title: Old Skye Tales:  Traditions, Reflections and Memories
author:  William Mackenzie 
description: William Mackenzie Was Born In 1851 In Melness, Sutherland Though Moved To Skye At An Early Age. He Began Teaching In Uig And In 1879 Was Appointed Headmaster Of Valtos In Staffin. He Became Active In The Crofter Agitation Of The 1880s And Was One Of The Crofters' Representatives At The Napier Commission Of 1884. He Retired In 1915 And Began To Write His Reminiscences, Which Were Published In Two Books In 1930 And 1934. The Present Volume Is An Edited Compilation Of These Two Works.<br /><br />Alasdair Maclean Left School At Fourteen To Work In The Clydeside Shipyards. National Service In The Merchant Marine Followed And Then Service In The British And Indian Armies. He Returned To Scotland To Read English At Edinburgh University Before Returning Home To Sanna In Ardnamurchan. A Poet Of Some Repute, This Is His Only Book Of Non-Fiction.
zlib_text: P. C.: This one is for _my_ Guardian. I love you.
  
  Kristin: (She means you, “Shawnus.”)
  
   **ACKNOWLEDGMENTS**
  
   _P. C.:_
  
  This book would not have been possible had three very special men not opened
  their history, their lives, and their hearts to me. I owe a debt of gratitude
  to Seoras Wallace, Alain Mac au Halpine, and Alan Torrance. Any errors in my
  fictionalization and retelling of their Scottish/Irish mythos are mine and
  mine alone. Warriors, I thank you. In addition: THANK YOU, Denise Torrance,
  for saving me from all that Clan Wallace testosterone!
  
  While I researched on the Isle of Skye, my home base was the lovely Toravaig
  House. I’d like to thank the staff there for making my stay so pleasant—even
  if they couldn’t do anything about the rain!
  
  Sometimes I need to go into what my friends and family call my “writer’s cave”
  to finish a book. That was the case with _Burned,_ and my cave was made
  verrrry bearable by Paawan Arora, at the Grand Cayman Ritz Carlton, as well as
  Heather L