History Of The Mackenzies [106]
men, who had withdrawn some distance that they might with greater advantage gather together in a body and defend themselves, except Duncan MacIan Mhic Ghillechallum in Killichirtorn, whom the enemy apprehended, and would have killed, had not one of the Macdonalds, formerly his friend and acquaintance, prevailed upon young Glengarry to save his life, and send him to the Castle of Strome, where he still had a garrison, rather than kill him.
The successful result of this expedition encouraged Angus so much that he began to think fortune had at last turned in his favour, and he set out and called personally upon all the chief and leaders of the various branches of the Macdonalds in the west, soliciting their assistance against the Mackenzies, which they all agreed to give him in the following spring.
This soon came to Mackenzie's knowledge, who was at the time residing in Ellandonnan Castle; and fearing the consequences of such a powerful combination against him, he went privately to Mull by sea to consult his brother-in-law, Hector Og Maclean of Duart, to whom he told that he had a commission of fire and sword against "the rebels of Glengarry and such as would rise in arms to assist them, and being informed that the Macdonalds near him (Maclean) had combined to join them, and to put him to further trouble, that, therefore, he would, not only as a good subject but as his fast friend, divert these whenever they should rise in arms against him." [Ardintoul MS.] Maclean undertook to prevent the assistance of the Clan Ranald of Isla and the Macdonalds of Glencoe and Ardnamurchan, by, if necessary, invading their territories, and thus compelling them to protect their own interests at home. It appears that old Glengarry was still anxious to arrange a permanent peace with Mackenzie; but his son Angus, restless and turbulent as ever, would not hear of any peaceful settlement, and determined to start at once upon an expedition, from which his father told him at the time he had little hopes of his ever returning alive--a prediction which turned out only too true.
Angus, taking advantage of Mackenzie's absence in Mull, gathered, in the latter end of November, as secretly as be could, all the boats and great galleys within his reach, and, with this large fleet loaded with his followers passed through the Kyles under silence of night; and, coming to Lochcarron, he sent his marauders ashore in the twilight. The inhabitants perceiving them, escaped to the hills, but the Macdonalds cruelly slaughtered all the aged men who could not escape, and many of the women and children seized all the cattle, and drove them to the Island of Slumbay, where their boats which they filled with the carcases lay.
Before, however, they had fully loaded, the alarm having gone through the districts of Lochalsh and Kintail, some of the natives of those districts were seen marching in the direction of Lochcarron. The Macdonalds deemed it prudent to remain no longer, and set out to sea pursued by a shower of arrows by way of farewell, which, however, had little effect upon them, as they were already out of range.
The Kintail men, by the shortest route, now returned to Ellandonnan, sending twelve of the swiftest of their number across country to Inverinate, where lay, newly built, a twelve-oared galley, which had never been to sea, belonging to Gillecriost MacDhonnchaidh, one of Inverinate's tenants. These heroes made such rapid progress that they were back at the castle with the boat before many of their companions arrived from Lochcarron. During the night they set to work, superintended and encouraged by Lady Mackenzie in person, to make arrangements to go out and meet the enemy. The best men were quickly picked. The Lady supplied them with all the materials and necessaries for the journey within her reach, handed them the lead and powder with her own hands, and gave them two small pieces of brass ordnance. She ordered Duncan MacGillechriost, a powerful handsome fellow, to take command of the galley
The successful result of this expedition encouraged Angus so much that he began to think fortune had at last turned in his favour, and he set out and called personally upon all the chief and leaders of the various branches of the Macdonalds in the west, soliciting their assistance against the Mackenzies, which they all agreed to give him in the following spring.
This soon came to Mackenzie's knowledge, who was at the time residing in Ellandonnan Castle; and fearing the consequences of such a powerful combination against him, he went privately to Mull by sea to consult his brother-in-law, Hector Og Maclean of Duart, to whom he told that he had a commission of fire and sword against "the rebels of Glengarry and such as would rise in arms to assist them, and being informed that the Macdonalds near him (Maclean) had combined to join them, and to put him to further trouble, that, therefore, he would, not only as a good subject but as his fast friend, divert these whenever they should rise in arms against him." [Ardintoul MS.] Maclean undertook to prevent the assistance of the Clan Ranald of Isla and the Macdonalds of Glencoe and Ardnamurchan, by, if necessary, invading their territories, and thus compelling them to protect their own interests at home. It appears that old Glengarry was still anxious to arrange a permanent peace with Mackenzie; but his son Angus, restless and turbulent as ever, would not hear of any peaceful settlement, and determined to start at once upon an expedition, from which his father told him at the time he had little hopes of his ever returning alive--a prediction which turned out only too true.
Angus, taking advantage of Mackenzie's absence in Mull, gathered, in the latter end of November, as secretly as be could, all the boats and great galleys within his reach, and, with this large fleet loaded with his followers passed through the Kyles under silence of night; and, coming to Lochcarron, he sent his marauders ashore in the twilight. The inhabitants perceiving them, escaped to the hills, but the Macdonalds cruelly slaughtered all the aged men who could not escape, and many of the women and children seized all the cattle, and drove them to the Island of Slumbay, where their boats which they filled with the carcases lay.
Before, however, they had fully loaded, the alarm having gone through the districts of Lochalsh and Kintail, some of the natives of those districts were seen marching in the direction of Lochcarron. The Macdonalds deemed it prudent to remain no longer, and set out to sea pursued by a shower of arrows by way of farewell, which, however, had little effect upon them, as they were already out of range.
The Kintail men, by the shortest route, now returned to Ellandonnan, sending twelve of the swiftest of their number across country to Inverinate, where lay, newly built, a twelve-oared galley, which had never been to sea, belonging to Gillecriost MacDhonnchaidh, one of Inverinate's tenants. These heroes made such rapid progress that they were back at the castle with the boat before many of their companions arrived from Lochcarron. During the night they set to work, superintended and encouraged by Lady Mackenzie in person, to make arrangements to go out and meet the enemy. The best men were quickly picked. The Lady supplied them with all the materials and necessaries for the journey within her reach, handed them the lead and powder with her own hands, and gave them two small pieces of brass ordnance. She ordered Duncan MacGillechriost, a powerful handsome fellow, to take command of the galley