The Major after furnishing what provisions he could get, returned
to where his royal highness was, and taking some refreshments, they
went to the face of an adjacent hill to take some rest and sleeping,
till about four or five o'clock in the afternoon, when they got up
and dismist their old faithful guide, Donald Cameron.[340] Soon after
whose departure, the Major, upon seeing the Glengary man passing
by on his way to his country, slipt out of his den and brought him
to a byplace, till he would be sure about his intended guide, and
returning to his royal highness consulted with him what should be
done [Sidenote: _fol._ 619.] in regard of the Glengary men, and the
Prince approved of keeping by him till their fate with regard to
their other guide should be known. About seven o'clock at night, the
man who undertook to furnish the guide was seen coming to the place
which had been appointed for meeting at betwixt him and the Major,
who immediately stept out to the place appointed, and after some
conversation he found that the only French ship that had been there
was gone off, and that no guide could be procured. The Major finding
it needless to proceed further towards Poolieu made the man believe
that he intended to return again to his own country and so dismist
him.
[340] See f. 1451.
Immediately Glenaladale returned to the Prince and told him what
had passed; whereupon it was resolved to change their course, and
accordingly the Glengary man was introduced to his royal highness,
and most chearfully undertook to guide [Sidenote: _fol._ 620.]
him. And, preparing to pursue their journey, they set out late at
night, and going on about a quarter of a mile, they stopt a little,
which was occasioned by the Major's clapping his hand to his side
and missing his purse,[341] wherein he had another purse of gold he
had got the charge of from his royal highness in order to defray
his charges, and which he had forgot when they had been preparing
for their journey. Upon this Glenaladale and Lieutenant MacDonald
(Boradale's son) returned, and coming to the place found his purse,
but opening it miss'd the inner purse in which the gold he had got
from the Prince was contain'd. In the midst of his surprize he
reflected it might have been taken away by a little boy sent by
their landlord, Gilchrist MacCrath, with a compliment of milk, as
the landlord supposed to the Major, who had not allowed him to know
anything about the Prince at all. He was the more confirmed in this
opinion, as they had left the boy at the place where the [Sidenote:
_fol._ 621.] purse was forgot. Accordingly the Major and Lieutenant
MacDonald went all the way to MacCrath's house, which was more than
a mile off, and calling for him represented to him the inconveniency
of the accident that had happened, and intreated him to oblige the
boy to restore the purse, which he did to a trifle. They returned
by a different road from what they had gone before, and came to the
Prince, who was in great pain for them, fearing they might have been
intercepted by an officer and two private men that pass'd under arms
by the place where his royal highness was in their absence; which
made him reflect how much the hand of Providence guided him in all
his ways,[342] and particularly in this late lucky accident of losing
the purse, which stopt them in their progress: whereas if they had
pursued their journey they would inevitably have fallen in with these
persons, in which case any thinking person may [Sidenote: _fol._
622.] easily judge how fatal the consequence of such a meeting might
have proved. The Prince likewise used to think much upon the happy
undesigned event of his enemies, chasing a guide to him for no less
than thirty miles whom Providence led in his way to conduct him safe
out of their hands.
[341] This is the same narrative with what is contain'd f. 549 of
this volume, and serves to correct a mistake there as to the person
who lost the purse: for 'tis plain that Glenaladale has been the
man.--ROBERT FORBES, A.M.
[342] See f. 550.
[Sidenote: 28 July]
Having once more got together, his royal highness and his small
retinue set out, and travelling all the remainder of the night
came early in the morning of July 28th to a hill-side above
Strathchluaine, and, chusing a fast place, took some rest till
towards three o'clock afternoon, when they set out, and travelling by
a hill-side about a mile from the place they rested in, they heard
the firing of small arms in the hill above them, which they judged
to be some of the troops chasing people that had fled with their
effects. They steered their course northward, and mounting up a high
hill betwixt the Braes of Glenmoriston and Strathglass came late at
night to the very top of [Sidenote: _fol._ 623.] it, and being very
dark they were obliged to lodge there all night, the only shelter his
royal highness could have being an open cave where he could neither
lean nor sleep, being wet to the skin with the heavy rain that had
fallen the day before; and having no fuel to make a fire, the only
method he had of warming himself was smoking a pipe.
[Sidenote: 29 July]
About three o'clock in the morning of July 29th the Lieutenant
(Glenaladale's brother) and the guide (the providential Glengary
man) were sent in quest of some trusty people they intended to find
out in order to conduct his royal highness to Pollieu,[343] and were
appointed to return to the top of a neighbouring hill where his
royal highness and the remainder of his retinue were to meet them.
Accordingly about five o'clock in the morning his royal highness
set out, [Sidenote: _fol._ 624.] and by seven came to the top of
that hill, where meeting with the guide on his return he told he had
found out his intended trustees,[344] who had given him directions to
the Major (they knowing nothing at all of his royal highness, only
suspecting that a young man they were told was in company might be
young Clanranald) to repair into a cave in the Brae of Glenmoriston
in a place called Coiraghoth, where they promised to come at an
appointed hour with a refreshment. Accordingly his royal highness set
out, and by the time appointed came to the place and meeting with
these few friends (who upon sight[345] knew his royal highness,
having formerly served in his army) they conducted him to the grotto
where he was refreshed with such chear as the exigency of the time
afforded; and making a bed for him, his royal highness was lulled
asleep with the sweet murmurs of the finest purling stream that
could be, running [Sidenote: _fol._ 625.] by his bedside, within the
grotto, in which romantic habitation[346] his royal highness pass'd
three days, at the end of which he was so well refreshed[347] that he
thought himself able to encounter any hardships.
[343] See ff. 1451, 1661, 1664.
[344] The faithful Glenmoriston men. See f. 172.
[345] Perhaps the circumstance of 'Ha! Dougal MacCullony' etc.,
mentioned by Mrs. Cameron is not literally true. But I have often
heard that these men used to call the Prince by the name Dougal the
better to conceal him. See f. 1451.