WARNING: SPOILERS HIGHLY LIKELY SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE OUTLANDER SERIES AND/OR WATCHED THE SHOW!
Oh crap. I already know invisible ninjas are gonna sneak in and cut up some onions today. Why? I remember enough of Jamie's speech at the Gathering to know it's touching. And then too, when he lights the cross at the Ridge to call the men in his militia to war, that one might be even more touching.
Well it is not late Oct 1770 and they're at Mount Helicon for the Gathering of the Clans. The Scottish diaspora settled heavily in NC. I also for Claire's discussion with a ghost. She woke thinking she'd felt a kiss from Frank. And mentally tells him to go away. To which he replies, "Shouldn’t I come to see her married?" Claire realizes, "And Frank—if that was Frank—was right, so far as that went. I was sure that if such a thing were possible, Bree would want both her fathers at her wedding."
When Germain goes running down the mountain, trips and rolls into a group of soldiers then into a creek, Fergus apologizes to the soldiers in French and thanks one for rescuing Germain by thrusting his bayonet into the boy's floating clothing, then says, '“Et toi, toto,” he said, addressing his spluttering offspring with a small shake. “Comment ça va, ye wee chowderheid?”' Him mixing languages is pretty interesting.
During the Great Fire at the Gathering when Jamie calls to various people is the first time the ninjas come into play.
“Thig a seo!” he called, putting out his right hand to me. “Thig a seo, a Shorcha, nighean Eanruig, neart mo chridhe.” Come to me, he said. Come to me, Claire, daughter of Henry, strength of my heart. Scarcely feeling my feet or those I stumbled over, I made my way to him, and clasped his hand, his grip cold but strong on my fingers.
I saw him turn his head; was he looking for Bree? But no—he stretched out his other hand toward Roger.
“Seas ri mo làmh, Roger an t’òranaiche, mac Jeremiah MacChoinneich!” Stand by my hand, Roger the singer, son of Jeremiah MacKenzie. Roger stood stock-still for a moment, eyes dark on Jamie, then moved toward him, like one sleepwalking. The crowd was still excited, but the shouting had died down, and people craned to hear what was said.
“Stand by me in battle,” he said in Gaelic, his eyes fixed on Roger, left hand extended. He spoke slowly and clearly, to be sure of understanding. “Be a shield for my family—and for yours, son of my house.”
Ok so I hadn't intended to use many still photos from the show, unless illustrating a difference from the book and show, but these two I am. Because they do a very good job illustrating the book's scene.
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| Credit: Starz |
Now, a word before continuing. Generally, in this day and age, cross burning has a very negative connotation. I find it horrible to be honest. Associated with the KKK and all around not a cool thing. It was used as intimidation by the KKK. The KKK didn't use it during what is called "first era" during Reconstruction. It wasn't until the 1910s when it became associated with the KKK thanks to The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan (1905) by Thomas Dixon, Jr.
However, in the day and age of the book, especially among Scots, it was a very different thing. Still a call to war but not specifically against other races. Against other clans, against the English...of course. A burning cross, called a crann-tara (lit. fiery cross in Scots Gaelic) was a call to war, to rally the clan members to defend the area. It was used in the 1745 Uprising. And even in North America, during the War of 1812, "as a means of mobilizing the Scottish Fencibles and militia which were settled in Glengarry County, Ontario against the invaders" (Wiki). So pre-early 1900s, its meaning is simply a cultural call to defend against an enemy.
Jamie asks Claire if she ever saw Dougal call the clan. She had only seen the call when they swore the oath to Colum at Leoch but not Dougal doing a call to war. Jamie recounts how he saw it once, not long after going to Leoch. Colum may have been the Laird but due to his disability, Dougal was the war chief. And because Jamie had only recently arrived at Leoch and people knew he was Colum and Dougal's nephew but also knew who his father and grandfather were, they were rather close-mouthed about what was happening. But Old Alec, the Master of Horse, explained it to Jamie.
“’Tis the fiery cross, lad,” he’d told Jamie, tossing him a currycomb and jerking his head toward the stalls. “Ye’ll not ha’ seen it before?”
It was auld, he’d said, one of the ways that had been followed for hundreds of years, no one quite knowing where it had started, who had done it first or why.
“When a Hielan’ chief will call his men to war,” the old man had said, deftly running his gnarled hand through a knotted mane, “he has a cross made, and sets it afire. It’s put out at once, ken, wi’ blood or wi’ water—but still it’s called the fiery cross, and it will be carried through the glens and corries, a sign to the men of the clan to fetch their weapons and come to the gathering place, prepared for battle.”
“But these men—there is no debt of blood between them and me. They are not Frasers; I am not born either laird or chief to them. If they come to fight at my call, it will be of their own will.”
Jamie realizes that at some point, he will have to make a choice. Whether to continue to do as Gov. Tryon wants or to side with the Patriots. But that for now, following Tryon's orders is the means by which he holds his land.
