LEITH, Friday's Evening, 6 o'clock, August 7th, 1747, in the house
of JAMES MACDONALD, joiner, who and STEWART CARMICHAEL of
Bonnyhaugh, were present, CAPTAIN MALCOLM MACLEOD,[101] second
cousin to MALCOLM MACLEOD (Laird of Raaza), gave the following
Account or Journal.[102]
[101] See ff. 1714-1730.
[102] This narrative, at least as far as f. 248, is printed in the
_Jacobite Memoirs_, pp. 468-487.
[Sidenote: 30 June 1746.]
[Sidenote: _fol._ 228.] By appointment the said Captain Malcolm
MacLeod and Murdoch MacLeod, Raaza's third son, met the Prince at
Pourttree, a publick house in the isle of Sky, upon Monday's night,
June 30th, 1746. After taking leave of Kingsburgh at the side of a
wood, the Prince[103] had set out directly for this place, where Miss
Flora MacDonald (taking a different road) met him once more and bad
farewel to him. Captain Malcolm MacLeod said he would not positively
affirm whether it was Monday's night or Tuesday's morning when they
met; 'But,' said he, 'it was dark.' Raaza's third son had been in the
Prince's service, and had received a musket-shot through his shoulder
at the battle of Culloden.[104]
[103] Attended by Neil MacKechan and a boy to show them the way. Neil
MacKechan went with Miss MacDonald to Slate.--F. See f. 537.
[104] See f. 879.
[Sidenote: 1 July]
Before these two gentlemen had set out from the island of Raaza in
order to meet the Prince at Pourttree, the young [Sidenote: _fol._
229.] Laird of Raaza, John MacLeod, came to the Captain and told
him what a great anxiety he had to see that young man, the Prince.
Malcolm MacLeod begged him to consider well what he was doing, that
as he had not been out, he ought to run no risque for satisfying
his desire, which at present could be of no real use or service,
and therefore he suggested to him to act in this affair with the
utmost prudence and caution. Meantime Malcolm could not help owning
frankly that he himself heartily wished that his friend might see
the Prince, provided he could do it with safety. But then he would
leave it altogether to himself to determine on which side he should
think fit to chuse. After thinking a while, young Raaza positively
declared he was resolved to see the Prince if it should cost him the
estate and the head, and accordingly accompanied his brother and the
Captain to Pourttree[105] in a small boat that would contain only
six or seven men with difficulty. Upon meeting with the Prince they
spent very little time at Pourttree, but attended him soon to the
same small boat; and the Captain did not introduce young Raaza to
the Prince till they were in the boat.[106] Early in the morning,
July 1st, they arrived at Glam, in Raaza, where they remained two
days in a mean, low hut; and young Raaza was the person that brought
provisions to them, viz., a lamb and a kid in the nook of his plaid.
[105] Or Portree, _i.e._ The King's Port.
[106] See f. 862.
At that time there happened to be in Raaza a fellow who had come into
the island upon pretence of selling a roll of tobacco; [Sidenote:
_fol._ 230.] but after he had sold off his tobacco he continued
strolling up and down the island in an idle way without anything
to do, for no less than twelve or fourteen days, which made the
people of the island suspect him to be a spy. When the Prince and
his friends were in the hut, Malcolm MacLeod happened to see this
stroller coming towards the hut, which he took notice of to the
Prince, and told him withal what kind of a fellow he was suspected to
be. The Prince not liking the thing so well, Malcolm said he should
take care that the fellow should not go back again, for that he would
immediately go out and shoot him through the head. 'O, no,' said the
Prince, 'God forbid that any poor man should suffer for us, if we can
but keep ourselves anyway safe.' And he would not allow the Captain
to stir, though their apprehensions behov'd to be the greater that
the hut was not upon any road. But the fellow happened to pass by it
without looking into it.
The Prince began to be anxious to be out of Raaza, alleging the
island to be too narrow and confin'd in its bounds for his purpose,
and proposed setting out for Troternish in Sky. But his companions
told him that they thought him in safety where he was, and did not
like that he should change his place so soon. The Prince pressed
so much for going to the place he had mentioned, pretending he had
a tryst there with a [Sidenote: _fol._ 231.] gentleman,[107] which
he would not break for any thing, that his friends yielded to his
importunity.
