history of the mackenzies-第13节

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iously　did　of　his　　father；　and　Macaulay　becoming　apprehensive　as　to　his　safety　sent　him；　　then　quite　young；　accompanied　by　his　own　son；　for　protection　to　　Mackenzie's　relative；　Macdougall　of　Lorn。　　While　here　the　Earl　of　Ross　　succeeded　in　capturing　young　Macaulay；　and　in　revenge　for　his　father's　　gallant　defence　at　Ellandonnan　during　Kenneth's　absence；　and　more　　recently　against　his　own　futile　attempts　to　take　that　stronghold；　he　put　　Macaulay　to　death；　whereupon　Murdoch；　who　barely　escaped　with　his　life；　left　Lorn　and　sought　the　protection　of　his　uncle；　Macleod　of　Lewis。

The　actual　murderer　of　Macaulay　was　the　same　desperate　　character；　Leod　Macgilleandrais；　a　vassal　of　the　Earl　of　Ross；　who　had　in　1346　been　mainly　instrumental　in　the　capture　and　consequent　death　of　　Mackenzie's　father　at　Inverness。　　The　Earl　of　Cromarty　describes　the　　assassin　as　〃a　depender　of　the　Earl　of　Ross；　and　possessed　of　several　lands　　in　Strathcarron　（of　Easter　Ross）　and　some　in　Strathoykell。〃　　When　he　　killed　Macaulay；　Leod　possessed　himself　of　his　lands　of　Lochbroom　and　　Coigach　〃whereby　that　family　ended。〃　Macaulay's　estates　should　have　　gone　to　Mackenzie　in　right　of　his　wife；　Macaulay's　daughter；　but　〃holding　of　the　Earl　of　Ross；　the　earl　disponed　the　samen　in　lyfrent　by　tack　to　Leod；　　albeit　Murdo　Mackenzie　acclaimed　it　in　right　of　his　wyfe。〃

Leod　kept　possession　of　Kenlochewe；　which；　lying　as　it　did；　　exactly　between　Kintail　and　Lochbroom；　he　found　most　convenient　as　a　　centre　of　operations　against　both；　and　he　repeatedly　took　advantage　of　it；　though　invariably　without　success　so　far　at　least　as　his　main　object　was　　concernedto　get　possession　of　the　stronghold　of　Ellandonnan。　On　the　　other　hand；　the　brave　garrison　of　the　castle　made　several　desperate　　reprisals　under　their　heroic　commander；　Macaulay；　and　held　out　in　spite　of　　all　the　attempts　made　to　subdue　them；　until　the　restoration　of　David　II。；　by　　which　time　Murdoch　Mackenzie　had　grown　up　a　brave　and　intrepid　youth；　　approaching　majority。

