history of the mackenzies-第45部分

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　forces　and　besieged　the　castle　of　Strone　in　　Lochcarron；　which　at　first　held　out　very　manfully；　and　would　not　　surrender；　though　several　terms　were　offered；　which　he　（Mackenzie）　　finding　not　willing　to　lose　his　men；　resolved　to　raise　the　siege　for　a　time；　　but　the　defenders　were　so　unfortunate　as　to　have　their　powder　damaged　by　　the　women　they　had　within。　　Having　sent　them　out　by　silence　of　night　to　　draw　in　water；　out　of　a　well　that　lay　just　at　the　entrance　of　the　castle；　the　　silly　women　were　in　such　fear；　and　the　room　they　brought　the　water　into　　being　so　dark　for　want　of　light；　when　they　came　in　they　poured　the　water　into　a　vat；　missing　the　right　one；　wherein　the　few　barrels　of　powder　they　had　lay。　　And　in　the　morning；　when　the　men　came　for　more　powder；　　having　exhausted　the　supply　of　the　previous　day；　they　found　the　barrels　of　　powder　floating　in　the　vat；　so　they　began　to　rail　and　abuse　the　poor　　women；　which　the　fore…mentioned　Duncan　Mac　Ian　Mhic　Gilliechallum；　　still　a　prisoner　in　the　castle；　hearing；　as　he　was　at　liberty　through　the　house；　having　promised　and　made　solemn　oath　that　he　would　never　come　　out　of　the　door　until　he　was　ransomed　or　otherwise　relieved。〃　　This　he　was　　obliged　to　do　to　save　his　life。　　But　having　discovered　the　accident　which　befel　the　powder；　he　accompanied　his　keepers　to　the　ramparts　of　the　　castle；　when　he　noticed　his　country　men　packing　up　their　baggage　as　if　intending　to　raise　the　siege。　　Duncan　instantly　threw　his　plaid　over　the　　head　of　the　man　that　stood　next　to　him；　and　jumped　over　the　wall　on　to　a　　large　dung　heap　that　stood　immediately　below。　He　was　a　little　stunned；　　but　instantly　recovering　himself；　flew　with　the　fleetness　of　a　deer　to　　Mackenzie's　camp；　and　informed　his　chief　of　the　state　of　matters　within　　the　stronghold。　　Kintail　renewed　the　siege　and　brought　his　scaling　ladders　　nearer　the　castle。　　The　defenders　seeing　this；　and　knowing　that　their　　mishap　and　consequent　plight　had　been　disclosed　by　Duncan　to　the　　enemy；　they　offered　to　yield　up　the　castle　on　condition　that　their　lives　would　be　spared；　and　that　they　he　allowed　to　carry　away　their　baggage。

This　was　readily　granted　them；　and　〃my　lord　caused　presently　blow　up　the　　house　with　powder；　which　remains　there　in　heaps　to　this　day。　　He　lost　only　　but　two　Kenlochewe　men　at　the　siege。　　Andrew　Munro　of　Teannouher　　　（Novar）　was　wounded；　with　two　or　three　others；　and　so　dissolved　the　　camp。〃　＇Ardintoul　MS。＇　　Another　writer　says〃The　rooms　are　to　be　seen　　yet。　　It　stood　on　a　high　rock；　which　extended　in　the　midst　of　a　little　bay　of　　the　sea　westward；　which　made　a　harbour　or　safe　port　for　great　boats　or　　vessels　of　no　great　burden；　on　either　side　of　the　castle。　　It　was　a　very　convenient　place　for　Alexander　Mac　Gillespick　to　dwell　in　when　he　had　　both　the　countries　of　Lochalsh　and　Lochcarron；　standing　on　the　very　　march　between　both。〃