[107] Captain Donald Roy MacDonald.
[Sidenote: 2 July]
July 2d. About 7 o'clock at night he went on board the above
mentioned small boat, attended by the young Laird of Raaza (who could
not think of parting from him soon) and his brother Murdoch, Captain
MacLeod and the two boatmen, John MacKenzie and Donald MacFrier, who
had been both out in his service, the one a sergeant and the other
a private man. They had not well left the shore till the wind blew
a hard gale, and the sea became so very rough and tempestuous that
all on board begged he would return; for the waves were beating over
and over them, the men tugging hard at the oars, and Captain MacLeod
laving the water out of the little boat. The Prince would by no means
hear of returning, and to divert the men from thinking on the danger
he sung them a merry Highland song. About nine or ten o'clock the
same night they landed at a place in Sky called Nicolson's Rock, near
Scorobreck, in Troternish. In rowing along they found the coast very
bad and dangerous, and when they came to the Rock the Prince was the
third man that jump'd out among the water and cried out, 'Take care
of the boat, and hawl her up to dry ground,' which was immediately
done, he himself assisting as much as any one of them.[108] The
Prince had upon him a large big coat, which was become very heavy
and [Sidenote: _fol._ 232.] cumbersome by the waves beating so much
upon it, for it was wet through and through. Captain MacLeod proposed
taking the big coat to carry it, for the rock was steep and of a very
uneasy ascent. But the Prince would not part with the coat, wet as
it was, alleging he was as able to carry it as the Captain was.[109]
They went forwards to a cow-byre on the rock, about two miles from
Scorobreck, a gentleman's house. In this byre the Prince took up his
quarters, the whole company still attending him. Here they took some
little refreshment of bread and cheese they had along with them, the
cakes being mouldered down into very small crumbs.
[108] See f. 757.
[109] See ff. 1564, 1565.
[Sidenote: 3 July]
Captain MacLeod intreated the Prince to put on a dry shirt and to
take some sleep; but he continued sitting in his wet cloaths, and did
not then incline to sleep. However, at last he began to nap a little,
and would frequently start in his sleep, look briskly up, and stare
boldly in the face of every one of them as if he had been to fight
them. Upon his waking he would sometimes cry out, 'O Poor England!
O Poor England!' The Prince desired the Captain to take some rest,
but he did not chuse to sleep at that time. However, when the Prince
began to importune him, the Captain thought perhaps the [Sidenote:
_fol._ 233.] Prince wants a private opportunity to say something
to Raaza's son, and therefore he stept aside a little. The two
brothers[110] and the boatmen parted from the Prince at the byre. He
promised to meet the youngest brother again at Camistinawagg, another
place in the same island.[111]
[110] Wrong, for one of them, young Rasay, had gone to find out
Donald Roy MacDonald.--F. See ff. 764, 867.
[111] See ff. 1564, 1565.
The Prince said he expected Donald MacDonald _alias_ Donald Roy to
come to him; but he not coming, the Prince asked Captain MacLeod if
he was a stout walker? and if he could walk bare-footed? The Captain
replied he was pretty good at walking, and that he could travell
bare-footed very well. The Prince told him by bare-footed he meant,
if he could walk in his shoes without stockings, 'for,' said he,
'that is the way I used to walk at my diversions in Italy.' The
Captain said he could not really tell if he could do that or not, for
that he had never tried it.