The　author　of　the　Ardintoul　MS。　informs　us　that　he　was　called　　Murdo　of　the　Cave；　being　perhaps　not　well　tutored；　he　preferred　sporting　and　hunting　in　the　hills　and　forests　to　going　to　the　Ward　School；　where　the　　ward　children；　or　the　heirs　of　those　who　held　their　lands　and　wards　from　　the　King；　were　wont　or　bound　to　go；　and　he　resorted　to　the　dens　and　caves　about　Torridon　and　　Kenlochewe；　hoping　to　get　a　hit　at　Leod　Mac…gilleandrais；　who　was　instrumental；　under　the　Earl　of　Ross；　to　apprehend　　and　cut　off　his　father。　　In　the　meantime　Leod　hearing　of　Murdo's　resorting　　to　these　bounds；　that　he　was　kindly　entertained　by　some　of　the　inhabitants；　　and　fearing　that　he　　would　　withdraw　the　services　and　affections　of　the　　people　from　himself；　and　connive　some　mischief　against　him　for　his　ill…usage　of　his　father；　he　left　no　means　untried　to　apprehend　him；　so　that　Mackenzie　was　obliged　to　start　privately　to　Lochbroom；　from　whence；　with　only　one　companion；　he　went　to　his　uncle；　Macleod　of　Lewis；　by　　whom；　after　he　had　revealed　himself　to　him　alone；　he　was　well　received；　　and　both　of　them　resolved　to　conceal　his　name　until　a　fit　opportunity　　offered　to　make　known　his　identity。　　He；　however；　met　with　a　certain　man　　named　Gille　Riabhach　who　came　to　Stornoway　with　twelve　men；　about　　the　same　time　as　himself；　and　he；　in　the　strictest　confidence；　told　Gille　Riabhach　that　he　was　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　which　secret　the　latter　kept　　strictly　inviolate。　　Macleod　entertained　his　nephew；　keeping　it　an　absolute　　secret　from　others　who　he　was；　that　his　enemies　might　think　that　he　was　　dead；　and　so　feel　the　greater　security　till　such　time　as　they　would　deem　it　wise　that　he　should　act　for　himself　and　make　an　attempt　to　rescue　his　　possessions　from　Macgilleandrais；　who　now　felt　quite　secure；　thinking　　that　Mackenzie　had　perished；　having　for　so　long　heard　nothing　concerning　　him。　　When　a　suitable　time　arrived　his　uncle　gave　Murdo　two　of　his　great　　galleys；　with　as　many　men　（six　score）　as　he　desired；　to　accompany　him；　　his　cousin　german　Macleod；　the　Gille　Riabhach　and　his　twelve　followers；　　all　of　whom　determined　to　seek　their　fortunes　with　young　Kintail。　　They　　embarked　at　Stornoway；　and　securing　a　favourable　wind　they　soon　arrived　　at　Sanachan；　in　Kishorn　（some　say　at　Poolewe）；　where　they　landed；　marched　straight　towards　Kenlochewe；　and　arrived　at　a　thick　wood　near　　the　place　where　Macgilleandrais　had　his　residence。　　Mackenzie　commanded　his　followers　to　lie　down　and　watch；　while　he　and　his　companion；　Gille　Riabhach；　went　　about　in　search　of　intelligence。　He　　soon　found　a　woman　cutting　rushes；　at　the　same　time　lamenting　his　own　　supposed　death　and　Leod　Macgillearidrais'　succession　to　the　lands　of　　Kenlochewe　in　consequence。　　He　at　once　recognised　her　as　the　woman's　　sister　who　nursed　or　fostered　him；　drew　near；　spoke　to　her；　sounded　her；　　and　discovering　her　unmistakeable　affection　for　him　he　felt　that　he　could　with　perfect　safety　make　himself　known　to　her。　　She　was　overjoyed　to　find　that　it　was　really　he；　whose　absence　and　　loss　she　had　so　intensely　and　so　　long　lamented。　　He　then　requested　her　to　go　and　procure　him　information　of　Leod's　situation　and　occupation　that　night。　　This　she　did　with　great　　propriety　and　discretion。　　Having　satisfied　herself；　she　returned　at　the　　appointed　time　and　assured　him　that　Macgilleandrais　felt　perfectly　secure；　　quite　unprepared　for　an　attack；　and　bad　just　appointed　to　meet　the　adjacent　　people　next　morning　at　a　place　called　Ath…nan…Ceann　（the　Ford　of　the　　Heads）；　preparatory　to　a　hunting　match；　having　instructed　those　who　might　arrive　before　him　to　wait　his　arrival。　　Mackenzie　considered　this　an　　excellent　opportunity　for　punishing　Leod。　　He　in　good　time　went　to　the　ford　accompanied　by　his　followers。　　Those　invited　by　Leod　soon　after　　arrived；　and；　seeing　Mackenzie　before　them；　thought　he　was　Macgilleandrais　with　some　of　his　men；　but　soon　discovered　their　mistake。

