Volume 03 Page 0075

although written in a boyish style, will better explain the respect
with which I looked upon "Captn Robert McKenzie, 9th Madras Native Infantry,"
an attached and valued friend, a Scotchman, he who had been twenty years
in India, and my sole companion during a most eventful trip through
various parts of China, Manilla, &c, &c
Not only Scotchmen, but also Englishmen, after being in India for some
years, are as a general thing greatly improved in manners, and become
far more sociable than had they never left their homes. Captn McKenzie
was also possessed of a 1st class education in France, speaking the french
language perfectly. It was a singular coincidence that two weeks
after my visit to Perth, whilst in London, and on a visit to Lydenham
in crossing the Thames in a steamer, we made the acquaintance of
an Officer belonging to Madras Army who had just come on from
India, he informed us that Captn, now Major, Robert McKenzie was
like himself on furlough, the two having come on together, and that
McKenzie had gone on to Scotland that very morning. The officer appeared
to be a perfect Gentleman, and we had no reason to doubt his word.
However I never saw McKenzie after parting with him at Manila, Decr 1850.

We were now passing along what my Guide book terms the "Glory of
Scotland," and on either side the Scotch farmers were busily engaged in
their various agricultural pursuits. In gazing upon the scene before
me I pictured to my mind how many of this very class of men had
found their way to America, some even to our own Savannah River;
landing upon our shores pennyless, but having some education lived to die in very comfortable circumstances, a few even becoming rich men.
To a marked degree do my present remarks apply to our own section of
Savannah River in Georgia, and even as connected with the history
of our rice plantation known as "Gowrie". The names of McLeran,
MacAlpin, Wallace & Taylor, four Scotchmen settled on the banks
of the Savannah River, are of interest to us. They all reached this
country about the early part of the present century, poor but honest
and hard working men. McLeran was a Mechanic & Carpenter and
commenced his career as a workman at his trade upon what is now
known as the Coleraine plantation belonging to James Potter Esquire
next to [Gowrie Plantation (Ga.) |"Gowrie"] on Savannah River. He built the splendidly constructed