About six or seven o'clock at night the Prince, taking the little
baggage in his hand, stept out of the byre, and desired the Captain
to follow him. The Captain came up to him and said, 'Give me that,'
taking hold of the little baggage, which he gave him, and then the
Captain followed him without speaking one word till they were out
of sight of the cow-byre, when the Prince happening to turn such a
way as the Captain [Sidenote: _fol._ 234.] did not think so safe, he
made up to him and said: 'Your royal highness will pardon me to ask
where you are going, for that I dread you may chance to fall into
the hands of some party or another, if you do not take exceeding
good care, as there are many small parties dispersed up and down the
country.' The Prince then said: 'Why, MacLeod, I now throw myself
entirely into your hands, and leave you to do with me what you
please. Only I want to go to Strath, MacKinnon's country. I hope you
will accompany me, an you think you can lead me safe enough into
Strath.' The Captain declared he would go with him where he pleased,
and said he could undertake to bring him into MacKinnon's country
safe enough, provided he would go by sea, which he might easily do,
for that he really did not think it so safe for him to go by land by
reason of the several parties that were searching the country. The
Prince said he would go by land, for that there was no doing anything
in their situation without running risques, and proposed directing
their course immediately for the place intended, alleging that he
himself knew the way very well. 'I am sure,' says the Captain, 'I
must know it much [Sidenote: _fol._ 235.] better, and I must tell
you that we have a long journey to make, no less than 24 or 30 long
miles. For I dare not lead you the direct road, but take you byways,
and go here and there cross the country to keep as free as we can
of the parties scattered up and down.' Then the Captain hinted that
he thought it not so convenient to set out when night was coming on
lest they should fall into dangers and inconveniences for want of
knowing well where they were. But the Prince insisted upon setting
out immediately; and accordingly away they went along the ridges of
high hills, and through wild muirs and glens. All the time from first
to last of this adventure the Captain was exceedingly afraid of what
might happen, lest bad things should be imputed to him, in case of
any harm befalling the Prince.
[Sidenote: 4 July]
The Prince proposed to pass for the Captain's servant, the better to
conceal him, which was agreed to, and that he should be named Lewie
Caw,[112] there being of that name a young surgeon lad (who had been
in the Prince's service) skulking at that time in Sky, where he had
some relations. The Captain advised the Prince, since he had proposed
being his servant, to walk at some distance behind him; and if at any
time he [Sidenote: _fol._ 236.] happened to meet with any persons and
to converse with them, as he was well known in the island, that the
Prince should show no concern at all in his face, but sit down at a
small distance, when he should happen to talk with any folks. The
Prince assured him that no appearance of concern should be seen about
him, and that he should be careful to observe the proper distance of
a servant, and to do the duty of one by carrying the baggage, which
very often he would not part with to the Captain when he desired it
of him, and even pressed to have it.
[112] See f. 1715.
The conversation happening to turn upon Lord George Murray, the
Prince said that Lord George Murray (whether out of ignorance, or
with a view to betray him he would not say) did not behave well at
all with respect to obeying of orders; and that particularly for two
or three days before the battle of Culloden Lord George did scarce
any one thing he desired him to do.[113]
[113] See ff. 150, 667, 668.
When the Captain was informing the Prince about the many cruelties
and barbarities committed after Culloden battle, the Prince was
amazed, and said, 'Surely that man who calls himself the Duke,
and pretends to be so great a general, cannot be guilty of such
cruelties, I cannot believe them.'
The Captain, happening to see the Prince uneasy and fidging, took
him to the back of a know, and opening his breast, saw [Sidenote:
_fol._ 237.] him troubled with lice for want of clean linen, and
by reason of the coarse odd way he behoved to live in, both as to
sustenance and sleep. He said, he believed, he took fourscore off
him.[114] This serves to show that he was reduced to the very lowest
ebb of misery and distress, and is a certain indication of that
greatness of soul which could rise above all misfortunes, and bear
up with a chearfulness, not to be equalled in history, under all the
scenes of woe that could happen. He used to say that the fatigues and
distresses he underwent signified nothing at all, because he was only
a single person; but when he reflected upon the many brave fellows
who suffered in his cause, that, he behoved to own, did strike him to
the heart, and did sink very deep with him.
[114] See f. 1675.
