history of the mackenzies-第63部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


urrender　of　their　arms；　which　they　had　never　done　to　any　of　　your　Royal　predecessors；　or　in　compliance　with　any　law　either　before　or　　since　the　Union。〃

The　　following　account　of　Donald　Murchison's　proceedings　and　of　Seaforth's　vassals　during　his　exile　in　France　is　abridged　from　an　　interesting　and　valuable　work。　＇Chambers's　Domestic　Annals　of　Scotland。＇

It　brings　out　in　a　prominent　light　the　state　of　the　　Highlands　and　the　　futility　　of　the　　power　of　the　Government　during　that　period　in　the　North。

As　regards　several　of　the　forfeited　estates　which　lay　in　inaccessible　situations　in　the　Highlands；　the　commissioners　had　up　to　this　time　been　　entirely　baffled；　never　having　been　able　even　to　get　them　surveyed。

This　　was　so　in　a　very　special　manner　in　the　case　of　the　immense　territory　of　the　　Earl　of　Seaforth；　extending　from　Brahan　Castle；　near　Dingwall　in　the　east；　　across　to　Kintail　in　the　west；　as　well　as　in　the　large　island　of　the　Lewis。　　　The　districts　of　Lochalsh　and　Kintail；　on　the　west　coast；　the　scene　of　the　　Spanish　invasion　of　1719；　were　peculiarly　difficult　of　access；　there　being　　no　approach　from　the　south；　east；　or　north；　except　by　narrow　and　difficult　　paths；　while　the　western　access　was　only　assailable　by　a　naval　force。　　To　all　appearance　this　tract　of　ground；　the　seat　of　many　comparatively　　opulent　tacksmen　and　cattle　farmers；　was　as　much　beyond　the　control　of　　the　six　commissioners　assembled　at　their　office　in　Edinburgh；　as　if　it　had　　been　amongst　the　mountains　of　Tibet　or　upon　the　shores　of　Madagascar。

For　several　years　after　the　insurrection；　the　rents　of　this　district　were　collected；　without　the　slightest　difficulty；　for　the　benefit　of　the　exiled　　Earl；　and　regularly　transmitted　to　him。　　At　one　time　a　large　sum　was　sent　to　him　in　　Spain。　　The　chief　agent　in　the　business　was　Donald　Murchison；　　descendant　of　a　line　of　faithful　adherents　of　the　〃High　Chief　of　Kintail。〃

Some　of　the　later　generations　of　the　family　had　been　entrusted　with　the　　keeping　of　Ellandonnan　Castle；　a　stronghold　dear　to　the　modern　artist　as　a　　picturesque　ruin；　but　formerly　of　serious　importance　as　commanding　a　　central　point　from　which　radiate　Loch　Alsh　and　Loch　Duich；　in　the　midst　　of　the　best　part　of　the　Mackenzie　country。　Donald　was　a　man　worthy　of　a　　more　prominent　place　in　his　country's　annals　than　he　has　yet　attained；　he　acted　under　a　sense　of　right　which；　though　unfortunately　defiant　of　Acts　of　　Parliament；　was　still　a　very　pure　sense　of　right；　and　in　the　remarkable　　actions　which　he　performed　he　looked　solely　to　the　good　of　those　towards　whom　he　had　a　feeling　of　duty。　　A　more　disinterested　heroand　he　was　　onenever　lived。

When　Lord　Seaforth　brought　his　clan　to　fight　for　King　　James　in　1715；　Donald　Murchison　and　an　elder　brother；　John；　　accompanied　him　as　field　officers　of　the　regimentDonald　as　Lieutenant…Colonel；　and　John　as　Major。　　The　late　Sir　Roderick　Impey　Murchison；　the　distinguished　Geologist；　great…grandson　of　John；　possessed　a　large　ivory　　and　silver　〃mill；〃　which　once　contained　the　commission　sent　from　France　　to　Donald；　as　Colonel；　bearing　the　inscription：〃James　Rex：　forward　and　spare　not。〃　　John　fell　at　Sheriffmuir；　in　the　prime　of　life；　Donald　returning　　with　the　remains　of　the　clan；　was　entrusted　by　the　banished　Earl　with　the　management　or　estates　no　longer　legally　but　still　virtually　his。　　And　for　this　task　Donald　was　in　various　respects　well　qualified；　for；　strange　to　say；　　the　son　or　the　castellan　of　Ellandonnanthe　Sheriffmuir　Colonelhad　been　〃bred　a　writer〃　in　Edinburgh；　and　was　as　expert　at　the　business　of　a　factor　or　estate…agent　as　in　wielding　the　claymore。　＇For　a　short　time　before　　the　insurrection；　he　had　acted　as　factor　to　Sir　John　Preston　of　Preston　Hall；　　in　Mid…Lothian；　then　also　a　forfeited　estate；　but　of　minor　value。＇

