RECORDS　OF　A　FAMILY　OF　ENGINEERS
  by　ROBERT　LOUIS　STEVENSON
  CONTENTS
  INTRODUCTION：　THE　SURNAME　OF　STEVENSON
  I。　　　DOMESTIC　ANNALS
  II。　　THE　SERVICE　OF　THE　NORTHERN　LIGHTS
  III。　THE　BUILDING　OF　THE　BELL　ROCK
  RECORDS　OF
  A　FAMILY　OF　ENGINEERS
  INTRODUCTION
  THE　SURNAME　OF　STEVENSON
  FROM　the　thirteenth　century　onwards；　the　name；　under　the　various　disguises　of　Stevinstoun；　Stevensoun；　Stevensonne；　Stenesone；　and　Stewinsoune；　spread　across　Scotland　from　the　mouth　of　the　Firth　of　Forth　to　the　mouth　of　the　Firth　of　Clyde。　　Four　times　at　least　it　occurs　as　a　place…name。　　There　is　a　parish　of　Stevenston　in　Cunningham；　a　second　place　of　the　name　in　the　Barony　of　Bothwell　in　Lanark；　a　third　on　Lyne；　above　Drochil　Castle；　the　fourth　on　the　Tyne；　near　Traprain　Law。　　Stevenson　of　Stevenson　（co。　　Lanark）　swore　fealty　to　Edward　I　in　1296；　and　the　last　of　that　family　died　after　the　Restoration。　　Stevensons　of　Hirdmanshiels；　in　Midlothian；　rode　in　the　Bishops'　Raid　of　Aberlady；　served　as　jurors；　stood　bail　for　neighbours　…　Hunter　of　Polwood；　for　instance　…　and　became　extinct　about　the　same　period；　or　possibly　earlier。　　A　Stevenson　of　Luthrie　and　another　of　Pitroddie　make　their　bows；　give　their　names；　and　vanish。　　And　by　the　year　1700　it　does　not　appear　that　any　acre　of　Scots　land　was　vested　in　any　Stevenson。　（1）
  （1）　An　error：　Stevensons　owned　at　this　date　the　barony　of　Dolphingston　in　Haddingtonshire；　Montgrennan　in　Ayrshire；　and　several　other　lesser　places。
  Here　is；　so　far；　a　melancholy　picture　of　backward　progress；　and　a　family　posting　towards　extinction。　　But　the　law　（however　administered；　and　I　am　bound　to　aver　that；　in　Scotland；　‘it　couldna　weel　be　waur'）　acts　as　a　kind　of　dredge；　and　with　dispassionate　impartiality　brings　up　into　the　light　of　day；　and　shows　us　for　a　moment；　in　the　jury…box　or　on　the　gallows；　the　creeping　things　of　the　past。　　By　these　broken　glimpses　we　are　able　to　trace　the　existence　of　many　other　and　more　inglorious　Stevensons；　picking　a　private　way　through　the　brawl　that　makes　Scots　history。　　They　were　members　of　Parliament　for　Peebles；　Stirling；　Pittenweem；　Kilrenny；　and　Inverurie。　　We　find　them　burgesses　of　Edinburgh；　indwellers　in　Biggar；　Perth；　and　Dalkeith。　　Thomas　was　the　forester　of　Newbattle　Park；　Gavin　was　a　baker；　John　a　maltman；　Francis　a　chirurgeon；　and　‘Schir　William'　a　priest。　　In　the　feuds　of　Humes　and　Heatleys；　Cunninghams；　Montgomeries；　Mures；　Ogilvies；　and　Turnbulls；　we　find　them　inconspicuously　involved；　and　apparently　getting　rather　better　than　they　gave。　Schir　William　（reverend　gentleman）　was　cruellie　slaughtered　on　the　Links　of　Kincraig　in　1582；　James　（'in　the　mill…town　of　Roberton'）；　murdered　in　1590；　Archibald　（'in　Gallowfarren'）；　killed　with　shots　of　pistols　and　hagbuts　in　1608。　　Three　violent　deaths　in　about　seventy　years；　against　which　we　can　only　put　the　case　of　Thomas；　servant　to　Hume　of　Cowden　Knowes；　who　was　arraigned　with　his　two　young　masters　for　the　death　of　the　Bastard　of　Mellerstanes　in　1569。　　John　（'in　Dalkeith'）　stood　sentry　without　Holyrood　while　the　banded　lords　were　despatching　Rizzio　within。　　