Mackenzie　killed　all　those　whom　he　did　not　recognise　as　soon　as　they　appeared。　　The　natives　of　the　place；　who　were　personally　known　to　him；　　he　pardoned　and　dismissed。　　Leod　soon　turned　up；　and　seeing　such　a　　gathering　awaiting　　him；　naturally　thought　that　they　were　his　own　friends；　　and　hastened　towards　them；　but　on　approaching　nearer　he　found　himself　　〃in　the　fool's　hose。〃　　Mackenzie　and　his　band　fell　upon　them　with　their　　swords；　and　after　a　slight　resistance　Macgilleandrais　and　his　party　fled；　but　　they　were　soon　overtaken　at　a　place　called　to　this　day　Featha　Leoid　or　　Leod's　Bog；　where　they　were　all　slain；　except　Leod's　son　Paul；　who　was　　taken　prisoner　and　kept　in　captivity　for　some　time；　but　was　afterwards　　released　upon　plighting　his　faith　that　he　would　never　again　trouble　　Mackenzie　or　resent　against　him　his　father's　death。　　Murdoch　Mackenzie　　being　thus　　re…possessed　of　Kenlochewe；　〃gave　Leod　Macgilleandrais'　　widow　to　Gillereach　to　wife　for　his　good　services　and　fidelity；　whose　posterity　live　at　Kenlochewe　and　thereabout；　and　to　this　day　some　of　them　live　there。〃　　According　to　the　Cromarty　MS。；　Mackenzie　possessed　　himself　of　Lochbroom　in　right　of　his　wife　and　disposed　of　Coigach　to　his　　cousin　Macleod；　〃for　his　notable　assistance　in　his　distress；　which　lands　　they　both　retained　but　could　obtain　no　charters　from　the　Earls　of　Ross；　of　　whom　they　held；　the　Earls　of　Ross　pretending　that　they　fell　to　themselves　in　default　of　male　heirs；　the　other　retaining　possession　in　right　of　his　wife　　as　heir　of　line。〃

Paul　Macgilleandrais　some　years　after　this　repaired　to　the　confines　of　Sutherland　and　Caithness；　prevailed　upon　Murdo　Riabhach；　Kintail's　illegitimate　son；　to　join　him；　and；　according　to　one　authority；　became　〃a　common　depredator；〃　while　according　to　another；　he　became　what　was　　perhaps　not　inconsistent　in　those　days　with　the　character　of　a　desperado　a　　person　of　considerable　state　and　property。　They　often　〃spoiled〃　　Caithness。　　The　Earl　of　Cromarty；　referring　to　this　raid；　　says　that　Paul　〃desired　to　make　a　spoil　on　some　neighbouring　country；　a　barbarous　　custom　but　most　ordinary　in　those　days；　as　thinking　thereby　to　acquire　the　　repute　of　valour　and　to　become　formidable　as　the　greatest　security　amidst　their　unhappy　feuds。　　This；　their　prentice　try　or　first　exhibition；　was　called　in　Irish　（Gaelic）　‘Creach　mhacain'　the　young　man's　herschip。〃　Ultimately　Murdo　Riabhach　and　Paul's　only　son　were　killed　by　Budge　of　Toftingall。　　　Paul　was　so　mortified　at　the　death　of　his　young　depredator　son　that　he　　gave　up　building　the　fortress　of　Duncreich；　which　he　was　at　the　time　　erecting　to　strengthen　still　more　his　position　in　the　county。　　He　gave　his　　lands　of　Strathoykel；　Strathcarron；　and　Westray；　with　his　daughter　and　　heiress　in　marriage；　to　Walter　Ross；　III。　of　Balnagown；　on　which　condition　　he　obtained　pardon　from　the　Earl　of　Ross；　the　chief　and　superior　of　both。　Mackenzie；　after　disposing　of　Macgilleandrais；　returned　to　his　own　　country；　where　he　was　received　with　open　arms　by　the　whole　population　　of　the　district。　　He　then　married　the　only　daughter　of　his　gallant　friend　and　　defender；　Duncan　Macaulaywhose　only　son；　Murdoch；　had　been　killed　　　by　Macgilleandraisand　through　her　his　son　ultimately　succeeded　to　the　　lands　of　Lochbroom　and　　Coigeach　granted　to　Macaulay's　predecessor　by