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Electric Scotland News
I noticed a question about Scottish clans this week in the news. A person was asking if Scots belonged to a clan and how they interacted with them.
The answer was generally negative about clans and it was someone in Glasgow replying to the question. They were saying when asked about what Scots thought were Scottish icons they thought of Irn Bru, football, etc, but you never ever hear Scottish clans mentioned.
If I remember correctly some 80% of Scots don't technically belong to a Scottish clan. Having been brought up in Scotland and working and living there for many years I confess I almost never thought about Scottish clans. I do remember my father giving me a book about the Clan MacIntyre which I read and enjoyed but that was it. The book didn't persuade me to want to join the clan association or to find out more.
In fact it was only when starting this site that I really found out about Scottish clans and was why I started a section for them on the site. Certainly in America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand you hear more about the clans than you do in Scotland. My very first attendance at a Highland Games was in Jacksonville in Florida. In fact I was amazed at how many Scottish flags were flying and said at the time I'd never seen so many in my life including in Scotland.
I found that many Scottish clans were founded by French families from Normandy. I also learned that many Clan Chiefs were pretty ignorant. That was because the strength of clan influence was based on the number of men they could bring to a battle but when that was no longer important they were more interested in clearing their people to introduce sheep as they thought they'd earn more money by doing that.
Later as I delved more into the history of Scotland I learned that if the Clan Chiefs had made more of an effort to train their local people in running their crofts they could have made much more money.
Technically the Highland clans are a small minority of the Scottish population as far more are Anglo Saxons, Welsh, and Irish. . The central belt of Scotland are not Highland although many Highlanders came down and settled there for work. Doing my genealogy it seems I am a MacIntyre, MacMillan or Boyd and so I can claim Highland Heritage. My forebears seemed to concentrate themselves around Largs and were mostly fishermen or butchers.
I will also say that most clans are really not doing a very good job of things when it comes to the web as most keep changing their web site address and don't make any effort to advise non clan members that they have a new web address. For example a few years back I spent some weeks on editing every clan page on the site and I found that some 286 links to clan sites no longer worked. I also noted most clan sites don't respond to emails and often emails are returned with address not known. And when I don't get such an email it is almost guaranteed that I won't get a reply to my email.
Now I will say that over the years many clan chiefs are not wealthy people so they are often unable to deal with admin matters. That said, given they often have a clan society, you'd have thought they could at least get someone to deal with emails and other admin matters for them but they don't.
Often the clan that is most responsive is looking for money to rebuild their ancient castle or some such. Given that many clan chiefs actually cleared their clan from their lands it often makes me wonder about current clan members wanting to keep in touch with their chief. I can however understand that they would like to keep in touch with fellow clan members.
When you read about Scottish clans it's almost all about clan battles and wars and you rarely hear about what good they did for their local area or for Scotland as a whole.
I was once told that the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs tried to build a web site for the clans but they got a very poor response when asking them to provide content for it.
Also clan members lived around the area of their clan chief but it's vey rare that any clan bothers to try and show pictures of where their members were located on these clan lands. Often there is no map of the area of clan lands and while some clans moved around they could at least provide details of their holdings over time. That would allow researchers to do a better job.
I also note that Sept lists can only be changed by the chief of the clan. However when you ask many clans with huge Sept lists about how they became a Sept they are unable to tell you. Mostly that's because the new clan chief never asked their parent how the names became Septs of the clan and so that is now lost to history. I know of no Scottish clan that provides any information on a Sept name and why it is a Sept. I mean by this if they don't know then say that so again researchers could attempt to find the answer.
So on the whole I feel that Scottish clans don't provide most Scots with anything they find useful or practical which is why most Scots tend to ignore them.
Scottish News from this weeks newspapers
Note that this is a selection and more can be read in our ScotNews feed on our index page where we list news from the past 1-2 weeks. I am partly doing this to build an archive of modern news from and about Scotland as all the newsletters are archived and also indexed on Google and other search engines. I might also add that in newspapers such as the Guardian, Scotsman, Courier, etc. you will find many comments which can be just as interesting as the news story itself and of course you can also add your own comments if you wish.
New Scottish £10 note featuring Robert Burns released
Clydesdale Bank has released the first Scottish £10 polymer note into circulation.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/new-sco...ased-1-4566379
Boost for Hammond as UK posts smallest August budget deficit in 10 years
Britain unexpectedly posted its smallest budget deficit for any August since 2007, helped by record sales tax revenues
Read more at:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-bri...-idUKKCN1BW11Q
Obituary: Chris Anderson, talented piper and composer, teacher and judge
Christopher Anderson, Edinburgh piper and composer. Born: 26 August, 1933, in Edinburgh. Died: 5 September, 2017, aged 84.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituar...udge-1-4567200
Study to examine use of not proven verdict
The research has been described as the first of its kind in Scotland and will take place over the next two years.
Read more at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-41372764
Plaids and porridge have been replaced by drugs and depression
What’s happening to Scottish literature?
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...sion-1-4567272
A Spirit of Freedom
The educational revolution has to do with the whole nature of our life on earth by R F Mackenzie. I'd recommend also clicking on the link at the foot to read the next article.
Read more at:
http://www.scottishreview.net/RFMack...tember17a.html
Dyson to make electric cars from 2020
Dyson, the engineering company best known for its vacuum cleaners and fans, plans to spend £2bn developing a radical electric car.
Read more at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-41399497
U.K. Wheat Industry Wooing World's Biggest Buyer
U.K. wheat trade delegation to visit Cairo on Wednesday
Read more at:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-biggest-buyer
Data on NHS waiting lists in Scotland suggests interference
An investigation has begun into the way in which figures for NHS waiting times have been presented to the public in Scotland after concerns about political interference.
Read more at:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/s...ence-rpwkqdg0x
Piping world stages X Factor-style contest to find iconic new tune
The Scottish piping world is to be stage an X Factor-style contest for school pupils in a bid to uncover an iconic new tune for the national instrument.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/pi...tune-1-4572507
Scotland's transport Minister on a road to nowhere
TRANSPORT is one of these quiet but emotive subjects in politics. Nothing much is said when it runs smoothly but all hell breaks loose when it doesn’t.
Read more at:
http://www.thinkscotland.org/thinkpo...ead_full=13302
Electric Canadian
Colportage in Canada
The calling of the colporteur, though not under that name, was an early one in the Church (pdf)
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/Religion/colportage.pdf
Fruit Growing in Canada
By John Craig (pdf)
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/tran...wingcanada.pdf
The Agricultural Gazette of Canada
Editor: J. B. Spencer, B.S.A. (1918)
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/tran...ralGazette.pdf
In Canada's Wonderful Northland
A story of Eight Months of Travel by Canoe, Motorboat, and Dog-Team on the Northern Rivers and along the New Quebec Coast of Hudson Bay by W. Tees Curran and H. A. Calkins, B.Sc. (1917)
I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was certainly very hard work to explore such a region.
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...-northland.pdf
Conrad Black
I've always had a lot of time for Conrad Black and so as he writes from Canada on a number of issues of interest from around the world I'm intending to include links to his writings for you to view.
Keeping Nuclear Weapons from Psychopaths is not a Partisan Issue
http://www.conradmblack.com/1335/kee...chopaths-is-no
Germany's Moment
http://www.conradmblack.com/1336/germany-moment
Electric Scotland
The Cabin
By Stewart Edward White (1911). As I enjoy old books about building pioneer cabins and the like I thought some of you might enjoy this book which you can read at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...a/thecabin.htm
Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico
Edited by Frederick Webb Hodge in two volumes (1907)
Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith the manuscript of Bulletin 30 of the Bureau of American Ethnology, entitled "Handbook of American Indians," which has been in preparation for a number of years and has been completed for publication under the editorship of Mr F. W. Hodge. The Handbook contains a descriptive list of the stocks, confederacies, tribes, tribal divisions, and settlements north of Mexico, accompanied with the various names by which these have been known, together with biographies of Indians of note, sketches of their history, archeology, manners, arts, customs, and institutions, and the aboriginal words incorporated into the English language.
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/handbook.htm
Biographica Britannica
An old six volume publication of biographies of people in Britain and Ireland published in 1744.
OR, The Lives of the most eminent persons who have flourished in Great Britain and Ireland from the earliest ages, down to the present times. Collected from the best Autherities, both Printed and Manuscript, and digested in the Manner of Mr Bayle's Historical and Critical Dictionary.
It took just 20 years for me to discover this set of biographies (published in 1744) and you should note that it uses the old spelling where the letter "s" is written as the letter "f". For example the word "such" is written as "fuch" or "present" is written as "prefent" or "presume" is written as "prefume" or "published" is written as "publifhed" etc. While at first it makes this a little difficult to read you'll find you quickly get used to it.
I did find an explanation for this...
... It was just written differently according to its position in the word. The f-like s (like an f without the crossbar) was a tall variant used at the start or in the middle of a word, which the modern s was used at the end or after a tall s. This practice was obviously too complicated to survive, for it died out hundreds of years ago - although the Celtic s looks like a Celtic f without the crossbar to this day; and in Greek a different form of the letter sigma (the Greek s) is used at the end of the word; so there's nothing funny about it, it's just unfamiliar to us...
I note that the only two Mac entries seem to be MacKenzie and MacLaurin so looks to be a bit bereft of information on Scottish clan names starting with M.
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...britannica.htm
Memoir of William Edmondstoune Aytoun
A great figure in the literature history of Scotland. Added a link to this book at the foot of the page at
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...tion/ayton.htm
Private Life of John C. Calhoun
Addressed to her Brother, and Communicated to the International Magazine by Miss M. Bat
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...hn_calhoun.htm
The Late D. M. Moir
By George Gilfillan. Came across this interesting article and thought I'd add it to his page. I also added links to his 2 volumes of poetry as well as two other publications such as "Outlines of the ancient history of medicine" and "Life of Mansie Wauch, Tailor in Dalkeith".