“Well, it’s no as though I’ve never found myself walking between two fires before, Sassenach. I may come out of it a bit scorched round the edges, but I dinna think I’ll fry.” He gave a faint snort of what might be amusement. “It’s in my blood, no?”
It's funny, I started writing this right after Claire sees Jamie near the still. She thought he might have been praying, calling on God to help him. He says he wasn't. He was calling on Dougal MacKenzie, which in light of how and why Dougal died, is a bit surprising to Claire. Jamie says that as a chieftain Dougal would understand that Jamie did as he must then and continues to do so. Claire had heard a bit of Gaelic at the end of Jamie's calling out but not clearly enough to decipher the words until she realized that Jamie had shouted, "Tulach ard.", which is the MacKenzie war cry. But in the next chapter, Bree and Roger are discussing where he had been and she asked about the cross. He explains it's a fiery cross and her reaction is of surprise, if not shock. “A fiery cross? You mean he’s going to burn a cross in the yard?”
“Maybe so,” she said uneasily. “I don’t know . . . it sort of gives me the creeps.”
“Eh?” Roger glanced at her in surprise. “Why?”
She shrugged, pulling the crumpled shift off over her head.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s just that I have seen burning crosses—on the evening news on TV. You know, the KKK—or do you know? Maybe they don’t—didn’t—report things like that on television in Britain?”
“The Ku Klux Klan?” Roger was less interested in fanatical bigots than in the sight of Brianna’s bare breasts, but made an effort to focus on the conversation. “Oh, aye, heard of them. Where d’you think they got the notion?”
“What? You mean—”
“Sure,” he said cheerfully. “They got it from the Highland immigrants—from whom they were descended, by the bye. That’s why they called it ‘Klan,’ aye?
I'd completely forgotten the part where Bree and Roger discuss it. In the same discussion, Bree tells Roger that Jamie has a list of songs he wants Roger to sing. They include: "Ho Ro!", "Birniebouzle,", "The Great Silkie", "Killiecrankie", "The Haughs of Cromdale", "The Sherrifsmuir Fight", but not the songs from the '45 except "Johnnie Cope".
And then taking Roger's place in front of the cross, was Jamie.
He stood tall and broad-shouldered in his best gray gentleman’s coat, kilted below in soft blue tartan, his hair loose and blazing on his shoulders, with a small warrior’s plait down one side, adorned with a single feather. Firelight glinted from the knurled gold hilt of his dirk and the brooch that held his looped plaid. He looked pleasant enough, but his manner overall was serious, intent. He made a good show—and knew it.
His speech is interesting.
“We are called in duty, and we come in honor to serve the cause of law—and the Governor.”...
“In the Highlands of Scotland, when a chieftain would set himself for war,” he said, his tone casually conversational, but pitched to be heard throughout the dooryard, “he would burn the fiery cross, and send it for a sign through the lands of his clan. It was a signal to the men of his name, to gather their weapons and come to the gathering place, prepared for battle.”
“But this is a new land, and while we are friends”—he smiled at Gerhard Mueller—“Ja, Freunde, neighbors, and countrymen”—a look at the Lindsay brothers—“and we will be companions in arms, we are not clan. While I am given command, I am not your chief.”
“Let God witness here our willingness, and may God strengthen our arms—” He paused, to let the Germans catch up. “But let this fiery cross stand as testament to our honor, to invoke God’s protection for our families—until we come safe home again.” [Jamie then lights the cross]
“We cannot say what may befall us. God grant us courage,” he said, very simply. “God grant us wisdom. If it be His will, may He grant us peace. We ride in the morning.”
Here he turns to Roger to have him play "The Flower of Scotland".
Jamie's letter to John where he lists those people he is most responsible for and asking John to care for them... gah. No I'm not tearing up again. It's allergies. He lists Claire; Bree; Roger; Jemmy; Marsali and Fergus (calling Marsali his daughter Fergus his adopted son); Germain and Joan, noting that Wee Joanie is named for her Aunt Joan, who he also regards as his daughter; and that he holds himself responsible for her as well as her mother, Laogahire.
I pray you for the Sake of our long Friendship and for the Sake of your Regard for my Wife and Daughter, that if Mischance should befall me in this Enterprise, you will do what you can to see them safe.
He then adds in a post-script that his will & testament as well as papers regarding his property in both NC and Scotland can be found with Farquard Campbell in Cross Creek.
Bree find a letter to Jamie from LJG. He's recounting an incident where he awakened to the sound of rain (they had had a week of it at the time of his writing) and the stares of chickens. Which were surprising. He found out that the river had risen and compromised his privy and the chicken coop. I had to laugh when he stated,
"but my Privy, alas, has become the Property of King Neptune—or whatever minor water Deity presides over so modest a Tributary as our River."
Thanks to Percy Jackson I know the Greek water deities that presides over rivers and streams in general. Tethys and the Potamoi. Now granted specific rivers can have their own specific deities (Achelous, god of the Greek river of the same name for example) but Tethys is the Titan goddess of the sources fresh-water, and the mother of the rivers (Potamoi), springs, streams, fountains and clouds; while the Potamoi are deities of rivers, fathers of Naiads, brothers of the Oceanids, and as such, the sons of Oceanus and Tethys.
