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| Princes Pier, Scotland's Places |
Another of John Donald's Old Greenock Characters. As ever, we make no presumption to edit the pieces, presenting them as they were originally intended by the author.
Wee Erchie the Cripple Whistler was to be seen every day
about West Burn Square .
He would be from ten to twelve years of age some forty-five years ago, and was
a really fine performer upon the tin whistle, with an inexhaustible repertory
of reel, strathspey, jig, march and song music. Not over three feet high,
supported by two crutches, with large head and eyes, pale, intellectual features,
square shoulders, small arms terminating in thin hands with long delicate
fingers, and short legs, which, often crossed, seemed to dangle between the wooden
props. Erchie’s aspect was interesting and apthetic. His skill as a performer brought
him such showers of coppers from sympathetic and admiring auditors that he
extended his sphere of operations to river steamers and special gatherings,
such as cattle shows and sports meetings. A boy himself, it is no wonder that
he was often accompanied by a swarm of youthful sycophants, who tumbled over
each other in eagerness to do him service, sing his praises, and, incidentally,
collar a big share of the good things Erchie bought with his cash, if not of
the cash itself. “The child is the father of the man.” How true!
On returning to my native town after a long absence, I was
informed that as he grew older Erchie developed an undue partiality for strong
drink, which brought him to a tragic end. On an occasion when the late Duke of
Argyll (then Marquis of Lorne) passed over from Princes Pier to his castle at
Rosneath, wee Erchie stationed himself as near as possible to the gangway
leading on board the steamer and played up “The Campbells are comin’” with
great vim. He “tuned his pipe” and blew with such “birr” as to attract the
notice of the Marquis, who conferred a handsome douceur on the musical oddity.
Fatal generosity! Poor Erchie, got tipsy, fell over the quay, and was drowned
that night.