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...moir_david.htm
Blackwood's Magazine
Added the 12 volume series of Tales from Blackwood's Magazine which you can browse through at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/book...blackwoods.htm
The Story
I decided to give you one of the stories from the above Tales from Blackwood's Magazine this week...
Narrative of Prince Charlie's Escape
By one of his companions - Edinburgh, September 9, 1873.
SIR,—The Manuscript narrative of the escape of Prince Charles Stuart, by John Macdonald, one of his companions, of which a copy follows, is the property of the Misses Macdonald of Dalilea, granddaughters of the author, and was intrusted to me by them. I have transcribed the MS. carefully, verbatim et literatim, and have merely added an introduction and conclusion, partly from information I already possessed, and partly from that furnished to me by the family. Of the authenticity of the MS. itself I have not the shadow of a doubt The appearance of the original MS., which was in my hands for some time, carries truth in its face, and I know that it has been in the possession of the author’s descendants from his death to the present time; having been always prized by them as an interesting family relic.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully,
George Skene.
To the Editor of “Blackwood.”
AMID the wildest scenery of the West Highlands, and just on the boundary-line that separates the counties of Argyll and Inverness, lies the sequestered sheet of water known as Loch Shiel. Even in that land of lakes and rocky mountains, it would be difficult to find a more striking landscape than is afforded by that lonely lake. Hemmed in, throughout the most part of its extent, by high mountains of the most picturesque forms, the opposite heights approach so near, that although the lake at their foot is upwards of twenty-six miles in length, it never attains even to one mile in breadth. This wild glen was in former days, and indeed still is, the home of a family of the name of Macdonald, who possessed a considerable extent of property in the neighbourhood, comprising Dalilea and Glenaladale on the lake shore, Glenfinnan at its head, and the farm of Borradale on the shore of Loch-nan-Ua. These different parts of the property were frequently occupied by members of the family, as circumstances might render convenient, and, as was usual in other Highland families, the different occupants were then distinguished by the names of their residences. A green island in the lake, known as St Finian’s Isle, has been the burial-place of the race since they first settled there, and is covered with the memorials of the dead. Besides the natural beauty of its scenery—in which this estate is hardly equalled, certainly not 'excelled, by any other in the Highlands—an interest of a different kind attaches to it, from the fact that both the commencement and the close of the romantic expedition of Prince Charles Edward Stuart took place within its bounds. At the farm of Borradale, that daring adventurer first set foot on Scottish ground; in Grlenfinnan he raised his standard and assembled the clans who took arms for the restoration of their ancient royal line ; and at Borradale, again, he succeeded in baffling his enemies, and embarking on board of the French man-of-war that carried him from the country.
On the outbreak of the insurrection of 1745, the Clan Ronald, to whom the Macdonalds of Loch Shiel belonged, took an active part on behalf of the House of Stuart, bearing their full share of all the difficulties and dangers of that unfortunate campaign. A hundred and twenty-seven years have elapsed since the fatal battle of Culloden terminated the last attempt of the Highlanders to place their ancient royal House on the British throne. The chief incidents of the expedition of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, and of his own romantic adventures, after the final dispersion of his adherents, are known to every reader of our 'history, and are generally regarded as no more than an interesting episode in our national annals, and a remarkable instance of the devoted affection of a primitive people to the descendant of their ancient kings. In the Highlands, however, the recollection of the "45” is something very different from this. Even to this day, every incident in the personal history of these devoted men who strove to cut a path for their Prince to the British throne is remembered, and related by their descendants as an honour to the family, never to be forgotten. Every relic, even remotely connected with “Bonnie Prince Charlie,” is preserved as a cherished heirloom by its fortunate possessor. In the immediate neighbourhood of Loch Shiel, at the foot of Glenfinnan, a monument, surmounted by a statue of the Young Adventurer, has been erected by Mr Macdonald of Glenaladale. It occupies the exact spot where Charles Edward unfurled his banner on August 19, 1745. In this neighbourhood also there was brought to light, a few years ago, a most interesting memorial of the unfortunate Prince’s wanderings, after the final destruction of his hopes of success in his expedition on the field of Culloden. As will be seen hereafter, the Prince was for some time in hiding in the neighbourhood of Loch Shiel, and it has been remembered ever since that time that he and these with him found it expedient to cross the loch, in order to proceed to new quarters. The Argyll militia, however, were' then patrolling all round the loch, and had destroyed all the boats, in order to prevent the fugitive party from crossing. In these circumstances, the party having found a large oak-tree in a favourable position, felled it, and hollowed the trunk, partly with their axes and partly by fire, as many savage tribes are in the habit of doing, till they had produced a rude imitation of a canoe, of the kind known in America as a dug-out. This primitive boat they then conveyed at midnight to the lake shore; and being afraid to use oars, lest the sound should betray them to their watchful enemies, they laid the Prince at full length in the boat, and entering the water themselves, swam across the loch, dragging the boat after them. Having thus effected the desired passage, they sank the boat, at a place called Camus Blain, nearly opposite St Finian’s Isle. Here the boat lay under water for a hundred and nine years, till 1855, when a gamekeeper of Mr Hope Scott’s, known in the neighbourhood as Black John, brought it again to light. It is now in the possession of Colonel Robertson Ross of Glen Moidart. The account of its construction above given was derived from the grandson of the man who made it, and who is still alive, or at least was recently so. It is difficult to conceive a more interesting memorial of the dangers and difficulties to which the fugitive Prince was exposed than is afforded by this old canoe.
At the time when Charles Edward landed at Borradale, that farm was held by a gentleman named Angus Macdonald; whilst that part of the property of the family which was situated on the shore of Loch Shiel was held by his nephew, generally known as Macdonald of Glenaladale. Macdonald of Borradale had two sons, Ronald and John. Of these, the younger, John Macdonald, having shown a greater taste for learning than was then common in the Highlands, had been sent for his education to the then famous Scottish College at Ratisbon. On the outbreak of the insurrection, young John left the college and hurried home. He joined the Highland army at Perth, serving along with his cousin Glenaladale, who was a major in the ClanRonald regiment, and who had proclaimed Prince Charles Edward at Perth. John Macdonald was noted in the army for his eminently handsome figure, and for his striking resemblance to the Prince himself—a resemblance the effect of which was enhanced by the foreign air and accent he had contracted at Ratisbon, and which was so strong that the young Highlander was frequently mistaken for the Prince himself.
Through the whole of the romantic campaign which followed, John Macdonald bore his full share; and on the march to the fatal field of Culloden he was one of these to whom the Catholic priest accompanying the army administered the sacrament, in anticipation of the bloody conflict which all knew to be inevitable. On that fatal day to the hopes of the Stuarts, his cousin Glenaladale received three severe wounds, but John himself escaped unhurt; and as soon as he found it in his power, he joined the fugitive Prince, whom he accompanied through the greater part of his wanderings, and was finally only prevented from following his master to France by a severe attack of fever. On parting with him, however, the Prince gave him his gold-headed cane as a remembrance and acknowledgment of his devoted loyalty, telling him at the same time that it was the only valuable property he had left. Of this cherished relic the family were afterwards deprived by an unfortunate accident, to their great and lasting regret. After the final escape of Prince Charles Edward, and the restoration of peace to the Highlands, John Macdonald occupied himself in writing memoirs of different parts of the campaign in which he had borne so active a part,—a task for which his German education rendered him peculiarly well qualified. Of his MSS. some were sent by himself to Home the historian, who had applied to him for information; another was given by him to his relative, Sir John McGregor Murray, and cannot now be found; but one remained in the possession of his descendants, by whose kind permission it has now been printed verbatim et literatim. It is a curious and most interesting document. Of its authenticity, that it really is what it professes to be—a narrative by an actual companion of Prince Charles of what he himself saw and experienced during that wonderful escape—there cannot be a shadow of doubt. Independent of the fact that it has never been out of the hands of the author's family, the very paper and ink on and in which it is written refer it at once to the middle of the last century as the date of its composition. The author speaks of himself frequently in the first person; and the quaint and often ungrammatical style and irregular spelling are exactly what was to be expected from John Macdonald, a man of considerable education, but one whose native tongue was Gaelic, and who in writing English was in fact using what was to him a foreign language. Besides, the simple and unaffected manner in which the incidents are narrated bears unmistakable evidence that he was merely recording what he himself remembered, without any thought of its ever becoming public.
Being in this maner disappointed, he theught proper to risk his person in the hands of Clan-ranald’s people in South Uist, who gave him all the aid and assistance in their power, till such time the country was surrounded by his enemies; then clearly perceiveing the impossibility of escaping, he was advised to go to Clanranold house, in Benbecula, twenty five miles from the place he then was at, and endeavour to ferrie to the Isle of Sky, accompanied by the then Miss Flory M‘Donald ; and he, under the name of Miss Bety Burk, and her servant-maid, effected there escape, and arrived safe at Kingsbrough, in Trotemess, parte of Lord M‘Donald’s estate. There Miss Flory M‘Don-ald parted with him.
After some rest there, he proceeded to M‘Leod Rasa’s familie, whore he was received with the greatest kindness and friendship. After an night’s rest there, he was sent under the care of Malcom M‘Leod to the care of one John M'Kinon, alias John M‘Rorie vio Lachlan in M‘Kinon’s estate, who next night conveyed him to the Laird of Moror’s ffarm in the mainland, and he beged of Moror to send a sure guide with him to his faithfull old Landlord (this is what he allways termed my father) to Borradil; after his arrival there, the old Gentleman and his two sons, Ronald and I, received him with all the marks of friendship and Respect, and gave our word of honour we would use our utermost to save him in spite of all his enemies; and that we depended on Divine Providence that he would grant him and us health, strenght, and vigour to endure all the fatigue and hardship necessary for that purpose.
As the Prince at all times entertained the greatest regard for Mr McDonald’s of Glenaladil’s integrity and capacity in aideing him as far as in his power, he ordered me to goe directly to him and acquaint him of his present situation, and hoped he would meet him and his present smal Company in the woods of Borradil next night.
