"There is not the least fear of that, my Lady, take comfort, as all things will succeed well." By this time Flora made her appearance, with an air of smiling cheerfulness; and her conversation and presence restored her Ladyship to a calm and collected state of mind. The whole held a consultation together, as to the best plan to be adopted for the following morning. It was resolved in the meantime, that the poor Prince who had been left for so many hours alone, must be immediately seen to, and have creature comforts supplied to him. They agreed to send Niel MacEachainn to tell his Royal Highness that Kingsburgh proposed to visit him very soon on the shore. Niel at once did so, and speedily returned. In half-an-hour thereafter, he shouldered a musket and scampered across an intervening field, as if in search of game. The game, however, was sufficiently safe from Niel's approach, as his musket had neither flint nor ramrod, and as he failed to muster either powder or shot. Kingsburgh arrived at the place with some brandy and wine for the Prince, as well as with something substantial to eat, but no Prince was there! Niel waited Kingsburgh's arrival, and remained in charge of the refreshments, while Kingsburgh set off in search of his Royal Highness, and walked across the fields in the direction of the house of Scuddeburgh. At length, on seeing a flock of sheep, moving with all their speed towards the high-grounds, as if scared by some strange object, he beheld in the distance a huge giant-like figure in female attire, stalking rapidly over the meadow, with every pace a fathom in length, and every movement more fantastic than the most fertile imagination could delineate the witch of Endor! Kingsburgh made up to the ghastly female, who, with a rough, knotted club in her hand, put the question-" Are you Macdonald of Kingsburgh?" "I am, your Royal Highness!" Then after congratulations of no ordinary fervency, the Prince said-"Let us now go back to the place I left." This was done, and the much needed refreshments were liberally supplied, and as liberally and thankfully used. Late in the evening Sir Alexander's cattleman entered the servants' hall at Monkstadt, in a very excited state, and told in his own vernacular, in these impressive terms—“A Dhe, gleidh sinn, chunnaic mi boirionnach mor a' bras-shiubhal nan raointean, eadar so agus an Dun, le lorg fhada 'na laimh, le currachd neonach air a ceann, agus le eididh iongantaich m'a coluinn. Chan 'eil teagamh nach aon i dhiubhsan a ghlais na Sithichean 'nan seomraichibh 'san Dun, agus a fhuair cothrom teichidh. Chan fhaca mi a leithid riamh ann an cruth neach saoghalta." The translation of which is "Lord, preserve us! I saw a large female quickly traversing the fields betwixt this and the fort, with a long stick in her hand, with a curious hood on her head, and with a remarkable dress on her person. Undoubtedly she must be one of those whom the Fairies had locked up in their chambers in the Fort, who contrived to escape. I never beheld one to be compared with her in the shape of a worldly creature." Kingsburgh told this anecdote to the Prince, who heartily laughed at it. Previous to this Niel undeceived the astonished cattleman in the hall, as well as the other menials present, by his telling them that the gigantic female in question was no fairy prisoner in Scuddeburgh Fort, but an Irish spinning-maid whom they had ferried from the Long Island, on her way to the residence of Miss Flora Macdonald's mother at Armadale. The Prince was left for the night in a recess on the shore to which of muskets and rifles in the gun-room, where Niel might help himself, and try his luck. This was all that Flora wanted, to afford a pretext for Niel to scamper the fields, when in reality the safety of the Prince was the only game he wished to be in pursuit of. Some little time after dinner, when the guests betook themselves hither and thither for amusement, Flora got hold of Kingsburgh when alone, and revealed to him all about the Prince, and suggested the necessity of breaking the intelligence to Lady Margaret, as she could not venture to do it herself, in case that she might become so affected by her Ladyship's alarm, as to be observed by some of the guests in the house. Now, Kingsburgh being a cool and sensible gentleman, undertook to execute this important duty. In about half-an-hour thereafter he took her Ladyship into a private apartment, and revealed to her the whole secret. The intelligence, so sudden and unexpected, greatly affected her Ladyship, so much so indeed, that she all but fell into a fit of hysterics. Her features became convulsed, and she screamed so loudly, as to cause a dread that she might be heard by others in the house. She expressed herself in accents of terror-sat trembling on a chair, and exclaimed "Oh dear, Kingsburgh, we are undone-we are ruined-and we will all of us have to suffer the penalty of death on the scaffold! 