history of the mackenzies-第27节

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hich　Hector's　men　were　posted。　　He　had　no　fear　of　attack　from　that　　quarter；　and　his　men　feeling　themselves　quite　safe；　marched　loosely　and　　out　of　order。　　Hector　seeing　his　opportunity；　allowed　them　to　pass　until　the　　rear　was　within　musket　shot　of　him。　　He　then　ordered　his　men　to　charge；　　which　they　did　with　such　furious　impetuosity；　that　most　of　the　enemy　were　cut　to　pieces　before　they　were　properly　aware　from　whence　they　were　　attacked；　or　could　make　any　effectual　attempt　to　resist　the　dashing　onset　of　Hector's　followers。　　The　groans　of　the　dying　in　the　gloaming；　the　uncertainty　as　well　as　the　unexpectedness　of　the　attack；　frightened　them　so　　much　that　they　fled　in　confusion；　in　spite　of　every　attempt　on　the　part　of　　Fowlis；　who　was　in　front　in　charge　of　the　spoil　and　its　guard；　to　stop　them。

Those　from　the　rear　flying　in　disorder　soon　confused　the　men　in　front；　and　　the　result　was　a　complete　rout。　　Hector's　men　followed；　killing　every　one　they　met　for　it　was　ordered　that　no　quarter　should　be　given；　the　number　　being　so　large　that　they　might　again　turn　round；　attack　and　defeat　the　　victors。　　In　this　retreat　almost　all　the　men　of　the　clan　Dingwall　and　　MacCullochs　capable　of　bearing　arms　were　killed；　and　so　many　of　the　　Munroes　were　slain　that　for　a　long　time　after　〃there　could　not　be　ane　　secure　friendship　made　up　twixt　them　and　the　Mackenzies；　till　by　frequent　allyance　and　mutuall　beneffets　at　last　thes　animosities　are　setled　and　in　ordor　to　a　reconciliation；　Hector；　sone　to　this　William　of　Foulls；　wes　maried　to　John　Mackenzie's　sister　Catherine。〃

At　this　conflict；　besides　that　it　was　notable　for　its　neat　contrivance；　the　inequality　of　the　forces　engaged；　and　the　number　of　the　slain；　there　are　　two　minor　incidents　worth　noting。　　One　is　that　the　pursuit　was　so　hot　that　　the　Munroes　not　only　fled　in　a　　crowd；　but　there　were　so　many　of　them　　killed　at　a　place　on　the　edge　of　the　hill　where　a　descent　fell　from　each　　shoulder　of　it　to　a　well；　and　most　of　Hector's　men　being　armed　with　　battle…axes　and　two…edged　swords；　they　had　cut　off　so　many　heads　in　that　　small　space；　that；　tumbling　down　the　slope　to　the　well；　nineteen　heads　　were　counted　in　it　and　to　this　day　the　well　is　called　〃Tobar　nan　Ceann〃　or　　the　Fountain　of　the　Heads。　　The　other　incident　is　that　Suarachan；　better　　known　as　〃Donnchadh　Mor　na　Tuaighe；〃　or　Big　Duncan　of　the　Axe；　　previously　referred　to　as　one　of　the　heroes　of　the　battle　of　Park；　pursued　one　of　the　enemy　into　the　Church　of　Dingwall；　to　which　he　had　fled　for　　shelter。　　As　he　was　entering　in　at　the　door；　Suarachan　caught　him　by　the　　arm；　when　the　man　exclaimed；　〃My　sanctuary　saves　me！〃　〃Aye；〃　returned　　Suarachan；　〃but　what　a　man　puts　in　the　sanctuary　against　his　will　he　can　　take　it　out　again；　and　so；　pushing　him　back　from　the　door；　he　killed　him　　with　one　stroke　of　his　broadsword。　＇MS。　History　by　the　Earl　or　Cromartie。＇