After Glenaladil considered the message, he looked upon it exceeding hard to depart from his wife and five prety weak children, and his great stock of catle were before then taken awy by the enmie; and haveing received three bad wounds at Cullodden, of which one of them was not then fully-cured ; notwithstanding these consideration he despised them, and theught it his duty to grant all the aid and assistance in his power to save a poor distressed Prince, notwithstanding of the great temptation of thyrty theusand pound stel promised by government to any that should deliver him up. Theugh Glenaladil and his old uncle Borradil, with his children, were in the greatesst distress for want of any support* at the time, two nights thereafter he appeared at the place appointed with the above party. They proceeded next morning to MfLeod's Cove, upon a high precipes in the woods of Borradil, where they all deliberated what steps they woud take for there safety; few days after they visibly saw the whole coast surrounded by ships of war and tenders, as also- the country by other militaiy forces; then it was determined to use all efforts to depart out of the country, and began there march that very night, and came the lenth of Meoble, in the brays of Moror, where the old gentleman Borradil, and his soon Ronald, took there leave of him. The Prince then, accompanied only by Glenaladil, and his brother John and I, made streight for the brays of Glenfinen, which is parte of Glen-aladil’s estate. To our great surprise we found that place surrounded by three hundred of the Enemies. Then we came to a resolution to depart© tlio country for somo timo; and for that purpose sent an express to Donald Cameron, Glenpean, an aged gentleman, to meet us at Corrour, in the brays of Moror, which accordingly ho did; wo proceeded under night till sunrise next morning, to the top of a high mountain laying between Locharkeig and Lochmoror head, a camp of the enemy laying on each side of us, and two different camps of the military before us. In the course of throe nights we passed by four camps and twenty-five patroles, and somo so nigh us that we heard them frequently speaken, witheut any food farther than a smal slice of salt cheese, and aboundance of water.
The Thyrd morning we arrived near the top of a high mountain near Lochum head, and found there a bit hollow ground, covered with long heather and brenches of jung birch bushes, where we all five of us lay down to rest, almost fainting for want of food; these severe tryals and circumstance drew many heavy sighs from his poor oppressed heart. I informed him then that I had a leepy of groaten meal wrapt up in a Nepkin in my pocket, which, when I produced, made alwast alteration in the counteinance of the whole of them. Come, come, says he, let us, in Gods name, have a share; never was people in more need. I expect soon to meet with plenty; so I divided the whole of it between us five ; and they began to chat and crak heartily, after our refreshment. We perceived fourty of the military, with a Captn as there commander, laying at the foot of the mountain, all this time; we saw them visibly all allong, durst not move till dark night, for fear of being discovered, proceeded then on our jurny to the brays of Glenshiel; the darkest night ever in my life I traveled; and arrived within a mile of it by sunrise, quite exhausted with hunger and fatigue.
Glenaladil and I were then sent to the village in view to procure some provisions, and bought a stone of cheese and a half stone of buter, as we could get nothing else; immediately returned back where we left him, Donald Cammeron, and Glen-aladil’s brother; words cannot express the quantity we consumed of the buter and cheese at the time, hough both kind exceeding salt. We met that day with one Donald M‘Donald, a Glengary lad, with whome we agreed to be our guide farther North, as Donald Cameron returned, after his refreshment, to look after his own family; and we passed the whole day, which was exceeding hot, in the face of a mountain, above a river that run throu Glenshiel; were all seized with such a druth that we were all like to perish before sunset. He woud not allow any of us to move for water, theugh we might have bein provided within fourty yards to us, so cautious he was. At sunset we all went stagem to the river side, and drank water at no allowance; at same time we saw a boy coming towards us at somo distance; Glenaladil and I wont to meet him. This was a son of the honest M‘Kra that furnished us with provision in the morning, whom his father sent with five Scots pints of goat milk for our relief. Glenaladil, who had all our bank in a purse hingen before him, gave the boy four shillings stel; and in the hurry he was in, he happened to drap his purse on the ground till he got his plead kilted on him; then we bad fareweel to the boy, and returned in great hast to our smal partie, who partook liberaly of the milk, then proceeded an English mile before we missed the purse, in which was a keeping fourty Luisdors and five shillings in silver, which was all we hade to depend upon for our subsistence; it was determined that Glen and I was to return in search of our smal stock. Found the purse and five shillings in it, in the spot wo left it, and none of the gold; proceeded then about midnight to the boy’s father’s house, who at the time was sound sleeping, called him out, fairly told him what happened; witheut a minute dela he returned to the house, got hold of a rop hinging there, and griped his son by the arm in great passion, and addressed him in the following words: you damnd scoundrel, this instant get these poor gentlemens mony, which I am certain is all they have to depend upon, or, by the heavens, I’ll hing you to that very tree you see this moment. The Boy shivereing with fear went instantly for the mony, which he had hurried under ground about thyrty yards from his Fathers house.
During the time Glen and I spent about recover-eing our smal fonds, the Prince and the two persons we left with him saw on the other side of Shiel river an officer to appearance, and three men with him; our smal party hidd themselves by favour of some Aron bushes at the river side, but they were convinced they coud not miss to meet Glenaladil and me, and the consequence would be squabble between us, theugh he positively refused to inform us of the danger of meeting them, by one of them that was alongst with him, the night being quite clear and a seren sky. Notwithstanding our passing by one an other on each side of the river, neither of use observed the other, nor can I account for it.
Then we proceeded all night throu these muirs till ten of the clock next morning, stopt then till the evening, witheut meeting with any particular accidents, excepting heareing some firing of guns not at a very greatest distance. The evening being very calm and warm, we greatly suffered by mitches, a species of litle creatures troublesome and numerous in the highlands; to preserve him from such troublesome guests, we wrapt him head and feet in his plead, and covered him with long heather that naturally grew about a bit hollow ground we laid him. After leaving him in that posture, he uttored several heavy sighes and groands. We planted ourselves about the best wo coud.
Finding, theu, nothing by appoarance to disturb us, or enemie in our way, we proceeded on, and next night arrived in the brays of Glemnorison, called the Corrichido; perceived three or four smal huts in the strath of the corry.
It was then determined upon by us to send Glenaladils brother down to them, to know what they were; and when he understood them to bo all McDonalds, and friends to the cause, except Patrick Grant Crosky, who was with them, and equaly a friend to the cause, he addressed one of them, called John M‘Donald, alias M‘Goule vie Icadui, to goe with a cogfull of milk to Mr M‘Don-ald of Glenaladil and M‘Donald of Greenfield, which letter was not there at same time. He instantly complyed with his request; but to his greatest surprise, at the distance of nine yards from us, he knew the Prince to be there, his head bein covered with a whit night cape, and an old Bonet above; at this unexpected sight, the poor man changed collours, and turned as red as blood, and addressed him in the following maner: I am sorry to see you in such a poor state, and hope if I live to see yet in a better condition, as I have seen you before at the head of your armie, upon the green of Glasgow; all I can doe is to continue faithfull to you while I live, and am willing to leave my wife and children, and follow you wherever you incline goeing. After all this discurse was explained to the Prince, he said, takeing him cheerfully by the hand, As you are a McDonald, whom I allways found faithfull to my cause, I shall admit you to my smal partie, and trust myself to you; and if ever it should be my lot to enjoy my own, you may depend upon of being equally rewarded. One thing I beg leave to observe to you, says he, there is one large stone in the strath of this corry near these huts you see; under that stone fourty men can accomodate themselves, and the best water in the highland runen throu it, and a large void heather bed in it already made for your reception. I have a three year old stote I may slaughter for provision, till such time you refresh yourself and your partie: there are four more neighbours and contrimen with me, as trusty as I, who can furnish us from the neighboureing countrys with such necessarys of life as can be expected in such distressed time.
His advise was so agreable that we all agreed to it witheut hesitation, and marched all with cheer-fullness in our countenance to this new unexpected mansion, and found ourselves as comfortably lodged as we had been in a Royal pallace. The other four men mentioned above came in, and after a short disscourse, gave all chearfully the oath of allegiance, after which they brought the stote and killed him; wo then fosted, and lived thero plentifully for three days and nights, till wo found ourselves in danger, by one whom they genoraly styled the black Campbell, who had a party of militio within six miles to the place we was in; in that event we theught adviseablo, to proceed to the Chissolms firr woods, whore wo and our wholo partio spent near a month in pace and plentio. At the root of one largo tree we build for the Prince, Glenaladil, and me, one tent of firr branches; at the oth6r side of the tree another one of a larger seize. Two of our party was allways employed in providoing provisions; other two as outpost, en-quireing for information. One honest tenant of the name of Chissolm, at the distance of a few miles from us, affoarded us with meal, buter, and cheese, and flesh weekly; neither did we want for Aquavitso and tobaco, which comodity we all made use of. Nothing particular happened to us dureing our stay there.
But the Prince, anxious to find out Cameron of Lochiel, insisted upon our return towards that parte of his estate called Locharckeig. After a day or twos march, passed by the brays of Glen-morison, and arriveing to the brays of Glengarie about nightfall, the river Garie swelled to such a degree that we theught it unpassable. He still positeivly insisted upon giving it a tryal, which wo did, and with the greatest difficulty, at the hasart of our lifes, succeeded, the night being very dark. Rested near the bank of the river, waet and cold; next day passed throu Glenkeinie, and stopt at a broken shelhouse above Auchnasaul. We then were out of provisions. We sent two of our partie to repair a smal hut, wherein Lochiel scolked for some time, but observing a Deer at the end of the hut, shut both at him at once and killed him. One of them returned to us withe these most agreable news, where we all in a bodie steered our course, and employed the whole night in dressing for him and ourselves parte of the venison. Next day we sent for Air Cameron of Cluns, and after passing two nights together, went to Torrvullen, opposite to Achnacarrie, Locheils principal place of residence once; killed a good highland cow; then Doctor Cameron and two french officer that landed some time before that in Pollew, in Rossyne, came to us, and Air Cameron of Cluns; and after passing two nights there, they came to the followeing resolution : viz. that the Prince, accompanied by Doctor Cameron, Glenaladil, the two french officer, with a few more, should be conveyed to Locheil, and that I shoud return to the west coast; and if any frigats from France should appear for the purpose of carreing him, I to goe aboard till he could be found dead or alive, and that Glenaladil is the person to be employed for procureing him, the Glenmorison lads to return home with his promise,
If ever in his power ho would make satisfaction for there losses and gratituo ; so that very night I and John Glenaladil’s brother made of for the west coast, and arrived there two days after, and found all left behind us in the greatest distress for want of all nocessarys of life, or houses to shelter us from the inclemency of the weather.
