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While Mr. Kenneth Campbell was in Scalpay,
a foreign ship laden with timber came into the harbour
and on the same day, a certain packman, a Harrisman,
came to Campbell's house to sell goods. This merchant
was called Roderick Macdonald, alias Stalker (Stailc
- to push); he was descended from Macdonald the Gamekeeper.
This merchant travelled all the Isles once every year,
selling his goods, and when he died, he left £600
to each of his sons and something less to his daughters.
Roderick Macdonald was well known throughout the highlands and although illiterate, he was clever at business. Campbell asked him in the course of conversation how often he had been cheated by fraudulent debtors or how much had he lost by bad debts? Macdonald replied that it was now 40 years since he commenced buying and selling goods, yet he could prove that never had any man or woman defrauded him of one shilling's value: "I have to thank my own clever turns for that - and moreover, I never did lose by any bargain I ever made."
Replied Campbell: "Well, you are a lucky man indeed; no wonder you have money." "As for that, I have money too," said Macdonald and went on: "Pray, what cargo has that ship, that is lying in the harbour?" He was told that the cargo was fir trees and oars, etc., so he borrowed a boat from Campbell and went on board and purchased every oar that was on the ship's deck. As Macdonald was landing these smuggled oars in Scalpay - 44 dozen they say a servant arrived from Rodil bringing Campbell letters and papers and when Macdonald went into Scalpay house, Campbell was reading a letter. Macdonald asked: "What news?" Campbell, with a mournful face, told him that he had just heard from Angus Campbell, Factor for Harris, to the effect that two nights ago he happened to go on board of a ship at Hermistray and in a fit of drink, had bought all the deck lumber, consisting of all the deck planks and upwards of a hundred dozen of oars. He went on: "The Factor has in view to send one of his vessels to Scalpay to leave the oars and planks and he asks me as his friend, to take charge of the timber and sell it for him, when he will allow me a percentage on the price."
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