Sir　William　Munro　returned　that　night　to　Fowlis；　where　happened　to　be；　passing　the　evening；　a　harper　of　the　name　of　MacRa；　who；　observing　Sir　William　pensive　and　dispirited；　advised　him　to　be　more　cheerful　and　　submit　patiently　to　the　fortunes　of　war；　since　his　defeat　was　not　his　own　fault；　nor　from　want　of　personal　courage　and　bravery；　but　arose　from　the　　timorousness　of　his　followers；　who　were　unacquainted　with　such　severe　　service。　　This　led　Sir　William　to　take　more　particular　notice　of　the　harper　　than　he　had　hitherto　done；　and　he　asked　him　his　name。　　On　hearing　it；　　Munro　replied；　〃You　surely　must　have　been　fortunate；　as　your　name　　imports；　and　I　am　sure　that　you　have　been　more　so　than　I　have　been　this　　day；　but　it's　fit　to　take　your　advice；　MacRath。〃　This　was　a　play　on　the　minstrel's　nameMacRath　literally　meaning　〃Son　of　Fortune〃and　the　　harper　being；　like　most　of　his　kind；　smart　and　sagacious；　made　the　　following　impromptu　answer

Eachainn　le　sheachd　fichead　fear；　Agus　thusa　le　d'ochd　clad；　Se　Mac　Rath　a　mharbh　na　daoine　Air　bathaois　Cnoc　faireal；

Which　may　be　rendered　in　English　as　follows：

Although　MacRath　doth　〃fortunate〃　import；　It's　he　deserves　that　name　whose　brave　effort　Eight　hundred　men　did　put　to　flight　With　his　seven　score　at　Knockfarrel。　＇Ardintoul　MS。＇

In　1499；　George；　Earl　of　Huntly；　then　the　King's　Lieutenant；　granted　warrant　to　Duncan　　Mackintosh　of　Mackintosh；　John　Grant　of　　Freuchie；　and　other　leaders；　with　three　thousand　men；　to　pass　against　the　Clan　Mackenzie；　〃the　　King's　rebels；〃　for　the　slaughter　of　Harold　of　　Chisholm；　dwelling　in　Strathglass；　〃and　for　divers　other　heirschips；　　slaughters；　　spuilzies；　committed　on　the　King's　poor　lieges　and　tenants　in　　the　Lordship　of　Ardmeanoch；〃　＇Kilravock　Papers；　p。　170。＇　but　Hector　Roy　　and　his　followers　gave　a　good　account　of　them；　and　soon　defeated　and　　dispersed　them。　　He　seems　to　have　held　undisturbed　possession　until　the　　year　1507；　when　John　and　his　brother　Roderick　were　on　a　visit　in　the　Aird；　　at　the　house　of　their　uncle；　Lord　　Lovat；　when　a　fire　broke　out　at　the　castle。　　According　to　the　Earl　of　Cromartie；　when　the　house　took　fire；　no　one　was　found　bold　enough　to　approach　the　burning　pile　but　John；　who　　rushed　boldly　through　the　flames　and　carried　away　the　Lovat　charter　chest　〃a　weight　even　then　thought　too　much　　for　the　strongest　man；　and　that　　cheist；　yett　extant；　is　a　load　sufficient　for　two。　　His　uncle；　bothe　obleiged　　by　the　actione；　and　glad　to　sie　such　strength　and　boldnes　in　the　young　man；　　desyred　（him）　to　do　as　much　for　himself　as　he　haid　done　for　him；　and　to　　discover　his　（own）　charter　cheist　from　his　uncle；　and　that　he　should　have　all　the　concurrance　which　he　（Lovat）　could　give　to　that　effect。〃

Anderson's　History　of　the　Family　of　Fraser　ascribes　this　bold　act　to　　Roderick；　for　which　he　was　〃considered　　amply　recompensed　by　the　gift　　of　a　bonnet　and　a　pair　of　shoes。〃　　It　matters　little　which　is　the　correct　version；　but　it　is　not　unlikely　that　Lovat's　valuable　charter　chest　was　saved　　by　one　or　other　of　them；　and　it　is　by　no　means　improbable　that　his　　Lordship's　suggestion　　that　they　should　procure　their　own　charter　chest　　and　his　offer　to　aid　them　in　doing　so　was　made　and　determined　to　be　acted　upon　on　this　occasion。