A fourtnight thereafter, in September, two frigats appeared coming to the harbour at Borrodil under English colours. My father and brother Ranald and I immediately hade recourse to the muirs, to avoid being apprehended, and appointed one Donald M‘Donald, in whom wo hade great confidence, to wait there landing; and after nightfall, twelve french, with two officers at their hade, came to a smal hut wo repaired some time before that for our own reception, as all our houses before that were all burned; the names of the officers were jung Sheridan and Capn ONeil, who at there arrival, enquired for us all, as they knew us weel formerly, and wished much to have some disscourso of consequence with us. Upon our being informed of this, we appeared, and after a long conversation, were convinced of there sincerity, and oblidged them to produce there credentials from France, before we revealed any parte of our secrets to them.
Next day I went aboord one of the frigats; and my brother, accompanied by the two french officer, went to Glenaladil to acquaint him of there errand.
After a night’s rest, they were desired by Glenaladil to return to there ships, and that he would goe in serch of the person they wanted, which he accordingly did, and in eight days returned with him to Borrodil, where he first landed; and after refreshing himself weel, directly went aboord, and with a fair wind set sail next morning for France, and left us all in a worse state than he found us. Locheil, his Brother Doctor Cameron, John Roy Stuart, the two first mentioned french officers, with one hundred more persons of some distinction, accompanied him, and took there passage alongst with him; he then seemed to be in good spirit, and addressed himself to such as stayed behind to live in good hopes, and that he expected to see us soon with such a force as would enable him to re-embures us for our losses and trouble; so that he ended as he began.
One material circumstance I cannot omit acquainting you of; that is, the battle fought between three British frigats and two french ones on the 3d of May after Cullodden batle. The french frigats landed the later end of April fourty theusand Louisdors, with some stand of arms and amunition, at the farm of Borradil; government being informed of the same, despatched three of there own frigats to the place mentioned, in order to capture the Frenchman; present Lord Howe, then captn of the Grayhound frigate, was commodore of that smal squadron. They appeared in seight about four in the morning by the point of Ardmuchan, from whence they then visibly saw tlio french frigats; they were favoured with a favourable wind directly after them, and before the french hade time to rise there ankors, Captn Howe sliped in between the two french frigats, and gave a broadside to each of them with very great execution. The largest of the french frigats was disabled by breaken her ruder, and was oblidged to lay by till seven o’clock in the afternoon: and the smal french frigate, after several attempts of bourd-ing her, fairly escaped till then, and when soon the largest of them repaired the damage, went to her assistance. Captn Howe haveing run out of ammunition, sheered of about nightfall, and the french persued them for a leage, when they theught ad-viseable to return to there former situation. At two o’clock next morning they steered away for Barra head with a fair wind; the Ducke of Perth, and several other gentlemen, such as Lord John Drumond, Lockard of Camwath, and many more took there passage to France. The batle leasted twelve hours, and we found on our shores fefteen frenchmen dead, not one Englishman in the number, as they threew none overboard of them till they came the lenth of the point of Ardmurchan. After that the gold was by a partie conveyed to Lochaber, and parte of the arms, by orders of secretar Morrow, and were then determined to gather and randevou there friends and weelwishers, which never happened since, nor by all appearance will.
Such is John Macdonald’s narrative. It has been printed with all its irregularities and peculiarities of style and spelling, so that it now appears just as it left the hands of its auther. It does not perhaps contain much that is new, but the romantic character of the adventures narrated, and the honest and unadorned language in which they are told, cannot fail to give it a deep and painful interest. It brings out, in a striking degree, the devoted affection of these loyal Highlanders for their unfortunate Prince—of whom it has been often remarked, that with a price of £30,000 on his head, and whilst the place of his concealment was more than once known to at least one hundred men at the same time, not one of them should ever have theught of securing what would have been affluence to himself, at the expense of treachery to the fugitive. A farther remark is suggested by this narrative. It exhibits in a remarkable way the humble respect and obedience which was felt by these devoted men towards the Prince, even at the lowest ebb of his fortunes. His Highland attendants never allowed themselves to be raised above the position of subjects and counsellors, altheugh it could not have been theught unnatural had the circumstances led them to do so. From their knowledge both of the country and of the people, they must have known much better than he could how to evade the dangers to which ho was exposed, and to elude the strict watch that was kept for him by the patrolling parties of the Government; yet it is plain that ho was not only nominally, but actually, th leader of the party. They gave him the fullest information and the best advice they could, but they obeyed his orders whatever they might be.
The only incident of importance in the narrative of which the historians of the period seem to have taken little if any notice is the naval action between Lord Howe’s squadron and the two French men-of-war. Such a collision was indeed inevitable in the circumstances, when any of the British vessels which were cruising off the West Highlands to prevent the Prince’s escape, fell in with any of the French ships, which were there to facilitate it. That the incidents of the action itself are correctly reported, can hardly be doubted, when it is remembered that the whole took place in the immediate neighbourhood of the residence of the family, who were probably eyewitnesses ; and when the circumstantiality of the narrative is further considered, the very number of the dead who were washed on shore being recorded, and the unexpected fact that they were all Frenchmen—a fact which the rumour of the country seems to have satisfactorily accounted for.
It may not be uninteresting to give a moment’s attention to the subsequent fortunes of these attendants of Prince Charles who are especially mentioned in John Macdonald’s narrative. The merciless severity with which the troops of the Government ravaged the territories of the insurgent clans after the defeat at Culloden, is matter of history; and it can excite no surprise that this was especially the case with the lands of the Clan-Ronald. Where the houses of the gentry were situated near the sea-shore, they were destroyed by the cannon of the men-of-war; where they were not accessible in this way, they were burnt by the troops who patrolled the country. The cattle and other property of the inhabitants were carried off, and they themselves were driven to the moors and mountains, to find subsistence if they could, and if they could not, to perish. The house of Borradale was burnt; all the cattle and corn, and everything eatable, was carried off, and the family were compelled to fly to the woods, where they subsisted on nuts, and anything else they could find; and it is still remembered that they even tried to grind the nuts into a kind of meal, that they might at least have something like the oat-cakes and porridge they were accustomed to. It is further related that John Macdonald’s mother, who was a daughter of Macgregor of Glengyle, in the course of the flight of the family from Borradale, was seized by the soldiers, and the wedding-ring torn off her finger. John Macdonald himself, the author of the narrative now published, married Catherine, a daughter of Macdonell of Barrisdale, a cadet of the family of Glengarry. The Macdonells of Barrisdale suffered as much from the Government as their neighbours. Their house at Glenmeddle was the first house in that neighbourhood battered down by the shot from the war-ships. John Macdonald’s wife used afterwards to relate that she recollected on this occasion looking from her place of shelter in the woods, and seeing the soldiers kill all the geese and fowls about the place, and carry them off, driving off at the same time all the cows; but that the dairymaid ran after the party and entreated the officer in command to have mercy on the innocent children at least, and to leave one cow to give milk for them. This he did, and that cow was ever after known by the nickname of “The Trooper.” The family of Barrisdale took refuge in a hut built of wattles; and here they were roused early one morning by seeing the muzzles of several muskets projecting through their wattled walls. A party of soldiers immediately entered, who, after searching the hut for the Prince, commanded the family to follow them. In a short time, however, they seemed to see the uselessness of encumbering themselves with prisoners, and allowed the Macdonells to return to their shelter. John Macdonald was not only considered the most learned man in his clan; he was also reported to possess an unusual amount of energy and cleverness, qualities which he is said to have exhibited in a remarkable manner, by first risking his life many times in attempting to dethrone George II., and subsequently inducing the Government to pay his wife’s portion out of her father’s sequestrated estate.
Macdonald of Glenaladale, so often mentioned in the narrative, was succeeded at his death by his son John, who, with all his tenants, emigrated to Prince Edward Island, where they, or their descendants, still remain. Before his emigration, this John Macdonald sold his Highland property to his own near cousin, Alexander Macdonald, who had realised a large fortune in the West Indies. This Alexander Macdonald of Glenaladale was succeeded on his death by his son, also named Alexander, who has perpetuated his memory in the Highlands by erecting the monument to Prince Charles still to be seen in Glenfinnan. On his death without issue, the succession to his estates opened to the Borradale branch of the family. The descendants of the elder son of old Angus Macdonald of Borradale added Glenaladale and Glenfinnan to Borradale, which they already possessed; whilst Archibald, the son of his second son, John, the author of the narrative, got Dalilea on Loch Shiel. This property has now passed into the possession of Lord Howard; but the descendants of John Macdonald still inhabit the house of Dalilea, and it is through their kind permission that their grandfather’s narrative has now been given to the public.
And that's it for this week and I hope you all have a great weekend.
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com/
Electric Scotland News
I noticed a question about Scottish clans this week in the news. A person was asking if Scots belonged to a clan and how they interacted with them.
The answer was generally negative about clans and it was someone in Glasgow replying to the question. They were saying when asked about what Scots thought were Scottish icons they thought of Irn Bru, football, etc, but you never ever hear Scottish clans mentioned.