0! dear. O dear, what is this?" Kingsburgh, with characteristic prudence and serenity of mind, assured her Ladyship that there was no danger whatever, and that he himself would conduct his Royal Highness to Kingsburgh House, and that all would be right in the end. "Oh," said her Ladyship, "how much I wish that my dear, sterling friend, Captain Donald Roy were here at this moment, I sent him the other day to Fladda-chuain,* as I was told the Prince was expected to land there, and he was supplied with shirts and other requisites for the comfort of hist Royal Highness. I hope that he has returned to his house at Shulista, where he is a patient of Dr Maclean,† for the curing of his leg that was pierced by a musket ball in the battle of Culloden. As he may now be at home, let him get notice to come immediately." He was accordingly sent for, and soon arrived on horseback at the mansion-house of Monkstadt. He found Lady Margaret and Kingsburgh walking alone in the garden. They had by this time less reserve, as Captain Macleod and his men had gone to Uig to visit their company stationed there. Her Ladyship was greatly cheered by the appearance and presence of Captain Donald Roy, although she could not help saying to him-"I fear, my dear Donald, that it is all over with us, and that we are ruined for ever." * Fladda-chuain is an Island in the Minch about a mile long, and distant about eight miles from the shore of Monkstadt. It is not inhabited, but has usually a small hut in it, to afford shelter to fishermen, and to hunters after wild fowls, which frequent it in millions. + Dr John Maclean who resided at Shulista, about four miles from Monkstadt, was celebrated as a surgeon over all the Western Isles. He was reputed to be a very learned man, and deeply versed in the Greek and Roman Classics. It has been said that he could repeat Homer's Iliad from beginning to end, as well as Virgil's Æneid. He possessed an endless store of amusing anecdotes. Dr Maclean had two sons, one of whom was for many years an M.P. for a borough in England; and the other soll, Malcolm, was a Captain in the British army, and died, near Shulista, about forty years ago. General Stewart, in his book on the Highland Regiments, alludes to the high education given in those days to the gentlemen of the Western Isles, and his remarks are strictly true. "There is not the least fear of that, my Lady, take comfort, as all things will succeed well." By this time Flora made her appearance, with an air of smiling cheerfulness; and her conversation and presence restored her Ladyship to a calm and collected state of mind. The whole held a consultation together, as to the best plan to be adopted for the following morning. It was resolved in the meantime, that the poor Prince who had been left for so many hours alone, must be immediately seen to, and have creature comforts supplied to him. They agreed to send Niel MacEachainn to tell his Royal Highness that Kingsburgh proposed to visit him very soon on the shore. Niel at once did so, and speedily returned. In half-an-hour thereafter, he shouldered a musket and scampered across an intervening field, as if in search of game. The game, however, was sufficiently safe from Niel's approach, as his musket had neither flint nor ramrod, and as he failed to muster either powder or shot. Kingsburgh arrived at the place with some brandy and wine for the Prince, as well as with something substantial to eat, but no Prince was there! Niel waited Kingsburgh's arrival, and remained in charge of the refreshments, while Kingsburgh set off in search of his Royal Highness, and walked across the fields in the direction of the house of Scuddeburgh. At length, on seeing a flock of sheep, moving with all their speed towards the high-grounds, as if scared by some strange object, he beheld in the distance a huge giant-like figure in female attire, stalking rapidly over the meadow, with every pace a fathom in length, and every movement more fantastic than the most fertile imagination could delineate the witch of Endor! Kingsburgh made up to the ghastly