any one more surprised than she
was; she, however, came up to me, and said very warmly that my people were
delighted to see me in Scotland.' At a later date the Queen revisited
Taymouth, where once--'Albert and I were then only twenty-three!'--she
passed such happy days. 'I was very thankful to have seen it again,' says
she, with quiet pathos. 'It seemed unaltered.
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