If I remember correctly some 80% of Scots don't technically belong to a Scottish clan. Having been brought up in Scotland and working and living there for many years I confess I almost never thought about Scottish clans. I do remember my father giving me a book about the Clan MacIntyre which I read and enjoyed but that was it. The book didn't persuade me to want to join the clan association or to find out more.
In fact it was only when starting this site that I really found out about Scottish clans and was why I started a section for them on the site. Certainly in America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand you hear more about the clans than you do in Scotland. My very first attendance at a Highland Games was in Jacksonville in Florida. In fact I was amazed at how many Scottish flags were flying and said at the time I'd never seen so many in my life including in Scotland.
I found that many Scottish clans were founded by French families from Normandy. I also learned that many Clan Chiefs were pretty ignorant. That was because the strength of clan influence was based on the number of men they could bring to a battle but when that was no longer important they were more interested in clearing their people to introduce sheep as they thought they'd earn more money by doing that.
Later as I delved more into the history of Scotland I learned that if the Clan Chiefs had made more of an effort to train their local people in running their crofts they could have made much more money.
Technically the Highland clans are a small minority of the Scottish population as far more are Anglo Saxons, Welsh, and Irish. . The central belt of Scotland are not Highland although many Highlanders came down and settled there for work. Doing my genealogy it seems I am a MacIntyre, MacMillan or Boyd and so I can claim Highland Heritage. My forebears seemed to concentrate themselves around Largs and were mostly fishermen or butchers.
I will also say that most clans are really not doing a very good job of things when it comes to the web as most keep changing their web site address and don't make any effort to advise non clan members that they have a new web address. For example a few years back I spent some weeks on editing every clan page on the site and I found that some 286 links to clan sites no longer worked. I also noted most clan sites don't respond to emails and often emails are returned with address not known. And when I don't get such an email it is almost guaranteed that I won't get a reply to my email.
Now I will say that over the years many clan chiefs are not wealthy people so they are often unable to deal with admin matters. That said, given they often have a clan society, you'd have thought they could at least get someone to deal with emails and other admin matters for them but they don't.
Often the clan that is most responsive is looking for money to rebuild their ancient castle or some such. Given that many clan chiefs actually cleared their clan from their lands it often makes me wonder about current clan members wanting to keep in touch with their chief. I can however understand that they would like to keep in touch with fellow clan members.
When you read about Scottish clans it's almost all about clan battles and wars and you rarely hear about what good they did for their local area or for Scotland as a whole.
I was once told that the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs tried to build a web site for the clans but they got a very poor response when asking them to provide content for it.
Also clan members lived around the area of their clan chief but it's vey rare that any clan bothers to try and show pictures of where their members were located on these clan lands. Often there is no map of the area of clan lands and while some clans moved around they could at least provide details of their holdings over time. That would allow researchers to do a better job.
I also note that Sept lists can only be changed by the chief of the clan. However when you ask many clans with huge Sept lists about how they became a Sept they are unable to tell you. Mostly that's because the new clan chief never asked their parent how the names became Septs of the clan and so that is now lost to history. I know of no Scottish clan that provides any information on a Sept name and why it is a Sept. I mean by this if they don't know then say that so again researchers could attempt to find the answer.
So on the whole I feel that Scottish clans don't provide most Scots with anything they find useful or practical which is why most Scots tend to ignore them.
Scottish News from this weeks newspapers
Note that this is a selection and more can be read in our ScotNews feed on our index page where we list news from the past 1-2 weeks. I am partly doing this to build an archive of modern news from and about Scotland as all the newsletters are archived and also indexed on Google and other search engines. I might also add that in newspapers such as the Guardian, Scotsman, Courier, etc. you will find many comments which can be just as interesting as the news story itself and of course you can also add your own comments if you wish.
New Scottish £10 note featuring Robert Burns released
Clydesdale Bank has released the first Scottish £10 polymer note into circulation.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/new-sco...ased-1-4566379
Boost for Hammond as UK posts smallest August budget deficit in 10 years
Britain unexpectedly posted its smallest budget deficit for any August since 2007, helped by record sales tax revenues
Read more at:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-bri...-idUKKCN1BW11Q
Obituary: Chris Anderson, talented piper and composer, teacher and judge
Christopher Anderson, Edinburgh piper and composer. Born: 26 August, 1933, in Edinburgh. Died: 5 September, 2017, aged 84.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituar...udge-1-4567200
Study to examine use of not proven verdict
The research has been described as the first of its kind in Scotland and will take place over the next two years.
Read more at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-41372764
Plaids and porridge have been replaced by drugs and depression
What’s happening to Scottish literature?
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...sion-1-4567272
A Spirit of Freedom
The educational revolution has to do with the whole nature of our life on earth by R F Mackenzie. I'd recommend also clicking on the link at the foot to read the next article.
Read more at:
http://www.scottishreview.net/RFMack...tember17a.html
Dyson to make electric cars from 2020
Dyson, the engineering company best known for its vacuum cleaners and fans, plans to spend £2bn developing a radical electric car.
Read more at:
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-41399497
U.K. Wheat Industry Wooing World's Biggest Buyer
U.K. wheat trade delegation to visit Cairo on Wednesday
Read more at:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-biggest-buyer
Data on NHS waiting lists in Scotland suggests interference
An investigation has begun into the way in which figures for NHS waiting times have been presented to the public in Scotland after concerns about political interference.
Read more at:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/s...ence-rpwkqdg0x
Piping world stages X Factor-style contest to find iconic new tune
The Scottish piping world is to be stage an X Factor-style contest for school pupils in a bid to uncover an iconic new tune for the national instrument.
Read more at:
http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/pi...tune-1-4572507
Scotland's transport Minister on a road to nowhere
TRANSPORT is one of these quiet but emotive subjects in politics. Nothing much is said when it runs smoothly but all hell breaks loose when it doesn’t.
Read more at:
http://www.thinkscotland.org/thinkpo...ead_full=13302
Electric Canadian
Colportage in Canada
The calling of the colporteur, though not under that name, was an early one in the Church (pdf)
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/Religion/colportage.pdf
Fruit Growing in Canada
By John Craig (pdf)
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/tran...wingcanada.pdf
The Agricultural Gazette of Canada
Editor: J. B. Spencer, B.S.A. (1918)
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/tran...ralGazette.pdf
In Canada's Wonderful Northland
A story of Eight Months of Travel by Canoe, Motorboat, and Dog-Team on the Northern Rivers and along the New Quebec Coast of Hudson Bay by W. Tees Curran and H. A. Calkins, B.Sc. (1917)
I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was certainly very hard work to explore such a region.
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...-northland.pdf
Conrad Black
I've always had a lot of time for Conrad Black and so as he writes from Canada on a number of issues of interest from around the world I'm intending to include links to his writings for you to view.
Keeping Nuclear Weapons from Psychopaths is not a Partisan Issue
http://www.conradmblack.com/1335/kee...chopaths-is-no
Germany's Moment
http://www.conradmblack.com/1336/germany-moment
Electric Scotland
The Cabin
By Stewart Edward White (1911). As I enjoy old books about building pioneer cabins and the like I thought some of you might enjoy this book which you can read at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...a/thecabin.htm
Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico
Edited by Frederick Webb Hodge in two volumes (1907)
Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith the manuscript of Bulletin 30 of the Bureau of American Ethnology, entitled "Handbook of American Indians," which has been in preparation for a number of years and has been completed for publication under the editorship of Mr F. W. Hodge. The Handbook contains a descriptive list of the stocks, confederacies, tribes, tribal divisions, and settlements north of Mexico, accompanied with the various names by which these have been known, together with biographies of Indians of note, sketches of their history, archeology, manners, arts, customs, and institutions, and the aboriginal words incorporated into the English language.
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/handbook.htm
Biographica Britannica
An old six volume publication of biographies of people in Britain and Ireland published in 1744.
OR, The Lives of the most eminent persons who have flourished in Great Britain and Ireland from the earliest ages, down to the present times. Collected from the best Autherities, both Printed and Manuscript, and digested in the Manner of Mr Bayle's Historical and Critical Dictionary.
It took just 20 years for me to discover this set of biographies (published in 1744) and you should note that it uses the old spelling where the letter "s" is written as the letter "f". For example the word "such" is written as "fuch" or "present" is written as "prefent" or "presume" is written as "prefume" or "published" is written as "publifhed" etc. While at first it makes this a little difficult to read you'll find you quickly get used to it.
I did find an explanation for this...
... It was just written differently according to its position in the word. The f-like s (like an f without the crossbar) was a tall variant used at the start or in the middle of a word, which the modern s was used at the end or after a tall s. This practice was obviously too complicated to survive, for it died out hundreds of years ago - although the Celtic s looks like a Celtic f without the crossbar to this day; and in Greek a different form of the letter sigma (the Greek s) is used at the end of the word; so there's nothing funny about it, it's just unfamiliar to us...
I note that the only two Mac entries seem to be MacKenzie and MacLaurin so looks to be a bit bereft of information on Scottish clan names starting with M.
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...britannica.htm
Memoir of William Edmondstoune Aytoun
A great figure in the literature history of Scotland. Added a link to this book at the foot of the page at
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...tion/ayton.htm
Private Life of John C. Calhoun
Addressed to her Brother, and Communicated to the International Magazine by Miss M. Bat
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...hn_calhoun.htm
The Late D. M. Moir
By George Gilfillan. Came across this interesting article and thought I'd add it to his page. I also added links to his 2 volumes of poetry as well as two other publications such as "Outlines of the ancient history of medicine" and "Life of Mansie Wauch, Tailor in Dalkeith".
You can read this at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...moir_david.htm
Blackwood's Magazine
Added the 12 volume series of Tales from Blackwood's Magazine which you can browse through at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/book...blackwoods.htm
The Story
I decided to give you one of the stories from the above Tales from Blackwood's Magazine this week...
Narrative of Prince Charlie's Escape
By one of his companions - Edinburgh, September 9, 1873.
