Old photograph of a statue of Robert Burns and Highland Mary in Scotland. Mary Campbell also known as Highland Mary, was christened Margaret, in March 1763. She was the daughter of a sailor in a revenue cutter named Archibald Campbell of Daling, whose wife was Agnes Campbell of Achnamore or Auchamore, by Dunoon on the Cowal Peninsula in 1762. Mary was the eldest of a family of four. Robert Burns had an affair with her after he felt that he had been " deserted " by Jean Armour following her move to Paisley in March 1786. The brief affair started in April 1786, the parting took place on 14 May. Her pronunciation of English was heavily accented with Gaelic and this led to her becoming known as Highland Mary. Mary Campbell died at the age of 23, around 20 October 1786, probably from Typhus contracted when nursing her brother Robert. She was buried in the old West Kirk churchyard at Greenock, in a lair owned by her host and relation Peter Macpherson. A story is told that some superstitious friends believed that her illness was as a result of someone casting the evil eye upon her. Her father was urged to go to a place where two streams meet, select seven smooth stones, boil them in milk, and treat her with the potion.
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