The Prince, even when warm and sweating, used to drink a great deal
of water in his wandering from place to place, and the Captain was
always sure to desire him to take a dram above the water to qualifie
it. The Captain intreated him not to drink water when he was sweating
lest he should thereby injure his health. 'No, no,' said the Prince,
'that will never hurt me in the least. If you happen to drink any
cold thing when you are warm, only remember, MacLeod, to piss after
drinking, and it will do you no harm at all. This advice I had from
a friend abroad.' The Captain said the Prince was always sure to
observe this direction.
When the Captain was asked if the Prince was really in good
[Sidenote: _fol._ 238.] health when he happened to be with him he
said, it was not possible he could be altogether in good health
considering the many fatigues and distresses he was obliged to
undergo, and that (as he had heard) he had been seized with a bloody
flux before he left South Uist. But then, he said, the Prince would
never own himself to be in any bad state of health at all, and always
bore up with a surprizing stock of spirits. It was never in the power
of any person to discover an appearance of bad health about him. He
walked very quickly, and had a good appetite.
At last the brandy bottle began to come near the bottom, when the
Prince pressed the Captain to take a dram lest he should faint with
the excessive fatigue. But he refused to take it, and desired the
Prince himself to drink it off. The kind contest ran so high that the
Prince told him: The devil a drop of it he would drink, and therefore
he should make an end of it. The Captain behoved to empty the bottle,
which the Prince proposed to throw away and to break it. 'No, no,'
said the Captain, 'I will be so far from breaking it that I will do
my best to preserve it as a curious piece. It may come to drink many
a cask of whiskie to me yet.' He then hid the bottle in the heart
of a thick bush of heath, and as he knows the ground well, he hopes
to find it upon his return to Sky, if the cattle have not trampled
it to pieces. He said he hoped the bottle would make a figure in
Westminster yet. He has likewise the big coat, which the Prince wore
wet and heavy. [Sidenote: _fol._ 239.] He took it to London with him,
and gave orders to send it after him when he set out for Scotland.
As they were marching along and talking of the fatigues the Prince
was obliged to undergoe, he said: 'MacLeod, do you not think that God
Almighty has made this person of mine for doing some good yet? When
I was in Italy, and dining at the king's table, very often the sweat
would have been coming through my coat with the heat of the climate;
and now that I am in a cold country, of a more piercing and trying
climate, and exposed to different kinds of fatigues, I really find
I agree equally with both. I have had this philibeg on now for some
days, and I find I do as well with it as any the best breeches I ever
put on. I hope in God, MacLeod, to walk the streets of London with
it yet.' Then he remarked that the waistcoat he had upon him was too
fine for a servant, being a scarlet tartan with a gold twist button,
and proposed to the master to change with him, the better to carry on
the disguise, which accordingly was done, the master's vest not being
so fine as the servant's. When the Prince was making the exchange he
said, 'I hope, MacLeod, to give you a much better vest for this yet.'
The Captain remarked it was proper they should pass the road that
leads to the Laird of MacLeod's country in the night time for fear
of parties spying them; which accordingly they did by break of day.
And the Prince looking about him, and [Sidenote: _fol._ 240.] seeing
nothing but hills all around them said, 'I am sure, the Devil cannot
find us out now.'
As they were coming near Strath, MacKinnon's country, the Captain
suggested to the Prince that now he was coming to a country where
he would be known and consequently liable to be discovered in every
corner of it, as MacKinnon and his men had been out in his service,
and therefore some shift behoved to be faln upon to disguise him
more and more still. The Prince proposed blacking his face with some
one thing or another. But the Captain was against that proposal as
what would serve rather to discover him all at once than to conceal
him. The Prince then pulling off the periwig and putting it into his
pocket took out a dirty white napkin and desired the Captain to tye
that about his head, and to bring it down upon his eyes and nose.
He put the bonnet on above the napkin and said, 'I think I will now
pass well enough for your servant, and that I am sick with the much
fatigue I have undergone. Look at me, MacLeod, and tell me what you
think. How will it do?' MacLeod told him--this would not do yet, for
that those who had ever seen him before would still discover his face
for all the disguise he was in. The Prince said, 'This is an odd
remarkable face I have got that nothing [Sidenote: _fol._ 241.] can
disguise it. I heard Mr. MacLeod declare more than once that the
Prince could do any thing or turn himself into any shape, but that of
dissembling his air.' That he could never disguise with all the arts
he could use. 'There is not a person,' he said, 'that knows what the
air of a noble or great man is, but upon seeing the Prince in any
disguise he could put on would see something about him that was not
ordinary, something of the stately and the grand.'