SIR,—The Manuscript narrative of the escape of Prince Charles Stuart, by John Macdonald, one of his companions, of which a copy follows, is the property of the Misses Macdonald of Dalilea, granddaughters of the author, and was intrusted to me by them. I have transcribed the MS. carefully, verbatim et literatim, and have merely added an introduction and conclusion, partly from information I already possessed, and partly from that furnished to me by the family. Of the authenticity of the MS. itself I have not the shadow of a doubt The appearance of the original MS., which was in my hands for some time, carries truth in its face, and I know that it has been in the possession of the author’s descendants from his death to the present time; having been always prized by them as an interesting family relic.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully,
George Skene.
To the Editor of “Blackwood.”
AMID the wildest scenery of the West Highlands, and just on the boundary-line that separates the counties of Argyll and Inverness, lies the sequestered sheet of water known as Loch Shiel. Even in that land of lakes and rocky mountains, it would be difficult to find a more striking landscape than is afforded by that lonely lake. Hemmed in, throughout the most part of its extent, by high mountains of the most picturesque forms, the opposite heights approach so near, that although the lake at their foot is upwards of twenty-six miles in length, it never attains even to one mile in breadth. This wild glen was in former days, and indeed still is, the home of a family of the name of Macdonald, who possessed a considerable extent of property in the neighbourhood, comprising Dalilea and Glenaladale on the lake shore, Glenfinnan at its head, and the farm of Borradale on the shore of Loch-nan-Ua. These different parts of the property were frequently occupied by members of the family, as circumstances might render convenient, and, as was usual in other Highland families, the different occupants were then distinguished by the names of their residences. A green island in the lake, known as St Finian’s Isle, has been the burial-place of the race since they first settled there, and is covered with the memorials of the dead. Besides the natural beauty of its scenery—in which this estate is hardly equalled, certainly not 'excelled, by any other in the Highlands—an interest of a different kind attaches to it, from the fact that both the commencement and the close of the romantic expedition of Prince Charles Edward Stuart took place within its bounds. At the farm of Borradale, that daring adventurer first set foot on Scottish ground; in Grlenfinnan he raised his standard and assembled the clans who took arms for the restoration of their ancient royal line ; and at Borradale, again, he succeeded in baffling his enemies, and embarking on board of the French man-of-war that carried him from the country.
On the outbreak of the insurrection of 1745, the Clan Ronald, to whom the Macdonalds of Loch Shiel belonged, took an active part on behalf of the House of Stuart, bearing their full share of all the difficulties and dangers of that unfortunate campaign. A hundred and twenty-seven years have elapsed since the fatal battle of Culloden terminated the last attempt of the Highlanders to place their ancient royal House on the British throne. The chief incidents of the expedition of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, and of his own romantic adventures, after the final dispersion of his adherents, are known to every reader of our 'history, and are generally regarded as no more than an interesting episode in our national annals, and a remarkable instance of the devoted affection of a primitive people to the descendant of their ancient kings. In the Highlands, however, the recollection of the "45” is something very different from this. Even to this day, every incident in the personal history of these devoted men who strove to cut a path for their Prince to the British throne is remembered, and related by their descendants as an honour to the family, never to be forgotten. Every relic, even remotely connected with “Bonnie Prince Charlie,” is preserved as a cherished heirloom by its fortunate possessor. In the immediate neighbourhood of Loch Shiel, at the foot of Glenfinnan, a monument, surmounted by a statue of the Young Adventurer, has been erected by Mr Macdonald of Glenaladale. It occupies the exact spot where Charles Edward unfurled his banner on August 19, 1745. In this neighbourhood also there was brought to light, a few years ago, a most interesting memorial of the unfortunate Prince’s wanderings, after the final destruction of his hopes of success in his expedition on the field of Culloden. As will be seen hereafter, the Prince was for some time in hiding in the neighbourhood of Loch Shiel, and it has been remembered ever since that time that he and these with him found it expedient to cross the loch, in order to proceed to new quarters. The Argyll militia, however, were' then patrolling all round the loch, and had destroyed all the boats, in order to prevent the fugitive party from crossing. In these circumstances, the party having found a large oak-tree in a favourable position, felled it, and hollowed the trunk, partly with their axes and partly by fire, as many savage tribes are in the habit of doing, till they had produced a rude imitation of a canoe, of the kind known in America as a dug-out. This primitive boat they then conveyed at midnight to the lake shore; and being afraid to use oars, lest the sound should betray them to their watchful enemies, they laid the Prince at full length in the boat, and entering the water themselves, swam across the loch, dragging the boat after them. Having thus effected the desired passage, they sank the boat, at a place called Camus Blain, nearly opposite St Finian’s Isle. Here the boat lay under water for a hundred and nine years, till 1855, when a gamekeeper of Mr Hope Scott’s, known in the neighbourhood as Black John, brought it again to light. It is now in the possession of Colonel Robertson Ross of Glen Moidart. The account of its construction above given was derived from the grandson of the man who made it, and who is still alive, or at least was recently so. It is difficult to conceive a more interesting memorial of the dangers and difficulties to which the fugitive Prince was exposed than is afforded by this old canoe.
At the time when Charles Edward landed at Borradale, that farm was held by a gentleman named Angus Macdonald; whilst that part of the property of the family which was situated on the shore of Loch Shiel was held by his nephew, generally known as Macdonald of Glenaladale. Macdonald of Borradale had two sons, Ronald and John. Of these, the younger, John Macdonald, having shown a greater taste for learning than was then common in the Highlands, had been sent for his education to the then famous Scottish College at Ratisbon. On the outbreak of the insurrection, young John left the college and hurried home. He joined the Highland army at Perth, serving along with his cousin Glenaladale, who was a major in the ClanRonald regiment, and who had proclaimed Prince Charles Edward at Perth. John Macdonald was noted in the army for his eminently handsome figure, and for his striking resemblance to the Prince himself—a resemblance the effect of which was enhanced by the foreign air and accent he had contracted at Ratisbon, and which was so strong that the young Highlander was frequently mistaken for the Prince himself.
Through the whole of the romantic campaign which followed, John Macdonald bore his full share; and on the march to the fatal field of Culloden he was one of these to whom the Catholic priest accompanying the army administered the sacrament, in anticipation of the bloody conflict which all knew to be inevitable. On that fatal day to the hopes of the Stuarts, his cousin Glenaladale received three severe wounds, but John himself escaped unhurt; and as soon as he found it in his power, he joined the fugitive Prince, whom he accompanied through the greater part of his wanderings, and was finally only prevented from following his master to France by a severe attack of fever. On parting with him, however, the Prince gave him his gold-headed cane as a remembrance and acknowledgment of his devoted loyalty, telling him at the same time that it was the only valuable property he had left. Of this cherished relic the family were afterwards deprived by an unfortunate accident, to their great and lasting regret. After the final escape of Prince Charles Edward, and the restoration of peace to the Highlands, John Macdonald occupied himself in writing memoirs of different parts of the campaign in which he had borne so active a part,—a task for which his German education rendered him peculiarly well qualified. Of his MSS. some were sent by himself to Home the historian, who had applied to him for information; another was given by him to his relative, Sir John McGregor Murray, and cannot now be found; but one remained in the possession of his descendants, by whose kind permission it has now been printed verbatim et literatim. It is a curious and most interesting document. Of its authenticity, that it really is what it professes to be—a narrative by an actual companion of Prince Charles of what he himself saw and experienced during that wonderful escape—there cannot be a shadow of doubt. Independent of the fact that it has never been out of the hands of the author's family, the very paper and ink on and in which it is written refer it at once to the middle of the last century as the date of its composition. The author speaks of himself frequently in the first person; and the quaint and often ungrammatical style and irregular spelling are exactly what was to be expected from John Macdonald, a man of considerable education, but one whose native tongue was Gaelic, and who in writing English was in fact using what was to him a foreign language. Besides, the simple and unaffected manner in which the incidents are narrated bears unmistakable evidence that he was merely recording what he himself remembered, without any thought of its ever becoming public.
A TRUE AND REAL STATE OF PRINCE CHARLES STUART’S MIRACULOUS ESCAPE AFTER THE BATTLE OF CULLODEN.
When the Prince at the battle of Cullodden perceived and that the horse he rod was wounded, and any stand ho and his smal force could make was needless, he made off, accompanied by two Irishmen, Mr Sullivan and O’Niel, his aid de camp, and few more, and took litle or no rest till they arrived at Glenbiestle in Arasaig, which is a pendicle belonging to the farm of Borradil. Being the place he first landed in the continent at his arrival, he rested there three nights before a sufficient boat, belonging to John McDonald, son to Old Borradil, was procured to transport him to the long Island of Uist, in view to get some vessel at Stomway to carrie him to France, and for that purpose send the Mr Sullivan, his Aid du camp, to Stornway where he found one, but would not wait the Princes coming, therefore made off with himself, and landed safe in France.Being in this maner disappointed, he theught proper to risk his person in the hands of Clan-ranald’s people in South Uist, who gave him all the aid and assistance in their power, till such time the country was surrounded by his enemies; then clearly perceiveing the impossibility of escaping, he was advised to go to Clanranold house, in Benbecula, twenty five miles from the place he then was at, and endeavour to ferrie to the Isle of Sky, accompanied by the then Miss Flory M‘Donald ; and he, under the name of Miss Bety Burk, and her servant-maid, effected there escape, and arrived safe at Kingsbrough, in Trotemess, parte of Lord M‘Donald’s estate. There Miss Flory M‘Don-ald parted with him.
After some rest there, he proceeded to M‘Leod Rasa’s familie, whore he was received with the greatest kindness and friendship. After an night’s rest there, he was sent under the care of Malcom M‘Leod to the care of one John M'Kinon, alias John M‘Rorie vio Lachlan in M‘Kinon’s estate, who next night conveyed him to the Laird of Moror’s ffarm in the mainland, and he beged of Moror to send a sure guide with him to his faithfull old Landlord (this is what he allways termed my father) to Borradil; after his arrival there, the old Gentleman and his two sons, Ronald and I, received him with all the marks of friendship and Respect, and gave our word of honour we would use our utermost to save him in spite of all his enemies; and that we depended on Divine Providence that he would grant him and us health, strenght, and vigour to endure all the fatigue and hardship necessary for that purpose.