John；　who　had　proved　himself　most　prudent；　even　in　his　youth；　was　satisfied　that　his　uncle　Hector；　a　man　of　undoubted　valour　and　wisdom；　in　possession　of　the　estates；　and　highly　popular　with　the　clan；　could　not　be　expelled　without　great　difficulty　and　extreme　danger　to　himself。　　Any　such　　attempt　would　produce　feuds　and　slaughter　among　his　　people；　with　the　　certain　result　of　making　himself　personally　unpopular　with　the　clan；　and　　his　uncle　more　popular　than　ever。　　He　therefore　decided　upon　a　more　　prudent　course　resolving　to　strike　only　at　Hector's　person；　judging　that；　if　　his　uncle　failed；　his　claims　and　the　personal　respect　of　his　followers　would　　fall　with　him。　　To　carry　out　his　resolution；　he　contrived　a　scheme　which　　proved　completely　successful。　　Having　secured　an　interview　with　Hector；　　who　then　resided　at　Wester　Fairburn；　he　pleaded　that　since　he　had　taken　　his　estates　from　him；　and　left　him　in　such　reduced　circumstances；　it　was　　not　in　accordance　with　his　feelings　and　his　ambition　for　fame　to　remain　　any　longer　in　his　native　country；　where　he　had　neither　position　nor　　opportunities　of　distinguishing　himself。　　He　therefore　begged　that　his　　uncle　should　give　him　a　galley　or　birlinn；　and　as　many　of　the　ablest　and　most　determined　youths　in　the　country　as　should　voluntarily　follow　him　in　his　adventures　for　fame　and　　fortune　in　a　foreign　　land。　With　these　he　　should　pass　to　Ireland；　then　engaged　in　war；　and　〃there　purchase　a　　glorious　death　or　a　more　plentiful　fortune　than　he　was　likely　to　get　at　　home。〃　　The　idea　pleased　Hector　exceedingly；　and　he　not　only　gave　him　　his　own　galley；　then　lying　at　Torridon；　but　furnished　him　with　all　the　　necessary　provisions　for　the　voyage；　at　the　same　time　assuring　him　that；　if　　he　prosecuted　his　intentions；　he　should　annually　transmit　him　a　sufficient　　portion　to　keep　up　his　position；　until　his　own　personal　prowess　and　fortune　should　　place　him　above　any　such　necessity　whereas；　if　he　otherwise　resolved　or　attempted　to　molest　him　in　what　he　called　his　rights；　he　would　　bring　sudden　and　certain　ruin　upon　himself。

Thirty　brave　and　　resolute　young　men　joined　the　supposed　　adventurer；　after　having　informed　them　that　he　would　have　none　except　　those　who　would　do　so　of　their　own　free　will；　from　their　affection　for　him；　　and　determination　to　support　him　in　any　emergency；　for　he　well　judged　　that　only　such　were　suitable　companions　in　the　desperate　aims　which　he　　had　laid　out　for　himself　to　accomplish。　　These　he　dispatched　to　the　galley　　then　at　Torridon；　one　of　the　most　secluded　glens　on　the　West　Coast；　and　　distant　from　any　populated　place；　while　he　himself　remained　with　his　　uncle；　professedly　to　arrange　the　necessary　details　of　his　journey；　and　the　　transmission　of　his　portion；　but　really　to　notice　〃his　method　and　manner　of　converse。〃　　John　soon　took　farewell　of　Hector；　and　departed　with　every　　appearance　of　simplicity。　　His　uncle　sent　a　retinue　to　convoy　him　with　　　becoming　respect；　but　principally　to　assure　himself　of　his　departure；　and　to　　guard　against　surprise　or　design　on　John's　part。　　Accompanied　by　these；　he　　soon　arrived　at　Torri