+Source.+--_The Lyon in Mourning: or, a Collection of Speeches,
Letters, Journals, etc., relative to the Affairs of Prince Charles
Edward Stuart_, vol. i., p, 296, by the Rev. Robert Forbes, A.M.,
Bishop of Ross and Caithness, 1746-1775. Edited from his manuscript,
with a preface by Henry Paton, M.A. (Edinburgh: Scottish Historical
Society, 1895.)
_Journal taken from the mouth of MISS FLORA MACDONALD by DR. BURTON of
York, when in Edinburgh._
Miss MacDonald had gone from Sky to Milton in South Uist in order to
visit her brother-german, who had about that time taken up house. She
had not been long there till Captain O'Neil (by some lucky accident or
other) had become acquainted with her. When the Prince was surrounded
with difficulties on all hands, and knew not well what to do for his
future safety, Captain O'Neil brought Miss MacDonald to the place where
the Prince was, and there they concerted the plan. At that time Miss
returned to Milton. After Miss MacDonald had (with some difficulty)
agreed to undertake the dangerous enterprize, she set out for
Clanranald's house, Saturday, June 21st, and at one of the fords was
taken prisoner by a party of militia, she not having a passport. She
demanded to whom they belonged? And finding by the answer that her
step-father was then commander, she refused to give any answers till she
should see their captain. So she and her servant, Neil MacKechan, were
prisoners all that night.
Her stepfather, coming next day, being Sunday, she told him what she was
about, upon which he granted a passport for herself, a manservant (Neil
MacKechan), and another woman, Bettie Burk, a good spinster, and whom he
recommended as such in a letter to his wife at Armadale in Sky, as she
had much lint to spin. If her stepfather (Hugh MacDonald of Armadale)
had not granted Miss a passport, she could not have undertaken her
journey and voyage. Armadale set his stepdaughter at liberty, who
immediately made the best of her way to Clanranald's house and
acquainted the Lady Clanranald with the scheme, who supplied the Prince
with apparel sufficient for his disguise, viz. a flower'd linen gown, a
white apron, etc., and sent some provisions along with him.
During Miss MacDonald's stay at Clanranald's house, which was till the
Friday, June 27th, O'Neil went several times betwixt the Prince and
Miss, in which interval another scheme was proposed, that the Prince
should go under the care of a gentleman to the north ward, but that
failing them, they behoved to have recourse to that agreed upon before;
and accordingly Lady Clanranald, one Mrs. MacDonald, O'Neil, Miss Flora
MacDonald, and her servant, Neil MacKechan, went to the place where the
Prince was, being about eight Scotch miles. He was then in a very little
house or hut, assisting in the roasting of his dinner, which consisted
of the heart, liver, kidneys, etc., of a bullock or sheep, upon a wooden
spit. O'Neil introduced his young preserver and the company, and she sat
on the Prince's right hand and Lady Clanranald on his left. Here all
dined very heartily....
When all were gone who were not to accompany the Prince in his voyage to
the Isle of Sky, Miss MacDonald desired him to dress himself in his new
attire, which was soon done, and at a proper time they removed their
quarters and went near the water with their boat afloat, nigh at hand
for readiness to embark in case of an alarm from the shore. Here they
arrived, very wet and wearied, and made a fire upon a rock to keep them
somewhat warm till night. They were soon greatly alarmed by seeing four
wherries full of armed men making towards shore, which made them
extinguish their fire quickly, and to conceal themselves among the
heath....
At eight o'clock, June 28th, Saturday, 1746, the Prince, Miss Flora
MacDonald, Neil MacKechan, etc., set sail in a very clear evening from
Benbecula to the Isle of Sky. It is worth observing here that Benbecula
is commonly reckoned a part of South Uist, they being divided from one
another by the sea only at high water, which then makes a short ferry
betwixt the two; but at low water people walk over upon the sand from
the one to the other.
They had not rowed from the shore above a league till the sea became
rough, and at last tempestuous, and to entertain the company the Prince
sung several songs and seemed to be in good spirits.