female, who, with a rough, knotted club in her hand, put the question-" Are you Macdonald of Kingsburgh?" "I am, your Royal Highness!" Then after congratulations of no ordinary fervency, the Prince said-"Let us now go back to the place I left." This was done, and the much needed refreshments were liberally supplied, and as liberally and thankfully used. Late in the evening Sir Alexander's cattleman entered the servants' hall at Monkstadt, in a very excited state, and told in his own vernacular, in these impressive terms—“A Dhe, gleidh sinn, chunnaic mi boirionnach mor a' bras-shiubhal nan raointean, eadar so agus an Dun, le lorg fhada 'na laimh, le currachd neonach air a ceann, agus le eididh iongantaich m'a coluinn. Chan 'eil teagamh nach aon i dhiubhsan a ghlais na Sithichean 'nan seomraichibh 'san Dun, agus a fhuair cothrom teichidh. Chan fhaca mi a leithid riamh ann an cruth neach saoghalta." The translation of which is "Lord, preserve us! I saw a large female quickly traversing the fields betwixt this and the fort, with a long stick in her hand, with a curious hood on her head, and with a remarkable dress on her person. Undoubtedly she must be one of those whom the Fairies had locked up in their chambers in the Fort, who contrived to escape. I never beheld one to be compared with her in the shape of a worldly creature." Kingsburgh told this anecdote to the Prince, who heartily laughed at it. Previous to this Niel undeceived the astonished cattleman in the hall, as well as the other menials present, by his telling them that the gigantic female in question was no fairy prisoner in Scuddeburgh Fort, but an Irish spinning-maid whom they had ferried from the Long Island, on her way to the residence of Miss Flora Macdonald's mother at Armadale. The Prince was left for the night in a recess on the shore to which Niel had carried blankets and other coverings to afford him some comfort.* Meanwhile Captain Macleod and his companions had returned from Uig to Monkstadt, and had retired for the night. This circumstance af forded the Prince's friends a better opportunity for maturing their schemes. Lady Margaret, Miss Flora, and old Kingsburgh, together with Captain. Donald Roy Macdonald, assembled atter midnight in a private root, where they held an earnest consultation as to the means immediately to be adopted. It was arranged that Kingsburgh should take the Prince next morning along with him to his own house, twelve miles distant, and then pass him onward through Skye to the Island of Raasay. It was further arranged that Captain Donald Roy should that very night make all haste to Portree, the capital of Skye, a distance of twenty miles from Monkstadt, for the purpose of sending for, and of seeing the young laird of Raasay, and of securing a suitable boat to ferry the Prince to that Is land. Macleod, alias "MacGhille Challuim," the old laird of Raasay, had embraced, with his clan, the Prince's cause; but his son and heir had resolved to remain loyal. Father and son adopted this policy with the view of securing their property against forfeiture, in the case of future adverse circumstances coming to pass. The party retired to enjoy a few hours' rest. Soon after sunrise Kingsburgh, who failed to sleep, arose and entered the diuing-room, where he found Lady Margaret, Miss Flora, and Mrs Macdonald, Kirkibost, sitting together at that early hour. Captain Macleod and his party were as yet enjoying their slumbers in another wing of the mansion, and their absence at that critical hour was neither missed nor regretted. The early departure of Kingsburgh that morning would create no suspicion, as he had intimated at dinner, the previous day, that he desired to get home, either late that evening or very early on the Sabbath morning. The old gentleman, accordingly, after an early breakfast, and when furnished with suitable refreshments for the journey, joined Betty Burke on the shore, and set off with that sturdy Irish girl on their rugged way to the house of Kingsburgh. The morning was calm but misty, and exceedingly wet. The rain fell in torrents from the murky clouds. It was deemed prudent to avoid, as much as possible, the ordinary road, which at best was in these days merely a rough riding-path, and to take the more unfrequented tracks across the moors. This resolu tion added miles to the length of their journey, yet it was their wish that night would fall before arriving at Kingsburgh, not knowing what guests might be in the house before them. After the departure of