William；　at　the　ringing　of　Perth　bell；　ran　before　Gowrie　House　‘with　ane　sword；　and；　entering　to　the　yearde；　saw　George　Craiggingilt　with　ane　twa…handit　sword　and　utheris　nychtbouris；　at　quilk　time　James　Boig　cryit　ower　ane　wynds；　〃Awa　hame！　ye　will　all　be　hangit〃　'　…　a　piece　of　advice　which　William　took；　and　immediately　'depairtit。'　John　got　a　maid　with　child　to　him　in　Biggar；　and　seemingly　deserted　her；　she　was　hanged　on　the　Castle　Hill　for　infanticide；　June　1614；　and　Martin；　elder　in　Dalkeith；　eternally　disgraced　the　name　by　signing　witness　in　a　witch　trial；　1661。　　These　are　two　of　our　black　sheep。　（1）　　Under　the　Restoration；　one　Stevenson　was　a　bailie　in　Edinburgh；　and　another　the　lessee　of　the　Canonmills。　　There　were　at　the　same　period　two　physicians　of　the　name　in　Edinburgh；　one　of　whom；　Dr。　Archibald；　appears　to　have　been　a　famous　man　in　his　day　and　generation。　　The　Court　had　continual　need　of　him；　it　was　he　who　reported；　for　instance；　on　the　state　of　Rumbold；　and　he　was　for　some　time　in　the　enjoyment　of　a　pension　of　a　thousand　pounds　Scots　（about　eighty　pounds　sterling）　at　a　time　when　five　hundred　pounds　is　described　as　'an　opulent　future。'　　I　do　not　know　if　I　should　be　glad　or　sorry　that　he　failed　to　keep　favour；　but　on　6th　January　1682　（rather　a　cheerless　New　Year's　present）　his　pension　was　expunged。　（2）　　There　need　be　no　doubt；　at　least；　of　my　exultation　at　the　fact　that　he　was　knighted　and　recorded　arms。　　Not　quite　so　genteel；　but　still　in　public　life；　Hugh　was　Under…Clerk　to　the　Privy　Council；　and　liked　being　so　extremely。　　I　gather　this　from　his　conduct　in　September　1681；　when；　with　all　the　lords　and　their　servants；　he　took　the　woful　and　soul…destroying　Test；　swearing　it　'word　by　word　upon　his　knees。'　　And；　behold！　it　was　in　vain；　for　Hugh　was　turned　out　of　his　small　post　in　1684。　（3）　　Sir　Archibald　and　Hugh　were　both　plainly　inclined　to　be　trimmers；　but　there　was　one　witness　of　the　name　of　Stevenson　who　held　high　the　banner　of　the　Covenant　…　John；　'Land…Labourer；　（4）　in　the　parish　of　Daily；　in　Carrick；'　that　‘eminently　pious　man。'　He　seems　to　have　been　a　poor　sickly　soul；　and　shows　himself　disabled　with　scrofula；　and　prostrate　and　groaning　aloud　with　fever；　but　the　enthusiasm　of　the　martyr　burned　high　within　him。
  （1）　Pitcairn's　CRIMINAL　TRIALS；　at　large。　…　＇R。　L。　S。＇　（2）　Fountainhall's　DECISIONS；　vol。　i。　pp。　56；　132；　186；　204；　368。…　＇R。　L。　S。＇　（3）　IBID。　pp。　158；　299。　…　＇R。　L。　S。＇　（4）　Working　farmer：　　Fr。　LABOUREUR。
  ‘I　was　made　to　take　joyfully　the　spoiling　of　my　goods；　and　with　pleasure　for　His　name's　sake　wandered　in　deserts　and　in　mountains；　in　dens　and　caves　of　the　earth。　　I　lay　four　months　in　the　coldest　season　of　the　year　in　a　haystack　in　my　father's　garden；　and　a　whole　February　in　the　open　fields　not　far　from　Camragen；　and　this　I　did　without　the　least　prejudice　from　the　night　air；　one　night；　when　lying　in　the　fields　near　to　the　Carrick…Miln；　I　was　all　covered　with　snow　in　the　morning。　　