In　bold　and　avowed　insubordination　to　the　Government　of　George　　the　First；　Mackenzie's　tenants　continued　for　ten　years　to　pay　their　rents　to　　Donald　Murchison；　setting　at　nought　all　fear　of　ever　being　compelled　to　　repeat　the　payment　to　the　commissioners。

In　1720　his　Majesty's　representatives　made　a　movement　for　　asserting　their　claims　upon　the　property。　　　In　William　Ross　of　Easterfearn　and　Robert　Ross；　a　bailie　of　Tain；　they　found　two　men　bold　enough　to　undertake　the　duty　of　stewardship　in　their　behalf　over　the　Seaforth　property；　the　estates　of　Grant　or　Glenmoriston；　and　or　Chisholm　of　Strathglass。　　Little；　however；　was　done　that　year　　　beyond　　sending　out　　　notices　to　the　tenants；　and　preparing　for　more　strenuous　measures　for　next　　year。　The　stir　they　made　only　produced　excitement；　not　dismay。　Some　of　　the　duine…uasals　from　about　Lochcarron；　coming　down　with　their　cattle　to　　the　south…country　fairs；　were　heard　to　declare　that　the　two　factors　would　never　get　anything　but　leaden　coin　from　the　Seaforth　tenantry。　　Donald　　went　over　the　whole　country　showing　a　letter　he　had　got　from　the　Earl；　　encouraging　the　people　to　stand　out　　at　the　same　time　telling　them　that　the　　old　Countess　was　about　to　come　north　with　a　factory　for　the　estate；　when　　she　would　allow　as　paid　for　any　rents　which　they　might　hand　to　him。　The　　very　first　use　to　be　made　of　this　money　was　to　bring　both　the　old　and　the　young　Countesses　home　immediately　to　Brahan　Castle；　where　they　were　　to　live　as　they　used　to　do。　　Part　of　the　funds　thus　acquired；　　Murchison　　used　　in　　keeping　on　foot　a　party　of　some　sixty　armed　Highlanders；　who；　in　　virtue　of　his　commission　as　colonel；　he　proposed　to　employ　in　resisting　　any　troops　of　George　the　First　which　might　be　sent　to　Kintail。　　Nor　did　he　　wait　to　be　attacked；　but　in　June；　1720；　hearing　of　a　party　of　excisemen　passing　near　Dingwall　with　a　large　quantity　of　aqua　vitae；　he　fell　upon　　them　and　rescued　their　prize。　　The　collector　of　the　district　reported　this　　transaction　to　the　Board　of　Excise；　but　no　notice　was　taken　of　it。

In　　February；　1721；　the　two　factors　sent　officers　of　their　own　into　　the　western　districts；　to　assure　the　tenants　of　good　usage；　if　they　would　make　a　peaceable　submission　but　the　men　were　seized；　robbed　of　their　　papers；　money；　and　arms；　and　quietly　sent　across　the　Frith　of　Attadale；　　though　only　after　giving　their　solemn　assurance　that　they　would　never　　attempt　to　renew　their　mission。　Resenting　this　procedure　the　two　factors　caused　a　constable　to　take　a　military　party　from　Bernera　Barracks；　　Glenelg；　into　Lochalsh；　and；　if　possible；　capture　those　who　had　been　　guilty。　　They　made　a　stealthy　night…march；　and　took　two　men；　but　the　　alarm　was　given；　the　two　men　escaped；　and　began　to　fire　down　upon　their　　captors　from　a　hillside；　then　they　set　fire　to　the　bothy　as　a　signal；　and　such　　a　coronach　went　over　all　Kintail　and　Lochalsh　as　made　the　soldiers　glad　to　　beat　a　quick　retreat。