As the Prince at all times entertained the greatest regard for Mr McDonald’s of Glenaladil’s integrity and capacity in aideing him as far as in his power, he ordered me to goe directly to him and acquaint him of his present situation, and hoped he would meet him and his present smal Company in the woods of Borradil next night.
After Glenaladil considered the message, he looked upon it exceeding hard to depart from his wife and five prety weak children, and his great stock of catle were before then taken awy by the enmie; and haveing received three bad wounds at Cullodden, of which one of them was not then fully-cured ; notwithstanding these consideration he despised them, and theught it his duty to grant all the aid and assistance in his power to save a poor distressed Prince, notwithstanding of the great temptation of thyrty theusand pound stel promised by government to any that should deliver him up. Theugh Glenaladil and his old uncle Borradil, with his children, were in the greatesst distress for want of any support* at the time, two nights thereafter he appeared at the place appointed with the above party. They proceeded next morning to MfLeod's Cove, upon a high precipes in the woods of Borradil, where they all deliberated what steps they woud take for there safety; few days after they visibly saw the whole coast surrounded by ships of war and tenders, as also- the country by other militaiy forces; then it was determined to use all efforts to depart out of the country, and began there march that very night, and came the lenth of Meoble, in the brays of Moror, where the old gentleman Borradil, and his soon Ronald, took there leave of him. The Prince then, accompanied only by Glenaladil, and his brother John and I, made streight for the brays of Glenfinen, which is parte of Glen-aladil’s estate. To our great surprise we found that place surrounded by three hundred of the Enemies. Then we came to a resolution to depart© tlio country for somo timo; and for that purpose sent an express to Donald Cameron, Glenpean, an aged gentleman, to meet us at Corrour, in the brays of Moror, which accordingly ho did; wo proceeded under night till sunrise next morning, to the top of a high mountain laying between Locharkeig and Lochmoror head, a camp of the enemy laying on each side of us, and two different camps of the military before us. In the course of throe nights we passed by four camps and twenty-five patroles, and somo so nigh us that we heard them frequently speaken, witheut any food farther than a smal slice of salt cheese, and aboundance of water.
The Thyrd morning we arrived near the top of a high mountain near Lochum head, and found there a bit hollow ground, covered with long heather and brenches of jung birch bushes, where we all five of us lay down to rest, almost fainting for want of food; these severe tryals and circumstance drew many heavy sighs from his poor oppressed heart. I informed him then that I had a leepy of groaten meal wrapt up in a Nepkin in my pocket, which, when I produced, made alwast alteration in the counteinance of the whole of them. Come, come, says he, let us, in Gods name, have a share; never was people in more need. I expect soon to meet with plenty; so I divided the whole of it between us five ; and they began to chat and crak heartily, after our refreshment. We perceived fourty of the military, with a Captn as there commander, laying at the foot of the mountain, all this time; we saw them visibly all allong, durst not move till dark night, for fear of being discovered, proceeded then on our jurny to the brays of Glenshiel; the darkest night ever in my life I traveled; and arrived within a mile of it by sunrise, quite exhausted with hunger and fatigue.
Glenaladil and I were then sent to the village in view to procure some provisions, and bought a stone of cheese and a half stone of buter, as we could get nothing else; immediately returned back where we left him, Donald Cammeron, and Glen-aladil’s brother; words cannot express the quantity we consumed of the buter and cheese at the time, hough both kind exceeding salt. We met that day with one Donald M‘Donald, a Glengary lad, with whome we agreed to be our guide farther North, as Donald Cameron returned, after his refreshment, to look after his own family; and we passed the whole day, which was exceeding hot, in the face of a mountain, above a river that run throu Glenshiel; were all seized with such a druth that we were all like to perish before sunset. He woud not allow any of us to move for water, theugh we might have bein provided within fourty yards to us, so cautious he was. At sunset we all went stagem to the river side, and drank water at no allowance; at same time we saw a boy coming towards us at somo distance; Glenaladil and I wont to meet him. This was a son of the honest M‘Kra that furnished us with provision in the morning, whom his father sent with five Scots pints of goat milk for our relief. Glenaladil, who had all our bank in a purse hingen before him, gave the boy four shillings stel; and in the hurry he was in, he happened to drap his purse on the ground till he got his plead kilted on him; then we bad fareweel to the boy, and returned in great hast to our smal partie, who partook liberaly of the milk, then proceeded an English mile before we missed the purse, in which was a keeping fourty Luisdors and five shillings in silver, which was all we hade to depend upon for our subsistence; it was determined that Glen and I was to return in search of our smal stock. Found the purse and five shillings in it, in the spot wo left it, and none of the gold; proceeded then about midnight to the boy’s father’s house, who at the time was sound sleeping, called him out, fairly told him what happened; witheut a minute dela he returned to the house, got hold of a rop hinging there, and griped his son by the arm in great passion, and addressed him in the following words: you damnd scoundrel, this instant get these poor gentlemens mony, which I am certain is all they have to depend upon, or, by the heavens, I’ll hing you to that very tree you see this moment. The Boy shivereing with fear went instantly for the mony, which he had hurried under ground about thyrty yards from his Fathers house.
During the time Glen and I spent about recover-eing our smal fonds, the Prince and the two persons we left with him saw on the other side of Shiel river an officer to appearance, and three men with him; our smal party hidd themselves by favour of some Aron bushes at the river side, but they were convinced they coud not miss to meet Glenaladil and me, and the consequence would be squabble between us, theugh he positively refused to inform us of the danger of meeting them, by one of them that was alongst with him, the night being quite clear and a seren sky. Notwithstanding our passing by one an other on each side of the river, neither of use observed the other, nor can I account for it.
Then we proceeded all night throu these muirs till ten of the clock next morning, stopt then till the evening, witheut meeting with any particular accidents, excepting heareing some firing of guns not at a very greatest distance. The evening being very calm and warm, we greatly suffered by mitches, a species of litle creatures troublesome and numerous in the highlands; to preserve him from such troublesome guests, we wrapt him head and feet in his plead, and covered him with long heather that naturally grew about a bit hollow ground we laid him. After leaving him in that posture, he uttored several heavy sighes and groands. We planted ourselves about the best wo coud.
Finding, theu, nothing by appoarance to disturb us, or enemie in our way, we proceeded on, and next night arrived in the brays of Glemnorison, called the Corrichido; perceived three or four smal huts in the strath of the corry.
It was then determined upon by us to send Glenaladils brother down to them, to know what they were; and when he understood them to bo all McDonalds, and friends to the cause, except Patrick Grant Crosky, who was with them, and equaly a friend to the cause, he addressed one of them, called John M‘Donald, alias M‘Goule vie Icadui, to goe with a cogfull of milk to Mr M‘Don-ald of Glenaladil and M‘Donald of Greenfield, which letter was not there at same time. He instantly complyed with his request; but to his greatest surprise, at the distance of nine yards from us, he knew the Prince to be there, his head bein covered with a whit night cape, and an old Bonet above; at this unexpected sight, the poor man changed collours, and turned as red as blood, and addressed him in the following maner: I am sorry to see you in such a poor state, and hope if I live to see yet in a better condition, as I have seen you before at the head of your armie, upon the green of Glasgow; all I can doe is to continue faithfull to you while I live, and am willing to leave my wife and children, and follow you wherever you incline goeing. After all this discurse was explained to the Prince, he said, takeing him cheerfully by the hand, As you are a McDonald, whom I allways found faithfull to my cause, I shall admit you to my smal partie, and trust myself to you; and if ever it should be my lot to enjoy my own, you may depend upon of being equally rewarded. One thing I beg leave to observe to you, says he, there is one large stone in the strath of this corry near these huts you see; under that stone fourty men can accomodate themselves, and the best water in the highland runen throu it, and a large void heather bed in it already made for your reception. I have a three year old stote I may slaughter for provision, till such time you refresh yourself and your partie: there are four more neighbours and contrimen with me, as trusty as I, who can furnish us from the neighboureing countrys with such necessarys of life as can be expected in such distressed time.
His advise was so agreable that we all agreed to it witheut hesitation, and marched all with cheer-fullness in our countenance to this new unexpected mansion, and found ourselves as comfortably lodged as we had been in a Royal pallace. The other four men mentioned above came in, and after a short disscourse, gave all chearfully the oath of allegiance, after which they brought the stote and killed him; wo then fosted, and lived thero plentifully for three days and nights, till wo found ourselves in danger, by one whom they genoraly styled the black Campbell, who had a party of militio within six miles to the place we was in; in that event we theught adviseablo, to proceed to the Chissolms firr woods, whore wo and our wholo partio spent near a month in pace and plentio. At the root of one largo tree we build for the Prince, Glenaladil, and me, one tent of firr branches; at the oth6r side of the tree another one of a larger seize. Two of our party was allways employed in providoing provisions; other two as outpost, en-quireing for information. One honest tenant of the name of Chissolm, at the distance of a few miles from us, affoarded us with meal, buter, and cheese, and flesh weekly; neither did we want for Aquavitso and tobaco, which comodity we all made use of. Nothing particular happened to us dureing our stay there.
