gb0551ms-33-53

Transcription

[Page] 53
[continued from page 52]

terminating in a piece of yellow spar-like stone, I
think called chrysolite. In conversation he occasionally
dropped his "hs" and mispronounced his English,
as for example he said controversy in place of
controversy. His object, he said, on calling on me
was to acquaint me with the decision, which I think
he said his cousin, Charles Fou [e W P r]
in Inverness had come to at his suggestion, to
bequeath to the Royal Scottish Museum an
extremely valuable collection of Japanese
armour, sword blades, swords etc. which this
individual had collected and which he had
just sold to his relative. To my enquiry if he
had obtained these things in the East, he said
"no" but that he had travelled all over Europe
as far as Petrograd in search of them.
He talked enthusiastically on the subject of Japanese
armour and metal work and seemed versed
in it. A suspicion of his bona fides aroused
by his general appearance, accent, & manner,
was not allayed by a statement of difficulties
he had got into over his want of a passport
at Inverness, and an explanation regarding
domestic irregularities, and a second establish:
:ment near Inverness which were the cause
of his writing letters opened by the authorities

in Inverness, and not covered by his explanation to
them of the cause of his visit to that place.
This liaison he informed me was unknown to his wife,
who, notwithstanding, was present with him in the
Museum, though she did not accompany him to my
room. I saw her afterwards as I was going
through the galleries and was no more favourably
impressed by her appearance than by his. I
took him to the Asiatic Gallery & showed him
our collection of sword-guards, which he certainly
gave me the impression of Knowing about. Not:
:withstanding appearances the man may have been
quite sound, but I liked neither his Scottish
name associated with a Cockney accent, nor
his flashy appearance - Moreover the name
Moray, so spelled, is very rare in Scotland &
if signifying any connection with the Earldom should
have been accompanied with Stuart, writ without
the e. I momentarily expected to be asked
to furnish assistance of some sort but no
such request was made. Time may show
what was at the back of this visit, mean while
I have recorded the details lest I forget.

4 August 1918
Four years today since this country presented an ulti:
:matum to Germany and the war still rages but
with the opening of the fifth year of the struggle
[continued page 54]

  Transcribers who have contributed to this page.

Moira L- Moderator, Jane F Jamieson, Kate51- Moderator