They were no sooner come into Strath than they met two of MacKinnon's
men who had been out in the expedition. Immediately they stared upon
the Prince, and with hands lifted up, wept bitterly to see him in
such a pickle. Malcolm begged them to take care what they were doing
and to compose themselves, for that they might do harm by showing
any concern. He took them back with him so far, and cautioning them
not to take any notice of this meeting, took an oath of them, not
to discover at any rate that they had seen the Prince in disguise
or in that corner of the country, and then dismist them. The men
accordingly proved true to their trust.
When they were near the place the Captain designed to set up at,
he told the Prince that he had a sister that dwelt there who was
married to John MacKinnon, a captain, lately under [Sidenote: _fol._
242.] the Laird of MacKinnon, and that he judged it advisable to
go to his sister's house, advising the Prince in the meantime to
sit at a little distance from the house till he should enquire at
John MacKinnon or his wife if any party was near the place, and if
he (Malcolm MacLeod) could be safe there; and likewise telling the
Prince that he was still to pass for his servant, Lewie Caw. Mr.
MacLeod accordingly went to the house where he found his sister, but
her husband was not at home. After the usual compliments he told
his sister that he had come there perhaps to pass some little time,
provided that no party was near them, and that he was in safety to
stay. She assured him that no party she knew of was in that corner,
and that he was very welcome, and she hoped he would be in safety
enough. He told her that he had no body along with him but one Lewie
Caw (son of Mr. Caw, surgeon in Crief) who had been out in the late
affair, and consequently in the same condemnation with himself; and
that he was with him as his servant. Upon this Lewie Caw was called
upon to come into the house, the place being called Ellagol, or
Ellighuil, near Kilvory or Kilmaree (_i.e._ a chapel, or rather a
burying place, dedicate to the Virgin Mary) in Strath. When Lewie
entered the house with the baggage on his back and the napkin about
his head [Sidenote: _fol._ 243.] he took off his bonnet, made a low
bow and sat at a distance from his master. The Captain's sister said
there was something about that lad that she liked unco well, and
she could not help admiring his looks. When meat and drink, viz.,
bread and cheese, milk, etc. were set down before the master he said
to his servant that he might come in by and take a share, for that
there were no strangers in the house. The sick Lewie made it shy and
refused to eat with his master, and alledged he knew better manners.
But the master ordering him to come and take a share he obeyed, still
keeping off the bonnet.
In their way to this place the Prince in the night time happened to
fall into a bogue almost to the top of the thighs and MacLeod behoved
to pull him out by the armpits and thereby was bogued himself. The
Captain desired the servant lass, who could talk nothing but Erse, to
bring some water for his feet, which she did; and being much fatigued
he desired her to wash his feet and legs. When she was washing them
he said, 'You see that poor sick man there, I hope you'll wash his
feet too. It will be great charity, for he has as much need as I
have.' 'No such thing,' said she, 'although I wash the master's
feet, I am not obliged to wash the servant's. What! he's but a low
countrywoman's son. I will not wash his feet [Sidenote: _fol._ 244.]
indeed.' However, with much intreaty Malcolm prevailed upon the maid
to stoop so low as to wash poor Lewie's feet. While she was washing
them she happened to use him right roughly, and the Prince said to
Malcolm, 'O MacLeod, if you would desire the girl not to go so far
up.'
Malcolm importuned the Prince to go to bed and take some rest. The
Prince then asked who would keep guard for fear of an alarm? Malcolm
said he would do it himself. The Prince at last was prevailed upon to
throw himself upon a bed, but would not strip. Malcolm desired his
sister to go out, and sit upon the top of a knowe near the house and
keep watch while he and his servant Lewie should take some sleep,
which she accordingly did.