A　considerable　portion　of　the　walls　is　still　（1893）　standing；　but　no　　trace　of　the　apartments。　　The　sea　must　have　receded　many　feet　since　it　was　　in　its　glory；　for　now　it　barely　touches　the　base　of　the　rock　on　which　the　ruin　stands。　　We　have　repeatedly　examined　it；　and　with　mixed　feelings　　ruminated　upon　its　past　history；　and　what　its　ruined　　walls；　could　they　only　　speak；　might　bear　witness　to。　　In　the　following　year　（1603）　the　chief　of　Glengarry　Donald　Gruamach　having　died；　and　the　heir　being　still　under　age；　the　Macdonalds；　under　Donald's　cousin；　Allan　Dubh　MacRanuil　of　Lundy；　made　an　　incursion　into　the　country　of　Mackenzie　in　Brae　Ross；　plundered　the　lands　of　Cillechriost；　and　ferociously　set　fire　to　the　church　during　divine　service；　　when　full　of　men；　women；　and　children；　while　Glengarry's　piper　marched　　round　the　building　cruelly　mocking　the　heartrending　wails　of　the　burning　　women　and　children；　playing　the　well…known　pibroch；　which　has　been　　known　ever　since　by　the　name　of　〃Cillechriost；〃　as　the　family　tune　of　the　Macdonalds　of　Glengarry。　　〃Some　of　the　Macdonalds　chiefly　concerned　in　　this　inhuman　outrage　were　afterwards　killed　by　the　Mackenzies；　but　it　is　　somewhat　startling　to　reflect　that　this　terrible　instance　of　private　　vengeance　should　have　occurred　in　the　commencement　of　the　seventeenth　　century；　without；　so　far　as　we　can　trace；　any　public　notice　being　taken　of　　such　an　enormity。　　In　the　end　the　disputes　between　the　chiefs　of　Glengarry　　and　Kintail　were　amicably　settled　by　an　arrangement　which　gave　the　Ross…shire　lands；　so　long　the　subject　of　dispute；　entirely　to　Mackenzie；　and　the　　hard　terms　to　which　Glengarry　was　obliged　to　submit　in　the　private　quarrel　　seem　to　have　formed　the　only　punishment　inflicted　on　this　clan　for　the　cold…blooded　atrocity　displayed　in　the　memorable　raid　on　Kilchrist。〃　＇Gregory；　pp。　302…3。＇

Eventually　Mackenzie　succeeded　in　obtaining　a　crown　charter　to　the　disputed　districts　of　Lochalsh；　Lochcarron；　and　others；　dated　1607；　and　　the　Macdonalds　having　now　lost　the　three　ablest　of　their　leaders；　Donald's　　successor；　his　second　son；　Alexander；　considered　it　prudent　to　seek　peace　with　Mackenzie。　　This　was；　after　some　negotiation；　agreed　to；　and　a　day　　appointed　for　a　final　settlement。

In　the　meantime；　Kintail　sent　for　twenty…four　of　his　ablest　men　in　Kintail　and　　Lochalsh；　and　took　them；　along　with　the　best　of　his　own　　kinsmen；　to　Baile　Chaisteil　（now　Grantown）；　where　his　uncle　Grant　of　　Grant　resided；　with　the　view　to　purchase　from　him　a　heavy　and　long…standing　claim　which　he　held　against　Glengarry　for　depredations　　committed　on　Grant's　neighbouring　territories　in　Glenmoriston　and　Glen…Urquhart。　　Grant　was　unwilling　to　sell；　but　ultimately；　on　the　persuasion　of　　mutual　friends；　he　offered　to　take　thirty　thousand　merks　for　his　claim。

Mackenzie's　kinsmen　and　friends　from　the　West　were　meanwhile　lodged　in　a　great　kiln　in　the　neighbourhood；　amusing　themselves　with　some　of　　Grant's　men　who　went　to　the　kiln　to　keep　them　company。　　Kintail　sent　a　　messenger　to　the　kiln　to　consult　his　people　as　to　whether　he　would　give　　such　a　large　amount　for　Grants　〃comprising〃　against　Glengarry。　　The　　messenger　was　patiently　listened　to　until　he　had　finished；　when　he　was　　told　to　go　back　and　tell　Grant　and　Mackenzie；　that　had　they　not　　entertained　great　hopes　that　their　chief　would　〃give　that　paper　as　a　gift　to　　his　nephew　after　all　his　trouble；〃　he　would　not　have　been　allowed　to　cross　　the　Ferry　of　Ardersier；　for　they　would　like　to　know　where　he　could　find　　such　a　large　sum；　unless　he　intended　to　harry　them　and　his　other　friends；　who　had　already　suffered　quite　enough　in　the　wars　with　Glengarry；　and；　so　saying；　they　took　to　their　arms；　and　desired　the　messenger　to　tell　Mackenzie　that　they　wished　him　to　leave　the　paper　where　it　was。　And　if　　he　desired　to　have　it；　they　would　sooner　venture　their　own　persons　and　　those　of　the　friends　they　had　left　at　home　to　secure　it　by　force；　than　give　a　　sum　which　would　probably　be　more　difficult　to　procure　than　to　dispossess　　Glengarry　altogether　by　their　doughty　arms。　　They　then　left　the　kiln；　and　sent　one　of　their　own　number　for　their　chief；　who；　on　arriving；　was　　strongly　abused　for　entertaining　such　an　extravagant　proposal　and　　requested　to　leave　the　place　at　once。　　This　he　consented　to　do；　and　went　to　　inform　Grant　that　his　friends　would　not　hear　of　his　giving　such　a　large　　sum；　and　that　he　preferred　to　dispense　with　the　claim　against　Glengarry　　altogether　rather　than　lose　the　goodwill　and　friendship　of　his　retainers；　who　had　so　often　endangered　their　lives　and　fortunes　in　his　quarrels。