But the Prince, anxious to find out Cameron of Lochiel, insisted upon our return towards that parte of his estate called Locharckeig. After a day or twos march, passed by the brays of Glen-morison, and arriveing to the brays of Glengarie about nightfall, the river Garie swelled to such a degree that we theught it unpassable. He still positeivly insisted upon giving it a tryal, which wo did, and with the greatest difficulty, at the hasart of our lifes, succeeded, the night being very dark. Rested near the bank of the river, waet and cold; next day passed throu Glenkeinie, and stopt at a broken shelhouse above Auchnasaul. We then were out of provisions. We sent two of our partie to repair a smal hut, wherein Lochiel scolked for some time, but observing a Deer at the end of the hut, shut both at him at once and killed him. One of them returned to us withe these most agreable news, where we all in a bodie steered our course, and employed the whole night in dressing for him and ourselves parte of the venison. Next day we sent for Air Cameron of Cluns, and after passing two nights together, went to Torrvullen, opposite to Achnacarrie, Locheils principal place of residence once; killed a good highland cow; then Doctor Cameron and two french officer that landed some time before that in Pollew, in Rossyne, came to us, and Air Cameron of Cluns; and after passing two nights there, they came to the followeing resolution : viz. that the Prince, accompanied by Doctor Cameron, Glenaladil, the two french officer, with a few more, should be conveyed to Locheil, and that I shoud return to the west coast; and if any frigats from France should appear for the purpose of carreing him, I to goe aboard till he could be found dead or alive, and that Glenaladil is the person to be employed for procureing him, the Glenmorison lads to return home with his promise,
If ever in his power ho would make satisfaction for there losses and gratituo ; so that very night I and John Glenaladil’s brother made of for the west coast, and arrived there two days after, and found all left behind us in the greatest distress for want of all nocessarys of life, or houses to shelter us from the inclemency of the weather.
A fourtnight thereafter, in September, two frigats appeared coming to the harbour at Borrodil under English colours. My father and brother Ranald and I immediately hade recourse to the muirs, to avoid being apprehended, and appointed one Donald M‘Donald, in whom wo hade great confidence, to wait there landing; and after nightfall, twelve french, with two officers at their hade, came to a smal hut wo repaired some time before that for our own reception, as all our houses before that were all burned; the names of the officers were jung Sheridan and Capn ONeil, who at there arrival, enquired for us all, as they knew us weel formerly, and wished much to have some disscourso of consequence with us. Upon our being informed of this, we appeared, and after a long conversation, were convinced of there sincerity, and oblidged them to produce there credentials from France, before we revealed any parte of our secrets to them.
Next day I went aboord one of the frigats; and my brother, accompanied by the two french officer, went to Glenaladil to acquaint him of there errand.
After a night’s rest, they were desired by Glenaladil to return to there ships, and that he would goe in serch of the person they wanted, which he accordingly did, and in eight days returned with him to Borrodil, where he first landed; and after refreshing himself weel, directly went aboord, and with a fair wind set sail next morning for France, and left us all in a worse state than he found us. Locheil, his Brother Doctor Cameron, John Roy Stuart, the two first mentioned french officers, with one hundred more persons of some distinction, accompanied him, and took there passage alongst with him; he then seemed to be in good spirit, and addressed himself to such as stayed behind to live in good hopes, and that he expected to see us soon with such a force as would enable him to re-embures us for our losses and trouble; so that he ended as he began.
One material circumstance I cannot omit acquainting you of; that is, the battle fought between three British frigats and two french ones on the 3d of May after Cullodden batle. The french frigats landed the later end of April fourty theusand Louisdors, with some stand of arms and amunition, at the farm of Borradil; government being informed of the same, despatched three of there own frigats to the place mentioned, in order to capture the Frenchman; present Lord Howe, then captn of the Grayhound frigate, was commodore of that smal squadron. They appeared in seight about four in the morning by the point of Ardmuchan, from whence they then visibly saw tlio french frigats; they were favoured with a favourable wind directly after them, and before the french hade time to rise there ankors, Captn Howe sliped in between the two french frigats, and gave a broadside to each of them with very great execution. The largest of the french frigats was disabled by breaken her ruder, and was oblidged to lay by till seven o’clock in the afternoon: and the smal french frigate, after several attempts of bourd-ing her, fairly escaped till then, and when soon the largest of them repaired the damage, went to her assistance. Captn Howe haveing run out of ammunition, sheered of about nightfall, and the french persued them for a leage, when they theught ad-viseable to return to there former situation. At two o’clock next morning they steered away for Barra head with a fair wind; the Ducke of Perth, and several other gentlemen, such as Lord John Drumond, Lockard of Camwath, and many more took there passage to France. The batle leasted twelve hours, and we found on our shores fefteen frenchmen dead, not one Englishman in the number, as they threew none overboard of them till they came the lenth of the point of Ardmurchan. After that the gold was by a partie conveyed to Lochaber, and parte of the arms, by orders of secretar Morrow, and were then determined to gather and randevou there friends and weelwishers, which never happened since, nor by all appearance will.
Such is John Macdonald’s narrative. It has been printed with all its irregularities and peculiarities of style and spelling, so that it now appears just as it left the hands of its auther. It does not perhaps contain much that is new, but the romantic character of the adventures narrated, and the honest and unadorned language in which they are told, cannot fail to give it a deep and painful interest. It brings out, in a striking degree, the devoted affection of these loyal Highlanders for their unfortunate Prince—of whom it has been often remarked, that with a price of £30,000 on his head, and whilst the place of his concealment was more than once known to at least one hundred men at the same time, not one of them should ever have theught of securing what would have been affluence to himself, at the expense of treachery to the fugitive. A farther remark is suggested by this narrative. It exhibits in a remarkable way the humble respect and obedience which was felt by these devoted men towards the Prince, even at the lowest ebb of his fortunes. His Highland attendants never allowed themselves to be raised above the position of subjects and counsellors, altheugh it could not have been theught unnatural had the circumstances led them to do so. From their knowledge both of the country and of the people, they must have known much better than he could how to evade the dangers to which ho was exposed, and to elude the strict watch that was kept for him by the patrolling parties of the Government; yet it is plain that ho was not only nominally, but actually, th leader of the party. They gave him the fullest information and the best advice they could, but they obeyed his orders whatever they might be.
The only incident of importance in the narrative of which the historians of the period seem to have taken little if any notice is the naval action between Lord Howe’s squadron and the two French men-of-war. Such a collision was indeed inevitable in the circumstances, when any of the British vessels which were cruising off the West Highlands to prevent the Prince’s escape, fell in with any of the French ships, which were there to facilitate it. That the incidents of the action itself are correctly reported, can hardly be doubted, when it is remembered that the whole took place in the immediate neighbourhood of the residence of the family, who were probably eyewitnesses ; and when the circumstantiality of the narrative is further considered, the very number of the dead who were washed on shore being recorded, and the unexpected fact that they were all Frenchmen—a fact which the rumour of the country seems to have satisfactorily accounted for.
It may not be uninteresting to give a moment’s attention to the subsequent fortunes of these attendants of Prince Charles who are especially mentioned in John Macdonald’s narrative. The merciless severity with which the troops of the Government ravaged the territories of the insurgent clans after the defeat at Culloden, is matter of history; and it can excite no surprise that this was especially the case with the lands of the Clan-Ronald. Where the houses of the gentry were situated near the sea-shore, they were destroyed by the cannon of the men-of-war; where they were not accessible in this way, they were burnt by the troops who patrolled the country. The cattle and other property of the inhabitants were carried off, and they themselves were driven to the moors and mountains, to find subsistence if they could, and if they could not, to perish. The house of Borradale was burnt; all the cattle and corn, and everything eatable, was carried off, and the family were compelled to fly to the woods, where they subsisted on nuts, and anything else they could find; and it is still remembered that they even tried to grind the nuts into a kind of meal, that they might at least have something like the oat-cakes and porridge they were accustomed to. It is further related that John Macdonald’s mother, who was a daughter of Macgregor of Glengyle, in the course of the flight of the family from Borradale, was seized by the soldiers, and the wedding-ring torn off her finger. John Macdonald himself, the author of the narrative now published, married Catherine, a daughter of Macdonell of Barrisdale, a cadet of the family of Glengarry. The Macdonells of Barrisdale suffered as much from the Government as their neighbours. Their house at Glenmeddle was the first house in that neighbourhood battered down by the shot from the war-ships. John Macdonald’s wife used afterwards to relate that she recollected on this occasion looking from her place of shelter in the woods, and seeing the soldiers kill all the geese and fowls about the place, and carry them off, driving off at the same time all the cows; but that the dairymaid ran after the party and entreated the officer in command to have mercy on the innocent children at least, and to leave one cow to give milk for them. This he did, and that cow was ever after known by the nickname of “The Trooper.” The family of Barrisdale took refuge in a hut built of wattles; and here they were roused early one morning by seeing the muzzles of several muskets projecting through their wattled walls. A party of soldiers immediately entered, who, after searching the hut for the Prince, commanded the family to follow them. In a short time, however, they seemed to see the uselessness of encumbering themselves with prisoners, and allowed the Macdonells to return to their shelter. John Macdonald was not only considered the most learned man in his clan; he was also reported to possess an unusual amount of energy and cleverness, qualities which he is said to have exhibited in a remarkable manner, by first risking his life many times in attempting to dethrone George II., and subsequently inducing the Government to pay his wife’s portion out of her father’s sequestrated estate.
Macdonald of Glenaladale, so often mentioned in the narrative, was succeeded at his death by his son John, who, with all his tenants, emigrated to Prince Edward Island, where they, or their descendants, still remain. Before his emigration, this John Macdonald sold his Highland property to his own near cousin, Alexander Macdonald, who had realised a large fortune in the West Indies. This Alexander Macdonald of Glenaladale was succeeded on his death by his son, also named Alexander, who has perpetuated his memory in the Highlands by erecting the monument to Prince Charles still to be seen in Glenfinnan. On his death without issue, the succession to his estates opened to the Borradale branch of the family. The descendants of the elder son of old Angus Macdonald of Borradale added Glenaladale and Glenfinnan to Borradale, which they already possessed; whilst Archibald, the son of his second son, John, the author of the narrative, got Dalilea on Loch Shiel. This property has now passed into the possession of Lord Howard; but the descendants of John Macdonald still inhabit the house of Dalilea, and it is through their kind permission that their grandfather’s narrative has now been given to the public.
And that's it for this week and I hope you all have a great weekend.
Alastair
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