History Of The Mackenzies [107]
in his father's absence, and in eloquent terms charged them all with the honour of her house and her own protection in her husband's absence.
This was hardly necessary, for the Kintail men had not yet forgotten the breach of faith which had been committed by Macdonald regarding the recent agreement to cease hostilities for a stated time, and other recent sores. Her ladyship having wished them God-speed, they started on their way rejoicing and in the best of spirits. She mounted the castle walls, and stood there encouraging them until, by the darkness of the night, she could no longer see them.
On their way towards Kylerhea they met a boat from Lochalsh sent out to inform them of the enemy's arrival at Kyleakin. Learning this, they cautiously kept their course close to the south side of the loch. It was a calm moonlight night, with occasional slight showers of snow. The tide had already begun to flow, and, judging that the Macdonalds would await the next turning of the tide to enable them to get through Kylerhea, the Kintail men, longing for their prey, resolved to advance and meet them.
They had not proceeded far, rowing very gently, after placing seaweed in the rowlocks so as not to make a noise, when they noticed a boat, rowing at the hardest, coming in their direction; but from its small size they thought it must have been sent by the Macdonalds in advance to test the passage of Kylerhea. They therefore allowed it to pass unmolested, and proceeded northward, looking for Macdonald's own galley. As they neared the Cailleach, a low rock midway between both Kyles, it was observed in the distance covered with snow. The night also favoured them, the sea, calm, appearing black and mournful to the enemy. Here they met Macdonald's first galley, and drawing up near it, they soon discovered it to be no other than his own great birlinn, some distance ahead of the rest of the fleet. Macdonald, as soon as he noticed them, called out "Who is there?" twice in succession, but receiving no answer, and finding the Kintail men drawing nearer, he called out the third time, when, in reply, he received a full broadside from Mackenzie's cannon, which disabled his galley and threw her on the Cailleach Rock.
The men on board Macdonald's galley thought they had been driven on shore, and flocked to the fore part of the boat, striving to escape, thus capsizing and filling the birlinn. Discovering their position, and seeing a long stretch of sea lying between them and the mainland, they became quite confused, and were completely at the mercy of their enemies, who sent some of their men ashore to despatch any of the poor wretches who might swim ashore, while others remained in their boat killing and drowning the Macdonalds. Such of them as managed to reach the land were also killed or drowned by those of the Kintail men who went ashore, not a soul out of the sixty men on board the galley having escaped except Angus Macdonald himself still breathing, though he had been wounded twice in the head and once in the body. He was yet alive when they took him aboard their galley, but he died before morning. Hearing the uproar, several of the Lochalsh people went out with all speed in two small boats, under command of Dugall Mac Mhurchaidh Matthewson, to take part in the fray; but by the time they arrived at the scene of action few of Macdonald's followers were alive. Thus ended the career of Angus, younger of Glengarry, a chief to whom his followers looked up, and whom they justly regarded as a bold and intrepid leader, though deficient in prudence and strategy.
The remainder of Macdonald's fleet, to the number of twenty-one, following behind his own galley, having heard the uproar, returned to Kyleakin in such terror and confusion that each thought his nearest neighbour was pursuing him. Landing in Strathardale, they left their boats "and their ill-cooked beef to these hungry gentlemen," and before they slept they arrived in Sleat, from whence they were sent across to the mainland in
This was hardly necessary, for the Kintail men had not yet forgotten the breach of faith which had been committed by Macdonald regarding the recent agreement to cease hostilities for a stated time, and other recent sores. Her ladyship having wished them God-speed, they started on their way rejoicing and in the best of spirits. She mounted the castle walls, and stood there encouraging them until, by the darkness of the night, she could no longer see them.
On their way towards Kylerhea they met a boat from Lochalsh sent out to inform them of the enemy's arrival at Kyleakin. Learning this, they cautiously kept their course close to the south side of the loch. It was a calm moonlight night, with occasional slight showers of snow. The tide had already begun to flow, and, judging that the Macdonalds would await the next turning of the tide to enable them to get through Kylerhea, the Kintail men, longing for their prey, resolved to advance and meet them.
They had not proceeded far, rowing very gently, after placing seaweed in the rowlocks so as not to make a noise, when they noticed a boat, rowing at the hardest, coming in their direction; but from its small size they thought it must have been sent by the Macdonalds in advance to test the passage of Kylerhea. They therefore allowed it to pass unmolested, and proceeded northward, looking for Macdonald's own galley. As they neared the Cailleach, a low rock midway between both Kyles, it was observed in the distance covered with snow. The night also favoured them, the sea, calm, appearing black and mournful to the enemy. Here they met Macdonald's first galley, and drawing up near it, they soon discovered it to be no other than his own great birlinn, some distance ahead of the rest of the fleet. Macdonald, as soon as he noticed them, called out "Who is there?" twice in succession, but receiving no answer, and finding the Kintail men drawing nearer, he called out the third time, when, in reply, he received a full broadside from Mackenzie's cannon, which disabled his galley and threw her on the Cailleach Rock.
The men on board Macdonald's galley thought they had been driven on shore, and flocked to the fore part of the boat, striving to escape, thus capsizing and filling the birlinn. Discovering their position, and seeing a long stretch of sea lying between them and the mainland, they became quite confused, and were completely at the mercy of their enemies, who sent some of their men ashore to despatch any of the poor wretches who might swim ashore, while others remained in their boat killing and drowning the Macdonalds. Such of them as managed to reach the land were also killed or drowned by those of the Kintail men who went ashore, not a soul out of the sixty men on board the galley having escaped except Angus Macdonald himself still breathing, though he had been wounded twice in the head and once in the body. He was yet alive when they took him aboard their galley, but he died before morning. Hearing the uproar, several of the Lochalsh people went out with all speed in two small boats, under command of Dugall Mac Mhurchaidh Matthewson, to take part in the fray; but by the time they arrived at the scene of action few of Macdonald's followers were alive. Thus ended the career of Angus, younger of Glengarry, a chief to whom his followers looked up, and whom they justly regarded as a bold and intrepid leader, though deficient in prudence and strategy.
The remainder of Macdonald's fleet, to the number of twenty-one, following behind his own galley, having heard the uproar, returned to Kyleakin in such terror and confusion that each thought his nearest neighbour was pursuing him. Landing in Strathardale, they left their boats "and their ill-cooked beef to these hungry gentlemen," and before they slept they arrived in Sleat, from whence they were sent across to the mainland in