The Captain hearing that the landlord was coming towards home went
out to meet him. After saluting him he asked if he saw these ships of
war (pointing to them) that were hovering about upon the coast. Mr.
MacKinnon said he saw them very well. 'What,' said MacLeod, 'if our
Prince be on board one of them?' 'God forbid,' replied MacKinnon, 'I
would [Sidenote: _fol._ 245.] not wish that for anything.' 'What!'
said Malcolm, 'if we had him here, John? Do you think he would be in
safety enough?' 'I wish with all my heart we had him here,' replied
John, 'for he would be safe enough.' 'Well then,' said MacLeod, 'he
is here already. He is just now in your house. But when you go in
you must be careful to take no notice of him at all. He passes for
one Lewie Caw, my servant.' John faithfully promised to observe the
direction, and thought he could perform it well enough. But he was no
sooner entred the house than he could not hold his eyes from staring
upon Lewie, and very soon he was forced to turn his face away from
the Prince and to weep. In this house the Prince diverted himself
with a young child, Neil MacKinnon,[115] carrying him in his arms and
singing to him, and said, 'I hope this child may be a captain in my
service yet.'
[115] Son of said John.
The Prince and Malcolm began to deliberate about going to the
continent, and the proper measures to be taken for that purpose. They
both agreed not to let the old Laird of MacKinnon know anything of
their being in that country, because though he be a mighty honest,
stout, good man, yet through his old age, and the infirmities
attending it, they thought he was not so well cut out for the
difficulties of the Prince's present situation, and therefore they
judged it advisable to desire John MacKinnon to hire a boat under a
pretence of Malcolm MacLeod's only sailing to the continent, taking
his [Sidenote: _fol._ 246.] promise in the meantime that he should
not communicate anything of the matter at all to the old Laird if he
should chance to see him. Accordingly John went to hire the boat, and
meeting with the old chiftain he could not keep the matter from him.
The Laird told John that he should get a right boat and manage that
matter well enough, and that he would instantly come to the place
where the Prince was. John returned to the Prince and told him what
he had done, and that old MacKinnon was coming to wait upon him. Upon
this Malcolm represented to the Prince that seeing they were upon the
bounds of the old Laird and that he had taken the matter in hand,
he behoved to order and direct everything, for that if he should
take upon him to give his opinion or contradict honest MacKinnon in
anything he should propose, a difference might arise that would not
be so convenient in the present juncture. And therefore suggested
it as a wise thing that he should leave the Prince altogether to
the management of old MacKinnon, who he was persuaded would be very
careful of him, and exceedingly true and firm to the trust. The
Prince did not savour this proposal at all, for he could not think
of parting with his trusty friend. But the Captain insisted upon it
as advisable upon other accounts. He told the Prince that now he
behoved to be amissing among his own friends and acquaintances, and
ten to one but parties would be employed in search of him, which,
if they should still keep together, might end in making a discovery
of them both; [Sidenote: _fol._ 247.] and that therefore he would
chuse rather to return to the place from whence he came, though
he should happen to have the misfortune of being made a prisoner,
which was very like to be the case. 'And no matter for that at all,'
said he, 'if it can tend to promote your safety, which it cannot
readily fail to do.' With much reluctancy the Prince at last agreed
to the proposal, and upon old MacKinnon's coming to them they went
directly to the boat, John MacKinnon going with them, who likewise
accompanied the Prince and old MacKinnon to the continent.
When the Prince was about stepping into the boat, about 8 or 9 at
night, he turned to Malcolm and said, 'Don't you remember that I
promised to meet Murdoch MacLeod at such a place?'[116] 'No matter,'
said Malcolm, 'I shall make your apology.' 'That's not enough,'
said the Prince. 'Have you paper, pen and ink upon you, MacLeod?
I'll write him a few lines. I'm obliged so to do in good manners.'
Accordingly he wrote him in the following words:
'Sir,--I thank God I am in good health, and have got off as design'd.
Remember me to all friends, and thank them for the trouble they have
been at.--I am, Sir, Your humble servant,