Meanwhile；　one　of　the　Grants　who　had　been　in　the　kiln　communicated　to　　his　master　the　nature　of　the　conversation　which　had　there　passed　when　the　price　asked　by　Grant　was　mentioned　to　the　followers　of　Mackenzie。　　This　　made　such　an　impression　upon　Grant　and　his　advisers；　that　he　prevailed　　upon　Mackenzie；　who　was　about　starting　for　home；　to　remain　in　the　castle　　for　another　night。　　To　this　Kintail　consented；　and　before　morning　he　　obtained　the　〃paper〃　for　ten　thousand　merksa　third　of　the　sum　originally　　asked　for　it。　〃Such　familiar　relationship　of　the　chief　with　his　people；〃　our　authority　says；　〃may　now…a…days　be　thought　fabulous；　but　whoever　considers　the　unity；　correspondence；　and　amity　that　was　so　well　kept　and　　entertained　betwixt　superiors　and　their　followers　and　vassals　in　former　　ages；　besides　as　it　is　now…a…days；　he　need　not　think　it　so；　and　I　may　truly　　say　that　there　was　no　clan　in　the　Highlands　of　Scotland　that　would　　compete　with　the　Mackenzies；　their　vassals　and　followers；　as　to　that；　and　it　is　sure　their　superiors　in　former　times　would　not　grant　their　daughters　in　　marriage　without　their　consent。　　Nor　durst　the　meanest　of　them；　on　the　　other　hand；　give　theirs　to　any　stranger　without　the　superior's　consent；　and　　I　heard　in　Earl　Colin's　time　of　a　Kintail　man　that　gave　his　daughter　in　　marriage　to　a　gentleman　in　a　neighbouring　country　without　the　Earl's　　consent；　who　never　after　had　kindness　for　the　giver；　and；　I　may　say；　is　yet　　the　blackest　marriage　for　that　country；　and　others　also；　that　ever　was　　among　their　commons。　　But　it　may　be　objected　that　now…a…days　their　　commons　advice　or　consent　in　any　matter　of　consequence　is　not　so　　requisite；　whereas　there　are　many　substantial　friends　to　advise　with；　but　its　　an　old　Scots　phrase；　‘A　king's　advice　may　fall　from　a　fool's　head。'　　I　　confess　that　is　true　where　friends　are　real　friends；　but　we　ordinarily　find；　　and　partly　know　by　experience；　that；　where　friends　or　kinsmen　　become　　great　and　rich　in　interest；　they　readily　become　emulous；　and　will　ordinarily　advise　for　themselves　if　in　the　least　it　may　hinder　them　from　becoming　a　　chief　or　head　of　a　family；　and　forget　their　former　headship；　which　was　one　　of　the　greatest　faults；　as　also　the　ruin　of　Munro　of　Miltown；　whereas　a　　common　man　will　never　eye　to　become　a　chief　so　long　as　he　is　in　that　　state；　and　therefore　will　advise　his　chief　or　superior　the　more　freely。〃

What　a　change　in　the　relationship　between　the　chiefs　and　clansmen　of　to…day！　　Sir　William　Fraser；　who　quotes　the　foregoing　narrative　from　the　　former　edition　of　this　work；　says　that　John　Grant；　fifth　of　Freuchie；　in　　whose　time　this　incident　is　said　to　have　occurred；　was　not　〃uncle〃　but　　cousin　to　Kenneth　Mackenzie　of　Kintail。　　But　he　adds　that　the　〃story　is　so　　far　corroborated　by　the　fact　that