In the passage Miss MacDonald fell asleep, and then the Prince carefully
guarded her, lest in the darkness any of the men should chance to step
upon her. She awaked in a surprise with some little bustle in the boat,
and wondered what was the matter, etc....
From hence they rowed on and landed at Kilbride, in Troternish, in the
Isle of Sky, about twelve miles north from the above-mentioned point.
There were also several parties of militia in the neighbourhood of
Kilbride. Miss left the Prince in the boat and went with her servant,
Neil MacKechan, to Mougstot, Sir Alexander MacDonald's house, and
desired one of the servants to let Lady Margaret MacDonald know she was
come to see her ladyship in her way to her mother's house. Lady Margaret
knew her errand well enough by one Mrs. MacDonald, who had gone a little
before to apprize her of it.
As Mr. Alexander MacDonald of Kingsburgh was accidentally there, Lady
Margaret desired him to conduct the Prince to his house; for it is to be
remarked that Lady Margaret did not see the Prince in any shape.
Kingsburgh sent a boy down to the boat with instructions whither to
conduct the Prince about a mile, and he (Kingsburgh) would be there
ready to conduct him. Then Kingsburgh took some wine, etc., to refresh
the Prince with, and set forwards for the place of rendezvous, leaving
Miss MacDonald with Lady Margaret at Mougstot, where the commanding
officer of the parties in search of the Prince was, and who asked Miss
whence she came, whither she was going, what news? etc., all which Miss
answered as she thought most proper, and so as to prevent any discovery
of what she had been engaged in.
Lady MacDonald pressed Miss very much in presence of the officer to
stay, telling her that she had promised to make some stay the first time
she should happen to come there. But Miss desired to be excused at that
time, because she wanted to see her mother, and to be at home in these
troublesome times. Lady Margaret at last let her go, and she and Mrs.
MacDonald above mentioned set forwards with Neil MacKechan and said Mrs.
MacDonald's maid and her man-servant. They overtook the Prince and
Kingsburgh. Mrs. MacDonald was very desirous to see the Prince's
countenance; but as he went along he always turned away his face from
Mrs. MacDonald to the opposite side whenever he perceived her
endeavouring to stare him in the countenance. But yet she got several
opportunities of seeing his face, though in disguise, which the maid
could not help taking notice of, and said she had never seen such an
impudent-looked woman, and durst say she was either an Irish woman or
else a man in a woman's dress. Miss MacDonald replied she was an Irish
woman, for she had seen her before. The maid also took notice of the
Prince's awkward way of managing the petticoats, and what long strides
he took in walking along, etc., which obliged Miss MacDonald to desire
Mrs. MacDonald (they being both on horseback), to step a little faster
and leave those on foot, because, as there were many parties of militia
in the great roads, it was necessary for the Prince to cross the
country, and it was not proper to let Mrs. MacDonald's man or maid
servant see it. So on they went, and the Prince and Kingsburgh went over
the hills and travelled south-south-east till they arrived at
Kingsburgh's house, which was about twelve o'clock at night, and they
were very wet....
The day was far advanced before he[108] set out, and when he arrived at
a wood side (as the affair had been concerted), not far from
Kingsburgh, he changed his apparel once more and put on the Highland
dress Kingsburgh had furnished him with. Then Kingsburgh sent a guide
with him to Portree, thro' all byways, while Miss MacDonald went thither
on horseback by another road, thereby the better to gain intelligence
and at the same time to prevent a discovery. They were very wet, it
having rained very much. Here he only dried his clothes, took some
little refreshment, and staid about two hours.
Hither Kingsburgh had sent to prepare a boat, and to have it ready to
convey the Prince to the place where he wanted to be at, not allowing
the people about Portree in the meantime to know anything about the
person's being the Prince whom they were to receive and to take care of.
Young MacLeod of Raaza came with Malcolm MacLeod to conduct the Prince
over to the Island of Raaza. The Prince was very uneasy he had not a
MacDonald to conduct him still. He left Portree on Tuesday, the 1st of
July, and landed that very same day at a place called Glam in Raaza.
Miss MacDonald took leave of the Prince at Portree, and from thence went
to her mother, after a fatiguing journey cross the country. She never
told her mother, or indeed anybody else, what she had done.