Sandy, your recollections of Hamish have brought back memories for me.

I only had a nodding acquaintance with him until one afternoon in Sandy Bells in Edinburgh, when we fell to conversing about the Highlands, and I was able to tell him about the island of Handa in Sutherland, (about a mile offshore from my home village of Scourie) , which had the unique distinction of being governed by a "Queen" an office which was held by the oldest unmarried woman on the island. I can still remember how animated he became as we discussed this largely forgotten piece of folklore.

Sandy, I would think you must have passed through Scourie on your way to Tongue. I can remember the Stewarts used to camp in Scourie every spring, at the top of the brae ....

As you say, thank God he lived as long as he did.

Murray