To my no small surprise, it is certain that the Pretended Prince of
Wales is come on the coast of South Uist and Barra, and has since been
hovering on parts of the coast of the main land that lies between the
point of Airdnamurchan and Glenelg; he has but one ship, of which he is
aboard; she mounts about 16 or 18 guns. He has about thirty Irish or
French officers with him, and one Sheridan, who is called his Governor.
The Duke of Athol's brother is the only man of any sort of note (that
once belonged to this country) that I can hear of that's alongst with
him. His view, I need not tell you, was, to raise all the Highlands to
assist him, etc. Sir Alex. Macdonald and I, not only gave no sort of
countenance to these people, but we used all the interest we had with
our neighbours to follow the same prudent method; and I am persuaded we
have done it with that success, that not one man of any consequence
benorth the Grampians will give any sort of assistance to this mad
rebellious attempt. How far you think we acted properly, I shall long to
know; but this is certain, we did it as our duty and for the best; for
in the present situation of affairs in Europe, I should have been sorry
to see any thing like disaffection to the Government appear, tho' ever
so trivial; or that there was occasion to march a single company to
quell it, which now I hope and dare say there is not....
I ever am, most faithfully, Yours,
NORMAND MACLEOD.
DUNVEGAN, _3^rd Aug^t_, 1745.