Well I had forgotten just how horrible Roger Mac's injuries during the Battle of Alamance was. It's not an easy thing to read. Nor is his recovery. And to know that it was at the hands of his 5th great-grandfather who was jealous of Roger's attention to Morag (his 5th ggm). That would be like me going back in time and Elizabeth Pickett causing me to get hanged because she was jealous I interacted with Ralph. Or Phoebe Eggers jealous over me meeting Daniel Eggers, Sr. They were all my 5th great-grandparents and tend to come to mind when I think of certain areas in NC. The Picketts lived on the Yadkin not far from Salisbury near Reedy and Muddy Creeks (historically part of Rowan Co but now in Davidson). And the Eggers family was in NJ and NY prior to the Revolution but settled in Ashe and Wilkes counties (in what is now Watauga Co.). In fact, Ralph Pickett's daughter-in-law, Rachel, may have been the daughter of a Regulator. There's a debate over whether she was a Williams or a Felps. I lean toward it being Felps for a few reasons. The Felps family lived near the Pickett family (as in only a handful of miles). And Rachel and William Pickett named their oldest two son Aventon/Avington/Abington and Aquilla. There was a father and son in the area named Avinton and Aquilla Felps/Phelps. And if Rachel is the daughter of Aquilla Felps, then the William part makes sense in a way as that was the maiden name of Rachel's mother, Sarah (married Aquilla sometime prior to at least 1759). Anyway, while the Eggers family had nothing to do with the Regulators (as they were in NY in the early 1770s and didn't arrive in NC until 1784 when both Daniel and his brother claimed land on the Beaverdam Branch of Swearing Creek. This is also in historical Rowan Co./modern Davidson Co. less than 10 miles from where the Felps and Pickett families lived. Even more important, some of the Felps family members definitely appear to have been Regulators. Aquilla Felps signed the Oct. 1768 And in 1769, Avinton and Rachel Felps conveyed a tract of land containing 357 acres on the north side of Yadkin river 1/2 mile above branch of Reedy Creek. This was very close to Ralph Pickett's land which stretched from Reedy Creek to Muddy Creek. This area is less than 60 miles from where the Battle of Alamance took place. And the battlefield is about 130 miles from where the Eggers family later settled after the Revolution and leaving the Swearing Creek location. This is not the only time the series intersects with my family. The location of John Grey's house (17 Chestnut St) in Philadelphia (MOBY) is close to where Wm Rakestraw owned property (200 block of Chestnut St). Less than 1000ft. The Quaker church Ian and Rachel Hunter and Denny Hunter and Dorothea Grey marry is probably Arch Street Meeting House, which is on Arch Street between 4th and 5th. And Wm. Rakestraw, his first and second wives and his daughter Grace were buried there. Wm. Rakestraw and his first wife were my 6th great-grandparents. His second wife was Elizabether Willis, who had previously been married to Robert Zane (his third wife). As such she was Grace Rakestraw's step-mother. And through Robert Zane, she was Nathaniel Zane's step-mother. Nathaniel and Grace married about a year after Elizabeth and Wm. Rakestraw married. And then as I've mentioned, in MOBY, the whole thing with Claire and other docs using the church at the Battle of Monmouth is absolutely historically correct. My ties to the church are 20 some odd years earlier than the Revoloution though.
Ok so I haven't commented a lot past the Battle of Alamance. Mostly because the book just kinda drags for me at points. I just want to finish and move on. It's not that there are not good parts. There definitely are. That it took me 5 days to read this book is also odd for me. I normally read much faster. But I have slept a lot the last few days and it's not my normal sleep, which is anything but regular. And this is even more out of my norm. I slept nearly 8 hours Saturday evening, waking a bit before midnight.
The Brownsville stuff with Mr. Beardsley and his wife and her lover and the baby; Isaiah Morton and Alicia Brown; the battle; Tryon trying to set things as right as he can after Roger's hanging; Forbes and his letter to Valencia Farquard Campbell; the gold; the description of Hogmany; Duncan and Jo's wedding; the enmity of Lt. Wolff and Randal Lillywhite as well as Phillip Wylie; the encounter with Lillywhite, Sheriff Anstruther, and Bonnet; the white bear and Josiah Beardsley's pilfering and the whole fire; Jamie getting bit by a snake and the buffalo he shot but didn't kill being part of how he was healed along with the Beardsleys catching a snake for Claire to make a primitive syringe out of; Jenny's letter forgiving Jamie; soooo much happened.
But Ian's rather timely return as Jamie, Roger Mac and Jem were threatened by the boar was a beautiful thing. And that he brought Otter-Tooth's journal and the burial of Daniel Rawlings where Otter-Tooth's body was and the ceremony they did as a memorial for Otter-Tooth, his co-travelers and Daniel were all fascinating.
And now it's onward to A Breath of Snow and Ashes.
Quotes from The Fiery Cross © 2001 by Diana Gabaldon
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