Emigration
The Highland Clearances were to result in a great deal of emigration from the Highlands - with large numbers of people frequently leaving together for North America, Australia and other destinations. One such emigration from Badenoch occurred in the summer of 1838. Those involved gathered in Kingussie on the day of St Columba's Fair, Latha Feill Chaluim Chille, when practically everyone from Badenoch met there.

Amid scenes - it was afterwards recalled - of 'heart-rending grief', the intending emigrants climbed to the summit of Creag Bheag, the little hill that stands just to the west of Kingussie. From there, they could see the whole of Badenoch: this place where they had been born and grown up; this place where their families, in most instance, had lived for generations; this place which none of them would ever so much as visit again.

Later that day, the emigrant party began their journey. Their belongings packed into carts, they walked, by way of Newtonmore, Laggan and Spean Bridge, to Fort William. From there they travelled by steamer - still something of a novelty at this point - to Oban where they joined the St George, the full-rigged sailing ship which, on July 4, 1838, and with a total of 326 emigrants on board, left for the far side of the world.

More than four months later, on November 15, the St George dropped anchor off Sydney. Five babies had been born on board since the ship had left Oban. And ten emigrants had died
The Badenoch emigration of 1838 inspired one of the best-known and most frequently sung of the many Gaelic songs which deal with Highlanders' departure from their homeland. It was composed by a Badenoch man, Donald Campbell, Domhall Phail, who had himself intended to sail for Australia on the St George but who was prevented from doing so, by personal circumstance, at the last moment.

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