Kingsburgh, Flora sat in the breakfast parlour with Lady Margaret, Mrs Macdonald, Kirkibost, Captain Macleod and others-and when a befitting opportu nity offered, she made a motion to take her leave, and to make ready for the journey. Lady Margaret affected great concern as to her short stay, -deemed it ridiculous to think of such a journey under such heavy rain * It has been stated by some that the Prince had removed to some concealed place near the garden at Monkstadt, but this was not the case. He never left the shore and the adjoining fields that evening. It is true that Lady Margaret was very wishful to see his Royal Highness, but could not venture to approach the shore at an untimely hour in the evening. Besides, Flora advised her Ladyship to keep entirely aloof from the Prince, as she (Flora) had all along done to the last moment, as many others indeed may be implicated by combining even privately for effecting his rescue. -pressed upon her the propriety of remaining at any rate until next day -and stated that she would be the means of taking Mrs Macdonald along with her, having agreed to go together. Flora, on the other hand, expressed her great anxiety to get home as speedily as possible to Armadale, as her dear mother was so seriously ill, and as her Ladyship knew, was quite alone in these turbulent times. After repeated pressings and refusals, Lady Margaret very reluctantly consented, and addressed her thus"As you are determined not to remain, Flora dear, I beg that you will wait until the hostler provide suitable ponies, with comfortable saddles, for Mrs Macdonald and you to carry you on." When all was ready, and after shaking hands with Lady Margaret, Captain Macleod, and others, the two ladies mounted their tiny steeds, and trotted away. The faithful Niel MacEachainn, and other two young men who were well acquainted with the riding path, accompanied them on foot. Moving slowly along, the party after a few hours, overtook Kingsburgh and his Irish maid making the best of their way forward. Ere then, however, the unceasing rain fell to such a degree as to swell the mountain streams to overflowing, and to render most of the usual fords all but impassable. Here and there under the shelter of rocks, the party rested, in order to pass the time. Having arrived at one pretty spot, they were directed to a pure spring of water, at which they sat down, and mingled part of it with Lady Margaret's genuine mountain-dew. The well was first pointed out to the drenched party by a boy who was herding cattle at the place, and who, for his activity, received from the big Irish woman the first shilling of which he was ever master before. The boy's name was John Macdonald, a smart, rawboned lad, bonnetless, and barefooted, who could not talk a vocable of the English language. He lived to the patriarchal age of one hundred and seven years, and died in the Lawn Market of Edinburgh in 1835, at the house of his son, Donald Macdonald, bagpipe maker to the Highland Society of Scotland.* Many years afterwards that well was secured by the Kingsburgh family, with polished flags, and a chained drinking-cup, and is called to this day-"Tobair a' Phrionnsa," the Prince's Well. Several ludicrous incidents took place on this rough and uncomfortable journey. Again and again Betty Burke, forgetting her assumed sex, when leaping over streams, and climbing rugged cliffs, managed her ragged skirts with amusing awkwardness. In the afternoon the party were met by numbers of country people returning home from church, who after saluting their respected factor, Kingsburgh, fixed their eyes upon, and stared at the uncommon size and slovenly appearance of that Irish lass that strode so reckless-like along! Kingsburgh upbraided them in Gaelic for their unmannerly curiosity, yet after all, they exclaimed in astonishment "O! faicibh am boirionnach neonach sin! Faicibh na ceuman mora, fada aig an nighinn ghairbh, ghobhlaich sin! Ochan! nach dana, slaodach, neo-sgiobalta, drabasta an sgliurach i! Is cinnteach gur ann de shliochd 'nam famhar i." These exclamations may be translated thus: : * A minute account of old John Macdonald's life is given in No. 36, page 462-66 of the Celtic Magazine, which cannot fail to interest such readers as take pleasure in all the incidents connected with the Rebellion of 1745. The writer of these pages is much indebted to good old John for furnishing him with many particulars connected with the movements of the Prince in his pilgrimage through the Isle of Skye, |