After　some　further　proceedings；　all　ineffectual；　the　two　factors　were　enabled；　on　the　13th　day　of　September；　to　set　forth　from　Inverness　　with　a　party　of　thirty　soldiers　and　some　armed　servants　of　their　own；　with　　the　design　of　enforcing　submission　to　their　claims。　　Let　it　be　remembered　that　in　those　days　there　were　no　roads　in　the　　Highlands；　nothing　but　a　few　　horse…tracks　along　the　principal　lines　in　the　country；　where　not　the　　slightest　effort　had　ever　been　made　to　smooth　away　the　natural　difficulties　　of　the　ground。　　In　two　days　the　factors　reached　Invermoriston；　but　here　they　were　stopped　for　three　days；　waiting　for　their　heavy　luggage；　which　　was　storm…stayed　in　Castle　Urquhart；　and　there　nearly　taken　in　a　night　　attack　by　a　partisan　warrior　bearing　the　name　of　Evan　Roy　Macgillivray。　　　The　tenantry　of　Glenmoriston　at　first　fled　with　their　cattle；　but　afterwards　　a　number　of　them　came　in　and　made　the　appearance　of　submission。　　The　　party　then　moved　on　towards　Strathglass；　while　Evan　Roy　respectfully　　followed；　to　pick　up　any　man　or　piece　of　baggage　that　might　be　left　　behind。　　At　Erchless　Castle；　and　at　Invercannich；　seats　of　the　Chisholm；　　they　held　courts；　and　received　the　submission　of　a　number　of　the　tenants；　whom；　however；　they　subsequently　found　to　be　〃very　deceitful。〃

There　were　now　forty　or　fifty　miles　of　the　wildest　Highland　country　before　them；　where　they　had　reason　to　believe　they　should　meet　　groups　of　murderous　Camerons　and　Glengarry　Macdonalds；　and　also　　encounter　the　redoubtable　Donald　Murchison　himself；　with　his　guard　of　　Mackenzies；　unless　their　military　force　should　be　sufficiently　strong　to　　render　all　such　opposition　hopeless。　　An　arrangement　having　been　made　　that　they　should　receive　an　addition　of　fifty　soldiers　from　Bernera；　with　whom　to　pass　through　the　most　difficult　part　of　their　journey；　it　seemed　　likely　that　they　would　appear　too　strong　for　resistance　and；　indeed；　　intelligence　was　already　coming　to　them；　that　〃the　people　of　Kintail；　being　　a　judicious　opulent　people；　would　not　expose　themselves　to　the　punishments　of　law；〃　and　that　the　Camerons　were　absolutely　determined　to　give　no　further　provocation　to　the　Government。　　Thus　assured；　they　set　out　in　cheerful　mood　along　the　valley　of　Strathglass；　and；　soon　after　　passing　a　place　called　Knockfin；　they　were　reinforced　by　Lieutenant　　Brymer　with　the　expected　fifty　men　from　Bernera。　There　were　now　about　　a　hundred　well　armed　men　in　the　invading　body。　　They　spent　the　next　day　　（Sunday）　　together　in　　rest；　to　gather　strength　for　the　ensuing　day's　march　　of　about　thirty　arduous　miles；　by　which　they　hoped　to　reach　Kintail。

At　four　in　the　morning　of　Monday；　the　2d　of　October；　the　　party　went　forward；　the　Bernera　men　first；　and　the　factors　in　the　rear。　They　were　as　yet　far　from　the　height　of　the　country；　and　from　its　more　　difficult　passes；　but　they　soon　found　that　all　the　flattering　tales　of　non…resistance　were　groundless；　and　that　the　Kintail　men　had　come　a　good　way　　out　from　that　district　in　order　to　defend　it。　　The　truth　was；　that　Donald　Murchison　had　assembled　not　only　his　stated　band　of　Mackenzies；　but　a　　levy　of　the　Lewis　men　under　Seaforth's　cousin；　Mackenzie　of　Kildun；　also　　an　auxiliary　corps　of　Camerons；　Glengarry　and　Glenmoriston　men；　and　　some　of　those　very　Strathglass　men　who　had　been　making　appearances　of　　submission。　Altogether　he　had；　if　the　factors　were　rightly　informed；　three　hundred　and　fifty　men　with　long　Spanish　firelocks；　under　his　command；　and　all　posted　in　the　way　most　likely　to　g