The peat-fire flame : folk-tales and traditions of the Highlands & Islands

GHOST TALES AND HAUNTED PLACES
his grave was marked by a head-stone bearing the following
inscription :
—
" Here lyes the body of Duncan Campbell of Inversaw
(sic), Esq., Major to the old Highland Regiment, aged 56
years, who died 17th July, 1758, of the wounds he received
in the attack on the entrenchments of Ticonderoga, or
Carillon, 8th July, 1758."
Some sixty-six years ago, when a family of the name of
Gilchrist, residing in the neighbourhood, was removing its
dead from the old to a new place of burial, it transferred
at the same time Duncan Campbell's remains, and also the
head-stone, claiming Duncan to have been a blood relation.
A friend in America assures me that this head-stone is still
carefully preserved.
And now to the ghosty part of our narrative.
At the fording-place on a river near Barcaldine Castle, in
Argyll, marked as it is by five large stepping-stones, Stewart
of Appin overtook and slew his adversary, Donald Campbell.
Well knowing that the hand of every Campbell in Scotland,
and indeed furth of her, now would be against him, Stewart
resolved to rely upon the ancient. Highland code of
hospitality, whereby an evil-doer—even a murderer—was
safe while he remained under his host's roof. Whereupon,
he sought refuge at Inverawe House, the home of Campbell
of Inverawe. This historic residence has been modernised
greatly since those days ; but it still has the reputation of
being haunted ; and the very hall, in which Stewart of Appin
threw himself on the mercy of Campbell, still forms part of
the original structure.
Highland tradition has it that, during the night, Duncan
Campbell of Inverawe was visited by his brother's ghost,
who informed him he was sheltering his brother's murderer.
Thrice the ghost made his appearance, and endeavoured to
move Duncan Campbell to seek revenge on his guest :
Duncan Campbell showed himself determined to
thrice
abide by
the traditional code of honour. Like MacGregor of Glen
Strae, who had given to the fugitive Lamont his pledge that
he would protect him, Campbell could not violate the
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