Many　nights　have　I　lain　with　pleasure　in　the　churchyard　of　Old　Daily；　and　made　a　grave　my　pillow；　frequently　have　I　resorted　to　the　old　walls　about　the　glen；　near　to　Camragen；　and　there　sweetly　rested。'　　The　visible　band　of　God　protected　and　directed　him。　　Dragoons　were　turned　aside　from　the　bramble…bush　where　he　lay　hidden。　　Miracles　were　performed　for　his　behoof。　　‘I　got　a　horse　and　a　woman　to　carry　the　child；　and　came　to　the　same　mountain；　where　I　wandered　by　the　mist　before；　it　is　commonly　known　by　the　name　of　Kellsrhins：　when　we　came　to　go　up　the　mountain；　there　came　on　a　great　rain；　which　we　thought　was　the　occasion　of　the　child's　weeping；　and　she　wept　so　bitterly；　that　all　we　could　do　could　not　divert　her　from　it；　so　that　she　was　ready　to　burst。　　When　we　got　to　the　top　of　the　mountain；　where　the　Lord　had　been　formerly　kind　to　my　soul　in　prayer；　I　looked　round　me　for　a　stone；　and　espying　one；　I　went　and　brought　it。　　When　the　woman　with　me　saw　me　set　down　the　stone；　she　smiled；　and　asked　what　I　was　going　to　do　with　it。　　I　told　her　I　was　going　to　set　it　up　as　my　Ebenezer；　because　hitherto；　and　in　that　place；　the　Lord　had　formerly　helped；　and　I　hoped　would　yet　help。　　The　rain　still　continuing；　the　child　weeping　bitterly；　I　went　to　prayer；　and　no　sooner　did　I　cry　to　God；　but　the　child　gave　over　weeping；　and　when　we　got　up　from　prayer；　the　rain　was　pouring　down　on　every　side；　but　in　the　way　where　we　were　to　go　there　fell　not　one　drop；　the　place　not　rained　on　was　as　big　as　an　ordinary　avenue。'　　And　so　great　a　saint　was　the　natural　butt　of　Satan's　persecutions。　　‘I　retired　to　the　fields　for　secret　prayer　about　mid…night。　　When　I　went　to　pray　I　was　much　straitened；　and　could　not　get　one　request；　but　〃Lord　pity；〃　〃Lord　help〃；　this　I　came　over　frequently；　at　length　the　terror　of　Satan　fell　on　me　in　a　high　degree；　and　all　I　could　say　even　then　was　…　〃Lord　help。〃　　I　continued　in　the　duty　for　some　time；　notwithstanding　of　this　terror。　　At　length　I　got　up　to　my　feet；　and　the　terror　still　increased；　then　the　enemy　took　me　by　the　arm…pits；　and　seemed　to　lift　me　up　by　my　arms。　　I　saw　a　loch　just　before　me；　and　I　concluded　he　designed　to　throw　me　there　by　force；　and　had　he　got　leave　to　do　so；　it　might　have　brought　a　great　reproach　upon　religion。　（1）　　But　it　was　otherwise　ordered；　and　the　cause　of　piety　escaped　that　danger。　（2）
  （1）　This　John　Stevenson　was　not　the　only　‘witness'　of　the　name；　other　Stevensons　were　actually　killed　during　the　persecutions；　in　the　Glen　of　Trool；　on　Pentland；　etc。；　and　it　is　very　possible　that　the　author's　own　ancestor　was　one　of　the　mounted　party　embodied　by　Muir　of　Caldwell；　only　a　day　too　late　for　Pentland。　（2）　Wodrow　Society's　SELECT　BIOGRAPHIES；　vol。　ii。…　＇R。　L。　S。＇
  On　the　whole；　the　Stevensons　may　be　described　as　decent；　reputable　folk；　following　honest　trades　…　millers；　maltsters；　and　doctors；　playing　the　character　parts　in　the　Waverley　Novels　with　propriety；　if　without　distinction；　and　to　an　orphan　looking　about　him　in　the　world　for　a　potential　ancestry；　offering　a　plain　and　quite　unadorned　refuge；　equally　free　from　shame　and　glory。　　John；　the　land…labourer；　is　the　one　living　and　memorable　figure；　and　he；　a