I was not above Seventeen Years of Age when the Battle of _Gillycranky_
was fought between the Two Highland Generals, the Lord Viscount _Dundee_
and _Mackay_. And being then a Stripling at the University of _Aberdeen_
and understanding that several Clans were gathering into a Body in
defence of King _James_ III sold my Books and Furniture of my Lodgings,
and equipp'd my self to observe the Martial Call, I found my self
prompted with. I arriv'd in a few Days near the Field of Battle, and
joyn'd my self with a broken Body of Men who were making up towards the
Mountains to recover themselves after the Fatigue of Battle. The
Noviceship I went through in the _Highlands_, was no improper Foundation
for the course Method of living I have been since engag'd in for above
Twenty Seven Years; during which Time, I have run through all those
Hardships which are incident to one who seeks a Preferment in Fire and
Smoak.

While I strolled about in the _Highlands_, it was my good Fortune to be
under the Tuition of an old Officer, who let me into many of those
little Secrets which are not unserviceable to such as Design to make the
whole Earth the Theatre of their Life; but what I chiefly valued this
old Gentleman's Conversation for, was the Happiness I had to be a Hearer
of some of his Politick Lessons, of which he was a great Master, having
furnish'd himself by Fifty Years Practice, with the best Idea's of that
kind.

Upon a certain Day when our Party were out, some upon Foraging, and
others to get Intelligence, I being alone in a Cottage with this old
Captain, and being desirous to know his Opinion of the Affairs of
_Europe_ in general, as also what was like to be the Issue of that
Cause we had undertaken. The old Captain willing to satisfy my Curiosity
as far as his Skill would reach, pulled out some Remarks he had made